Executive decisons...

or rather,  I gambled and took a chance...  either way, we now have 2 beautiful chrome fair-leads to suit  16mm ropes... which is good, given that they're on order too *note to self: chase them up*...

It seems I've gotten away with it too as they have passed the test - the rules of which are never given out of course... any married reader (to either sex) will know what I mean!

We still need another 4 of course (1 either side bow and stern) and given the cost of them, I wasn't prepared to gamble with so much money but for now I shall mark these as "centre line" and put them in the attic with everything else -An attic which is getting rather full!

It just occurred to me that I've never explained WHY we are fitting fair-leads.  It's another of those things we sort of 'learned' (for want of a better description) as we've gone along hiring...  MOST narrowboats don't have them.... their ropes just being attached to a dolly or T-stud, to the bank and back.  The trouble (if you worry about such things) is that the ropes end up scratching the paint where they pass over the side of the boat - introduce a fair-lead, and rather than rubbing on the paintwork, they are held just that little bit off

   They're also useful for keeping  centre-lines in position either side... so you're not forever twanging things into the canal as you try and change sides with the rope... although that said, we're having twin centre-lines with one dedicated for each side anyway so I suppose that risk will already be reduced.

Fitting them requires a little thought though - initially, I'd planned to use "rivet nuts" rather than tapping threads into the handrails... but on seeking advice, have changed my mind - apparently, once under strain they can work loose.

It's a rather long video but if you've never seen a rivet nut, it might be enlightening

The revised  plan is to use "blind bolts" -

.

I like the look of these rather than faffing about trying to tap good threads...  tapping and me have a strained (no pun) relationship at the best of times...

It's funny, but until we decided to get a boat, I'd never realised how many different ways there are to achieve the same result OR how many folk there are out there, perfectly happy to give advice and guidance at the drop of a hat.  When you're "young" you rarely take advice...  once you get a bit longer in the tooth, you come to realise, that ALMOST everyone else in the world, probably knows more about stuff than you do... and in my case, I'm perfectly happy to utilise their experience rather than feck things up as I blunder along my own way.

I was chatting with an old boating chap the other day and the subject of "tools" came up - he said he'd made the mistake of trying to keep everything he'd amassed in his garage over the years... the result being a badly organised clutter that drives his wife mad.  He suggested that rather than trying to keep everything, he'd have been better off building a new dedicated tool kit especially for when he got his boat and having a car-boot sale to clear out the old stuff.

With his words still echoing around the empty space between my ears, I've started collecting "stuff" and putting it in the attic along with the other "stuff" .  It's rather handy needing to call into screwfix so often on my way home from work... it gives me a chance to pick up "offers" - take the other day,  I needed a box of 5x50mm screws (well actually I needed 5000 but they only had 800 in stock)  and on offer was a new set of 3 mole grips

Now ok - I already have a few pairs in my existing tool box, but they're destined for the aforementioned car boot so these are now safely in my boaters tool kit. When I get around to it, I'll do  list of useful things... for the time being, it's an ad-hoc collection of "stuff."- ONLY "stuff" that will come in useful mind!

Boaty types are among (amongst?) the most helpful and patient bunch of folk you'll ever meet - well most of them... there is the odd grumpy one but for the most part, they're a community of like-minded, resourceful  and accepting people and you can pretty much guarantee that whatever WE want to do to the boat, someone else will have done it and worked out a better/easier/stronger way of doing it.  All you need to do is ask - either face to face or via the forums and help will be forthcoming ...  If only the rest of the world was like this.

Until next time...

Gadgets, low-power appliances & patience!

We'll start today in reverse...

Patience... you may have spotted is something I'm not very good at.  I'm like a coiled spring at the moment - just waiting to get my hands on the boat.

The amount of times I've said to people "oh - we're not in a rush and we plan to enjoy the process"  - yada, yada.... the reality of course is that we're desperate to begin proper.... the road transport is T'd up just needing a date, the crane is organised with the grp owners poised ready to share it for their autumn crane out and the mooring is sitting there -eagerly awaiting the grey floating mass we'll eventually call home.

The boat yard has been closed for the last 2 weekends as the owner is on holiday - we're hoping that the staff are not.  We're waiting for the call to say the spray-foaming has been done and asking us to come along to mark some cable routes out with them.  Yesterday, despite it being closed, I was desperate to have a drive over and nonchalantly walk along the towpath opposite to try and get a peak at the boat -  Alas, Andy decreed we needed to do some chores around the house.... SO I went up on the roof to secure the boiler cowl, whilst the front fence was being painted down below....Such glamorous lives!

