This is a true story.

No names have been changed to protect people and the places in the story are completely factual. It was written at the time it happened.

In 2013 I was diagnosed with an aggressive and advanced cancer. Obviously I survived as I am writing this inroduction now, but at the time I thought I was facing my last year. I had no idea about boats.

We decided to spend all our savings on a narrowboat and called it Therapy. We bought a puppy and I let Ewan choose it as I knew it would ultimately be his (but I did choose her name). I let her sleep in the bed as thought it would never be my problem.

Although I had never been in a boat before and relied on Ewan to understand it all, I decided that I would take my last trip aboard Therapy with friends, with as many of them as could join me over the upcoming winter as I thought I might not be well enough if I left it until summer. I got out my Christmas Card list and wrote an invitation to everyone:-

Please join me for The Voyage of Friendship aboard the Narrowboat Therapy

I will be leaving on 15th December 2014 and returning to Newbury by 1st April 2015.

You’re welcome to bring someone with you, but you must be prepared to share the double sofa bed with them. I will have lots of food on board but please bring sheets and a duvet cover if you plan to stay the night- you’re welcome to join me for an hour, a day or a week.

This story is about what happened.