Foxglove Narrowboat

Well last night was succesful as Roy managed to finally get rid of the composting toilet and today we have had help from a wonderufl man called John who has got rid of the settee for us also. So nowhere to sit anymore until all the work is done.

We have struck lucky with John. He is a really nice man who also has a boat at the marina. He has is own boat company and his craftmanship is…..WOW!! He has come to our rescue and he is helping us get a few jobs done on the boat that urgently need doing especially before any of the flooring goes down. Without him Roy and I would feel a little bit out of our depth as there are so many jobs to be done and only having weekends free and little time each night because of working during the week, it would just take us forever.

We have been over to Foxglove tonight just to do a little bit of cleaning , however all the lights have gone off on us so that put an end to that. We had a really ncie surprise though when we got there as the people who bought “Marpessa 2” off us a few weeks ago were moored right by the side of us. Nick & Emma who bought the boat from us looked younger than ever and so happy. Narrowboating obviously agrees with them. It was lovely to see Marpessa 2 again. Looked beautiful especially with the 2 lit pumpkins on top. Looking forward to tomorrow night as we will be visiting Emma & Nick and seeing how they have been getting on.

Anyway, all is going to plan so far. Already looking forward to the weekend.

I have had to stay home tonight and Roy has gone out to the boat on his own. He is very good because he is dismantling the composting loo. I feel a bit guilty for not going but I would not have been of any use because I think I would have been sick, so I am blogging while he is de-bogging!

Our dining furniture has arrived tonight and it is gorgeous but it looks too big. I am sure I measured it correctly but it just looks too big for the space. I hope it fits perfectly because the colour is not exactly what I thought it was going to be but if anything it is better and it co-ordinates fantastically. Just hope it fits. Fingers crossed.

The flooring should be going down on 21st (skimming for Kitchen flooring), 22nd (Kitchen Flooring fitted) and 23rd of November (carpet fitted) so hopefully by then the important jobs inside should all be done and it will be liveable. I have tried to get everything ordered and organised so hopefully on the 23rd of November we should be able to stay aboard for the night. 3 weeks this Friday. Can’t wait! We managed to do quite a bit over the weekend and we discovered lots about the boat. The original owners had made a DVD of the whole boat being built from start to finish and it has been great to see as there were lots of things we never would have known without this kind of information. The more we discover the more we are loving Foxglove. I really think that Roy and I have found our new home 🙂

Today has been great. Lots of friends have been over to see the boat and it has been quite heart warming to feel their love and support. Angus came back over again today with a beautiful surprise for me and Roy and that is a hand drawn picture of a Gardner Engine. It is a beautiful picture and it will take pride of place around our dining area. I am sure it will be quite a conversation point. Angus came over to talk man talk with Roy…..Engines! We all went through and started up Foxglove for the tirst time ourselves. Quite a scary moment. What a sound though. I still love the sound of the engine, it is fantastic.

One special guest who we have been eager to the show boat to is Wish, our border collie.

It is the first time she has been back to the marina in weeks and we were wondering how she would react. It was q uite unbelievable because Wish has never been on this boat yet, but it is moored in exactly the same place as our old boat was in (Marpessa 2). Off she went down the jettie and stopped and waited by the boat. It was unbelievable. Have the video has proof otherwise I don’t think I would have believed it myself.

By the time the afternoon came we had a boat full of friends. The boat was still looking a bit of mess although we had managed to do a few jobs in the morning but it just did not matter as having friends over just made the boat feel homely.Haydn & Lynda (also boaters) took some photos of Foxglove as she had passed them on her way to the marina and so they gave us a selection of photos which was really kind of them. I am going to get some framed and put them on the wall. Gloria, who I think is an amazing woman,  who used to be our neighbour at the marina also came over. Gloria knows  me far too well. She made me laugh as she bought me some brasso and some metal polish to clean the brass window frames and mushroom vents with. Just what I needed. Only me could get excited about brasso, believe me! I always find Gloria quite amazing as she manages to cruise her boat on her own, opening the locks and everything single handed. She is quite an inspiration.

After they had left it was time to tackle to toilet. Roy had a bit of a problem to say the least. What a difference a few inches makes, and no I am not being rude but dismayed by the fact that toilet would not fit through the door. Only one thing for it, Roy had to get a saw out and cut it apart. Part of the loo is outside and part of it that looks like a big beer barrel is still stuck in the boat. Even though Roy had taken it apart it still would not fit through the door so tomorrow night he has got to take a jigsaw to cut it apart……..I do not want to be there when he does it as the toilet is full of compost and the barrel……Oh God I can’t even think about it. Anyway, tomorrow night disposable gloves and bin bags are definitely going to be required. Probably a nose peg also!!

