Bilbo Baggins

Lots of stresses all seem to be coming at once at the moment. I did finally solve the problem that caused me so much grief yesterday. It all makes sense now, of course, and it turned out to be a complicated sequence of events so at least I'm feeling a bit better about myself than I was last night. I think I can be excused a little for struggling as much I did for a diagnosis yesterday and then a solution today.

Coming home late again on the train (not being able to cycle at the moment because of the need to have my laptop with me in the office), my head feels fit to burst. It actually might have done this afternoon if it wasn't for taking an impromptu extended lunch break, which dissipated a lot of the pressure. It still amazes me how it is that almost every day I leave the office in a kind of computer stupor yet manage to return with a story and the spirit renewed. Today's adventure was particularly magical.

My exit from the building coincided with the passing of a horse pulling a barge along the canal. If I'd left a minute earlier or later I would not have seen Bilbo Baggins here. I abandoned my trip to Market Square and crossed over the bridge to soon catch up with him, and Sue, and discovered all about Horseboating. Sue here is the leading light in preserving this traditional way of moving barges along the canal. For a short while I joined a little piece of living history, and experienced a vivid reminder of why the towpath is so called.

It's not quite as simple a business as it might seem, and even less so now than a hundred and fifty years ago when the canal system was designed for such an operation. Today there are many obstacles to negotiate and I was recruited to help with a few of them. Sue has to rely on volunteers to assist, as well as recruiting helpers along the way. One of the great pleasures, she said, was sharing the experience with others and seeing the joy people take from watching them pass by and getting involved. I can understand that.

Bilbo is a magnificent animal. He's twenty years old now and has been pulling for the last seven. Sue trained him herself. They have a very strong connection. I don't think Sue will mind me saying that she's quite bossy. I was given very clear instructions as to what to do and if I hadn't been so insistent on the pressures at work I would likely have been recruited for the job all the way to Rodley, their destination for the night. It was only when I stopped and walked back towards Shipley that I realised just how far I had walked with them. It felt like I'd been caught in a time warp within a time warp. And thank goodness.

PS I'm glad my blip brought so much cheer yesterday at my expense! Thanks for all the love you lovely lot.

PPS It's not completely lost on me that I've now blipped a cat, a dog, and a horse in the last 10 days. Something weird is going on with me!