Last week before returning for Xmas

Well, this week has been a blast. We have been working very hard to get various things finalised before leaving back for home for the Christmas holidays and when revieiwing the many photographs of the last two months I am struck 

again by how much we have been able to achieve. The surrounding photographs show what the boat looked like when we arrived in October. After Rudi's focused efforts in accordance with my mother-in law's tenet for tackling any seemingly excessive task to simply start at one end we have in fact cleared the mess and now have a rather cosy and livable barge.

I have throughout this last two months felt that things have moved very slowly, in fact too slowly for my expectation. However, one of the conclusions over this period has been that on a boat no task can be undertaken without doing a series of other things first! If one wants to install running water it means cutting out a portion of a steel bulkhead to allow the pipes through and for this you need an angle grinder that first has to be purchased from Hornbach. Also when you think you have now got it all prepared you realise there are two old defunct toilet inlet and outlet pipes in the way that require a day or two's work to allow the free flow of the new piping. Before you cut away these obstacles you need to be very sure that they have been properly welded shut and that by cutting them away you are not overnight dispatching your beloved barge to Davey Jones's locker. Everything constructive on the boat has required some prerequisite destruction!  What has taken some time for me to realise is that it does not help to work around problems. You need to take them directly and just demolish and dispose of what is in the way. We have kept odd pipes and wires and various bits of perfectly good wood only to find they have been in the way all along, really would require an unwarranted amount of effort before being servicable and pretty much all eventually find themselves being dumped in the garbage skip. We have tripped over, manouvred around and reorganised too many bits of ultimate garbage that has delayed our progress. The lesson is: get rid of it and clear the workspace from clutter. It might cost a bit in terms of planning and new material, but the savings in time and wasted effort more than makes up.

Looking back at the photographs of the last two months a few highlights come to mind, captured in the photos below. My brother Carl spent a few days with us after his visit to Canada and through his application managed clear the mountains of junk that had accumulated after the structural work. His visit also ushered us out of a stint of diarrhoea, which he unfortunately transported out of Zaandam with him. The boat was livable after he had cleared the engine room and topsides. Thanks Carl.

The visit by Jon and Niki Low from Geneva was a wonderful break from the grind in the early weeks. Thanks to them for their companionship and a great weekend.

We decided to invite our marina friends for drinks at the Black Smith pub to celebrate Rudi's birthday and on the way this stunning shot of the marina and Paul reminds us of the fun we have had. 

In the early part of our stay the new fore and aft construction left vast tracts of bare steel through which our precious heat would escape and to which litres of condensation would attach itself. We had to somehow contain this and every evening would erect this grubby groundsheet between our living quarters and the uninsulated new kitchen area. This area became a prime target for completion, with all the prerequisite distractions mentioned above, as the cold of winter crept up on us.    

Ah, this photo represents most of what one could call "running" water before I was able, in the very last weeks, to fill the 1000 litre tank and connect the pump that provided us with a tap and flowing water in the boat. I was moved to this not by an urge to quickly install a more convenient way of delivering water, but by a warning that the taps were to be closed off the next day to avoid the freeze-bursting of the pipes.    

This represents the working end of the water chain, namely the automatic dishwasher, which sadly lasted for all but the last week of our stay, when I installed a temporary zink basin and kitchen!

 

We visited Ikea and decided on the kitchen style we want to install on the boat. It will pick up on the traditional style of the current dining room/salon but brings in all the mod-cons, including dishwasher and "combi-magnetron", or convection micro-wave.


Andrew Auld, a friend and fellow member of Ma's Boys, a well-known male voice group in Pretoria, often asked me teasingly what we would be doing to solve the condensation problem. Well Andrew, we solved it....simply wait till it freezes!







So what did we achieve in the last week of our stay? First and importantly, Rudi insulated the new forecabin area. This noticably warmed up the boat and change the dark "deurmekaar" dungeon into a bright and organised store-room.

I managed to install new cold water piping, the gas cooker, a zink and temporary kitchen worktop! This allowed us to host our kind marina friends in two consecutive evening sessions at a lavish dinner of "Moules mariniere", we enjoyed the entertaining and cooking in our own kitchen and the worksurface and zink made us realise how much these simple comforts mean after for two months washing up on the floor in a bucket and sharing the food preparation surface with odd tools and boat things.

On Saturday evening the marina management arranged a fun evening of bingo which brought the disparate marina population together at the canteen and much fun, and beer, was had by all.