At least the sun was shining though (and the solar panels doing their bit to improve our finances) - which did mean I could do some experiments for free.

I'll explain.   Our new best friend "Amazon prime" (just the trial 1 month - I've been caught out like that before with Experian so once bitten, twice shy and all that) had delivered a "Energenie Power Meter " I'd spotted  in screwfix the other day http://www.screwfix.com/p/energenie-ener007-energy-saving-power-meter-socket/3477H?kpid=3477H&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-Sales%20Tracking-_-sales%20tracking%20url&gclid=CIS9kPfHrs4CFW4z0wodcigKdw  -  for a quid less...(think tesco's motto here!)

Anyway, here it is

This little thing can be programmed with unit cost (per pwh) so you can work out how much money it costs to say, boil a kettle or do a load of washing.

MORE usefully for us, it also shows the max power taken by a particular device and the kwhs used.  From this, we can work out, how many amps will be taken from the boat's batteries. 

SO-after I'd got down off the roof and whilst Andy was painting the front fence, I ran a load of washing through on the most commonly used program (for us) which is a 1 hour, 60 degree wash.  The booklet says it uses .97kwh.  and the washer purports to be rated at 2000watts max power.

The actual results were thus: 

.716 kwh.

On the boat therefore - running through the inverter (with the engine running of course) that equates to roughly 59.66 amps.   Quite a chunk but given the bank will have a 'usable'  270 (assuming full soc), with the engine running (and the big alternator outputting even half it's rated output, it should be ok.

I cycled through the device and the max power at one point  - presumably whilst the heating the water, was 2082watts.  For the most part, it was taking between 2-500watts 'sloshing around' and on full spin.

Next on my list of experiments was the new (lower power) compact kettle we've bought for the boat.  YES - I know most people use gas to boil the kettle... and I suspect we'll get a collapsible one in the end too... thing is, when we've hired in the past, putting the kettle on whilst on the move - especially if the ship's mate is on the towpath heading off to set a lock, has meant me putting it on and then taking it off when in the lock.  Now ok, if you time it right, you don't waste to much gas but if you don't, you end up with a whole load of steam in the boat and wasted energy at the same time - ergo, automatic electric kettle !

The kettle has a smaller than normal  capacity of just 1 litre and is rated at max 2000watts.

You can see it's a bit smaller than the house one - and in the small boat kitchen - sorry, "Galley" space is limited. 

ANYWAY - a full 1litre boil using this took

.095kwh -  or by the time it's gone through the boat's systems, just short of 8 amps for 4 cups of tea... that's ok I suppose - when the engine is running anyway!

In other news,  we ordered some 16mm (diameter) mooring lines the other day - blooming expensive but Andy insisted on black - I wanted the budget florescent green ones I'd seen on ebay.  APPARENTLY, given the intended "colour scheme" is black, dark grey and light grey, they wouldn't "go"....  

I'm putting off buying the fair-leads for a while as we can't agree on which ones we both like.  I hate living in a democracy!

Until next time...

A Change of stoves, Carpel Tunnel & Roofing???

Since my last visit, I've been consulting those in the know *read: asking the collective on http://thunderboat.boards.net * and although the original plan WAS to get a Morso Squirrel, what with one thing and another, we simply don't have enough money to be able to.

SO instead we're going to buy a Steel rather than cast iron one from here:http://www.gr8fires.co.uk/gbs-mariner-4-kw-multi-fuel-stove-6209?utm_source=CJ&utm_medium=Affiliate

It's quite a contemproary looking little thing and (one review a side) seems to be well liked.

Using their "what size stove calculator" as a guide, it should be more than enough to keep the lounge toastie and rest of the boat reasonably warm - the calculation came back at 3.3kw required and it's a 4kw stove.  

With it being all steel, at least there'll be no risk of it cracking when I drill holes in the feet to mount it to the hearth.  I'd planned to weld a few plates together with raised edges and bolt them into the hearth but that wouldn't have secured it against vertical movement.  I'd thought that they'd be enough, but on chatting with our local BSS examiner (who, incidentally seems a really decent/helpful and normal bloke) he pointed out it does need securing fully so that in the event of the boat being snagged in a lock and ending up at some awful angle, a stove full of burning fuel doesn't get tipped into the boat ... point well made and understood.

