is that on the reading to oxford canal

was going to bike it to oxford next wed? you in ? would be gasping for a cup of coffee

Hahahaha, Liq.

Etienne wrote:

QUOTE:
I should have read Nishlord's advice before making the mistake of moving in with someone I'm helplessly in love with who thinks of me as a friend.

This is rubbish, because of
a) the inevitable frustration
b) having to deal with her boyfriend
c) any other girls I meet failing to match up.

Obviously sharing a house with the most wonderful person in the world has its upsides too, but it's not great for my romantic life.

And now I can't move out without leaving her in the lurch, so I'm just stuck with the situation.

Ouch. I had a lucky "escape" from a similar situation a few years back, when it fell through at the last minute. I think the best thing you can do is to do everything you can to help her find a job as soon as possible - which was how we didn't end up house-sharing.

The one thing I would disagree about Nish's advice though, is that women don't always know.

Despite the efforts of someone shit-stirring in my situation, she never guessed how I felt for her, and even the boyfriend in the situation was convinced I was just a friend and felt nothing more.

So I guess what I'm saying is that don't tell her how you feel, because these feelings will go, and you could still end up with a good friendship at the end of it.

rick derris wrote:

QUOTE:
is that on the reading to oxford canal

was going to bike it to oxford next wed? you in ? would be gasping for a cup of coffee

I think the Reading to Oxford canal is more commonly thought of as the River Thames.

It's on the Oxford canal about 9 miles north of Oxford between Kidlington and Tackley. I haven't moved in yet, but will by the end of August.

QUOTE:
Hahahaha, Liq.

You're gonna have to narrow that done EIM. Wch hilarious witticism were you laughing at?

Chippy, if you would ever be interested in a swapping your boat for a flat in Milan for a week or so, drop me a line. Ursus minor and I were just discussing a narrow boat holiday a couple of days ago.

E10 Rifle wrote:

QUOTE:

QUOTE:
There does seem to be something about being seen out with a girlfriend that makes other single women suddenly much more interested in talking to one.

Conversely, when you become part of a couple, you do get that thing where other people in couples suddenly start gravitating to you in that slightly irritating "oh we must have x and y to dinner" way, as if the very fact of being in a couple suddenly means you've got loads in common, when you haven't.

I've got a sort of theory about how single people and coupled people tend to segregate themselves from each other, because each feel slightly threatened by the possibilities hinted at by exposure to the other.

There's a whole Chris Rock routine about that. The men getting put in "adult playgroup" or something. "Oh, you like baseball? I like baseball!"

I love the way this discussion's meandered between boat talk and ruminations on very real examples of emotional love life-related torment. It's very OTF, that.

Perhaps we could marry (ha!) things up by seeking contributions from anyone who's ever had an unrequited love experience on a canalboat.

Like Rosie and Jim?

*raises hand sheepishly*

She and her boyfriend were running the boat on which I was a paying guest for a week.

I know of someone who'd just moved into a houseboat and during the housewarming a couple secreted themselses away at the bed-end, and suddenly the fact that the boat had a rotten hull became very apparent as it cracked...

Unrequited love must be really shit. I must remember to ask the girlfriend what it's like.

(Joking)

ursus arctos wrote:

QUOTE:
Chippy, if you would ever be interested in a swapping your boat for a flat in Milan for a week or so, drop me a line. Ursus minor and I were just discussing a narrow boat holiday a couple of days ago.

Bloody hell, that's the offer of a lifetime!

Just to add the train wreck that is my love life to this thread.

I live with the mother of my children but we are not a couple and don't like each other very much. I built an extra floor on the house so I mostly hang out up there.

Also i've just split up with a lovely woman who I really liked but she was 39 and wanted kids. My rational side stopped me carrying on with this but i feel completely devastated at the moment.

Chippy - you boat is a rare bit of inspiration I'm going to look at getting one of them and getting the fuck out of the situation described above.

Fritz, Leo and I did the Pimlico social housing tour this week- Millbank Estate, Lillington Gardens, Lutyens Estate, which has resisted security gates and is very approachable. We didn't have time to go to Chuchill Gardens, sadly.

But it was great and we thought of you.

Hey, glad to hear it i should have been there sad fuck that i am.

BTW i accidently deleted your PM without reading it and have been distracted by misery lately.

Sorry to hear about all that fritz.