the most difficult thing to do in a narrowboat

[capnthommo]

I usually end up giving myself a pedicure (painting my toenails etc) when I'm not onboard, there's not enough room to do it in the boat.

Agree with the duvet - it's a little tricky.

The boat is in drydock at the moment, we're not staying onboard, we're driving in to work on her every day.

 

It's because I need to decorate inside - there's no way I could repaint the ceiling/revarnish the parquet floor with us three (two hairy hippies and a shedding lurcher) onboard. It would be a disaster. I would have a furry, hairy floor.

a bit like carpet then? speaking as one with a constantly shedding collie i know what you mean though.

cheers

nigel

[Québec]

Duvet wrestling is currently definitely in the lead. Took two of us an age, loads of thrashing about, and much laughter and shouting to insert new king size duvet into king size duvet cover.

[Biggles]

Last summer my wife striped the bed and on my next solo visit I was dispatched with the clean duvet cover etc. After about 20 minutes I gave up and got the sleeping bag out.

 

She did it on her next visit.

 

In my defense I did get the sheet and pillow cases on.

 

Nothing else has beaten me so for on a NB and I spent 3 years refitting ours.

 

Biggles

[wrigglefingers]

Duvet wrestling is currently definitely in the lead. Took two of us an age, loads of thrashing about, and much laughter and shouting to insert new king size duvet into king size duvet cover.

 

King size? King size? Thrashing about on a boat? Wot you telling us?

[Québec]

King size? King size? Thrashing about on a boat? Wot you telling us?

 

[wrigglefingers]

I usually end up giving myself a pedicure (painting my toenails etc) when I'm not onboard, there's not enough room to do it in the boat.

 

You need a compliant child to do this essential task. Want to borrow Ellen? She's really good at this. Plus, when she comes home, she looks at my eyebrows, sighs deeply and reaches for her torture bag. Merciless and effective. I can guarantee that when she comes home I am dispatched to the bathroom, scrubbed clean and and groomed within 30 minutes, if not to her high standards, at least to one that enables her to argue that I am female. According to Ellen, real girls aren't plastered with swarf, muck and paint.

 

Although I would say in my defence, that I always smell nice if red diesel and Morris K99 is your bag .... Though sadly, but inevitably, Ellen disagrees.

 

Edited due to a little syntax error .... see I can do grammar!

 

edit though not spilleng

Edited March 25, 2010 by wrigglefingers

[Bricksh]

I decided to post this topic after having struggled for 20 minutes in my back cabin to insert a double duvet into a double duvet cover and then make the bed, which involves me throwing myself all over the bed just to get the corners tucked in. By the time I have finished my bed looks like I've just had a sumo wrestling contest on it.

So I put this task forward as the most difficult thing to do in a narrowboat - any other contenders?

Sumo wrestling on a narrowboat is surely more difficult I mean finding fat Japanese people with enough salt on the towpath willing to participate, the mind boggles

[sueb]

King size? King size? Thrashing about on a boat? Wot you telling us?

We have double the fun. We have two king size duvets

Sue

[creamcheese]

Bedding changing is a challenge that I have mastered since living aboard. Paul, however, struggles a lot. It's highly entertaining to watch and listen to, but by the time he's finished, the blood, sweat and tears all over the bed means it's time for changing again (the bed that is, not Paul).

 

However, surely the most difficult thing to do in a narrowboat is install and use one of these:

 

Definitely NOT a clicky safe for work or children

 

Unless any forum members know better?

[Québec]

Sumo wrestling on a narrowboat is surely more difficult I mean finding fat Japanese people with enough salt on the towpath willing to participate, the mind boggles

Edited March 25, 2010 by Québec

[Bricksh]

takes two to tango, sorry sumo

[Lady Muck]

hahaaa! You just reminded me: I used to do yoga on dry land. Although I've attempted it onboard it doesn't really work, you might get stuck and have to call the fire brigade. My backcabin is fairly clear of junk ( I have a desk and chair in there that both fold flat), but it's still impossible.

 

From time to time I attempt to hold planning meetings onboard (I'm a district leader in my Buddhist organisation), more than three people and we really can't cope. I do have a Butsudan on board (Japanese for Buddhas house, it's an altar) it is small and wall mounted, but I don't put water in the water cup, nor do I have evergreen in vases, or use large candles, which is the norm for landlubbing buddhas, it just doesn't work on a boat!

