Tuesday 26 February 2013

1 week or is it 7 days....?

I've not managed to sort out the time delay yet although I am sure my time setting is set to somewhere in America and I am, at times, a day behind the rest of the UK! I have just found that I am set on Paciffic Standard Time but haven't got a clue how to change it to GMT? (I have just wasted an hour trying to sort it out! Grrrrrrr)......help!.....HOO bloody RAY.....I've sorted the time zone thingy and I am now up to date with the rest of the UK!, how clever am I eh? not very......it has taken me 5 hours, 4 cups of tea and 5 ciggies.....and I've kicked next door's cat (not really, I've put that in just for effect)

Is it better to say 1 week to go or 7 days to go? Is a week longer than 7 days? Yes I know they are the same but I think 7 days sounds longer than "just a week to go"........what a load of drivel!
Well, both Suzie and I thought this last week would drag but again it has gone very quickly with both of us running flat out.....("that's not very fast"-I hear you say!)

I went work on Tuesday and Wednesday for the last time and did not bother me at all, maybe next week when I go in for the very last time it might hit home? Thursday I went with my Mum to pick up her new car and this seemed to have taken an age to do but it's sorted now and I feel better as does Mum with her new car. Friday we spent running around saying cheerio to people. We also sorted out our boat licence, boat insurance and boat index number and the rest of the time we have spent packing and putting MORE stuff up into Suzie's sisters loft (I thought we'd got rid of stuff but there still seems so much more to loose before next week, thank you Pat and John.....I'm not sure if they have sold it all or have stored it for us?) The weekend was spent with Suzie's daughter, hubby and kiddies and was good fun as the next time we see them we'll be on our boat! Sunday afternoon we loaded the car up and off we went to Weedon where on Monday we drove to Milburn Boats where we started to move in.........Suzie hadn't seen Swamp Frogs for a fortnight and was just so pleased with what she saw and it was hard to drag her away to allow the boys to get on.

Andy and the team are putting the finishing touches to our home and she really does look good and I will post more pictures when we move in although I am not sure where we are going to put everything, maybe we should tow a butty behind us? Liz turned up with the curtains, porthole bung and outdoor cushions for the bow which all look stunning.

Yesterday we also popped to the Chandlers in Braunston to pick up some stuff and got a good deal on life jackets (required on some rivers) mooring pins, stakes keys and other bits and bobs. The only thing left to buy now we think is an anchor........Jeez where is it all going to go? It is a Narrowboat and not a Tardis!

Anyways......enough is enough as today we have to go to Dentists for check up, pop to the bank, visit more friends to say goodbye.......oh and that all important visit to Pat and Johns loft!

Less than a week to go!.......or is it 6 and a bit days!


Tuesday 19 February 2013

2 Weeks and counting (down)

Hmmm......I have just finished the blog and looked at the preview and it gives the date as Monday 18th Feb 2013 even tho I know it is Tuesday 19th Feb.........why, I've not got a clue???? does this mean that every other post was written the day before it actually took place??? will our future always be a day behind the rest of the world???..........SPOOKY! (thought I'd get this error in first)

Well, we have now less than 2 weeks to go as the posh countdown clock that Suzie found and I spent 6 hours trying to get it onto the blog says........13 days 18 hours 15 mins and 38 seconds! I think that at times we all wish our lives away and we shouldn't do, even when the bad times are around us we should still try and find something positive to enjoy the moment in time that is now......Anyways enough of all profound bull***t....... I just wish these next 2 weeks would fly by but I am sure it will drag!
Yesterday I went up to Milburn Boats to see our new home. Suzie didn't go as she was poorly but I was accompanied by Pat and John (Suzie's sister and brother-in-law) who last came up when the shell arrived from Tyler Wilson back in November last year.
Even though we only have 2 weeks left there is still a mountain of stuff to do and I think we will be running right up until the very last day. Fortunately I have just 2 days left at work which will help us cope with all this running around.
So what about our boat then eh? She is all but complete now with just the Satellite system to install from Road Pro and sadly this won't be fitted till the end of March when it becomes available (this also give's Steve time to understand how to get all the ports that are at the back of the TV to the front so we can access them) so, we will be drifting around Stockton until then and also we will have to visit the pub every time there is football on the TV! At least we'll be close to Andy and the team and they will (we hope) hear our cry for help! There really isn't much more for the team to do now just fiddly bits and bobs. Liz Fuller is busy making our curtains and bespoke sheets as our bed is a "cross over" type which means that neither of us will be up against a wall but does mean that we have to sort of put the bed away each day but it does give us a king size bed as somehow when Suzie gets into bed she grows from  5 foot of beauty to a 6 foot monster with 4 arms and 6 legs and takes up all the bed so a standard bed would just have me on the floor each night.
I don't think our new life will truly begin until the start of June after the Crick Boat Show which is the 25th - 27th of May when Milburn's will be exhibiting our home there. If you are reading this and are going to Crick come along and say hello to us. Andy says we need to be up and out of bed by 8 am each day. Me, I think it would be funny as people walk through our boat with Suzie sat in the bath or me snoozing......hehe.
Our first port of call once we leave Crick will be to head north to see my Dad where we can Moor up on The Leeds Liverpool Canal and sample a few beer's at the back of my Dad's alongside the Boatyard Inn where we first told Dad and Diane of our plans.....
From then..........who knows......because we don't!

A few piccy's from our last visit........

Stern doors fitted, gas lockers at the rear of
boat so minimal gas pipe inside the boat, got to think
of safety....Hmmmmm with engine hatch missing! 

Stylish 3 ring gas hob :-)

Recessed window blinds, Granite worktop and 3 way
tap giving us filtered water.

Look at that curved cupboard door....
Well done Pete Milburn, pure class!

Tunnel light and horn fitted.......
What about those bulrushes eh? beautiful isn't it,
thank you Peter Bloor

.....and for this.....

.......And this, you really are a very clever man!

Since our last blog we have still done 0 miles and no locks!