Today has gone far too quick. Where do I begin.

Well we met Nigel first thing this morning and he showed us how to start the engine. Unfortunatley this was not a case of  just turning the key. Bit of throttle by opening the speed wheely thingy ma jig up, then over to the engine where a button was pressed for a second and then I am not sure what happens next as Roy was hovering over the engine and I could not see a thing. It looked complicated though. I am sure I will get used to it. The boat was lovely and warm  which was great as it was so cold outside there was frost all over the jetties this morning and even poor little tigger had frost on his head!
We then took Nigel back to collect his car and we made our way back to Foxglove where it finally felt like ours. Had a quick look around wondering where to start and then Mike from Vogue carpets arrived to measure up. Carpets and flooring should hopefully be down in around 3 weeks time 🙂

As soon as Mike had gone we had our first visitors Janet & Angus. It was lovely to see them both and they gave us a bottle of wine and a card as moving in present which was lovely of them. Janet also removed 2 spiders for me. Brave woman. We were laughing so much though about the composting toilet.

You would not think that a toilet would make such a conversation piece but you just have to see it to understand. It is the ugliest thing you have ever seen and tomorrow it will be going.  Don’t think anyone is convinced with the idea of a composting toilet. Anyway, unanimous decision by everyone that the toilet has to go!

Some other fellow boaters came over to have a look and it was really nice showing people around even though we were in an absoulte complete mess. Started to clean some of the wood with some special oil we had bought and also with the help of my magic sponge a small part of the boat started to look and feel a bit better.

Took my kettle over today and we managed to get a cup of tea while we were there. We have left tonight with a good feeling inside. We are really pleased with Foxglove and we think it is going to make a lovely home. The next 4 weeks are going to have some dramtic changes as the work will start to begin. Even though Foxglove is in a bit of a mess at the moment inside it still has a really nice feeeling to it. Back tomorrow to get rid of the toilet! Bit of a shitty job 😦

Foxglove is back!
What an exciting day. Nigel text at 8am this morning to say he had left Fradley junction and before I knew it he text at 3.30 to say he had just done his last lock……..to me that meant he was only 45 minutes away! Oh my goodness the excitement. Roy and I went over to the marina to meet him and so we could take pictures and video Foxglove coming in. We were like a pair of kids and I must stop clapping my hands frantically as now I look like a fully trained sealion, but I just can’t help myself, it was so exciting!

We finally got to meet Nigel and guess who was on the front of the boat, yes you guessed it, it was Tigger. I think he will be staying as the mascot for the boat. I have had quite a few texts saying Tigger has to stay. I think he needs a bit of superglue and a repaint, a bit like the boat, but all in good time.

The engine sounded fantastic as Foxglove came into the marina, and Nigel handled her fantastically. While he was still in charge of the boat we took the opportunity to get her filled up with diesel and then we had our first 1 minute trip on the boat from the diesel pump to our mooring space. The boat seems huge. I hope we will be able to handle it o.k. I am sure we will in no time. Can’t wait to take her out for the first time.

Well we have just got back from having a welcome home meal with Nigel and it has been lovely to finally meet him. I would definitely recommend him to anyone who is thinking of having their boat moved. He has taken great care of it and his knowledge of boats and the experience he has is fantastic.

Well tomorrow Nigel will be saying farewell and leaving Foxglove. His journey has ended but our adventure is just about to begin.

It is like another song……
and now the end is near, and so I face the final curtain,……
oops I mean lock!

Well Nigel has done it his way and he will be cruising for his last day tomorrow. We are all getting excited and feel like we have been on the journey together. 9 days so far and 1 more to do. Nigel has done fantastic to travel so far in this amount of time. Tomorrow night is going to be quite emotional and Roy and I will be there to meet Nigel at Aston Marina, Stone. We are all going for a meal together at Aston Marina Bistro for a meal and a celebratory drink. What a weekend we are going to have.

So until tomorrow we wish Nigel
all the best for his final days trip on Foxglove.

Not much longer to go now. I cannot believe that it was only last Wednesday Nigel started to move the boat. It has gone so quick. He is half way through the Atherstone locks tonight where he will be moored over night ready to complete the last 6 locks of the flight in the morning. It is looking like a much stronger possibility that he will make it back on Friday evening. The excitement is …..well unbelievably exciting!! 2 days to go. Just 2 more days!!! Yippee!!!!!

Nigel Carton ( our boat mover)  also does Boat Safety certificates. He told me tonight that as a top boat safety man he has had to perform a very important task. Me being a worrier wondered what on earth he was going to say. Anyway his very important task was to check the safety of the bath so Nigel has had a bath tonight to check it is in fully working order!! Men!!  Nice to see he has a sense of humour. I am glad he has had a bath then he can have a hug when we see him!!