Edited March 25, 2010 by Lady Muck

[journeyperson]

However, surely the most difficult thing to do in a narrowboat is install and use one of these:

 

Definitely NOT a clicky safe for work or children

 

Unless any forum members know better?

 

Absolutely! They are even a bit big for the average house bedroom. Our young neighbours have theirs in the back garden.

 

Might be adaptable on a boat with a pulley arrangement for getting less than able boaters on and off after 8.00pm when running the generator is NOT an option.

[Lady Muck]

One of those could be dead handy for getting me out of bed in the morning.

 

I thought of another thing: over six foot tall hippies attempting to brush their tangled locks onboard. I have lost several ornaments, pictures etc this way.

[Heffalump]

I tried working for a hire company last year and ended up in floods of frustrated tears trying to do exactly what you have described so please do a video as I didn't keep the job!!

 

Haha, there's a technique to it, I'll do some pictures and PM you

[blackrose]

My vote for the most difficult thing to do is fitting a boat out while living aboard. In comparison, making a bed is like...making a bed!

[blackelle123]

The most difficult thing I do on the boat is cooking a full roast dinner for 6, when I usually only cook for 2. My visitors forget that in the house I had the dream kitchen and now - its not!!!

 

Especially when I only have 4 dinner plates and everyone wants to help serve and/or wash up - give me a break! Invite ME around for dinner - it would be so much easier.

 

Roll on the warm weather and I can serve sandwiches out of the side hatch!!!

 

Families - Can't live with them and can't live without them!!!

 

P.S Making the bed is a piece of cake!

[wrigglefingers]

The most difficult thing I do on the boat is cooking a full roast dinner for 6, when I usually only cook for 2. My visitors forget that in the house I had the dream kitchen and now - its not!!!

 

Especially when I only have 4 dinner plates and everyone wants to help serve and/or wash up - give me a break! Invite ME around for dinner - it would be so much easier.

 

Roll on the warm weather and I can serve sandwiches out of the side hatch!!!

 

Families - Can't live with them and can't live without them!!!

 

P.S Making the bed is a piece of cake!

 

My standing motto in my kitchen ...

 

Like breathing? Stay out of my kitchen then.....

 

Terse but fair.

[Teakbank12]

My standing motto in my kitchen ...

 

Like breathing? Stay out of my kitchen then.....

 

Terse but fair.

"Lifes too short to stuff a mushroom" is my fav saying

[Ray T]

Play "Twister" in the galley!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twister_(game)

Edited March 26, 2010 by Ray T

[sueb]

My vote for the most difficult thing to do is fitting a boat out while living aboard. In comparison, making a bed is like...making a bed!

But there is no housework to do

Sue

[magnetman]

I found the most difficult thing to do in a narrowboat was to actually deal with the long term psychological damage inflicted by living in a tunnel shaped box.

 

I guess it was a case of claustrophobia

[jelunga]

I decided to post this topic after having struggled for 20 minutes in my back cabin to insert a double duvet into a double duvet cover and then make the bed, which involves me throwing myself all over the bed just to get the corners tucked in. By the time I have finished my bed looks like I've just had a sumo wrestling contest on it.

So I put this task forward as the most difficult thing to do in a narrowboat - any other contenders?

 

I totally agree, but add trying to put sheet suspenders on the 4 corners to avoid the sheet coming off when you are tossing and turning all night trying to get comfortable. Two large people on a 4 ft double mattress is the pits!!!

[rolimo]

I decided to post this topic after having struggled for 20 minutes in my back cabin to insert a double duvet into a double duvet cover and then make the bed, which involves me throwing myself all over the bed just to get the corners tucked in. By the time I have finished my bed looks like I've just had a sumo wrestling contest on it.

So I put this task forward as the most difficult thing to do in a narrowboat - any other contenders?

 

try climbing into my hammock while the duvet is spilling over the edges and not rolling off the other side, it don't arf move quick.

[jelunga]

My standing motto in my kitchen ...

 

Like breathing? Stay out of my kitchen then.....

 

Terse but fair.

 

 

I also agree. When I am in the kitchen creating, anybody there also is just in the way, preventing me from moving fast or weilding my chopper. (How do you spell wield/ weild/ wheeled/ weeld or whatever?)