Ah, the little orange dream that has trundled behind Honey Ryder over the past year has got a new home to go to.
its carried our water from obscure water points, its carried me to the supermarket, its taken me across limehouse basin to visit friends in the marina, we've rowed in the oddest of positions, weve slipped about inside when its icy cold and Ive bailed out gallons and gallons of rain water.
Its been home to a stray cat on the roof, ducks have cadged a lift in it and its been used as a floating shed at times.
Its caused worrying moments in the odd lock and not to mention that jetty that "jumped" out at us in the aforementioned limehouse basin. You bear the scar well tango.
It recently went into action when the boot top needed painting black and now, now its time to say ta ta me old fruit.
its been special.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P6150081.jpg[/img]
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
slow down
I got told to slow down for the first time this weekend. Yay!
I was cruising past moored boats into my own mooring spot. I say my own, I mean a place at the side of the canal I have claimed as mine for the next few days.
So this chap reckoned I was going too fast. yeah, the crazy speed demon I am was approaching the bank at, oh, 3mph i think, yeah the granny on the tow path was going faster.
I tried to point out I was actually slowing down to a stop, but because I was doing this in my own, er, slightly fruitfully foul mouthed way, even Mr X told me not to upset the man and make the engine go quieter so onlookers would think I was slowing down.
The boat is still for sale. we've had a few bilge kickers but nothing solid yet. most people are just curious and want to have a look around. they want to know what a reverse layout looks like, or how a cross double works.
here's the layout of honey ryder for anyone interested. I havent marked on where we stash our drugs, money or illegal immigrants. thats a secret.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/Honey%20Ryder/boatplan.jpg[/img]
we are in no rush to sell though, the more we stay on the narrowboat, the better yacht we will be able to afford in the future because we save so much by being on the NB and CC'ing.
has anyone else noticed how vicious coots are?
I was cruising past moored boats into my own mooring spot. I say my own, I mean a place at the side of the canal I have claimed as mine for the next few days.
So this chap reckoned I was going too fast. yeah, the crazy speed demon I am was approaching the bank at, oh, 3mph i think, yeah the granny on the tow path was going faster.
I tried to point out I was actually slowing down to a stop, but because I was doing this in my own, er, slightly fruitfully foul mouthed way, even Mr X told me not to upset the man and make the engine go quieter so onlookers would think I was slowing down.
The boat is still for sale. we've had a few bilge kickers but nothing solid yet. most people are just curious and want to have a look around. they want to know what a reverse layout looks like, or how a cross double works.
here's the layout of honey ryder for anyone interested. I havent marked on where we stash our drugs, money or illegal immigrants. thats a secret.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/Honey%20Ryder/boatplan.jpg[/img]
we are in no rush to sell though, the more we stay on the narrowboat, the better yacht we will be able to afford in the future because we save so much by being on the NB and CC'ing.
has anyone else noticed how vicious coots are?
Monday, June 30, 2008
no news is good news
Its been all quiet on the boat this month, the new black box is fitted, my wallet is £850 lighter.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P6150087.jpg[/img]
The new box, although it looks identical to the one it's replaced, is in fact far better than the old one. Its more efficient and works slightly differently. It's been a blessing in disguise really, although it's been an expensive blessing.
The charger uses less power on start up which means we can charge directly from our small gennie via the shore power socket. We used to have to run the engine for a bit to boost the charging power for the old one before we could let the gennie go solo.
My motorbike has now developed a small clutch problem and my car is still at the menders after being smashed nearly two months ago.
we are moored up at Batchworth visitor moorings for the moment and enjoying the view over the fields and cheap and easy trains to work.
It's also just withing cycling distance so I gave that a go last week. My legs are still recovering after the 25 mile ride on a fixed bike. Im ashamed how unfit I have become.
This coming weekend Im hoping to head out to the London Pride parade, plus the Ware festival. There's also a mad cartwheeling thing happening over the millenium bridge so I might just have to go and watch that too.
My usual compadré has decided the long trip south for the parade isn't worth the effort so it looks like Im going alone unless anyone out there wants to join me for a bit of cheesy dancing in the street.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P6150087.jpg[/img]
The new box, although it looks identical to the one it's replaced, is in fact far better than the old one. Its more efficient and works slightly differently. It's been a blessing in disguise really, although it's been an expensive blessing.
The charger uses less power on start up which means we can charge directly from our small gennie via the shore power socket. We used to have to run the engine for a bit to boost the charging power for the old one before we could let the gennie go solo.
