Foxglove Narrowboat

Good evening to everyone out there. I promised to say hi to a certain Spanish Gentleman who is following the blog. Buenas Noches Miguel. The narrowboat is far more comfy than a camel!!

I find it quite interesting looking at the statistics each week when I have blogged. For some reason Thursday nights seems to be the night where I get most views. There are now followers in the following countries:

UK, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, USA, Ireland, Australia, Bulgaria, New Zealand and yesterday there is now a follower in South Africa. I would love to know who you all are. Don’t forget you can leave comments on the blog.

A new reader who has commented is another Roger Fuller Boat owner called Jo. Hi Jo! She is living her dream on a boat called Hadar. I shall have a good read of her blog later http://www.hadar.org.uk

Meeting up with friends this weekend at the boat, hi Angus & Jan. Roy is at Tesco’s now getting some beers! Champagne for us Jan! Looking forward to the weekend as we will finally get to stay on Foxglove. YIPPEE!!! It has given out a cold weekend but it will be lovely and cosy on the boat. Hooray for radiators and a lovely wood burning stove. I am sure there will be lots of photos to take this weekend. Hope it is going to be everything I have hoped for this last few weeks. So excited!!

Went to check on Foxglove tonight and guess who made an appearance? Tigger!!
There he was sitting on the toilet. I have not seen him for a couple of weeks. Not even sure where he was left. Anyway, walked through to the bathroom and there he was sitting on the loo!! Cheeky Tigger.

The toilet us now fully functional which is good as we will be staying on Foxglove this weekend. Started to get really cold now and the jetties are very slippy. Someone has suggested to buy Tigger a woolly hat. The amount of texts and comments received regarding Tigger has been quite amazing. Thought they were going to start “Save the Tigger campaign”. I will make sure I take great care of him. Anyone reading out there who can knit please feel free to send in a scarf and wooly hat to fit garden gnome size Tigger!!

Early morning call today from Laura Ashley saying they were at the marina at 8am. Mad rush to get there as I was on my way to work. Luckily Iain who I work with was passing that way and so he gave Roy and myself a hand with the furniture. He was brilliant. I always like to take pictures of the progress but sometimes my timing is not always convenient. Iain found this out today as I asked him to stop for a few seconds whilst I took a photo. He had his hands full at the time with the new furniture. Bad timing but excellent photo!! Thanks Iain.

I promised to say thanks to Sean & Tiger, yes that is Tiger not Tigger. These were the 2 delivery guys from Laura Ashley. We were the first narrowboat they had ever delivered to. With a gentle squeeze all the furniture managed to fit.

We went back to the marina tonight to rearrange the furnitre as I had to shoot back off to work this morning. It looks amazing. Everythng fits, it all matches and it is stunning!!
I really want to move in now but there are still a few things to do yet. Won’t be long though!

Met Roy at the boat tonight because a box of goodies had arrived that he had ordered.

He got his 4 brass knobs! – Lucky Roy

Shower curtain –  Bit long but I am sure I can do something with it.

Felt –  For under the front step stop it scratching the floor and so it will slide across with ease.

Horse brasses – They are fabulous, especially one with a heart on it as I collect hearts. These are for the boatman’s cabin although I want the heart one in the lounge (saloon).

Tiffany lights for the bedroom- Wow they are gorgeous. Roy keeps bumping his head on the lights that we currently have because they stick out too far, so much so he broke one on Sunday. Anyway, these lights we got are GORGEOUS!!

Shower valve- To be sorted out tomorrow.

Ribbon Plates- For the Boatmans cabin.

Going to be fun putting them all out. The lights though, I know I have already said but they are really, really nice. Didn’t have my camera with me so will have to wait until the weekend until they are on the wall. Always so excited!!!

This weekend has been so good I just did not want the weekend to be over. Monday today and back to work. Received lots of texts saying how beautiful the boat is which was really nice. You know who you are, thank you for your comments. I was quite worried about Foxglove today with all the rain and the floods that we have had, as when we left the marina yesterday the water levels were getting higher. Roy has slackened the ropes off though and there are lots of good people along our jetty who always keep an eye on things which is is comforting to know. Apparently more rain to come. I hope the weather is going to be better by the time I finish work for Christmas. 4 weeks to go!! Can’t wait. As long as the weather is o.k and we are not frozen in we will be going away on Foxglove during the Christmas period. Since having a narrowboat I have actually learned to relax. It has given Roy and myself far more quality time together and we have enjoyed going out for walks with Wish. I actually started to bake cakes again that I hadn’t done for a long time and I actually managed to finish a cross stitch. Life just seemed far more simpler and less stressful when we have spent time on the narrowboat and lets face it, housework…..it hardly takes anytime what so ever on a boat. Even Roy doesn’t mind doing housework anymore when we are on the boat!! Some of our friends think we are mad to want to leave our house to live on the boat, but to Roy and myself it is the quality of life that we want. We both want a more simple life, spend more time in the countryside, away from the hustle and bustle and the fact we can take our home with us whilst moving is an added bonus. Ahhhhh, can’t wait to move in!! I can see it being quicker than we anticipated because we just love Foxglove and we have missed going away each weekend as that is what we used to do when we had Marpessa 2, even if it was only 1 hour down the canal, it seemed like we were miles away from anyone. So calm and peaceful. The more I think about it the more I want it to happen quicker. Will have to have a chat with Roy tonight…..serious planning I think!!

