Perfect Harmony

Perfect Harmony
Moored at Huntingdon

Sunday 12 December 2010

10th December '10

We were a weekend later than expected going up for this visit, because of severe snow conditions last week! Unheard of for November but guess it's just our luck!
Anyway the wait was well worth while as the boat is coming on well now and we can expect late January for completion (as long as weather doesn't halt any of the suppliers or sub-contractors).
I will put loads of photos on this time so starting from the front - there's nothing been done to the bow as yet but here is anyway...
Then looking into the boat from the bow we have the saloon with the kitchen behind and a peep into the bathroom (there will be a door when it's finished - we are not THAT open plan!)

you can see the radiators in place and the shelving in the foreground - at the front on that side will be the TV and on the other side a solid fuel stove - you may be able to see that there is already a wine rack in place!


close up of the wine rack!!

The kitchen is coming on a treat - the oven and microwave are already there as is our wonderful larder units - on either side of the end of the kitchen, two pull out units with metal shelves to take LOTS of groceries to keep us going when we are on the move.


these photos show them clearly and you can see our shower in the background! As the bathroom is pretty much shown here - and I don't think you need to see the main toilet hiding behind the wall I shall move on down the boat!


 beyond the bedroom - which is still pretty much as it was but now has bedside cabinets - there is the second toilet - obviously there are some walls to go in here but this will have a handbasin and will be useful for a quick comfort stop for the captain! the thing in cellophane is a calorifier which will convert the power from the engine to heat the boat and is pretty important.
opposite this is my office cubbyhole and the washer and tumbler drier so quite an important section of the boat - if not as pretty as the front end!


this -believe it or not - is my office! I will have a shelf for the computer and one for the printer and then a small seat for me! Not much but it means that I can keep the blog going - check Facebook and Skype people without having to put the computer away all the time and also be close to John when he's steering the boat! Ahhhh.

Now because John likes them are some external shots of the boat - don't despair - it won't look like this next time - Jim and Paul reckon they are getting the  painters in to start on the external work next week so the next time we shall see it there should be quite a change. We have confirmed it to be dark green with red and cream trims and a cream roof. Quite traditional colours which we have always liked.



nothing like seeing a photo of yourself to want to make you lose weight!!

The other exciting part of the visit was going to chose the upholstery pattern for the dining suite and the cushion floor for the baltroom / kitchen area - the rest of the floor will be oak. We have gone for a suprisingly different (for us) fabric - a sort of rich cream brocade with green and terracotta flowers - looks MUCH better than it sounds and a multi-colour diagonal stone tile effect floor. Hopefully it will match the shower panel that is already chosen and in situ as well as the granite effect worksurface that again has already been chosen.

That's pretty much it for this visit - we are going up again after the new year to make the final choices. There is some discussion about putting us in the water further south which would avoid some of the bad weather if it comes in freezing again as some of the canals are frozen after last week. This would be great as far as I'm concerned as it would be less travelling to get us to Cambridge for March but we shall see.... continue to watch this space......

Wednesday 17 November 2010

more photos

John has told me that I ought to have added more photos and so here they are, basically some more of the lifting and then some of the inside before the wooden walls were added showing the insulation. It's a bit harder to see which rooms are which but it gives the general idea.



Sunday 7 November 2010

5 Nov 10

We have been up to Manchester and seen the boat, plus got some photos of it arriving on site (see below).
I think I have worked out how to get the pictures in the right place - hopefully this entry will be a bit more together - we live and learn!
She now has her ballast in place and floors fitted plus some of the bulkheads in place (the bits that divide the rooms). the kitchen cupboards are in situ and we have been making decisions on things like the cooker and whether to have a microwave (we will but only a small one since we have the space).

Talking of space - it seems HUGE and the cupboard space seems enormous considering what I have been managing with for the last 6 months. John and I are amazed at how room it seems although we realise that there is still a lot of stuff to go in.
the shower tray is in place and so is the main frame of the bed.

we are delighted that they have managed to juggle the space at the back so that I can have a little office space, there is a separate (2nd) toilet and still room for a wet locker and a wardrobe each. It really is going to be something special when it's complete. Paddy came aboard and inspected it all including the dining arrangements - they appeared to meet with his approval!
talking of completion - it looks as if our estimate for sometime in January is pretty much accurate although we have been promised a more definate date when we next go up at the end of the month. Then we get to decide furnishings and floor coverings, so it will be much more together then.
we are now more excited than ever as it really is far more of a reality and getting more so each day.
not all the windows are cut through and the boat is currently in undercoat mode but if anyone wants to know anything more about any of it, get in touch and we will try to answer any questions.
I will add more in a few weeks when we have seen the next stage......

Tuesday 26 October 2010

October 25th

Still no photos from Jim and Paul but assume that the build is continuing - John gets phone calls asking what ceiling we want and suchlike so presumably something is being done. We are going up on 6th Nov. to see progress and then I will be able to take some photos myself and post them - at least we should be able to see a difference from the original one!
In the meantime I have been away and done my Helmsman Certificate and so can now moor more confidently and have mastered the knots so feel quite happy with myself. Theoretically I know how to work the lock paddles as well and although I oversaw the process and was able to direct the others (always one of my skills) I didn't actually do it myself following orders from the osteopath never to touch them......
I have to say that the scariest part of it was taking the boat into the lock, which is usually my job so I am used to doing it, but I have always gone in slowly and carefully - we were taught to go hell for leather and if you have no experience of canals and locks etc. believe me that steering a large metal boat towards an even larger lock wall at top revs is really nerve-wracking! however I did it, didn't hit anything and can see the logic of it all now. Our boating is going to be quite different from what I had envisaged I suspect!

Wednesday 8 September 2010

8th September

I was going to put something on earlier but found that starting a blog was one thing - finding out how to get back onto it was another (thanks Francesca - what would I do without you?) THEN I forgot my password and locked myself out. Anyway - I found my way back and here we are.
We met Jim at the boat show and discovered that the boat is still not up with him as he was finishing off the last one - by all accounts it should be there by now but I'm not holding my breath.
We did important things like ordering the settee, and buying Paddy a lifejacket. If I can work out how to do it I'll add a picture of him in it!
We are still hoping for a completion date of end of November and we reckon we will be in the marina as planned for Christmas - I told Jim that if the boat wasn't ready then we would go up there and have Christmas in his shed. He didn't seem as fazed by that as I might have hoped.
The boat he was showing up there was lovely - if anyone wants to see the boats he produces there is a gallery of them on Sabre Narrowboat web site - worth a look if you have time.
So all in all not a lot of progress but a great time was had at the show and we feel that step nearer - now it's September and the weather is becoming autumnal we are getting quite keyed up for getting on board but life in the van is still good and we are not missing a house at all suprisingly. After living for months in a 22'6" van the 62' boat will be HUGE!!!!

Sunday 15 August 2010

On our way at last

We now have the first view of Perfect Harmony. I know it was going to be Nancys Fancy but we changed our minds and feel that this is more about us!
As I am writing this the shell is now complete and has either moved or is about to be moved up to Manchester for Jim and Paul to start fitting it out.
I'm finding it quite emotional to realise that our plans from the last 7 years or so are finally getting put into place and all our dreams are becoming reality. We are both looking forward to getting up to Manchester next month to see our 'baby' as she takes shape and to discover how our layout works in reality. We know that Jim won't let us do anything stupid - we have discussed most things to the nth degree so are very confident that it will be perfect. A visit to Manchester will also mean that I can get some more up to date photos that should mean more to other people than the shell does at present!