#narrowboat holiday

[warwickshirenarrowboathire]

Warwickshire Narrowboat Hire

Warwickshire Narrowboat hire is a family run canal narrow boat hire business who pride ourselves in offering the very best canal boat experience in all aspects of your holiday with us. Some members of staff have over 50 years experience in canal boat holidays and hire fleet management.

Business hours: Monday To Thursday: 7 am–8 pm, Friday - Saturday 7 am–10 pm, Sunday 9 am–5 pm

Business Since: 2017

Contact Us;

Address: Lyons Boat Yard Ltd, Limekiln Lane, Warstock, Birmingham, B14 4SP

Phone: 07834 177598

Website: https://www.warwickshirenarrowboathire.com/

Business Email: dean@warwickshirenarrowboathire.com

[galadhir]

The main problem with having a narrowboat adventure is that you can't document it as it's going on, because all electronic devices need to be kept in a safe (inaccessible) place so they won't accidentally be dropped in the canal/river.

(We've already lost one phone, one powerbank and one pair of prescription glasses to the water, as they fell out of pockets and even off my face. Hopefully that lesson is learned.)

The week before last, after navigating all the way down the river Nene and the Middle Levels from Milton Keynes to Outwell, we were stationary. We had been going around a bend in the river and the tiller had come off. Fortunately we managed to get ropes out and moor up where we were. We then waited for three days for an engineer to come out to us. He was like 'well, I can do you a quick fix which is good enough to get you to a boatyard, but it won't be good enough for permanent use.' So he did that and we thanked him.

Then we cancelled the painting dock that we had been heading for, that we would not now be able to reach in time. They said 'Oh, I'm sorry to hear your news, but you can get it fixed and then re-book, no problem.' Which was great.

So we turned the boat around (very blessed to have had this happen within winching distance of a winding hole,) and headed a day's journey back upstream to Fox's boatyard in March. They took us in, said, "Yeah, we can fix that tomorrow," and then did fix it by 9.30 am the very next day.

We thought 'hurray! We'll re-book the painting dock and we can get there by Monday next week, with one week of DH's pre-booked holiday still to go and not too much time lost.'

So we phoned the painting dock to re-book and they said, 'Oh yeah, we're not doing that any more. Sorry.'

By this time we'd been travelling 6 hours a day for a month to try to get to this damn dock (a place which was covered so you could paint in the rain, there was access to both sides of the boat at once, and electricity on tap for power tools.) We had been two days travel away from the plan going like clockwork, and now we had nothing, and had moved the boat all this way for nothing.

We loudly expressed this to anyone who was listening. Which happened to be the guys from Fox's boatyard who had been fixing the tiller. They said "We have a painting dock, you know. I mean it doesn't have cover, so you'll have to stop when it rains, and you have to turn the boat around to get to the other side, but..."

We said, "Taken! Thanks!"

And now we are moored up at Fox's boatyard for the month, and we've spent a full week getting the paint off the roof. It is so thick it had to be scraped off with an angle-grinder, (while working in 30C heat) and it really needs a final sanding before we start to put paint back on it.

But we're due thunderstorms today, so last night we put a coat of rust-proofing oil on it, which should be dry by now, and we'll pick up with sanding the gutters and then the sides tomorrow when the weather should allow it again.

Amazing progress, considering the pit of despair we were in on Friday, and massive recommendations for Fox's boatyard and marina in March, who continue to be immensely friendly and helpful.

[bloopington-indiana]