Today has been wonderful. We went to Foxglove bright and early today and from the moment we arrived it has just been amazing. We took more of our belongings, from saucepans to photos, candles to colanders. We started to unpack our belongings and find home for everything. There is so much storage, I am just amazed. A place for everything.

We bought ourselves a bottle of champagne to celebrate the moving in. It wasn’t even midday when we popped the cork. All those weeks of searching for Foxglove and the waiting to get her back have all been worth it.

Took Wish out for a walk today and we could not  believe the sights as all the fields were flooded and overflowing onto the towpath and into the canal. The water levels in the marina had risen so much that all the boats needed their ropes loosening off. It was quite eery as everywhere was so peaceful and all you could hear in the distance was the flow of water trickling into the canal.
Headed back to the boat and cooked a Shepherd’s pie for dinner. It was great sitting there in the cosy warmth of the boat. Had a bit too much champagne though and so we had an afternoon nap on our nice new mattress. Sooooo comfortable. So much so I slept for almost 2 hours. Woke up with a bit of a headache!! So we decided to have another walk with Wish via the farm shop as best friends Rosa and Martyn were coming over to see us and so we went to buy some cake. First visitors we have had since the boat has been more or less finished.

Headed back home around 6.30pm and it was quite sad as it has been the best weekend we have had in weeks. I love being at the boat and can’t wait to move on permanently.

What an amazing few weeks the last few weeks have
been and finally today Foxglove is looking like home.
We could not have done this without the help of
certain people and so tonight we bring you:

” The Tigger Awards 2012″

BEST NARROWBOAT BLOG
Emma & Nick- Best blog and thanks for the inspiration. (New Owners of our previous boat, Marpessa 2)
www.marpessa2.wordpress.com

BEST BOAT BROKER
Peter Jackson of Tingdene Brokerage, Pyrford, Surrey.
Thanks for all your help Peter!
http://www.tingdeneboatsales.net/pyrford.html

BEST BOAT MOVER
Nigel Carton- Boat mover
Thanks for bringing Foxglove back home safely
http://www.moveyourboat.co.uk/

BEST BOAT FITTER/JOINER
Rob Shone – Boat Fitter & Joiner
We really appreciate your help in sorting out the plumbing, joinery, leaking vents etc. etc. etc.  
http://www.narrowboatjoinery.co.uk/

BEST VALUE CHANDLERY
Spirit Leisure saved us a fortune – plus great service 
Thanks Shane!
http://www.spirit-leisure-accessories.co.uk/

BEST FLOORING & FITTING
Vogue Carpets- For all your flooring needs
The carpet & Karndene look great. Thanks Mike!
http://www.voguecarpetsstaffordshire.co.uk/

 MOST COMFORTABLE BED
The Edwardian Bed Company 
Fabulous Matress
http://www.edbed.com/

BEST SELCTION OF NARROWBOAT ANTIQUES
Lockside Antiques – For Ribbon plates, Lace, Brassware  and Measham Pottery. Thanks Evelyn.
http://www.lockside-antiques.co.uk/Site/Home.html

Thank you to everyone who has helped us so far. Foxglove is starting to look beautiful and we could not have done it without all your help.

Quickly nipped over to Foxglove tonight to see what the carpet looks like…. WOW what a huge difference. It had completely changed the feel of the boat. Just had time to quickly set the dining table in place just to see what it looks like. Really happy with it. The carpet has made it feel a lot warmer and more homely. Colours are perfect. Looking forward to this weekend so we can start moving our belongings in. Excited !!

I was so eager to go and look at the kitchen flooring that has just been laid that I forgot to take my camera  so I could take a photo for tonights blog. I was really nervous about what it was going to look like but I am very pleased with it. Howard, the guy who has put the flooring down has done a great job. Tomorrow the carpet will be put down so it will all start to come together. Photos will have to wait until tomorrow and the weekend.

Really looking forward to this weekend to making Foxglove into a home. I hope the weather picks up because there are floods everywhere today and the water levels have risen in the marina. Tomorrow the sun is supposed to come out. Let’s hope it lasts through to the weekend.

Anyone who knows me well enough will know I worry far, far too much. Well I am having one of those moments right now. I think I have put far too much pressure on myself to get everything perfect for this weekend. Having a complete worry session thinking it’s all going to go wrong because things are not quite finished on time before the flooring goes down and to top it off we have found out that the skirting radiators leaked probably due to the boat being left for a whole year and because there was water in the pipes  they probably expanded in the winter due to the freezing temperatures and  of cause this would cause similar problems  elsewhere of which we have found out today. There is a leak from the shower and also from the main water pump. I have calmed down now from earlier however the flooring is still going ahead but unfortunately some repairs will still need to be done after. I just wanted to try and get all the messy jobs out of the way before the flooring goes down because I don’t want it to get ruined. We will just have to be more careful if there are still messy jobs to do. Just wanted everything to be perfect! I am sure it will be but I guess it will take a bit longer. Hope it will all be sorted by Christmas as Roy and I really want to spend Christmas on there together and go away for a few days. Got to learn not to worry so much and let things take their course. Plenty of time I guess.