Crunch time!!

Arrived at Poppy 11ish on Saturday am after stopping off at asda to pick up supplies - the plan was to fit the fenders, have lunch then take her out of the marina for a trundle towards Keadby. Mark was very keen to play at being captain but a little stressed that he would be reversing her out into a fairly tight space to get her onto the canal & very aware that his 1st attempt was being watched by a few other marina residents.
As it turned out everyone was very supportive ( just detected the odd snigger!) & she was out on the canal without any major trauma - straight into what in the marina was a gentle breeze but out there a stiff cross wind!


We soon realised just how the wind can affect the boat but before we really had chance to get to grips we came to the lift bridge - the plan was to pull to the side, me jump off to operate said bridge ( Just in case you were in any doubt we are complete novices & this was the maiden voyage in every sense!)
Managed 1st part fine & opening bridge a doddle but the fun started when Mark attempted to get her away from bank - the wind had other ideas & and just blew her back. The bank is metal piled with a steel girder edge which was just the right height for Poppy to get jammed under & remove a layer of paint from the stern. Ouch!!
Need to point out here that my husband is a man who never reads instructions (except as a last resort) & didn't feel it necessary to have any prior knowledge on boat handling preferring to adopt the 'pick it up as you go along' method. So I felt quite justified in a self righteous 'told you so', followed by "you can be an arrogant **** sometimes"
We continued on through next two swing bridges without further mishap but the wind a real problem & then moored up for a much needed coffee. I handed Mark the Boat Owners Handbook(!!) whilst I enjoyed the view across the fields from the side hatch .
We decided that was enough for 1st outing so moved a few hundred yards before winding her in the truest sense as all we had to do was hold the stern rope & the wind did the rest.

On arrival back at the marina Mark was manoevering her around the sharp turn in when one of the residents popped up and talked us through it - phew!
Reversed her into her berth ably assisted by our new neighbours -Thanks guys :-)

Later a neighbour told Mark how on his 1st outing he had removed some paint so felt a bit better but overall perhaps should have appreciated just how windy it was & waited for another day. Hindsight eh! Anyway now I am a lady of leisure I have all the time in the world to spend touching up paint work when (if) we get some decent weather.

So home on Sunday, just a few loose ends to tie up, last bit of packing & last trip to the tip, another visit to the dentist on Tuesday then Wednesday we (& the cats) finally become livaboards........

bits & bob s

Met Lainy on Poppy this morning as she is making a door twixt galley & bedroom & wanted to make a template. She also kindly put a T junction in the sink waste for the washer waste & checked the immersion as we couldn't get it to heat at the w/e. Found that it had tripped on the calorifier( prob done when had safety check & not reset) Should be fine now for hot water at the w/e so shower can be given a test run.

Spent a couple of hours just faffing about, putting up hooks ( can never have too many!) a couple of pictures & doing a bit of cleaning.
Was pouring down when I arrived at 11am but sun soon came out & I enjoyed sitting on the back deck with my afternoon tea, very peaceful, really looking forward to next wed - move in day !

Lainy hopes to fit the door next thurs or fri which will mean the cats will be free to share our bed which is small enough as it is so I see a couple of restless nights for all........... Love my cats but not in my bed!

Keeping the home fires burning.......

Thursday saw us collect the washing machine from Instore in Leeds - pleasantly surprised at how light it is, so easy to manoeuvre onto Poppy. Also stopped off at Ikea (never a chore!) & picked up the chair so just short of some bookshelves and saloon is sorted (full!)
Wanted to try the stove out & seeing it was bitterly cold seemed like a good idea so got it lit before going to Leeds then damped it down just before setting off. Low & behold it was still in on return some 3 hours later so feeling pretty smug.:)




Friday popped to Selby Boat Centre to get some odds & ends & as our 1st visit just suss it out for future reference. Can't remember what we bought but we spent nigh on £50 !

Saturday we had planned to spend the w/e aboard & hoped to take her out of the marina but the keen north easterly put paid to that, so we enjoyed getting her set straight & doing a few fiddly jobs. Managed to get TV reception but only analogue - Mark is going to look into sorting sky via a Kerstan dish next w/e when we will have the digi box aboard.
Had the fire going great all day so banked up & damped down before our 1st night aboard & I'd like to say we sleopt like logs & the fire was still in on Sunday am but neither! I am not a good sleeper at best of times & always take a few nights to get used to different bed & the fire was as dead as the proverbial dodo :(
Got it going again whilst Mark fetched the papers and had a very lazy day feeling very much at home. Back to Hull for tea, time team & an early night.