Jet came into Jonathons life one day unexpectedly, Jonathon had gone to pet shop to buy budgie sand to put on his narrowboat roof, to make roof non slip. Jet was in a cage along with other kittens for sale, Jet put her paws through cage and waggled them at Jonathon, as if saying come here, take me home, Jonathon left the shop with budgie sand and a little black kitten.Jet soon got used to narrowboat life and when she was a bit older she used to patrol the narrowboat roof keeping watch for other cats or mice, birds ect. Jet would run up and down the roof, sometimes misjudging the end of the boat and falling into the river, one particular night when Jet had fallen in river and I was staying with Jonathon she ran through cat flap and I was showered with water as she shook herself, it was 2am in the morning and it was not a nice way to be woken up. Jonathon would drive to Wisbech with Jet at weekends to visit me, Jet beside Jonathon in her little pen, Jet would push her paws through and grab hold of Jonathons leg, at that time Jonathons trousers all had claw marks in them. Jet would also go out in narrowboat when we went away for weekends or holidays, wearing a harness and lead Jet would walk along towpath exploring and meeting surprised dogs on leads. Jet took to boating like a fish to water. The time came for Jonathon to retire and Jet retired from best boat patroller to live in a bungalow with Jonathon and me. The first time Jet met Trot the tortoise she was walking across the rockery when suddenly one of the rocks got legs and started moving Jet flew up in the air like a helicopter straight up and it took her a while to trust rocks after that. Trot and Jet became friends and you would often find Jet and Trot under the cat mint snoozing in the sunshine. Jet always stayed kitten like, she loved playing, one of her favourite games was to chase her tail in circles and sometimes bite her tail when she caught it, giving a mew in pain, Jet was a very vocal cat, a lot of the meows you could understand like a hello in the morning, or I'm hungry. Jet was the best little black cat we could ever have and such a good friend to Jonathon and me over the years

[oneofthosebells]

What's your favorite holiday you've ever been on? :)

A bit late to answer sorry, but thank you for the ask anon!

Hmm, hard question. I was privileged enough to travel a lot when I was younger; have been to the USA, Russia, China, Israel, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Portugal, Greece, Ireland and probably some I've forgotten...but honestly? My favourite holiday is the one I go on with my parents every year within the UK where we hire a narrowboat for a couple of weeks. Done it every single year for nearly 30 years now.

I remember one year, I think it was 2010, we lucked out and were able to get the boat for 3 weeks during a heatwave in England (we were in a shared ownership scheme then, a bit like a timeshare). Three weeks of glorious sunshine and nowhere in particular to be, just pootling along in a boat. Heaven.

[richardjamesbenbow]

After five years on a narrowboat, I’ve finally reached the end of the canal network | Lancashire holidays | The Guardian

[randomrepeat-blog]

Narrowboating along the Kennet and Avon canal

After enjoying a narrowboat holiday along the River Thames last year, we couldn’t wait to do it all over again, this time opting for a cruise along …Narrowboating along the Kennet and Avon canal

[swanstardesigns]

A little plein air sketching from the front of a canal boat. . . #sketch #sketching #pleinair #canal #art #drawing #boat #boatlife #canalboat #narrowboat #holiday #sketchbook #pencildrawing #fabercastell #englishcanal #kennetandavoncanal #kennetandavon #relaxing https://www.instagram.com/p/BoG23a1hcAv/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=aakrz7cfdvos

[timrichards82]

Holiday Vibes #canal #holiday #spire #narrowboat #oxfordcanal (at Braunston)

[zaharadessert]

The May

Rating: T

Summary: When Henry goes to rush out the door without his coat, Emma doesn't think anything of the old saying that tumbles from her lips, until her pirate suggests it shouldn't be said quite the way she just said it.

Length: ~1300 words

Notes: A little canon compliant fluff with some mentions of their pasts. 

Thanks to @ultraluckycatnd​ for betaing this fic for me. I actually wrote it while I was on holiday with my mum and step dad on a narrowboat a few months ago after a conversation with my mum. Just goes to show that literally anything can be inspiration. I hope you all enjoy! Art by me!

Tagging: @jrob64​​ @xhookswenchx​​ @kmomof4​​ @wefoundloveunderthelight​​ @superchocovian​​ @lfh1226-linda​​ @teamhook​​ @jonesfandomfanatic​​ @tiganasummertree​​ @onceratheart18​​ @snowbellewells​​ @karlyfr13s​​ @itsfabianadocarmo​​ @ouatpost​ @ultraluckycatnd​ @winterbaby89​ @thepirateandhisson​ @xarandomdreamx

As always, let me know if you’d like me to add you to my taglist for future fics :)

Also on AO3

- - - - -

“Don’t shed a clout until May is out,” Emma trilled in amusement as Henry grumbled at her insistence on his taking a coat. It was cold outside, and teenager or not, she wasn’t going to let her son freeze. 