We'll still have to go for the twin wall flu which is a shame both aesthetically AND financially but we may as well do it to the Higher BSS rather than Private boat specs the first time.  We may still end up with a Morso Flu kit but at £477 just for that, I'm looking into diy alternatives...  There's a little ambiguity in regards whether they HAVE to be twin wall but the BSS chap (let's call him Charlie  - as that's his name) said the main difference between the Private and Non-Private BSS is there are NO advisories in it - ergo, if it's advisory in the Private - it should be taken to be compulsory in the public if you follow.  .    

No matter - Charlie is perfectly happy to advise on the build as it progresses and his examination charges are quite reasonable too.  

It's funny how I'd built up the BSS thing as a major worry originally... daft really as on speaking with him,  I feel much more comfortable now... AND relieved not to be going down the silly RCD ( Recreational Craft Directive)  route!

In other news, I had nerve conduction testing on Monday at the hospital - quite a weird experience.... uncomfortable but not painful.   I was hooked up to a device that passes electric currents through the nerves in my arms and hands to test the response times.  I've been having problems for about a year or so - mostly at night and when driving.  The nurse doing the testing said the consultant will be looking over the results to suggest the best treatment and letting my GP know.  I'm a firm believer in surgincal intervention where necessary and would rather have an operation to deal with the problem (and thus recover) than muddle on for ages trying less invasive methods, THEN ending up with the operation anyway.  We'll see what they come back with.

Oh I nearly forgot, ROOFING! - when I came in from work today, this is what I saw of the house behind:

Not clear enough?

Try this one

WHAT is holding this roof up is anyone's guess.... there's buggar all in the way of support for the entire back roof.   It's being converted from a decent sized 3 bedroom detached into a 5 bedroom, 5 bathroom monster...  lovely and quiet when I want to lay in the hammock and snooze after work - NOT!

Until next time...

Conscience cleared... and a shiny tap!

At the moment, my head is SO full of random boat (and I suppose 'non-boat') related "stuff" that I'm finding it hard to organise things into any logical order.  Not the end of the world I suppose and I'm sure it will be a temporary phase - I hope so at least.  The medication I'm taking is making me rather short tempered... perhaps even a bit aggressive.  Not physically so but my patience is at an all time low and 'snappy' doesn't even come close lol.

That said, in amongst all the piffle , on Friday morning I did make a decision re. the recently exited tenant... I called her GP practice (also mine as it happens) and discussed her with the practice manager.   To give her fair credit, she said she was taking notes and we agreed I'd email them the photos I took of the flat AND  that on Monday morning, I'd pop in to drop off the "hoarded" medication -(some of which dated back to 2004) and have a chat with whichever doctor was available when I turn up.  I know they can't discuss her with me - to be honest, from the paperwork I've seen enough of her dreadfully troubled life to write up my own version of her case history as it is... anyway - I don't want to know anything from them... just perhaps, fill in some blanks for them.

Sometimes when you can't decide what to do, doing nothing is the right thing.  This was one of those occasions when I couldn't leave things ... in fact, I was awake thinking about the wretched woman at 2.50 on Friday morning.  I know it might be seen to be interfering - and I hate it when people do that as a rule but on reflection, my conscience has settled and even if she doesn't appreciate the interference (she may well never even know anyway) her life MIGHT begin to stabilise if she gets some help.

It would be nice to say that puts an end to this particular saga - However, on Friday afternoon I got a phone call from the office to say this woman had turned up wanting to know where her "stuff" is.  Apparently she was apologetic for not having cleared the place out and offered to pay an additional weeks rent and any cleaning costs.   It's reported she was sitting there, trembling and clearly not in a good place.    I explained that anything covered in maggots had been disposed of and her personal papers, clothing items and a couple of other salvageable boxes were left in a trunk outside the flat door.   I presume she'll have collected what she could and will find out tomorrow morning when I nip in to do a bit of painting...  I hope she has left the boxes of meds. - so I can at least take close up photos of them... in case the doc thinks I'm the one making things up!

ANYWAY -  back to boaty stuff.

You may remember a few weeks ago, I got a good deal on the "touch-lights" from Aten lighting (http://www.atenlighting.co.uk/led-touchdownlight-white-recess-flat.html)  - When they arrived, I put them to one side.

