Paint It Black (and blue and cream)

Hello folks. Well boxes are piled high here in Great Ganett, Welwyn Garden City, labelled up for the different phases we have identified as we move from terra firma to a life on the waterways in a week's time.

Phase one is well underway. Our double mattress went up to the boat yard today, together with the first three boxes, curtains and bedroom TV.

Phase 1B will take place next Wednesday when I will take another carful, north, along with the fold-up bikes and other essentials for our first two weeks. I am also meeting Glen, from Elite Furnishings, on Wednesday morning. He has hand made our sofa bed and is delivering it to the boat.

I then move on permanently two days later, with Dave, my old next door neighbour, Paul, a boating pal and possibly one other and we are taking The Cat's Whiskers out for a bit of a snagging cruise for a few days, before returning at Easter.

Phase 2, which is mainly clothes, will follow when Pat returns from New Zealand. All this stuff is being stored in our garage until that time.



Pat fits her bespoke curtains



On our arrival at Trent Lock today, Jan, the sign writer, who lives on a boat at the Lock, was marking out the two aft panels. Mick was masking up for the cream stripes going on the starboard side (he has finished the port side, see picture). We are both well-pleased with finished paint job. It is not an unusual colour scheme, but it is what I wanted, and on this I got my own way. I think it looks stunning. God knows how many coats of paint Mick has applied. Our mattress fits the base John has made perfectly and the curtains Pat has been lovingly creating over the last few days, fit well and follow the dark red colour theme that will be prevalent throughout the boat.

Mick getting very handy with his paint brush

The Cat's Whiskers is revealed

So we are now very nearly there and the boys have got one more week to sort out any last minute fixes and build the couple of late additions we have requested.

I don’t feel any pangs of regret leaving our house, but it will be different saying goodbye to the cats. They know something is up and are not at all happy with all the disappearing furniture, but I know they will be well looked after, and it is impractical to take them with us, at their ages.

Will blog again next week