Just a quick update to let you know that we are still here as it has been a few weeks since my latest entry.

Apart from the small detail of having a narrowboat in it, the garden actually does look a bit like a garden now that most of the rubble has gone and has been tidied. The side and front wall are now all in place and Paul has even put a roof on to cover the area from the house to the back of the neighbours garden. This has given him a nice big area out of the weather to do work.

Two sets of steps have now been made, one large set (with a rail – as I tend to be a bit clumsy) and the other one to get into the boat, it’s much better than climbing up the ladder and then jumping. Paul has fitted some temporary lights and electrics and has now started removing the foam from the battens, he is trying different techniques for this but mainly a knife, I have offered to help but I have a problem with knives, Paul says I am a danger as I tend to include my hands in the cutting process and make an awful mess, I don't think being bandaged and having plasters everywhere will help in the long run.

In between doing this he has been doing some work – although he is supposed to be retired, I’m sure people do not understand the meaning of this word. The other thing holding up progress was sorting out his car for the MOT, now I could go on for a while about this but I wouldn’t really know what I was talking about, so I wont bother. Suffice to say it was off the road for nearly a week, what with welding and one thing and another, mind you the weather did not help. I have now realised my car is due (well overdue) for an MOT so that is the next job; hopefully mine will not need much work on it.

Hopefully the weather will improve soon as the outside of the boat (undercoat) could do with a bit of touching up where it has got scratched with the move. I am also looking forward to sitting on the boat on a lovely spring evening with a glass of wine pretending we are on a canal. Pure Bliss.