 The photos below show both how clean and large the new cockpit area will be as well as the temporary covering where the new teak hatch and entry doors will be installed. This hole was cut and the necessary welding for the sliding hatch and doors was done on a chilly, but not snowed in Monday. Grinding dust abounded and not only crept into everything inside the boat again, but caused consternation in the vicinity. This dust settles on any steel or paint and promptly rusts and leaves a ghastly mark so we sucessfully built a sort of igloo of styrofoam around the cutting area to avoid the dust from spreading. A good inspection on our own and the neighbouring boats showed no ill after effects.

 

One of the items that has been made redundant following the removal of the mast is the sail and mast winch. This was placed on the local auction website, "Markplaats" and received immediate interest. Hopefully we will be able to either sell it or swap it for an equally period anchor winch, which has a different capstan to manage the anchor chain. In the photo below is part of a very heavy antique anchor winch we have on board, which someone saw on one of the photos I placed on Markplaats and there is now also some interest in this item which we were pondering on how it could be incorporated as a conversation piece on the boat. 

 The last item of no further use on our boat is the top of the mast with its unique fittings for a tjalk sailing rig. We were on our way to the dump with it when one of our Dutch friends stopped us and said it too should rather be put on Markplaats, which we have now done.

The other major achievemnet of the last week was the cutting of the openings for and installation of the four portholes in the new forward section of the boat. The amount of light that these four portholes bring into this area and the new bright atmosphere it presents is quite astonishing.

We have left the boat winterised, namely pumped all the water out of the tank, pump and pipes to avoid freezing and bursting and have ensured that the engine is well filled with anti-freeze. We have a working, albeit temporary and incomplete, kitchen, a comfortable and warm bed, effective diesel "kacheltje" to ward off the big freeze, new radiators and speedfit pipes to be fitted upon our return before the central heating boiler is installed and hopefully will return to a boat with an elegant, and expensive, new entrance. We have enjoyed the two months immensely, grown even fonder and respectful of one another (Well at least that is my perspective towards Rudi: "Vir daardie hande staan niks verkeerd nie!") and in conclusion realise that this has been and continues to be a dream we wish to fulfill, despite the cold and distance from what we currently call home and loved ones and things. We intend to spend Christmas at home, visit the Cape in January, prepare the house for renting, store the furniture and then move back to the barge via France in February.

See you later, thanks for your interest and comments.



Perspektief

Sorry Guys, this one's in Afrikaans for a change.

Ons begin nou die laaste week van hierdie skof op die boot en in 'n sekere sin is ons bly dis op 'n einde en aan die anderkant erg jammer dat ons die fase van werk moet onderbreek. Voor die deur lê die installering van die sentrale verhittingstelsel, warm lopende water, 'n nuwe hoofingang, groter vensters, die tydelike maar operasionele kombuis en sekere verdere staalwerke om die boot meer prakties en fatsoenlik te maak. Ons sal hierdie nie alles klaarkry voordat ons terugvertrek nie en sal dus eers die uitslag daarvan sien as ons in die nuwe jaar terugkom.  

Lopende water aanboord


Terwyl ek vir die Departement gewerk het, het ek altyd kollegas wat in opwinding gereed gestaan het om vir die eerste keer te vertrek na 'n vreemde land om die Departement daar te verteenwoordig gewaarsku oor die waterskeidings van twee en agtien maande. Na omtrent twee maande in die vreemde is die opwindende nuutheid van die nuwe omgewing afgewerk en kry die beslommernis van gemiste gebruiksartikels (Mrs Ball's bo-aan die lys vir gesoute Suid-Afrikaners) en die verlange na familie en vriende sterk die oorhand. Meer hieroor later. Die ander waterskeiding is dat in 'n buitelandse pos mens eintlik eers volledig operasioneel is na agtien maande in die pos. Dis dan eers dat jy die frustrasie van nuwe paaie, onbekende handelsmerke en -kultuurdimensies weggewerk het, en die werklik kenmerkende interessanthede van die nuwe omgewing sinvol begin vertolk en kan geniet.

Ons is nou bykans twee maande hier en min het ek gedink dat dieselfde twee maande sindroom waarvan ek my kollegas gewaarsku het my ook weer sou tref nie, die keer nie so erg as in die begin nie en op 'n ietwat ander manier, noudat ek afgetree is.

