A tear jerker? Only if it's a Charlie.

Today's blog challenge topic was to name and describe a favourite tear jerker. Well I don't really do those unless they happen to be about animals. Marley and me, that was one. I cried buckets at the end. Anyhow, I thought that instead I'd make this a photo blog about our canal trip last week and see how much of this I can relate to tear jerkers. It was short and sweet, that's for sure, but it got us out on the water again, and I'm hoping we can go again this week.

 Maybe this photo would count as a tear jerker of sorts. it's my daughter and her friend doing a sort of underplayed Titanic impression on the foredeck.

Or maybe this one. It's Charlie - as in he's a right Charlie! He's clearly competing for the 'cutest dog in the world' prize, and if I had my way he'd win. Charlie is a delight day in and day out. He's endlessly cheerful, game for anything and incredibly wise. I'll write about him one of these days. But he's also extremely cute…hmm, I've said that already haven't I?

Not a very exciting photo, I know, but it's the marina where we keep the Hennie H. It's Koos's boat in name, but we really share it. We'd definitely be very sad to leave this marina as we love it there.

And then of course, here is Koos himself. I've had this one on FB, I know, but it's a nice one of him looking wistful. Not exactly tear jerking, but you could use your imagination about sailing off into the sunset perhaps?

I am just too happy steering to be a tear jerker, I know, so we'll ignore this one.

Daughter again. Now what's she thinking about? Maybe we could rustle up a few tears for this one.

 Coming back into the harbour later on. It's always sad to come home after a lovely afternoon on the water, but we can look forward to the next trip out. If the weather stays good, it might be on Tuesday.

And just a couple of pics of a rather lovely old Belgian spits barge. There are not many left working the French and Belgian canals as they are too small to be economically viable for anything but one man businesses, but I love them and will be sorry to see them disappear. That would certainly be a tear jerker.

So that's it, a photo blog with a few bits of nonsense in between.  When it comes to the waterways, images often speak louder than words, but there is nothing more tranquil or more refreshing than cruising very gently along a canal. With the wind rippling the surface of the water and the sun bathing you in deep and penetrating warmth, it's hard to imagine being anywhere more restful but also so invigorating. Canal cruising is like being in another dimension, a parallel world where you view what happens on the land from a different time and space. To be able to do it full time is my dream. But enough now…or I'll have myself in tears!