He has made fantastic time so far and there is a possibilty he might be back by Friday.
The bets are on!!

He was out early this morning and was going through Blisworth tunnel at 7.30 am

Updated us later to say he had done the last “big lock” at Braunston.

He is on the Oxford Canal now just south of Rugby. He said you can hear a pin drop apart from a cow mooing!

Could be worse it could be farting!
Funniest thing I have ever heard a cow farting!

He will be on the Coventry canal tomorrow and Trent & Mersey on Thursday.

Getting excited.
Nearly home.

So much has happened this weekend I don’t know where to start.

Saturday morning we headed to Vogue carpets in Newcastle. (www.voguecarpetsstaffordshire.co.uk) Mike, the owner of the shop is always very helpful and we have known him for over 15 years. We were not in there too long and we came away having chosen the flooring for the entire boat. I am trying to get everything planned with the colour scheme so we do not waste anytime once the boat is back. Mike will be measuring up next weekend when the boat is back and hopefully the colour samples I have chosen will match. Fingers crossed as Roy hates this kind of shopping.

I seem to have a colour scheme planned all from the colour of a kettle! Don’t ask.!! You have to start with a colour somewhere and the kettle was it.

During the morning Nigel still kept in touch with his progress. He left Rickmansworth at 07.20 and headed to Watford. He sent us a photo of Foxglove paired up for 3 locks. The weather was 100% better for him than it was on Friday. He finished the day at Berkhamstead .

Progress for the day was 13 miles and 29 locks!!
Nigel ended his texts with……I’m pooped!
I think after 29 locks I would have been more than pooped. WELL DONE NIGEL!!

Roy and I visited Midland chandlery for the biggest purchase we will make, well one of the most important………The Toilet.  Didn’t get to look at them last weekend with Roy having Man Flu. I promised pictures so here they are, and Roy says I am the one who does embarrassing things. Not after this photo Roy!!

We continued the day onto the boat festival at Stourbridge. It was a fabulous day, bit muddy though on the tow paths. We met a very famous man of the waterways called Joe Hollingshead. He was born on brought up on the waterways. Also learnt that the decorative ropes at the back of the boat are called ” Donkeys Willies”. See you learn something every day!

One of the main reasons to go to the boat festival was to see Evelyn Booth from Lockside Antiques www.lockside-antiques.co.uk as we wanted this oil lamp that we had seen on her website for the boatmans cabin. I could have spent hours with her. She was very knowledgeable and another funny saying I heard about some of the collectables was that they are rare as rocking horse shit. This made me laugh really bad. I have never heard that saying before.

We came away with our Oil lamp and a beautiful copper kettle with trivet and I also bought a horse shoe trivet ( cause it was cute). We have bought these for the boatmans cabin as we would like to keep it traditional although the rest of the boat won’t be. Roy has said I can decorate the front of the boat and he will do the back, probably because Roy is older than me (10 years) and seems to know far more about antiques than me!! P.S. He was 50 a few weeks ago, the only antique I know 🙂 Just kidding Roy, just kidding.

Anyway, back to the boat move. Nigel has passed Cowroast Marina, Tring summit and heading his way to Milton Keynes. He cruised along Tring cutting which was one of his favourite places. The pictures looked very tranquil and peaceful. Roy also noticed from the pictures that Nigel sent that there is a stow away on the boat. Who? you may ask. Not who but what? There was an ornament left on the top of our boat in the form of Tigger out of Winnie the Pooh. The first thing I did when we got the keys to our boat was take him off. I am sure it increased the value of the boat just by removing it! I was pretty much sure I put him in a bin bag (sorry about that), anyway, Roy noticed on one of the pictures that Nigel sent that Tigger was standing inside the cratch cover. I have no idea how he got back on the boat. I thought he was joking when he said. Unless I had seen the picture I don’t think I would have believed him. I suggested to Nigel to dispose of it somewhere along the trip where as Roy wants to keep it because he thinks it is quite funny. I told Nigel I would leave that decision with him. Anyway, Nigel text me back:
Hmmmm, might be bad luck, tigger stays.
I will be watiching out for Tigger now on the photos. He is like one of those funny garden gnomes that goes missing and then turns up unexpectedly. Weird!!

“At soulbury 3 locks.
Today I have done 27 locks and 18 miles, which when you add together give 45 ‘lock miles’ you divide the figure by 3 (miles an hour) which aquates to 15 hours traveling, I’ve done 12, so a very good day! ”
NIGEL’S LOG 21/10/2012