Progress




Merrily, merrily, merrily

 

It is Thursday the 11th. The wind is blowing like mad and some rain in between, 5 degrees C BUT happy days (and nights) are here!  Attie installed a new (pretty old) diesel heater! Quite a process, my shoulders ached for two days from the cleaning and polishing the brass and he cleverly installed the chimney, stand for the heater, the diesel pump and eventually after accidently cutting one of the pipes too short) hey presto we have heat. The difference was like day and night. We can now get rid of the heavy clothing while inside and a T-shirt is quite enough!! I want to add that I still want a nice wood burner!



There is a row of houses across the canal and the one nearest us is occupied by a little old lady who sits at her diningroom table all day long with binoculars close at hand. Well she is checking out all our movements, especially mine. "What is she doing now? Where are they going now? Who are they talking to? Geez she is carrying buckets of water to the boat! Oh she is painting the roof!" And I can feel her eyes burning into me watching all my comings and goings with a hawk eye, it is funny and everyone wants to wave at her, but I tell them to leave her be, she doesn't have much else to do. If I can amuse a little old lady then I do it with pleasure. Imagine sitting there all day all by her lonely self. Maybe I should buy her a puzzle and leave it on her doorstep! Enlarge photo and you will see her sitting there!

Attie is trying his best to install the insulation in the kitchen but he is getting there very slowly, because there are just too many distractions, like for instance one of his new mates popping in for coffee or sorting out his tools again and again or measuring something to death, which is right, because he has to go to great lenghts to go and buy what he needs and one doesn't want to walk back everytime if you have made a mistake, but he will be able to install the kitchen eventually!



Miles of coachroof to prepare!



Yesterday was a calm sort of sunny day, so I started preparing the roof for painting. First I had to use the scraper and steel brush to get rid of all the minute pieces of welding residue that clung to the surface and started rusting. One square block at a time, brushing, scraping and slide my hand over it to feel if it's smooth, wipe it clean and then first layer of rust prevention paint, called "mynie" here in Holland. The barge is 20 meters long and the roof must be about 15 by 2.8m, so I have quite a way to go still! It took me 2 hours to cover about a 1500cm square, so I am on a roll, ha ha! Blotches in foreground is what    I did yesterday!



Gazelle, we will fly!



Two huge things happened yesterday! My wonderful hubby bought me a cool bike, she is called a Gazelle so I will be charging around Zaandam with hair blowing in the wind! If you can imagine that, then you are good! I was planning on buying saddle bags and a basket for the front today, but with this terrible weather I'd much rather stay put, tomorrow is yet another day. Just want you to know that I am slowly but surely becoming a Dutchy. The other is that I have at last decided on a pair of nice comfy warm boots after checking out and trying on about 50 pairs. Important business this, because boots buying needs a lot of attention, especially for a boat. Water, non-slip, flat, warm, leather, short and long at the same time. I was exhausted, drained and now at last I am the proud owner of not cheap lekker comfy boots! Attie bought himself a bike on the internet on Marktplaats which he will go and fetch by train soon!



Paul and Lisa popped in the other night, they were going to Hornbach (huge DIY store) and did Attie need something? Yes he does! We have been building up courage for a few days to "make many walks" to Hornbach to buy the rockwool insulation and although it is big rolls, it's very light but impossible to carry more than maybe two at a time and we need quite a few. So Attie went on his merry way with them in their big bus and he could buy the other items on his list he needed. That was a very kind and and most helpful gesture. Thank you Paul and Lisa very much appreciated!

Attie promised that I will have a temporary kitchen by Saturday, so with that thought I am going to say goodbye for now and here is a picture of the "kitchen" as is at the moment!

Well, all the right tools are there now