15th Jan '11

We went up to Manchester to see the boat on Saturday and it's a bit of a good news / bad news situation. Bad news is that because of the weather and a bereavement it looks as if the finish date will be mid Feb. so I'm holding out for Valentines Day! the weather meant that the painting couldn't go ahead as it wouldn't have taken and the material we chose for the upholstery is out of stock! there has also been a delay on the multi-fuel stove! having said all of that the good news is that the end is in sight; we have met with the painters and confirmed where all the finishing touches are to be and how the name is to be positioned and they start next week; we have chosen a new material and this one is guaranteed obtainable; lots of 'behind the scenes' stuff has been done (such as cupboard doors made) and we have changed the layout of my 'office' so I will have twice as much room! We have also been told that we can start to take stuff up there and they will store it and then put it on the boat before launch so we can get straight on board and start unpacking! Brilliant.

Since John finished work next Friday we will be able to go up mid-week and load the van to the gunnels and that will mean the whole transition will be a lot easier.

I will put some photos on but to be honest it may not look very different - but rest assured that things ARE moving ahead!

This is above the bed cupboards - they are cut around the porthole and you can also just see John's bedside cupboard! - there are now shelves in my wardrobe behind and also in the next one for the washer and dryer plus some storage above them!

 The cupboard is now in above the worktops. This will be glazed both sides and lit for us to keep our glasses in - hopefully they are packed and safe in Rachel and Matt's loft! Can't remember what we kept and what we got rid of but I'm SURE we kept some crystal to go in here! You can also see that the brass roof lights are now in (ignore the naked light bulbs - they are not part of our fixtures and fittings!

 The boat is NOT on a tilt but John appears to have been when he took this! This is Jim coming in through the bow entrance and you can see the cupboards progressing around the radiator. Jim hates having his photo taken so this is a triumph!

This is the same view but a bit closer - the radiator will be covered with a grille that is made and waiting to be fixed but they are going to paint the radiator matt black first so that it won't be obvious behind the grille. These cupboards need to store our entire collection of books, DVD's and CD's so thank heavens for our Kindles!



This is the hatch which in the summer when I'm preparing a light steak and salad to eat with a glass of wine outside in cratch (the bit up the front) I can open this and exchange cheery words to passers by or watch the other boats go by (depending on which side we are moored). It also means that we can keep the place cool in the hot weather that we are sure to get!!



This needs some thinking about but it's where the steering will go on - the engine is under here and the tiller will be at the back - there will be room for me and Paddy to sit and watch the world go by when John is steering or for me to steer when he is working the locks! Division of labour is important in these matters.....

Hopefully we will be going up again in about 10 days time and painting should have started, the engine should be in and other bits will be coming together by then and we may even have a FIRM date!!!!!