“What did you say, Swan?” Killian asked as he came out of the kitchen, following them to the front door, with amusement in his eyes. 

“It means don’t take any layers off until it’s after May because it’s too cold,” she explained, figuring it was a phrase he hadn’t heard before. 

Killian chuckled and shook his head. “Only when you say it wrong.”

“Wrong?” she asked, her forehead furrowed in confusion as she turned to look at him.

Killian nodded, stepping closer to slide his braced arm around her waist. The curve of his hook was a gentle, comforting presence as it glided up and down her spine. He pressed a kiss to her cheek. 

“Where did you hear that saying anyway, isn’t it a little ‘old school’ for you?” Killian asked gently, his curiosity winning out as his instincts told him he was about to get another insight into his beloved’s beginnings. 

Emma caught her bottom lip between her teeth and glanced away before taking a deep breath and looking back at him. He could see it in her eyes, the fight against her natural instincts to put her walls up. The war between wanting to let him in because she trusted him and the need to protect herself, but there was something else in her eyes too. An uncertainty. 

“You don’t have to tell me, Swan,” he assured her, ducking his head to try and meet her gaze. Never wanting to pressure her into telling him anything but needing her to know that he would always be here to help her deal with whatever came up. They weren’t hiding their issues; they were aware that there were always going to be things that just hadn’t come up yet, and they would help each other through them at the pace they needed to do so. 

“It’s okay, I’m just working out exactly… It was a long time ago,” she clarified. She turned her head towards his and leaned into his forehead. “I was… ten, I guess. Group home down south somewhere. I don’t remember the specifics,” she started.

Killian stayed quiet, watching her casually through his eyelashes as she spoke. He’d heard stories like this before, of the kinds of places they put children like them in this realm. He didn’t know where ‘down south somewhere’ was, but he could tell that Emma wasn’t recalling the place with any kind of fondness. 

“They were pretty religious, and the woman used to watch these super old shows in the evenings. She’d use all these old wives tale type phrases she picked up from them to justify a lot of the weird shit they did.” She sounded like she was reciting, distancing herself from it a little, and Killian worried she had darker recollections of her time in this group home.

Killian nodded slowly in understanding. Silver was like that, using anything and everything to justify his tyrannical rule aboard his ship. 

Emma’s hand appeared on his cheek and he leaned into it. Not realising he’d closed his eyes, he opened them and the mutual pain reflected in their gazes was confirmation that she felt as he did. He hated hearing of the way that people had mistreated Emma when she was younger. The ways she had been betrayed and abandoned, but all the while knowing that it was those pasts that had made them the way they were. Those pasts that had given them the common ground they needed to start to build something. 

That something that had led to this happiness, this trust and this love between them. 

Killian turned his head slightly and kissed the inside of Emma’s wrist, his gaze flicking back up to her eyes as he gave her a reassuring smile. There was a moment of silence as they collected themselves before she continued.

“So, that saying was the only one that ever felt genuine to me. It’s the only one I remember, that hint that maybe, deep down, they did care,” she finished. “They weren’t insane, or especially cruel and it wasn’t bad… but… it was the weirdest group home I was ever in.”

Killian tucked a golden curl behind Emma’s ear with a smile. 

“They still got the saying wrong, Swan.”

“So, what should it be, Mr. Old Fashioned?” she teased. 

“Don’t shed a clout until the may is out.”

“But…” Emma frowned, trying to work out what he meant. “That’s the same thing, how is mine wrong and yours right?”

“Because yours assumes the month of May, where mine means the may blossom on the Hawthorn bush.”

Emma blinked, still not quite getting his point. 

“The idea being that the hawthorn, also known as the ‘may-tree’ due to the month in which it normally blossoms, blossoming is the indication that Spring is underway, on the brink of turning into summer, and the weather is warming up enough that you can put your long johns away.”

Emma tilted her head and was watching him carefully. She felt like she knew the answer to what she was about to ask, but selfishly she wanted to hear him say it anyway. She loved hearing about his happy memories as a child, she wanted to hear him celebrate them and enjoy the fact that he could remember someone who had been that good to him. 

“And where did you hear it?”