Eerstens, die omvang van die projek wat ons aangepak het is nie gering nie en die implikasies in terme van tyd, fisiese inspanning, gebrekkige kennis en handvaardigheid en geld begin nou deurwerk.

Ons het 'n 20 meter geklinknaelde staal boot van 1914 gekoop en besluit om hom te restoureer, maar om die karakter te probeer behou wat sy gehad het toe hul haar in die 50's-60's na 'n "woonschip" omskep het van 'n werkende seiltjalk wat kommersieël ongeveer 50t graan, voer of "stront" onder seil in die binnelandse waters in Nederland vervoer het.  Sy het 'n viersilinder dieselmotor wat dieselfde is as wat die 1960's Mercedes 190D aangedryf het.

Ons boot, Linquenda, is ingeskryf op die Nederlandse skeepsregister en is een van die ongeveer 1100 skutsje tjalke wat op die skutsje stamboek bygehou word. Sien die Skutsje Historie webwerf vir besonderhede oor die tipe platbodemskip: http://www.skutsjehistorie.nl/schip.php?id=316. Hierdie skepe het op die kanale met hul seile rondbeweeg en hul vrag deur Nederland vervoer. Daar is tans ongeveer 70 skutsjetjalke in Holland wat eg oorspronklik nog aan seilwedvaarte deelneem. Met hul oënskynlik lompe liggame seil hierdie skepe verbasend goed.

Een van die vrae wat na vore gekom het is of ons dan reg was om die mas en seile te verwyder en die groot voordek te omskep in meer leefruimte. Ek sou so graag die seile wou gehou het, maar twee van ons kon nie die hoofseil oplig nie, wat nog van hys en rig! Die seile is die week weg aan 'n skutsjeliehebber wat van sy 13 m tjalk wil opgradeer na 'n groter seiltjalk. Nadat ek visioene gehad het dat ons dit vir 'n goeie prys sou kon verkoop ontvang ons toe uiteindelik, na 'n paar weke se adverteer op die plaaslike e-mark "Markplaats", in ruil daarvoor 'n bottel cognac en 'n mooi bos blomme as beste aanbod- 'n aanbod wat ons dadelik aanvaar het om ruimte te skep voor in die skip. Dis duidelik dat daar nie 'n groot mark is vir hierdie spesifieke gebruikte toerusting wat nie gepas is vir wedrenne nie. Ons rig 'n "leefship" in en hoewel ons sover moontlik die interne karakter en die pragtige slanke lyne sal behou, ons sal haar fisies net nie kon seil sonder 'n span nie en die besluit is gedane sake waaroor ons heel tevrede is. Die sweiser wat vir ons die omskakeling gedoen het, het pragtig geslaag om die vloeilyn van die dak te behou en vir ons staanruimte binne te gee. Menige wat verbystap maak die opmerking dat sy 'n "leuke schip" in die verband is.
Om terug te kom na die geestestoestand toe. In die verlede was ek 'n 12-6 persoon. Hier egter is dit maar baie ongereeld dat ons na tienuur gaan slaap en ons staan min oggende voor nege-uur op. Ons slaap ons oor 'n mik. Dit moet die fisiese werk wees en die feit dat ons geen ernstige bekommernisse of gewaande verantwoordelikhede het nie. Ons is versigtig vir wat gevaarlik is soos gas wat kan lek of diesel wat oorloop, maar verder geniet ons maar net die boot, die marina en sy mense.

Die marina kan vergelyk word met 'n klein dorp met so 'n 20 voltydse bewoners. Alles wat jy beplan word deur almal bespreek en is, voel dit partykeer, bekend voor jy self al daaroor gepraat of besluit het. Dis fasinerend en vir ons vreemd, nie onaanneemlik nie, net anders en iets om aan gewoond te raak.

Ons het werklik wonderlike, hulpvaardige en vriendelike mense hier ontmoet, elkeen 'n besondere karater met sy eie interessante verlede of eienskappe. Die een 'n talentvolle Amerikaanse professionele oorlogsfotograaf, die ander eienaar van 'n bed-en -ontbyt hotel aangrensend die Skotse hooglande, hy is ook 'n trekklavier onderwyser en vorige eienaar van 'n metaal houer bedryf. Verder is daar afgetrede Hollanders wat permanent op hul bote bly, onder andere een paar in hul tagtigerjare en wat steeds gereeld oor die somer Europa deurkruis met hul boot- verlede jaar 600+ sluise moes oopmaak op hul reis.

