Can you believe it? I’m faced with a fit of dog pique. The gang is not impressed that Caxton’s canine crew, the alliterative Floyd and Fletcher, will be enjoying a 5-star floating kennel – sorry, floating dog hotel – when Lesley and Joe finally launch their pride and joy. As opposed to their own clearly 3-star accommodation...Wait until we harness them up for a bit of dogboating (five dogpower = 1 horsepower), just hear the complaints then! What they don’t understand is that Caxton is a new full-time home for everyone, and the gorgeous array of mod cons will help make life afloat even more enjoyable. When we had our boat built, we didn’t do it with any conviction that it would be the boat we’d retire onto (one day, hopefully sooner rather than later, tomorrow would be nice). Instead our thoughts went no further than high days and holidays...good job because it was a struggle making the spondoolicks reach even that far!
So we started cruising with a boat that was nicely comfortable for a week or two but with none of the ‘big ticket’ items that once might expect on a liveaboard. But we reasoned with ourselves that we would soon get a feel for what – if anything – was missing and we would hopefully find it more affordable to take things on a case by case basis. And it’s an approach that’s worked well. Over the years we’ve added a cratch and cover, a battery charger, a hospital silencer, a fourth leisure battery while also changing the WC – not massive additions but all ones we feel we’ve had value from. A much bigger inverter is just round the corner and a cross-bed is a sine qua non of my liveaboard future! The bad news, gang, is that we will always maintain a certain simplicity on board because I subscribe to the theory that the less there is to go wrong, the less will go wrong (Why do I have the feeling that that statement will come back and haunt me? And for heaven’s sake, why didn’t I apply it to you dogs?). Anyway, if you want to go up in the world, then I suggest you put your black labrador costumes on and go and make doe eyes at Lesley.
I feel a mutiny coming on..
7 comments:
I was a bit wary of showing Caxton's blog to Blue and Lou but luckily they won't be joining in the great greyhound grump! They're not impressed by a 4ft by 2ft dog cabin - they'd barely fit ONE duvet in, let alone the whole nest of duvets, cushions and sheepskins that each one seems to need. They'd also have to share - excuse me!!!
Sue, Indigo Dream
Be grateful you've only got two that don't share! How come I'm always seeing cutesy pics of greys cuddled up together and I end up with five prima donnnas who 'need their own space?'
There's a 6'4" Labrador knocking at my door, is this anything to do with you?
NB Caxton
Ah, I thought I was one short. Gravy bones are the treat of choice and he'll have his supper around 7pm. Thanks very much!
Oh Dear, I just posted a photo of Jess in a cage.... she had to have one at work because otherwise she insisted the only place she would settle was my co-workers knee. Luckily for me she does not have time for reading blogs as there are swans and rowers that need her vocal support. You might like to point out the photo to your various canines though, there's always room for more in the Cambridge gulag.
I'm afraid I have another "pampered pup". I have spent part of the weekend converting a very nice collaspable kennel into the "bat cave" by covering the mesh sides. He shuns dog beds altogether, only likes ours for a small part of the night, then cries for the Cave. Strange animal!
I knew it! We're all in thrall to our dogs! I've never seen such a bunch of pampered pooches...I think I might post soon, inviting contributions to the 'Greatest sacrifice made for my dog' competition!
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