Killian’s mouth curled up in a smile and the corners of his eyes crinkled. “My mother,” and the way he said it was warm with nostalgia. “Every time Liam or I were about to walk, or more likely run out of the house without a coat, or with shorts on when we should have had long trews on before the may had blossomed on the Hawthorn tree in the village square.”

Running her nails through the scruff along his jaw, Emma pulled her head back a little to look at him properly. 

“You may have been through a lot, Killian, but your Mom sure started you off right.”

“Aye, she did,” his voice was still warm with the love for his mother that he held onto like a talisman.

Emma pressed a tender kiss to his cheek and pulled away to go and make sure her son had actually picked up his coat and not ignored her. 

Aye, his mother had started him off right. Made sure he’d recognise a woman worth fighting for when he found one. 

Emma came back, carrying his leather duster and a cheeky smile. 

“I have no idea if the may is out or not, but it’s really cold out there. Last thing I need is a frostbitten pirate. You’re my personal space heater, not the other way around.”

With a smile, Killian shrugged the familiar leather onto his shoulders. 

“Leading by example, I can do that,” he told her with a smile. 

Emma paused to rest her hand on his upper arm, giving him a soft, appreciative smile before her hand slid down to curl around his hook and led the way to the front door. 

[colloydweek]

Free Day / Colloyd Day by Lil-Samuu [Fanfic]

Rating: G

Summary: For Day 7: Free Day! After Lloyd and Colette decide to travel on their old narrowboat for a holiday, they make sure to invite Zelos and Sheena along with them - which makes for a fun if rather bumpy trip.

-

As the weather was so beautiful Lloyd and Colette had decided to begin their day with a leisurely breakfast on the front porch before starting on the tasks they had planned. What had been an already pleasant morning became even better when the post arrived and they both enjoyed reading the postcard Genis had sent. There was also a letter from Regal.

He explained that the Lezareno company was thinking of offering holidays on the canal network that they used to move cargo around using adapted narrowboats and that they'd developed some products to be used by people on those holidays. They wanted to make sure that they could be used by both people who had been camping before and people who didn't have any experience of that so they were getting people to give them a test run. As Colette and Lloyd were both familiar with narrowboats, having both worked and lived on one for a while, and were two of the people most familiar with camping that Regal knew he had written to invite them to take part in the trial.

"Oh, that sounds fun!" Colette said, smiling happily.

"Good morning! What sounds fun?" Zelos asked as he walked up the path holding one of their dishes. Colette had noticed how busy both Sheena and Zelos had been recently and she and Lloyd had cooked some extra portions of dinner and given it to them the previous evening to try and help them have one less thing to do.

"Regal wants to know if we'd like to help try out some new holiday things his company's developed," Colette explained before her eyes lit up as an idea occurred to her.

"You and Sheena have both been working so hard lately, you two should definitely take a holiday to rest soon, you could come with us, help test things out," Colette beamed, clearly pleased with her idea.

[Continue reading on FF.net!]

[jimvasta]

Vulnerability - that moment when you choose to risk everything for a connection

Lee was single for a long time, not of choice but to protect his daughter from the dangers of when dating went wrong.

Once again, Del was surprised. He had never stepped into a narrowboat before and he did not know what to expect, but a bright, modern, interior was not it. He found himself in a kitchen which was, of course, narrow, but also fully fitted with everything he would expect to see in his flat, including the kettle that Lee flicked on as he walked by.

“Did you remember that I’m going out tonight with the club?” Lee asked of his teenager daughter.

“Yes, Dad.”

“And that you have coursework due tomorrow?”

“Yes, Dad, I’m working on it now.”

“Good girl. Del’s driving so I’ll have a couple of beers, I won’t be back until late. Make sure you and Dizzy both have dinner, I’ve left you food in the fridge. I’m trusting you to behave, can you do that for me?”

“Seriously?”

Del saw the head of a teenage girl emerge from behind a partition further down the boat. She had the same eyes as her father and the same colour hair.

“Dad, you have a better social life than me, this is so insulting. I’ll do my work, watch tv, chat to my friends and go to bed. Yes, I’ll feed Dizzy and make sure he stays with me, I promise I’ll behave.”

