A float on Miracle - 20ft narrowboat

quick look on boating forum suggests i need new cushions. FFS.

another forum?

i'm not a member though!

look but don't touch? :]

Nov 29 (part b)

It's like an oven in here.

I've kept the fire blazing now for nearly 3hrs and there's a two inch thick bed of red centred white edged cubes happily glowing below the occasional lick of blue and yellow flames to the newer logs. I have nesstled in two more lumps of coal.

I am drying my mattresses.

Lennart visited me today, he says to keep and eye on me. I suspect I have given him reason to believe I need a bit of looking after. It's true. I'm still sick and its been over a week. I've also managed to grow a substancial amount of mildew on my bed cushions. I mention it when Lennart, Alan and I are having tea.

The boating forum says I have to chuck them out and get new ones. It's a bit of a piss off, I sniff.
Lennart purses his lips and swigs his Pepsi. Lennart hates tea.

Allan looks up,* You could just dry them and then get the spray foam from a car detailer. You spray it on, wait for it to dry and wipe it off. It works. *

Really, ok, I'll try that Allan, thanks!

We discuss the state of the economy.
In 89 Alan lost his home to the first recession, he's grim about the prospects for this potential double dip. I sympathize and tell him that was the same summer my entire family picked tomatos, peppers and cucumbers for 50 cents a basket to keep food on the table.

I don't know if we came close to losing our home, I suspect it's harder for small town banks to take a families home when everyone knows everyone and doing so would mean being confronted every day when you see them in the shops and in the street.

After tea Lennart informs me he's going to look at my boat, to see the progress.

I'm going to come back tomorrow he informs me as he watched me start my fire.

*I'll bring you some of the soilent based paint to cover the new welds. *

My solar panel is now securely fastened to four newly welded attachments to my roof. I am worried they'll rust, soilent is the solution, the primer.

I go back to the end of the boat and drag out the worse of the two offending cushions to show him the problem.

I've been thinking about that. I think when you were sleeping on it without heat it's you that caused the mildew.

I don't follow and my look tells him so.

How much does a person perspire each night?

Oh. The penny's dropped. That explains why only the two spots have damp.

Dry them and do as Allan says.

He steps back from the door where he's been hanging in and sits down on my stools.
You're nearly done here, just bits and pieces now.
He smiles.
Yes.
I smile back and try not to show my apprehension.

the two offending cushions

You could always burn the fuckers.

Seriously, sounds like you're learning heaps every day - and have some inneresting scholars. I'm afraid that all Jambi has to offer, is that maybe Duckie might like some steamed broccoli. nom nom nom.

Will be up your way on xmas eve ... don't tell Duckie about Santa ....

this morning I started fire with embers and I feel like the queen of the universe.. a queen with a swollen face and massive headache but a queen nonetheless.

maybe someday I will tell you about last night when i nearly set the entire boat alight.. maybe when it's sufficient time has passed and I can laugh about it.

I am a bit worried your lingering cold could be due to the mildew/mould.

I am terrified of fire, I would have to get proper extinguisher and fire blanket if I was on a boat.

Sorry to hear you're ill, and being rather inconvenienced this week!

Is it worth considering a dehumidifier? When we got our dehumidifier for the flat last year, I noticed a lot of them were reviewed by boat magazines. It made such a massive difference to our flat last year (the walls changed colour due to how much moisture was no longer in them) and, now that it's colder again, it's back in use to dry the laundry. If you don't already, is it worth 'airing the bed' for an hour or so, very grand mother-sh suggestion, but I guess houses used to have these issues.

Also for Duckie in future; maybe flea tablets that also treat ear mites? Higgs came from a micro pig farm and had ear mites which I think the vet missed initially. It was only when I noticed James was bothered by his ears (this reasoning doesn't sound logical, I know, but not the place to explain!) that we took them back to the vet and he gave them a different flea tablet that also kills ear mites. The ear mites lead to irritation that can cause scarring in the ear canal, which may lead to deafness.

• 1 to dehumidifiers in general - they really change the 'feel' of a place in winter. I imagined having one if I ever lived on boat, but wondered how well they'd work in an environment that I assume to be somewhat more damp than a house or flat.
  

Also dehumidifiers run on electricity which could be trouble if you only have a solar panel and it's night? Though a battery may help this. Ours made a huge difference to our flat too, we can now happily clean off the mildew and bleach the mould stains on the walls and it might not come back.

