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!