Lee smiled and ruffled his daughter’s hair as he stepped by her. “There’s my little girl.” he turned back Del. “I’ll be two minutes.”

“No problem.” Del found himself being stared at as he leaned against the kitchen worktop.

“Are you Dad’s boyfriend?”

“No, no we’re just friends.”

“Oh.” the girl did not sound convinced. “You like him though. Hurt him and I’ll set Dizzy on you.”

Del smiled softly as he decided he liked the girl. “I considered myself duly warned and I have no intention of becoming dog food.”

“Good.” the girl ducked back out of sight.

When Lee emerged in fresh trousers and a clean shirt, Del found it hard not to smile, he looked good in sports clothes but in tailored wear he was model like.

“Fancy a cuppa before we go? We’re a bit early.”

“Why not? Have we got time for a tour? When you said you lived on a boat I wasn’t really expecting this.”

“What were you expecting?”

“I don’t know, something a bit more rustic, I guess, but this is luxury apartment type stuff.”

“You’ve gotta live and my daughter needs a comfortable home.”

“It looks comfortable, it’s bigger than I expected too.”

Lee turned away as he made the teas, hiding his face. “It was meant to be a family boat, she was commissioned before I was widowed.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to make that awkward.”

“It’s fine. It was a few years ago, I’m used to being the single parent now.”

Del accepted the offered mug and the guided tour of Lee’s unusual home, before they returned to the stern of the boat where they could look out of the garden. “How much time does it take to look after all this?”

“Oh, I don’t know, I just amble about doing bits and pieces when I get the time, it’s a hobby and it pays for itself when it’s harvest time.”

“There’s nothing dodgy in those greenhouses is there? They’re pretty big?”

Lee laughed. “No, just fruit and veg. I’ve had police round to check.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously. They get a couple of calls every year from people on the holiday boats who think it’s dodgy, it’s funny really, I don’t mind.”

“It’s nice, I like it. It’s a bit isolated though.”

“It’s peaceful.” Lee corrected. “But now Lilly’s a bit older I can get out more.”

“So you joined the sports club.”

“Exactly.”

“She seems like a smart girl.”

Lee gave another of his perfect smiles. “She is, but she doesn’t have a filter. I heard what she said to you. Sorry about that, she just loves trying to be matchmaker and we don’t get too many visitors so she just assumed,” he shrugged.

“She said boyfriend.”

Lee shrugged again.

“I know you’re gay, I figured that out weeks ago.”

Lee looked Del up and down. “Your Gaydar works just fine.”

“We don’t have to go to the sports social, you know, we could blow them off and go get an Indian instead. Or you could come round to my place for a bit if you fancy it.”

Lee went still. “I, er,”

“Was I reading you wrong? I thought we had a thing going.”

“So did I, it’s just this is the awkward bit and I’d rather not do it on the boat.”

“Do what?”

“Tell you what you need to know before anything happens. This boat is my safe place, it’s where my daughter is, I don’t want her hurt.”

“Okay.” Del spoke slowly, following Lee into the garden.

Lee took a deep breath, making sure he was out of arms reach before he spoke. “Some guys take this badly, if you don’t like it just walk away and I won’t make a fuss or anything.”

“You’re a nice bloke. What have you got going on here that I shouldn’t like?” Del was genuinely confused.

“It’s not what I’ve got going on here, it’s who and what I am. I’m a gay man, I’m also a trans man.”

Del stared. Lee was a chisel jawed, square shouldered Adonis, it hardly seemed possible that most manly man began life as a woman. He was not sure how to react, so he went with instinct. The mug was carefully set down on the mooring block and he took a step towards Lee.

Seeing the advance, Lee took a step back.

“You don’t have to do that.” Del said as he closed the gap between them and reached out.

Lee was cautious, but let Del take his hand.

“You don’t have to run.”

“You don’t mind?” the question was quiet, hopeful.

“You’re a man.” Del responded firmly. “And I don’t see anything here that’s not to like.”

Lee let himself be drawn in for the kiss, relief making him forget everything but the moment. Risking it all by telling the truth he rarely spoke out loud was something Lee always found especially painful. Being rejected was hard, being rejected with violence made any further revelations frightening. Del’s response to him was better than he could ever have hoped.