 The other day, I thought I'd take one out and test the power consumption.  They purport to be 2 watt.

When connected up they draw .17amp - which is about right... mathematically they should be drawing 0.16amp but I'm not going to worry about 0.01amp - SEE ... I can be chilled ;-)

Btw- if you're in the market for some "touch- DIMMABLE" ones (ours are just the touch ones) they are doing a deal at the moment when you buy 5 or more down from 13.99 to 10.99 - I've no affiliation with them, other than being a satisfied customer.  They're here if you fancy a look http://www.atenlighting.co.uk/led-recess-touchdim.html .... they do use a little more power at 3watt each so that's worth bearing mind.

ALSO  this week, we found a kitchen sink (shallow depth) on offer at Wickes (20% online discount) AND by phoning them, I was also able to use my normal 10% trade discount ... so that was another good saving.

Its not the snazziest thing in the world but it does come with a waste kit and is quite slim at only 435mm wide.  It'll be fine.  

I also spotted a tap on offer in screw fix when I was buying some stuff for work,  which we both actually quite liked... I've learned that when we DO agree on something, it's best to get it there and then!

It's high enough to fill a kettle without dunking the base in the (usually full) washing up bowl.  I did have a bit of a worry about operating pressure - it has a sticker on the box saying MINIMUM operating pressure of 1.5 bar...  I have no idea how powerful the water-pump the builder will be fitting is.  LUCKILY - we are fortunate to have made friends with a really helpful couple who bought a boat last year from the same place and they were kind enough to look at theirs to confirm it's rated at 25psi (1.7bar)...  A bit close but fingers crossed it will work... if not, this tap may end up replacing the one at home!  One thing that is good about it though (aesthetics a side) is the mounting method - FROM above rather than below.

One last thing (we're heading out for a Sunday morning hike) -  Andy took a video of our first walk around the boat last weekend on his phone.. I've uploaded it to you-tube rather than here as it was quite large.  It's a bit shaky but it will be handy to look back on when the boat is finished.

Until next time...

Mental Health and rear steps...

It's OK - the 2 are not linked... 

Today I've had the most unpleasant task of clearing out a flat I rent out.  Tenants are a pain.  Not all of them, but over the past 10 years or so, from time to time we get a bad un.  In today's case, what started off as an angry feeling on opening the door, soon turned into a feeling of sadness for the wretched soul who lived like this

The photo doesn't look too bad I'll grant you but what you can't see is the vile smell of vomit and maggots... Vomit either side of the sleeping bag and maggots worming their way through decaying food left in the kitchen.... the pupa with their horrible cargo waiting to emerge or the swarm of adults that awaited me .

As I went through into the kitchen - trying NOT to wretch, I was met with this

On opening a cupboard I also found the following stash of empties

THEN it all made sense.

People have their demons I know - I've got mine... but for the most part, I wear them on my sleeve and that way, (I feel at least) those around me can help and support if they feel so inclined. 

The woman who lived here, to me at least, simply seemed a bit highly strung but appeared to all intents and purposes "normal".  She' was highly qualified - (compared to me anyway) with a phd in economics and had been a lecturer at Leeds Uni at some time or other.    She'd given her months notice on the right day in June which expired on 24th July... hence me going in to take a look having not received the keys back or being able to get in contact with her on the phone.

In amongst the clutter, were piles of personal and financial paperwork.  She has been keeping up to date with her bills, receives various benefits, has a good bank balance - although she HAS left credit and debit cards in amongst the detritus.    Some of the bags contained Marks & Spencer food items - un opened...  the fridge also contained lots of what we'd class as posh food - dated May and mostly mouldy.  At first as I filled the bin liners full of decaying food I was angry with her.  Angry she could leave such an awful mess for someone else to clean up after.  Angry that whilst I'm out at work doing silly hours each week, she is off up and down the country on "days out"  (evidenced by train tickets) and bags containing expensive chocolates and the like.  

As I then moved on to paper work  (I'm saving you from the gory details in regards the aforementioned crawlies and flies) her wretched life began to unfold in front of me.  

Being careful NOT to discard any paperwork, I put it all in a separate bag as I went along.  To cut a long story short, this woman is in and out of A & E regularly with unexplained vomiting...  she had prescriptions laying around for various anti-depressants & stuff for panic attacks (I had to google them), acid reducing drugs, beta blockers etc. ALL at quite high doses - one I recall I took for a short while was the beta blocker Propanalol - I was only taking 10 mg 3 times a day which made me quite zombified... she has 80 mg 3 times day.  

