Gran loved her narrow boat called The Fiddlehead and she would go to England every summer and tool around, all four children in tow.

I missed out on all the fun, because I was adopted into another family when I was born, but I met my Gran when I was 27 and have since been to England with my birth family, on my mother's side (all 35 of us ranging in age from eight months old to 91, Gran herself) to tour around the Leicester Loop on five narrow boats. It was our family reunion a few summers ago, and let me tell you, EVERYONE knew when we were heading to their town - we were boisterous, we were Canadian (with our little flags waving from the back of our boats,) and we were affectionately known as, "The Canadian Invasion."

Gran now resides in a nursing home and one of the attendants makes sure she gets all her emails and letters on Friday, so I have dedicated my Friday postings to my 93 year old Gran and her beloved canal boat - this is my letter to you Gran.

Fifty years and eight days separate my birthday from Gran's so it's probably no surprise that I too want a canal boat I can call my own...one day, but mine will run on solar power not diesel!