My motorbike has now developed a small clutch problem and my car is still at the menders after being smashed nearly two months ago.
we are moored up at Batchworth visitor moorings for the moment and enjoying the view over the fields and cheap and easy trains to work.
It's also just withing cycling distance so I gave that a go last week. My legs are still recovering after the 25 mile ride on a fixed bike. Im ashamed how unfit I have become.
This coming weekend Im hoping to head out to the London Pride parade, plus the Ware festival. There's also a mad cartwheeling thing happening over the millenium bridge so I might just have to go and watch that too.
My usual compadré has decided the long trip south for the parade isn't worth the effort so it looks like Im going alone unless anyone out there wants to join me for a bit of cheesy dancing in the street.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
bang bang, I shot you down, bang bang
It was wednesday morning, I was doing the usual getting up and going to work routine and decided to run the washing machine as I was down to my last pair of bloomers.
switch on the engine. eat some breakfast at the same time, wait for it to warm up a bit, load the washing machine, chuck the soap in the drawer, switch the travel power on, green light... then switch over the main power switch to activate the 240v system.
ive done this, oh... so many times and I know the routine.
this routine was rudely changed however when I first heard a louder than usual buzzing from the inverter/charger... my not completely awake mind noted that fact and was trying to think why that might be. the buzzing lasted perhaps 1 or 2 seconds and as my mind was slowly catching up, with eyes cast in the direction of the AC-in light waiting/hoping/wishing for it to go green, the whole charger unit seemed to pulse at me and go with an almighty bang, followed by another.
As I was standing the obligatory narrowboat distance away from it... 18inches max, I felt the noise wave before it registered with my still waking up ( rather quicker than usual) brain and I heard it.
Immediate reaction, let out a mild scream of "aah!"
secondary reaction, switch of the main power switch with a perspiring hand.
third reaction, smell the air for burning.
Never have I perspired so spontaneously, it's been a long time since anything made me er, scream like a girl.
it was a good adrenalin rush, but an expensive one. After a days internet researching, I found a company who services and replaces heart interface units and I was told, "since the unit is 12 years old, you may as well replace it"
£852 for a new heart interface/xantrex freedom combi 20.
Bang goes my savings this month for the next boat
Bang goes my freetime at the weekend as it will be spent down the launderette.
switch on the engine. eat some breakfast at the same time, wait for it to warm up a bit, load the washing machine, chuck the soap in the drawer, switch the travel power on, green light... then switch over the main power switch to activate the 240v system.
ive done this, oh... so many times and I know the routine.
this routine was rudely changed however when I first heard a louder than usual buzzing from the inverter/charger... my not completely awake mind noted that fact and was trying to think why that might be. the buzzing lasted perhaps 1 or 2 seconds and as my mind was slowly catching up, with eyes cast in the direction of the AC-in light waiting/hoping/wishing for it to go green, the whole charger unit seemed to pulse at me and go with an almighty bang, followed by another.
As I was standing the obligatory narrowboat distance away from it... 18inches max, I felt the noise wave before it registered with my still waking up ( rather quicker than usual) brain and I heard it.
Immediate reaction, let out a mild scream of "aah!"
secondary reaction, switch of the main power switch with a perspiring hand.
third reaction, smell the air for burning.
Never have I perspired so spontaneously, it's been a long time since anything made me er, scream like a girl.
it was a good adrenalin rush, but an expensive one. After a days internet researching, I found a company who services and replaces heart interface units and I was told, "since the unit is 12 years old, you may as well replace it"
£852 for a new heart interface/xantrex freedom combi 20.
Bang goes my savings this month for the next boat
Bang goes my freetime at the weekend as it will be spent down the launderette.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
The sound of silence and extra ballast
Dear readers out there, you may have read about my crime ridden 2007, having a push-bike stolen off the roof of the boat last april was the start of it, followed by having another push-bike stolen from where I work.
followed by, and not necessarily in the right order: having my car broken into at Tottenham, having a friends car broken into next to mine at Cheshunt, watching kids rifling through a stolen handbag and reporting it to not very interested police, my flat was burgled in Croydon, my friends car in East London had paint stripper thrown over it a month or so ago and now it comes back to me.