Along with the medication, were numerous - in excess of 10 different appointment with various departments at the local hospital... letters from gps, consultants, referrals, scans, bloods and eventually I came across a summary from her most recent gastroscpy - basically saying there is nothing clinical to explain her problems and suggesting the mental health team need to see if they can help.

Basically, she is causing her own problems as you can see from the highly acidic nature of what she eats/drinks - and that is ignoring the vodka.

The amount of care and attention she is "needing" must be costing the poor NHS thousands... and that's just 1 person.   

If someone were to take a more holistic approach, most of the testing could be avoided.  She NEEDS help.  Which leaves me with a dilemma.

Whilst I know it's not my place, SHOULD I contact her gp practice and talk to her doctors to give them the background to how she is living? ... so perhaps they can help her? - if for no other reason than to save their budget a massive amount of money.  It's no wonder I can't get to see my GP  with the likes of her taking up so much of the resource... oh I know they won't tell me anything about her - I don't want to know... but if I can help them to help her, surely that would be a good thing?

On moving a box of "stuff" out of the kitchen, Once the flies had died down (I've sprayed 2 whole cans of Raid in there today - working out it was best to move a bit, spray, stand back then move a bit more) I spotted some old photos and various DVDS... the photos had dates of 2002 on them and there she was looking happy as Larry with friend and lovers...  on a trip to Belgium (I recognised a few landmarks)...   The DVDs and photos filled me in with a bit more info about her life - in short, lesbian interest DVDs and photos of her in loved up embraces with a woman.

This set me pondering - is that what's led her to where she is now? - self loathing or a failed relationship?...  all speculation of course but if that is the case... what a terrible result and life wasted and for what? - never coming to terms with who or what she is?   

I thank my lucky stars our lives didn't go down the same path.

Also  among the papers, were letters from her previous landlord before she moved in with us, charging her circa 1500 quid for "Dilapidation correction"... along with receipts which proved she'd paid so clearly this has not been the first time she's done this.    I'd recently given her a reference confirming she'd paid her rent on time and not been any bother etc...   having not had reason to venture into the property, I genuinely did feel all was OK at that time. 

 DO I now, get in touch with her new letting agent to warn them to keep a close eye on her to avoid this happening again? - I mean, the new landlords (and I note she's paid 6 months up front with them too like she did with us) might NOT be able to rectify the mess she leaves as easily as I have been able to today and end up incurring costs they can't afford to pay. 

 The sick stains btw, HAVE come up after a couple of passes with my old Vax carpet cleaner and whilst there's another day cleaning in there, nothing is permanently damaged.  I could have asked someone else to do it but to be honest, that wouldn't have been cricket - Gav at work would have come in to help but it was a totally unpleasant job and not one he's paid enough to do - come to think of it, neither am I but there we are - the worst of it is over... and I've gone from being angry with a tenant, to feeling sad about the misery endured by a fellow human being.

In other news - yesterday at work I gathered up a few off cuts of timber from the track we're making (photos of that to follow once we lay it down) and made a quick set of steps for the rear of the boat.

They're only a prototype but will do whilst we're working on the boat - I'll make a "proper set" with proper measurements when the fit out is nearly complete... meanwhile, these'll do for now - they're actually quite sturdy for a 15 min job too.

I still can't decide whether to contact this woman's gp or not - what would YOU do?

For now, I'll sleep on it.

Until next time...

The Good... The Bad... and the Fugly!

In 'yoof' speak, apparently when they refer to something as 'Bad' - that means they're pleased with it as in reality, it's 'good'...  I don't get it but as a nod to show we're not (quite) the fuddy duddy's we think we are...  we went to see "Ellis" for the first time yesterday  - and  she's Bad ... WITH a capital B of course :-)

To walk you though the porthole positions left to right;  No 1 is over the single dinette,  No 2 is over the kitchen sink, No 3 is in the lounge over a chair, Side window also lounge with door to bathroom directly right,  No 4 is bathroom and No 5 is the over the centre of the bed... which apparently we may regret in regards condensation drips!

Ideally, they'd have been spaced equidistantly but that would have placed porthole No. 2 inside a wardrobe...  I'm sure once we've got the name on the rear panel, they'll look OK.. if not, we'll do something arty between 1 and 2. or perhaps place some trailing plants on the roof to hang down the side.