Die ander is 'n Brit wat selfs deur die winter in sy kortmou hemp en kortbroek in die marina rondbeweeg. Hy is 'n welbelese, gekultiveerde, hulpvaardige indiwidu wat enigiets tegnies baas is en kan help om dit te herstel. Ander Britse vriende het hul florerende besigheid aan hul seun oorgedra om in Europa op die kanale rond te vaar. Hul het oor die afgelope 18 maande hul tjalk uitmekaar getrek en wonderlik gerestoureer as hul nuwe permanente woning, met al die normale huishoudelike toerusting, insluitende sentrale verwarming, wasmasjien, Britse skottel TV ens. Hulle is gelukkig 'n uitstekende bron van ervaring oor die restoureringsproses. Dis almal vaardige mense hierdie, met kennis en praktiese ervaring oor bote en die water.

Menigmaal het ek en Rudi mekaar gevra, is dit wat ons nou mee besig is die regte ding. Moet ons soveel tyd en geld in die boot belê, moes ons nie maar veilig by die huis gebly het nie en met ons normale lewe aangegaan het nie? Die afgelope week het hierdie onsekerhede by tye hoogty gevier toe ons besluite moes neem oor die installering van 'n nuwe hoofingang na die boot - uit kiaat met 'n eikehout trap - 'n item wat met vaardige Nederlandse timmermanshande pasmaak aanmekaargeslaan moet word teen 'n prys wat vergelyk met die van 'n billike tweedehandse motor by die huis.  Hierby moes ons besluit oor die sentrale verhittingstelsel, vir 'n afslag deur ons goeie marinakontakte, maar vir 'n belegging wat vergelyk met die aanbou van 'n garage by die huis - dit was egter hierdie afgelope week  minus 6 grade met sneeu en die prys van die installasie word hierteen maklik afgereken. Bykans al hierdie dinge het ons voor begroot, dus gaan dit nie soseer oor die absolute koste nie, eerder daaroor dat ons tans besig is om die droom 'n werklikheid te omskep en daarby 'n groot belegging in 'n nuwe woning en leefstyl maak.

Bevrore patryspoort van binne die boot

Ons verlang huistoe, maar is steeds tevrede met ons besluit en ons klink saans 'n glasie op ons droomboot. Ons slaap warm, lag baie, gesels met almal en vloek gereeld skerp as hammer duim raakslaan of 'n stuk gereedskap wat sopas in hand was nou soek is - dit egter sover nooit met moedeloosheid of bitterheid nie, altyd met 'n tikkie humor en 'n glimlag. Dis alles deel van 'n nuwe tydvak in ons lewe wat ons beide nog steeds terdeë geniet en glo dat die somervrugte soet sal wees na die plesier van die werk om die boot in 'n gangbare vaarstaat te kry.

Wat die werk aan die boot betref kan ek met oorgawe sê dat Rudi die week gered het deur aan te dring om die isolasie in die nuwe voorgedeelte te installeer. Dit het my uit 'n reeks ander onbenullige aktiwiteite genoop om vinng en doelgerig die nodige houtsparre te saag en aan te bring sodat sy die "piepskuim"- styrofoam blokke kon inpas. Sy het meer as helfte van die ruimte nou ge-isoleer en sal sekerlik more naby kom daaraan om die taak te voltooi. Ek dink en sy doen, wat 'n elegante en effektiewe kombinasie is wanneer sy die regte knoppies druk!

Ys aan die mure voor isolasie!



Nie meer 'n koue grot nie, maar 'n netjiese tydelike stoorplek

 Ons laat julle met 'n paar fotos van Amsterdam

Nemo

Amsterdamse kanaal

Kaaswinkel


Groetnis tot volgende week.

The White Week

Winter arrived in it's full glory!! Let me tell you I think we have forgotten how cold it really can get over here and living on water makes it even colder.... but, I am jumping the gun!

Let me first talk about the progress that has been made so far. I started cleaning the portholes and what a job. All the old paint has to be stripped and I can assure you that over almost a hundred years quite a few layers of paint were added on top of each other and it takes a full day to strip it all from a porthole.

 

Before...





....after

Last Monday the fuel boat arrived with our diesel for the little stove and that was another new exprerience! I just call it "Die Petrol Lorrie". It parks right at the back of our boat and hey presto 180 liters of red diesel  and 171 Euros later and it chugs off again with one very friendly petrol "joggie" on board. Quite a colourful contraption really!