I had my car broken into - again. Different car, different location ( Springfield -so not far from Tottenham) this time my window was smashed and my dashboard ripped apart to remove a nissan branded stereo, specific to my car only and a nissan branded dvd sat nav that speaks only japanese. they also took my driving glasses and some home made mini disks. Bravo brave theif, Bra-fucking-vo.
nice haul you took there, worth Zero pounds to anyone but me.
Im a little paranoid about theft at the best of times but it still happens regardless if you worry about it or not. I don't know if people who worry about crime less have more or less crime happen to them, Im thinking of trying not to worry about it anymore. Im insured comprehensively but even my insurance doesn't really cover it fully and I have to shell out a weeks wages in excess to get it fixed, and lose most of my no claims.
As my car is a japanese import I have to wait ages for some glass to arrive and for the moment Im driving round with a non-opening plexiglass window.
Just what you want when driving to france, as was my plans last week.
12 hours of driving (each way) with no stereo and a window that doesnt open.
Having driven to france and dropped off a load of excess baggage belonging to Mr X we returned with an equally full car but this time is was mostly consumable. The suspension was creaking a bit and we've had to spread it around the boat to stop us from listing too much.
to add to my annoyance last week, on top of the car being broken I also bruised my ego last week by falling off my motorbike on the way to work.
I was casually cruising through mostly static traffic queuing on the A40, then Wham! my hand guard caught the back of a transit pick-up. I haven't quite adjusted myself to the width of the bars, so a gap I could have cruised through before with my previous bikes presented itself as a bit of a challenge. Clipping the back of the pick-up sent me off to the side and seeing a nice shiny Audi in front of me I opted for the lower cost option of not claiming on insurance and putting my bike unceremoniously on the floor. I jumped up and saluted the van driver I had fallen in front of and winked. He jumped out, helped me pick the bike up and wheeled it to the side. the Audi driver seemed most concerned about me and was worried I might be hurt, or perhaps the bike was damaged. Since the bike is pretty much designed to fall over without being damaged I wasn't worried at all. There was a nice rubber mark on his car though where my front wheel, er kissed his bumper.
The next day I had the mother of all bruises appear on my thigh from where the bar had swung round and hit me. I felt nothing at the time.
The boat is now over at West Drayton awaiting a weekend when we can cruise it up to Rickmansworth. I've had it up to ya-ya with London and its crime ridden streets.
followed by, and not necessarily in the right order: having my car broken into at Tottenham, having a friends car broken into next to mine at Cheshunt, watching kids rifling through a stolen handbag and reporting it to not very interested police, my flat was burgled in Croydon, my friends car in East London had paint stripper thrown over it a month or so ago and now it comes back to me.
I had my car broken into - again. Different car, different location ( Springfield -so not far from Tottenham) this time my window was smashed and my dashboard ripped apart to remove a nissan branded stereo, specific to my car only and a nissan branded dvd sat nav that speaks only japanese. they also took my driving glasses and some home made mini disks. Bravo brave theif, Bra-fucking-vo.
nice haul you took there, worth Zero pounds to anyone but me.
Im a little paranoid about theft at the best of times but it still happens regardless if you worry about it or not. I don't know if people who worry about crime less have more or less crime happen to them, Im thinking of trying not to worry about it anymore. Im insured comprehensively but even my insurance doesn't really cover it fully and I have to shell out a weeks wages in excess to get it fixed, and lose most of my no claims.
As my car is a japanese import I have to wait ages for some glass to arrive and for the moment Im driving round with a non-opening plexiglass window.
Just what you want when driving to france, as was my plans last week.
12 hours of driving (each way) with no stereo and a window that doesnt open.
Having driven to france and dropped off a load of excess baggage belonging to Mr X we returned with an equally full car but this time is was mostly consumable. The suspension was creaking a bit and we've had to spread it around the boat to stop us from listing too much.
to add to my annoyance last week, on top of the car being broken I also bruised my ego last week by falling off my motorbike on the way to work.
I was casually cruising through mostly static traffic queuing on the A40, then Wham! my hand guard caught the back of a transit pick-up. I haven't quite adjusted myself to the width of the bars, so a gap I could have cruised through before with my previous bikes presented itself as a bit of a challenge. Clipping the back of the pick-up sent me off to the side and seeing a nice shiny Audi in front of me I opted for the lower cost option of not claiming on insurance and putting my bike unceremoniously on the floor. I jumped up and saluted the van driver I had fallen in front of and winked. He jumped out, helped me pick the bike up and wheeled it to the side. the Audi driver seemed most concerned about me and was worried I might be hurt, or perhaps the bike was damaged. Since the bike is pretty much designed to fall over without being damaged I wasn't worried at all. There was a nice rubber mark on his car though where my front wheel, er kissed his bumper.
