"Several months earlier Shara and I had bought a home together. Well, to be more accurate it was a barge, moored on the Thames in central London. Neil had spotted it for us, and we looked around it straight away. I instantly loved it. We had previously been quite close to putting in an offer on a tiny, poky studio flat in London--but deep down I was concerned. For a start, I couldn't really afford it. Dad had offered to help me secure a mortgage if I could make the repayments, but I knew it would be a stretch to make those every month. The barge, on the other hand, was less than half the price--and way cooler. It was pretty sparse, cold, and damp when we looked around it, and Shara and her family were definitely a little tentative at first. But I got to work on the PR front. "Hey, it will be fun. We can do it up together--it will be a challenge. We can then make it all cozy and a home." Shara tilted her head at me in her way. "I'm a little nervous about the 'challenge' bit. Can we focus on the homely and cozy part of the plan instead, sweetheart?" she replied, still looking concerned. (Sure enough, she totally changed after we got to live on our barge for a while, and nowadays, wild horses couldn't force her to sell the boat. I love that in her. Shara always takes such a lot of convincing, and then once she makes something "hers," it is hers forever. Me included.)"