“Eww, get a room!”

Del nearly choked laughing as Lee shouted back to his daughter, reminding her that she should be working.

“I’m trying, but you’re putting me off. Go on your date already.”

“Sorry.” Lee cringed.

“She’s got a point,” Del was still laughing. “Maybe we should just go on a date.”

“You said something about going out for an Indian.”

“Or coming round to mine.”

Lee hesitated. He knew what he wanted but he could not bring himself to not be over cautious. “How about we go out tonight and you can maybe come round here at the weekend? Lilly’s going out with friends on Saturday.”

Del was more than happy to agree to that.

[wiff-waff]

It’s lashings of cold turkey for me. Two days of tiredness and acute irritability and then I’ll be back to my usual dour northern self.

Yesterday I did Tesco for provisions and BM Bargains for cheap shite coal, firelighters, kindling and 4 tubs of my secret guilty pleasure, cheap cheese spread to smoother on my warm crumpets each and every morning. I also lifted the engine lid to check for leaking filters and alike and checked the prop for foulage. All good, we are ready to rock & roll out of here.

I didn’t receive any holiday pay, they disgust me.

And again the ramshackle business that is MK marina have surpassed themselves. Just before I saw the light and told them where to stick their 24 hours a month there was a dispute going on with an elderly couple who had brought their narrowboat in for brokerage. There was some kind of dispute over unpaid fees (which could have been sorted but fat Kat was her usual uncaring self) so the boat was confiscated until the disputed bill was paid. Yesterday returning from my shop and said boat had been moved out of the marina and abandoned and dumped on our water point opposite. David reported it to CRT and phoned Little Legs in the office and all he could say was the keys had been now posted to the elderly owners so they could move the boat.

What a twattish thing to do, no one can now access the water point.

So what is good for the goose is good for the gander. If he can dump their boat on our water point I this morning dumped 5l of used engine oil next to their bins.

Fuck em.

GO

[moustache-bonnet]

SEASON'S GREETINGS: a Lee Scoresby fanfiction

Summary: It is shortly after Winter Holidays and the reader receives a long letter from their old sweetheart and friend, Lee Scoresby, in which he shares the adventure of spending his first Christmas with one Lyra Silvertongue. (Found Family trope)

Prompts: Lee and Lyra content in any shape or form, First Christmas spent together

Warnings: none that I am aware of

Relationships: dad!Lee / daughter!Lyra, Lee x reader

A/N: This ficlet is a HDM Holiday Exchange (@hdmholidayexchange) gift for @leescaresby. Me and my Christmas helper had a lot of fun with it so we do hope you guys will enjoy all the fluff and sass. (I am not a native English speaker, grammar suggestions and feedback are appreciated.) Screencap for the header from the fantastic linmiranda.com!

Word Count: 1096

Fandom: His Dark Materials AU, His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman, His Dark Materials - HBO

⁂

You just came back home from a quick shop, stiff with cold and looking forward to a steaming, sweet cuppa. Before you even get the chance to strip the coat though, there comes a loud banging at the side of your narrowboat. With your dæmon at heel, you peer out the wall deck entrance.

“Where's the fire?” you muse, a puff of smoke appearing at your lips.

It's one of the kids; you can't quite remember her name but you have noticed her on many occasions before, venturing along the canal with a gang of friends. “Hullo, miss! I'm bringing some post!” she beams and hops onto the boat effortlessly, handing you a chunky envelope.

You recognize the handwriting immediately and hold your breath.

“Where did you get this?” you ask.

“Tony Costa gave it to me - they just returned from Denmark. He thought you ought to have it at once, miss!”

You thank the girl and return back inside. You undress in a hurry. Tense with excitement, you put the kettle on and open the envelope to find quite a few pages of light airmail paper covered in the dense hand of Lee Scoresby.

Propped against the kitchen counter, you read:

Dearest Y/N,

both Lyra and I apologize for the long radio silence - Winter Holidays had been busy. Don't fret, all is well. In fact, I feel unusual comfort and calm settling over me as I'm reliving the recent events which I want to share with You.

