Once again Andy has excelled himself

We now have the shelves on the other side of the boat that double as emergency steps out.  As we already have a hatch with proper steps on this side of the boat we won't be needing to use this hatch on a regular basis.

However if we have guests sleeping on the bed which blocks the door to the engine room they need a quick exit route that doesn't involve keys in locks.

Provided the fire/emergency doesn't involve the front deck the front window is the escape route there.  If it does involve the front deck then we will have to scuttle down the boat to these exits!  Assuming there isn't also a fire in the galley of course.

Am I worrying too much?

I really must work out how to clean my lens of those water marks!

Wow what a day

The boys have been busy.

Daytime boy produced this

Nighttime boy (and me) did this

I feel slightly naked with my ballast on view outside the boat - lucky I have ballast/trim problems though or how else would we be holding the panels down to the sticky stuff!

Okay so we only have the solar panels 50% there as we still need to feed the wires through the roof (along the guide wires left in place) and join up to the batteries etc.

But at least I no longer have to rely on my canoe paddles to turn the boat around for the signwriting.

Cos my nighttime boy also put the electrics back together.  When I switched the engine back off it at 9pm it had done exactly 8 hours.  Gosh been on the water 5 months that would be an average of 0.05 hours per day (3mins).  I hope to increase that average and miles over this summer.

We have used the rest of my porthole seal stuff to seal around all the gauges and panels to prevent any leakage behind.  That was my job whilst nightime boy did the technical stuff.  Thanks to Chris for that suggestion.  Plus I have just checked and we have indeed put the water/fuel tank gauges back the correct way around.  I could have been very confused little bunny and it doesn't take much.

Well I guess that is me well and truly told!

If I was going to the AGM I would be sorely tempted to ask them a question though wouldn't you?

Generally doing STUFF

I have spent the week Andy was away oiling, painting, varnishing and stuff.  I had hoped the electrician would be able to take the opportunity of having the boat to himself to finish off the last bits and pieces and also to fit the solar panels in the good weather.  Events have conspired against us so it looks like next week is going to be eventful.

Andy says he is back tomorrow morning

Electrician hopes to fit the solar panels tomorrow evening.

Sometime during the week (Tues or Wed) the sticky back plastic alternative to signwriting will be appearing.

Fingers crossed we should have some interesting pictures of progress soon.  Can't wait.

Today I was touching up bits of the black paint - initially just where it had been delibrately removed for a purpose reason - however I got carried away and was touching up the wear and tear bits too. 

I know I am a bad girl because I didn't do any sanding or preparation work but as even the rubber fenders are gently removing the paint I don't feel the need to waste too much effort on what has turned out to be a not brilliant job for whatever reason.  It should last a couple of years until I have saved up some readys and can treat the old girl to a 'proper job'.  It was a little depressing to be looking quite so closely and finding blebs here there and everywhere.  I put the tin away.  Turned around and saw some quite significant bits I had missed!  Hey ho.

In the meantime I have been advising friends of party date.  As I can't organise a pissup in a brewery I have decided it is a 'bring your own picnic' type affair then I don't need to worry about numbers and catering!

Trying it out for size

Himself trying out the sofa for size - although the seat part of the mattress is still at home and the back isn't fixed - but you get the idea.

Things that open and shut

When Andy put the surround around the front hatch the glazed windows no longer opened out 180 degrees.  So we had to change the hinges for Parliament Hinges.  These only seem to come in chunky as they are normally for doors but they do the job splendidly and the windows still clear the 'coving'.


As we had run out of hinges this actually worked in our favour as we were able to reuse the window hinges for the bathroom cabinet doors.  See below waiting to be oiled before catches and bolts are added.

 So to return to the saga of National Express and my parents.

I got them to Chesterfield 20 mins early and we had a leisurely chat in the car before walking up in plenty of time to use the 'facilities' before the bus was due.  I left them with only about 5 mins to wait.

Or so I thought ...

When they rang that evening to say they were home safe they had yet another tale to tell.

Their bus had burst into flames either in Leeds or Sheffield they are not sure exactly but a Victoria Bus was laid on to bring those passengers down to Chesterfield, pick up my parents 50 mins late and take them to guess where?

Yup Trowell Services.  Here they were picked up by another National Express Bus and from then on were 50 mins behind schedule all the way.  So not quite as exciting as their trip up but it rounded off their weekend away nicely.

Well that explains it

New feature of Willington

There was me thinking my sudden leap up the ratings table was all due to the brilliance of my postings.  But no it was due to a mention on the infamous Granny Buttons.

Sorry Andrew would this picture have been any better?

Kath