Chris (the boss man) introduced us to Paul the joiner who has already started attaching battens ready to fit the lining to.  We walked through the boat with him and marked the positions of the planned bulkheads...  10 in all.  It's apparent from the lounge area, that it's going to be very snug in there - we'll see how it feels once it's lined out ... we can always lose 1-2 ft from the planned kitchen to increase the size of the lounge if it does feel too small.  

The position of the portholes and side hatches has worked out well though with much more light in there than we'd thought - especially once the hatches are opened.  

Btw - I caved in and agreed to have BOTH side hatches glazed.  Luckily we're only paying for one of them though as a dear friend is buying the other as a boat warming (literally I suppose) present.  500 quid is a lot of money for a 2ft square bit of glazed window but Andy was right....  it will make the sitting area much more pleasant... especially during the winter months...AND in the worst of the weather, we can close the metal shutters on the outside too to keep in the heat.

Yesterday's viewing was not all plain sailing if you'll pardon the pun - there's a couple of dents/deformed areas in the roof that stand out (to me anyway) like a sore thumb.    You can't really make them out from these (poor ) photos  - in fact, Andy didn't spot them but they are there none the less - about dining plate sized indentations in the roof just in the bathroom area.  Chris doesn't seem too worried about and said he'd already arranged for someone to sort it out.  

I suppose it could have been done by the hook on a crane or whatever in the workshop and maybe it wasn't noticeable until it was out in the daylight... it'll get sorted.

Another potential issue was also  identified in regards the roof...  slap bang where the flu for the Morso is planned to go out, is one of the tubular roof bars.  I know we could cut into it but doing so would mean weakening the structure ... SO (and I hope this IS possible) I've asked that when they are sorting out the dents, they remove said bar and weld it back in 5-6 inches further back - in fact, as close to the bathroom bulkhead as possible.  I'm not sure this will happen so I may end up bringing home the plasma cutter from work to cut into it when I fit the chinmey collar in a couple of months... fingers crossed on that one!

You can see from the photo of the rear, the higher than normal lockers we requested.... I had a quick sit on them and it has made a difference to the view over the boat...  such a simple modification but one that will make chugging along a more pleasurable experience.

Close up, the welds don't look too shabby either which I'm pleased about... I'm not a brilliant welder myself but I'd have hated it, if their welds looked worse than mine do lol.  

To maximise the size for the water tank, we've agreed to have the water pump in the bottom of the wardrobe to the right.  This will buy us a valuable few inches extra for the tank and increase capacity by somewhere between 150-200 litres - which in turn will reduce the number of visits to the water point.

All in all, we're pleased to finally have a boat... all beit one that's a few months off being on our mooring.  It's been a struggle, saving up for the last 6 and a half years... but the end is in sight - or rather the beginning is in sight I suppose!

It's hard to tell from the following photo whether Andy is pleased  or not - I'll let you make your own mind up!

Until next time...

The hull has arrived...

It's been a busy week - after the funeral, I had to scoot up to Beamish to help the others erecting the mini vintage fair we were putting on for their 1950s weekend.

By the time I got there, they'd put up the Austin Cars and the Frogger stall so all that was left to do was erect the Whirl-a-ball (it's  bit lig pinball).  I'd already taken a photo of the road train leaving our premises:

If you've seen it on the road - or worse still, been stuck behind it (max speed of the 1972 Atkinson is 30 mph) you'll appreciate both it's length and awkwardness.  We tend to follow behind it in another car in case something goes wrong... such as one of the air hoses coming off - thus slamming on the brakes on the trailers.... they're VERY good... !

We don't do this thing (running fun-fairs) for a living - it's a hobby (apparently)... or more of a trade-stand I suppose.  This time, it was a 4 day event...   Our stalls do look "nice" I suppose but to be honest, it's not really my cup of tea - running them that is... I prefer to restore them any day.

This time, Andy and I were running the Whirl-a-ball  - complete with 1950s costumes... Andy looked ok in his, but I looked a cross between a gangster and Freddie Kruger!

*sings, 1, 2 Freddie's coming for you*... which Gav spent most of his time singing from the Austin car ride he was running

The Austin's is a lovely kids rid - 10 cars (2 with motors that weigh a ton) which are suitable for even the smallest child - so long as it can sit up, we'll run it slow enough for them to have a safe ride.  I don't  really like kids but when I stood in for Gav so he could have a break, I had to admit it was nice to see the pleasure in their faces and watch the parents proudly taking photos or videos.