As You might know, for some time I was all about work during this particular time of year because a traveling man doesn't need to be reminded of domesticity, unless there is someone somewhere waiting for him. This year I wanted this to change and make it perfect for Lyra - take some time off, a simple Christmas Eve dinner maybe.

But I was a fool for not realizing that this was Lyra Silvertongue, so if You're guessing that the kid had a very different idea from the beginning, You'd be damn right.

It all started in November. Lyra asked me for a wage, saying it was “only acceptable” for a “business partner” to be paid their fair share. I offered her 1% of everything we make. After some shouting we agreed on 3% and an extra bread roll with every dinner. After her first couple of dollars, she started sneaking around every port and town we visited, refusing to tell me where she'd been and what she'd spent the money on.

A week before Christmas she simply DECLARED that we'd be spending it at Svalbard, that it was settled with the bears for weeks. I tried to explain how dangerous it was to fly North during deep winter, because of the atmospheric circulation and the cold which could leave us in quite a pickle, but my complaints were hardly taken into consideration. This is how, much to my disapproval, we have set to take off in the early morning of the 23rd, from the lovely island of Sørøya.

I hate to be right, especially when it comes to trouble. We got caught in a strong current and landed badly shortly after crossing the sea. Our balloon's envelope was torn in one place and needed mending so it was clear to both of us, we are not making it to Iorek on time. Lyra was livid.

After long minutes of sulking I suggested we make most of what we got. We had a few hours before the patch glue dried, so we lit a fire and made a meal of baked potatoes with some pickled cod on the side. We were lucky enough to crash-land on an open plane with hills behind our backs, and in the evening we were blessed with a beautiful spectacle of a sunset on the frozen, unbroken snow. Watching this extravaganza, we both somehow came to acceptance with our situation.

Lyra timidly admitted that she was only unhappy because our friends would worry about us. And because they don't get to see their presents. Yes, You got that right. Presents. That is when I finally got to see what all that sneaking was about.

She got them stacked behind a loose paneling which even I didn't know about. They were neatly wrapped in old newspaper and lunch bags, each tied with a bow of different color - some of them were silk. I couldn't tell You where she got those if You killed me.

I needn't remind You how poorly stacked Trollesund or Novy Odense are with nice things, so You can imagine the kind of items Hester and I had gotten - some spare valves, a battered marine chronometer and a bag of dry smokeleaf all the way from Cathay.

There were more packages on side, which she said were for Iorek and Serafina. (As I later discovered, it was a can of some kind of shark blubber for the former and similarly exotic herbs for the latter. Hell, she even sourced small presents for the other witches; except Juta Kamainen because of reasons I believe You are familiar with. As she decently put it “Juta Kamainen ain't getting shit.”)

We spent the rest of the evening huddled at the fire, playing Peril of the Pole Lyra “borrowed” from the last pub we visited (I don't know where she is getting this from). The board game reminded me of You and that one night we spent at Hjemmeluft, as always. Morning was clear; we managed to avoid the bad air flows and by the next evening we had arrived at Iorek's palace, where we currently still remain.

Now, knowing You as I do, I would probably find you laughing our disastrous Christmas Eve off, but Y/N darling, I've never felt more loved in my life. (And it is not a matter of discussion I should learn how to put my boot down, otherwise our little adventure could end soon were Lyra to make the decisions for both of us any longer. Not that mine are any less terrible.)

I hope Your Holidays have been equally pleasant and that You're well, my dear.

Give our love to John Faa, Coram and the Costas.

I'll be awaiting Your next letter with anticipation.

Take care and best wishes,

Lee and Hester

And right underneath the signatures, you read: and Lyra and Pan, scribbled in a different, messy hand; together with a crossed-out postscriptum:

P. S. Lyra reminds me that I should also include our sighting of Joulupukki, which I would rather not. (It was a flock of wild geese.)

[whosayscrimedoesntpay]

Hi Dan! 43 and 55, please!

Dream vacation? I'd like to back to Italy, or I've heard great things about Iceland. Also, I'm partial to the occasional narrowboat holiday.

Something I want to do but too scared?

I dont know... I like to think I'm not scared of much. Not things I'd ever want to do anyway. Things I havent done arent put off out of fear really. Sorry.