The next day I had the mother of all bruises appear on my thigh from where the bar had swung round and hit me. I felt nothing at the time.
The boat is now over at West Drayton awaiting a weekend when we can cruise it up to Rickmansworth. I've had it up to ya-ya with London and its crime ridden streets.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
farty
I came back from a weekend away, stepped on board to unlock the doors and the action of me tipping the boat a bit to one side allowed one "cheek" to come up a bit and release a whole barrage of bubbles from the nether regions.
It rather amused me, though I am a
fan of toilet humour.
the other fun stuff this week is that I accidentally bought a new motorbike. I was just bidding away on ebay, you know how it is, drop in a silly bid occasionally and try your luck at getting something for not a lot.
Well, no-one else bid so Ive ended up buying a bike.
Brilliant. especially as I have been pining away wanting a bike for the last couple of months.
It rather amused me, though I am a
fan of toilet humour.the other fun stuff this week is that I accidentally bought a new motorbike. I was just bidding away on ebay, you know how it is, drop in a silly bid occasionally and try your luck at getting something for not a lot.
Well, no-one else bid so Ive ended up buying a bike.
Brilliant. especially as I have been pining away wanting a bike for the last couple of months.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
persuasion pays off
It's been weeks, no months now that I have been persuading the Man in my life that buying a yacht would be a great idea.
At first he was a definite no, based on the fact that he had no reason but thought if we haven't enjoyed narrowboating then why would be enjoy sailing? Plus he wanted to go back from France.
Then he started to warm a little to the idea when I said I don't ever want to get to a point in my life where I have regretted NOT doing something.
Then I imparted my thoughts that if we went through life not doing things because we might not like it then we might not do very much at all. this was stacking up well in my favour as he was definitely coming round to the fact he has little choice in the matter.
Several more weeks of persuasion, followed by a visit to the exel boat show really got him excited about the prospect of downsizing and living in a smaller but wider boat that could travel the world.
The final nails in the coffin of doubt were hammered in when we found some new friends moored up in Limehouse, they live on a yacht, they are french, and they are slowly travelling the world. They are our age, they have a lovely boat called Cool Daddy.
Now the Man has gone to france and see some of his contacts over there in Brest and I think they have all echoed my sentiments of what a bloody great idea it is, especially when he has the opportunity of a woman who can "keep" him if needs be and he can do one of his favourite things... which happens to be sailing.
I had a call yesteday from France asking if I have sold the narrowboat yet...
er no, not yet, Im busy living on it I tell him. So it looks like I need to get my camera out and capture my home in some good light to start advertising it. The only thing Im a bit worried about is the bit between not having a narrowboat and finding a yacht good enough to live on.
caravan? motorhome? crash at a friends place? the thought of that is more scary than giving up my job in a year or so's time to bugger off sailing!
At first he was a definite no, based on the fact that he had no reason but thought if we haven't enjoyed narrowboating then why would be enjoy sailing? Plus he wanted to go back from France.
Then he started to warm a little to the idea when I said I don't ever want to get to a point in my life where I have regretted NOT doing something.
Then I imparted my thoughts that if we went through life not doing things because we might not like it then we might not do very much at all. this was stacking up well in my favour as he was definitely coming round to the fact he has little choice in the matter.
Several more weeks of persuasion, followed by a visit to the exel boat show really got him excited about the prospect of downsizing and living in a smaller but wider boat that could travel the world.
The final nails in the coffin of doubt were hammered in when we found some new friends moored up in Limehouse, they live on a yacht, they are french, and they are slowly travelling the world. They are our age, they have a lovely boat called Cool Daddy.
Now the Man has gone to france and see some of his contacts over there in Brest and I think they have all echoed my sentiments of what a bloody great idea it is, especially when he has the opportunity of a woman who can "keep" him if needs be and he can do one of his favourite things... which happens to be sailing.
I had a call yesteday from France asking if I have sold the narrowboat yet...
er no, not yet, Im busy living on it I tell him. So it looks like I need to get my camera out and capture my home in some good light to start advertising it. The only thing Im a bit worried about is the bit between not having a narrowboat and finding a yacht good enough to live on.
caravan? motorhome? crash at a friends place? the thought of that is more scary than giving up my job in a year or so's time to bugger off sailing!
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