We REALLY do need to have a size limit though!!!

We pulled it all down late on Sunday night and on Monday morning, set off back to Wakefield with it... which took nearly 4 hours...  

Thank heavens' that's it for another year.

- - - - - - - - - - 

In other - MORE important news, yesterday I got an email from the builder to say the hull has arrived and he'll be fitting windows, ballast and flooring shortly.... we've arranged to go over this coming Saturday to see it and I'll take some photos to update you then.

FINALLY it's happening...  

Also, over the course of last week, I managed to switch to a new 5 year fix mortgage deal... which should - all being well  see us through the rocky times ahead that BREXIT may cause.  It's not the lowest rate  but IS £75 a month lower than we've been paying for the last 2 years anyway... and of course I'll continue to pay the same amount to reduce balance interest is payable on.  Small change I know, but it all helps.

Until next time...

Bernie - Dancing her way to heaven...

If you believe  in the place and have a faith that is.

I'm still un-decided... agnostic, bordering on atheist I suppose - that doesn't mean I'm godless... it's just I see 'my' god in different places.

Today I went to a funeral ... a very important funeral of someone very important.  It was the FIRST one I've ever been to that I've actually been very moved - to the point of tears and unable to speak for much of the time.  My brain was like an episode of "The Peep-Show", trying to remove myself from the event and look in - complete with a calming narrative... which didn't work btw.

I was trying to work out what it was making me SO upset.  Simple really I suppose...  it was the first funeral I've attended where I REALLY did care about the departed AND the people they've left behind.   I wasn't sad for me, I was sad for them... for the hurt, despair, feelings of loss and fear they have right now.... it was a collective sentiment I'm sure and one that did make me realise - we're all the same... no matter how special we think we are... how individual we like to think we are,  deep down (psychotic types a side) we're all human.


It made me stop and think about the world we live in... the way we deal with and approach others in our day to day lives... it made me think that for the most part we all rush around, stressed with all the day to day trite that is meaningless... we should  look for the good in people... take a moment to talk with a stranger...look out for our neighbours ... what I suppose I'm saying is we should behave in a Christian manner - which doesn't mean we must pray to a higher being but be the very best we can to everyone we encounter... even those we don't naturally lean towards...although I do draw the line when it comes to stroppy Estonians!

Looking around the church today, for the first time I suppose, I actually felt every emotion it's possible to feel... my heart was racing whilst I tried to stifle my desperate need to cry... it wasn't MY place to cry... or so society pressured me into thinking.  Ironically, it was JUST the place to cry... surrounded by like minded, caring souls - all there for the same reason I was.   To show love and support to people  they care about...

WHY are us British SO reserved?

This isn't the place really to go into details - it's personal to the grieving family but I just wanted to ensure the event - terrible that it is, was recorded somewhere I can reflect on in the future.

You are all very dear to me and I am both honoured and humbled to stand shoulder to shoulder with you x

A week working in Margate...

It's been a funny old week.

Not in an amusing way but in an unsettling  way.  It's not Margate's fault of course but "work" getting in the way of important stuff... which I'll explain shortly but first I'll update you on the reason for the trip away.

The more astute readers may have spotted a speedway ride in an earlier blog posting NEXT to the chairoplanes we restored and delivered to Dreamland a few weeks ago.  If you didn't, here it is.

If you look through it to the left, you can see the chains of the chairs...

I never did post a photo of the completed other one so here she is, resplendent in the Margate sunshine.

I know pride is supposed to be a sin - but we're all very proud of how she turned out... she nearly killed us and in actual fact she has claimed at least one fatality in her previous lives... before we changed the motor, it used to be at floor floor level running a belt on a cog which turned a shaft and transferred the drive to a gearing cog at the top... a poor operator (name unknown) got a bit close one day and was pulled up into the gearing and met his end.  The lads and I  joke around a lot in the workshop but without exception, this topic was never a source of amusement.  

What was I on about? - ah yes, the speedway.   Fairground rides have a annual safety ticket - much the same as a cars MOT(Vosa for the pedants).  The Speedway is still in test but we needed to take it apart to address a few things which were advisory last year and allow access to the tester who was booked for Tuesday/Wednesday.  This ride is a 1930's Orton and Spooner Ark - now "dressed" as a speedway.  Underneath, the mechanics of it are the same as a waltzer... ie. big ruddy heavy centre and platforms which try and kill you at every opportunity... we know this as on more than one occasion over the last week, Gav has gashed his head on them!

