I'm Tony, born in the Medway Towns of Kent in 1955. I moved North with my brother and our parents when I was eight, and have lived in Fife ever since. When I left school, I went straight into the Merchant Navy and have worked my way up the professional ladder to Master Mariner. I was initially employed on gas carriers, tankers and bulk carriers, then changed employer to become a Sea Fisheries Officer policing the fishing grounds of Scotland, eventually reaching senior management level. Pat and I met at school, and were married in 1977. We now have a daughter and a son who both love the canal life, and a grand-daughter in 2016 by our son and his partner. I got a (very) early retirement, permitting us to live our dream. My hobbies include computing, and cross-stitch.
Born in Kirkcaldy in 1955, I was brought up and educated in the town, meeting Tony in 5th year at Kirkcaldy High School. After graduating from Queen Margaret College with a diploma in Home Economics with Food & Nutrition, I also did a City & Guilds in Bakery & Confectionery. After marrying Tony in 1977, I worked for a year as a confectioner. Five glorious years at sea with Tony then followed. I was grounded in 1983 with the birth of our daughter, followed three years later by our son. Having raised the family, I am now thoroughly enjoying my freedom on the boat.
Smokie was our pet guinea pig. She was one of two rescue piggies that we took on in 2010 before we thought there was a chance of getting the boat. Her pal passed on in Jan 2014 before the boat was complete. We were not going to let Smokie go to anyone else, so she came too!
Update Apr 2016 - Smokie passed away due to old age. Missing her very much.
As you can probably tell, we are both daft on furry toys; teddies in particular (some people would say we are just 'daft'!). Our (toy) 'companions' currently include 30 teddies, 3 hedgehogs, 1 guinea pig, 1 squeaky haggis, and a 'canalboat' rat from Audlem.
