Four men in a boat (not to mention the bicycle)

Working men; that's no luxury canal cruiser. Waterways take a lot of maintenance, not least when the water margins go mad with greenery in a warm wet summer (which is what we seem to be having so far). They have to be careful how they approach them as there are a lot of ducks, moorhens and even swans nesting in the long reeds and grasses.

My work drove me to the edge of depression today. I really am too old for this. There was the saving grace of my lunchtime walk, and some lunch whilst sitting in a deckchair watching Wimbledon on the big screen in the town centre for fifteen minutes. And in the evening TSM and I went for another little walk in the local streets, which meant I clocked up a solid 12,000 steps.

A bit worried about TGR in Canada where the temperatures have reached the high forties. Canada broke its temperature record for a third straight day on Tuesday - 49.6C (121.3F) in Lytton, British Columbia. That is insane. She is being sensible and is young, fit and healthy but it is still worrying.


The central heating boiler had its annual service. Mucky filters but otherwise okay. Belinda the cleaner came in and got me to refill the mop for the wooden floors. Those were the two most exciting bits of my day. But all I really want to do, if my life were my own, is read and go to London. And improve my cooking skills. And maybe take up painting again. And write that novel that's inside me. And spend more time with friends and family. And write letters to The Guardian. And wander around art galleries and museums. And ten thousand other things. But not work.


Oh well. Only 1,175 days to go until I retire completely ...