Background

It was just a phone from my friends Mick and Suzanne Wilson who were moored in Stoke Bruerne on their narrowboat Aqua Vitae in which it was mentioned that there was a cottage for sale adjacent to the top lock.  I had a wee look on the internet and made an arrangement to go and see it.  I had been living in Brookwood in Surrey on the edge of the Basingstoke Canal for some 22 years as it indulged my interests in inland waterways and it was close to my work (BA at London Heathrow).

To cut the story short I managed to sell my house in Brookwood and agree a mutually acceptable price for the cottage in Stoke Bruerne.  I engaged builders to undertake repairs and, despite some worries in the small hours of the morning on occasions, Tom and his builders are on target to complete the work by 21-June-13.

My background is that I was born and brought up in New Zealand but have been in this country working for British Airways since 1977 where I looked after all their operational data - data created by virtue of operating aeroplanes.  I retired in August-2010 and have been enjoying life since then.  I have a narrowboat - Leo No2 - which I will move to Blisworth in the autumn - it is currently on the delightful River Wey.