If you're chucking the pillows we might have a couple you can have. Wife just bought some new ones and I'm not sure if she has plans for the old ones. Not sure how they'd get to you as well, but a possibility.

wood fires dry a place out.
keep that fire lit.

Damp tends to be an issue with boats. It is always worthwhile checking any lockers periodically to make sure things are still dry. This is doubly true for mattresses/cushions etc, and it can be a good idea to prop them up during the day so the air can get to them.

I am terrified of fire, I would have to get proper extinguisher and fire blanket if I was on a boat.

Miracle is equip with 3 fire extinguishers and a fire blanket. (given I can get from one side to the other in 3 steps I'm well above fire regulation standards. In fact IF I put both arms out I am touching one and 4 inches or so from the second.

The damp was primarily from not having a burner to "de humidify" it seems ok now, I am also going to be regularly "AIRING" for the future.

To improve the heat transfer to the back of the boat from the stove I am considering this its called an ECO FAN.

My mate had one of those on his boat, he really rated it.

slightly cheaper here

I've seen those Eco Fans on boats. Not actually had first have experience but I guess people wouldn't buy them if they didnt work.

Dec 1

Life on the water may kill me.

That was my first thought today, even though its a beautiful clear day. My face is still swollend and the relentless headache from the sinus infection has put me in a foul mood.

My toilet is nearly full.
My water is now heating and I'd wanted a shower today but as it got warm the motor groaned and the water trickled to a stop.
It's run out.

I have only 3 logs left and a handfull of kindling.

I want to stay in bed, but if I do things will only get worse.

I feel ever so slightly like a pioneer and things are taking a different perspective. I've never had concerns about my heating or water or the state of my toilet.. its strange.
I need to paint the new welds todaybefore they rust. I need to get more wood. Yesterday I hand cut all of the remaining logs of ash but I need to split them still. Apparently here's a garden centre a few miles from here. I need to find out if they have wood and go there. Otherwise I'm going to spend the day foraging in the mud.

Today's to do list is getting longer by the minute.
It's been a rough start. I need very few things to feel human, today I couldn't even brush my teeth.
Yesterday Lennart took me to Sarah's boat to be social. Sarah is a nice lady, funny, bright articulate. I would like her as a friend. She's also prone to gossip when borred; which may be more often than not. I'm aware that I've already been subject of some gossip. I'm not pleased. I need friends out here and I have a very low tollerance for that sort of bull shit.

I need to put it to the back of my mind for now and get on with the necessities.

Can we help you out? where abouts are you?

Are you still in the boatyard, or on your mooring Jacqui? If you are moving in a short while just forget the rumour-mongers and let them get on with their sad lives. Shame all of this is happening when you are feeling down with the sickness. Can't imagine how you got through all the work of last weekend. Sadly we are too far away to help, but did you mention a man who pumped toilets out? This would be a good start.

anyone want to splits on some wood? The bags of hardwood are 4.76each but min order is 20 for delivery. 'd get it delivered to enfield and I'm happy to load my boat with it all then come down closer to london with it. This is where I'm looking.

or this guy http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/fire-wood-a-mixture-of-soft-and-hard-wood-logs-barnet/92341638#gallery-item-full-3

Also for Duckie in future; maybe flea tablets that also treat ear mites? Higgs came from a micro pig farm and had ear mites which I think the vet missed initially. It was only when I noticed James was bothered by his ears (this reasoning doesn't sound logical, I know, but not the place to explain!) that we took them back to the vet and he gave them a different flea tablet that also kills ear mites. The ear mites lead to irritation that can cause scarring in the ear canal, which may lead to deafness.

this will be on my next to do list. He does seem to have very itchy ears.

Yeah I'll split some wood for you!

I've done a day's work and accomplishments are thus:
Logs cut 4 x 4ft = 3 days fire
Metal solar panel attachment painted = 4
Cups of tea made for Dry dock team = 8

Unexpected issues = 1
My boat came with new doors (unfitted) and a new aft hatch (also unfitted) I asked Paddy to do the hatch after I did the doors. It was warped as a pringle and my old one, as I suspected was on its last legs. Today I saw Paddy in his element, making stuff out of wood.

As I type the rain is coming in, slowly in drips, my old hatch was secure, the new one is set and glued but awaiting painting.. as such my old one is laying across where it used to live.. and not perfect at all.
I've also been watching Julian the sign writer do his work in the dry dock for the yard, and have now commissioned him to paint my hatch in traditional stye to make it a feature of Miracle.

I am very excited.

I also ordered an eco fan.