Just want to make absolutely sure that everybody understands that I have once again decided that camping is definitely not for me, I am a woman who insists on and loves her comforts! I am getting to the point where washing and rinsing dishes on the floor from two buckets ain't no fun at all but let it also be said that I know how to go with the flow. A kitchen eventually will be fantastic!! I was hoping that by now we would have a kitchen, but I am glad we didn't rush it because the whole layout would have been disastrous seeing that the fridge and micro wave and washing machine have moved so many times on the plan! Now we have decided that the steel cupboard for the gas bottle must move to the back of the boat because it just continues to cause havoc with our planning and layout and only then can we move on with the installation of the new kitchen. I do declare that it is actually all my fault, insisting that we do not install temporary "things" but go for the real thing! Stupid woman!

Kitchen, dining table, workbench and card table



After a days slogging and planning and carting stuff to the boat, etc. etc. it is so pleasant to create order again, putting tools away, decide what's for dinner and then sit down together at 6 o'clock (no not before then!) and have a glass or two of red wine or a beer for Attie and discuss our day's progress and planning what is in store for tomorrow!

Birthday drinks at The Black Smith pub

Had a lovely birthday last week. Went shopping at Het Goed and the Kampeerwinkel with Lisa, bought a few things pretended to be busy the rest of they day while Attie was grafting away and later the afternoon we hopped on our bikes, in the rain, to buy a microwave/convection oven (Magnetron combi!!), printer and iron The microwave had to stay behind because it weighed 31 kg and was impossible to tie down to the back of the bike. After delivering the printer and iron we bought at the boat, we went out for a drink and dinner with our marina friends. It was a fabulous evening and we felt quite civilised again dressing up a bit and being served in a proper restaurant, although the service was really poor the food was great and we had a grand time!!

As I have mentioned, Attie went back to this huge electrics and electronics store the next morning to bring Maggie (magnetron) home! He actually took the wheelbarrow into town and pushed it all the way home. I thought my whole life is going to change in the instant having Maggy around, but it is a new and strange machine that has to be fully studied again! Also there is a limit on the amount of shore power we can draw and all other apparatus has to be switched off to ensure we don't trip the mains! Attie always says that on this boat of ours nothing can be done before a hundred other things have been done first, so there I was having to study this machine for hours before I can actually use it. You must realise that this is also a conventional oven, so I do have the chance to study again, even if it's only the workings of Maggy!

The other miracle in our lives is experiencing what it feels like to sleep on a proper bed again!! Attie the clever sticks, built us a bed!! No more sleeping on tne floor and what a life changing difference! My fault again, because we should have done it first thing after arrival. Ces't la vie! Notice the homely rug. Our Dutch  neighbours, Klaas and Griet had placed this outside with "neem gratis mee" sticker on it and asked Rudi whether she would not like a nice rug for free. While maybe not the long term design solution, it has made a marvellously warm difference.



Made with old sailing barge wood



This has been the white week for various reasons. First we have eventually more or less completed the insulation of kitchen, albeit without first installing new larger windows and hatch. We started insulating with rolls of rockwool, something akin to fibreglass. Less itchy, but still a bit of an effort to install without having hazardous dust and itchy bits floating around. Also the gunnels in the kitchen do not have wooden slats to which it can be properly stapled. We decided to revert to flame resistant styrofoam which is considerably cheaper, can easily be cut to size and leaves only light snowy waste that does not itch. This insulation of the kitchen area has been quite a frustrating stop-start exercise with the planning of the electrics, placement of new entrance hatch, bigger windows etc continuously getting in the way of practical progress. Now we have decided to remove the gas bottle bin which is going to open up the planning options considerably and allow for a proper fridge etc.

Secondly, the temperature has dropped below freezing and we have had frost and snow. Today the temerature is expected to drop to 12 degrees below freezing!

David, Penny and Rudi in the snow on the "steiger"

Are we pleased we have a diesel "kacheltje" that keeps us warm and allows us to watch a movie in comfort every now and then?

Thirdly, given the fact that the marina warned they were due to close off the main water taps to avoid bursting of pipes, I therefore decided to fill the main water tank, which I had wanted to paint inside first with special paint, but did not have the time to do, and install a (temporary!) tap. We still do not have a sink installed due to our agreed principle of not doing temporary installations, a principle that we have religiously kept to, but now have relented on for the sake of immediate comforts like running water and a bed off the floor.