                                     

They sit on girders with a wheel on one end and cup on the other which is pulled around by the centre.

It's the girders that need most stringent crack testing - even ones invisible to the human eye need welding up and testing again...  hence why we had to take it apart - you can do repairs to the platfors in situ... it's uncomfortable of course but that's life these days.

Luckily, now I've got an account with A-Plant, they provided a tele-handler for us to use to lift the platforms and girders down to the ground to work on.

Once the platforms and girders were off, we were able to get a good look at the centre section, replacing any worn bolts and give it a good greasing... we were all covered from head to toe by close of play Tuesday... and although we cleaned ourselves up as well as we could with diesel, must admit to leaving a few marks on the hotel towels !

A few welds later, it was time to put the thing back together again...  I write this in a few words - it actually took 4, 14 hour working non-stop days...  with barely a word of appreciation.

Despite the exhaustion, this time, we all worked well together and for the most part were good humoured...  I took this photo of Gav (aka scrappy do) to help explain to him that, when stood next to a normal person (in this case Big Andy) he really IS small!

Anyway - it's back together and running really well again...  it DOES need a lick of paint and a few minor repairs but they can wait until it next comes back to the workshop... whenever  that is.

Usually when we work in Margate, we stay in the town but hotel availability for some reason was low so we ended up stopping in Ramsgate instead.

I'd never been to Ramsgate before - I must admit, it's actually quite nice... quite a surprise really.  The harbour being really quite lovely and a little bit Whitby-esque (don't know how to write that) -certainly during the day... 

I spotted these 2 wide beams tucked away in the corner near the old steam tug  - I presume as there is nowhere for them to actually "go" they're home for someone.

See - something boaty related at last in this post!!!

By night, (sorry no photos ) it has a Mediterranean feel about it - with lovely lighting and even a couple of Greek restaurants.  IF you fancy a few days away by the sea, it's certainly worth a visit.

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At the beginning of this posting, I mentioned that it had been an unsettling week.   The reason for this was that at the start of it, I received 2 phone calls... the first was from my Mother with news that another of my uncles had taken ill and been rushed into hospital - the background to this is that the one who was rushed in that morning, was currently looking after another one who'd been sent home from hospital to die.  Which meant the other family members (most of which are in their 70s) were trying to rally round  and support both of them.   

This in itself was a bit disconcerting but given the ageing state (and good humour) of my family, something that we just get along with.

Shortly after  the call from my mum, ( whilst I was crawling under the ride undoing bolts) I took a call from my oldest (longevity not age) friend... her mother had just died  following a few weeks in hospital.  I can't deny this hit me like a bolt out of the blue - which it shouldn't have, because she  had been in decline for a short while and it was expected.   I laid there under the ride, fighting back the tears trying to be "normal" with Helen on the phone... trying to be supportive but feeling both sick and angry at the fact I wasn't able to walk away from the job in hand and go home to be near her. 

 Platitudes are no use to anyone I know, but just being able to "be around" for people you care about in their time of crisis is the "right" thing to do... AND the thing I wanted to do.  It was SO frustrating not being able to get in the car and go to be with her.  She fully understands the responsibility on my shoulders but the thing I'm getting at is that I WANTED to have the autonomy and freedom to.

Helen and I have been friends since I was 18 and went to work washing dishes in her fathers pub.  We share the same "work like your dad" work ethic and despite often not seeing each other for months on end, can pick up a conversation like it was yesterday.  Her family supported me through a difficult period in my 20's coming out, and I've owed them an immense debt for their kindness, tolerance and support ever since.  Not long ago on their golden wedding anniversary, rather than send a card,  wrote them a letter of appreciation - we joked that it was cheaper than sending a card but the sentiment (and contents) brought pleasure to both of them... which now looking back, was fortunate timing... to actually have been able to say (well write) to someone, how much you value and appreciate them... 

I'm SO glad I wrote that letter!

Call it another epiphany if you like but for all the sadness we're all feeling now, it has re-affirmed that our plan to live on the boat, ditch our current lives and explore the UK waterways, forging whatever "life" we can, IS the way ahead for us...

hopefully we'll see you there.

Until next time...