We hope to take her out for a 'spin' (weather permitting) next w/e & to move aboard on the 30th - with the cats ......... should be interesting! After all this bitterly cold weather it will no doubt turn warm when I am trying to keep them in for a week or two till they settle in.

This week: I have a girlie shopping day planned for today with June but can't buy any clothes as no room! But shall enjoy pottering, catching up & lunch out.
Tomorrow dentist & start of root canal treatment - oh joy!

Boat owners!

Got the keys for nb Poppy on saturday & celebrated by boiling water in our new shiny whistling kettle on our new shiny hob and having a coffee. Didn't do much else as had to wait till monday till Lainy (who fitted her out)& her Dad could talk us through the assorted gubbins & take her out for a trial.

So monday saw us being shown the ropes by Lainy who has produced a file containing all the paperwork etc, very useful.We discussed upgrading the 1500wt inverter to 3000wt as from what I've read so far will be better for the washing machine, also the fitting of a door twixt galley & bedroom - I love my cats dearly but not in the early hours in my bed!

John Cain then started her up ( what a great sound!) & took us out of the marina. He did a cracking wind just before the bridge & I had a brief go at the helm which felt great :-)
On the way back we stopped of at the pump & filled her with diesel then john put her front on in her new mooring.

Have spent last couple of days getting stuff on board - sofa looks great & its starting to feel like she is ours & maybe, just maybe we can take her out at the weekend - once the fenders are fitted!

Still not sure what the plan is re TV reception whether to have freeview or try to keep sky ( or both, belt & braces!)Have read 'factsheet' that Sue- nb No Problem has on her blog ( thanks Sue & would have included link to your site but not figured how to yet) so we are leaning towards that route, really need to make a decision today but Mark was out with the 'boys' last night & is feeling a tad sorry for himself this morning so thinking & planning maybe a bit too much for him........

Anyway washing machine is ordered, found a place in Leeds 'instore' that sells the small Candy for £299 - cheapest I have seen it anywhere so hoping to collect that tomorrow & combine that with (another!) trip to Ikea as we tried out a really comfy chair (lunna) on last visit but wanted to see how sofa etc looked before purchase & think it will fit just fine which will mean I can have the sofa all to myself ;-)

I hear Mark in the shower - hopefully he is feeling better so we can get on & sort the TV issue then go and spend some more money!

Tomorrow.......

Boat now paid for and we take possession tomorrow :-)
Will be spending a few days getting our stuff aboard & doing some serious shopping - top of my list of 'must haves' is fenders & poles before we attempt to move her around the marina!

Car boot done on Wednesday & I dropped leftovers off at Oxfam on way home then Manchester yesterday to take last few bits & bobs to daughters - as Bek works in Sale we met for lunch at The Kings Ransom, sat out on the pontoon thinking next time I visit this pub it will probably be by canal!

Later after getting home walked around the house looking at what is left & still think there is too much stuff - probably be another trip to charity shop and/or tip before we've done. Fortuneatly our buyer will be letting the house & is more than happy for us to leave items of furniture which saves us some hassle.

Son - in-law is coming to have another go at collecting the shed tomorrow - plan B is dismantling it first so watch this space ;-)

The cats seem a bit restless, possibly with the empty shelves & piles of boxes they reckon something is afoot - how right they are......

nearly there!

I haven't updated blog for a while as there's only so many ways you can say 'emptied another cupboard' - but think the end is in sight. Had a car boot last wednesday and hoping, weather permitting, to do another tomorrow.

Sense of urgency creeping in because if finances are sorted hope to take ownership of Poppy this weekend !! I would be very excited well I am really but have been suffering with a dental problem that has been very painful - had the wretched tooth out 4 weeks ago but have had 'dry socket'- not pleasant, then an infection - all seemed fine until sat when agony returned - back to the dentist yesterday, another infection so more antibiotics.......

Anyway on a more positive note clearout just about done, one more trip to Manchester on Thursday then what's left is 'boat' or 'car boot'

We have been to Ikea and bought a sofa, took some thinking about as solid fuel stove is set in centre of saloon so obviously chairs either side of fire would be best but just to be awkward we wanted a sofa but need something fairly narrow so as not to come too close to heat and that would go through the doors! The test will be next week when we try it out.

Mark has taken next week off work and we hope to be more or less onboard by following weekend - we can move fairly leisurely as completion date for house is around beginning May.

TV reception - sky or freeview or both? Have purchased a freeview box with hard drive with the option of 'top up tv' and will probably take our sky box along and probably end up getting an aerial and sat dish -belt and braces!