We still have some 15 days before we return to SA for Christmas and remain committed to this incredible adventure, despite the cold and the slow progress. We have laughed and sworn often and with exceptional innovation, but never in anger. We have friends who have taken the same journey and are now well advanced in their restoration and are very comfortable on their beautifully restored barges. This week Alan and Sharon arrived from Scotland for a three month stint on the boat they bought earlier this year. Hurrah, we are now no longer the greenhorns and can say "we have camped afore ye"!

A Slow Process

Sunday the 21st November and we cannot believe that we've been here for 5 weeks already. If you look at the inside of the boat in general, it doesn't look as if anything has been done, but most of the work is not really noticable. No electricity on our arrival and now you just flick the switches and voila! The kitchen space was a dark hole and now it has a floor, insulation and plugs for utensils. I have made great innings with the roof, removing rust and painted with rust prevention, not nearly finished though. That job depends entirely on the weather, so I tackle it whenever the sun shines and that is not often. Attie is working really hard and I wish I had his know how so I could help him more.


We have made such good friends here. All very helpful and supportive. Had a great meal with David and Penny a while ago. She prepared Tilapia, a fish I had only known of as a product of aquaculture but had never tried before ... it was scrumptious! We also had a lovely dinner wiith Paul and Lisa the other night. What a treat to eat a decent meal that someone else has cooked. Lisa is also a terrific cook and made two delicious Thai curries with all the trimmings, just the right stuff for a cold winter's night! We remarked that this was only the second or third time in a month that we have sat down in comfort. All we have at present on Linqui are dining room type chairs and sitting back on padded seats or lounge suites on friends boats is just such a wonderful experience, something one would normally take for granted, but only with deprivation really notice and appreciate. We are learning to deal with the "hardships" of no running nor hot water, no shower and no WC on board but are deeply aware that we have the privilege of choice and the expectation that time will solve these minor irritations. !

Our new dutch friends Bert and Aukje popped in yesterday for coffee and they are a very kind and friendly couple. We find that the Dutch in general are very friendly and speak good English. I can just imagine how we would have struggled doing this thing of ours and the shopping we need to do if we were in France!



spirit level not always reliable on a boat!



New larger windows to be installed before kitchen cladding can be completed



some rockwool insulation installed!!!

 Ok ya'll want to know about the kitchen! No it's not in yet and yes it is now completely planned and we even  went  to Ikea on Friday to look at "our" kitchen again! Let me tell you, it's a good thing that we decided to take it slow otherwise we would not have had a fridge! Now that is worked into the plan and now we are ready to make the next move and are thinking to have it installed by Ikea when we are back in S.A. It will be a fantastic experience arriving in January with a brand new snazzy kitchen and no buckets of dishwater and rinsing water standing on the floor. That will be my best day ever! What a pain camping is!!

 

Current dishwasher....all automatic, you see!


The progress  in such a boating venture remains slow as the principle is that anything you plan requires a series of prerequisite actions to be completed. For example, the insulation of the kitchen is the current priority, but before we can complete the insulation all the wiring has to be completed and the cupboards and shelves under the gunnels and any new windows need to be installed.

Fixing the wiring is not an overly complicated process att this stage as it is essentially the 220v  system comprising of three circuits each on their own circuit breaker and switch. These we have organised essentially as port side circuit, starboard side circuit and the kitchen, which requires all plugs to be earthed. The boat had quite well distributed wiring in good condition so this we have kept as the backbone of the system and are now adding the new kitchen group. I have done some work on the new kitchen group and the unconnected wiring is hanging out of various installed orifices waiting for the plywood cladding to be installed, which in turn requires the insulation, which in turn requires the electrics and water connections, windows etc, ad infinitum.



Of course the planning cannot be done without assistance!

 Without Rudi helping to provide focus by cutting out the incidentals I think we would be pottering about flitting from the one thing that catches the eye to the other and never really getting things done. We sit every evening and review progress, typically disappointed at what has in reality been visibly achieved, and plan what has to happen the next day. We have reduced the long lists to lists of one or two specific goals for the day. This provides focus and seems a bit more achievable.

We have acquired a new family member called Snuggles and he is watching over us all day long. We even talk to him every now and then. I miss my dogs so much that I have decided to get Snuggles!