Yes! Vacuum storage bags…  how very exciting :D

I chose them for a very good reason though… not only will they be great for transporting our clothing to the narrowboat, they’ll also be great for storing our different seasonal wardrobes whilst living in a confined space.

Storage is a very important aspect of narrowboat living.  I’ve seen some brilliant ideas on other boats that sent my brain into a spin regarding the fit-out I’ve got planned for my own boat.

To make use of every available nook and cranny will be paramount to successful, neat, living :D

Blimey, I never thought I’d be thinking about such things!  Until a few weeks ago it was probably up there, importance wise, with the likes of electricity usage, internet usage, gas usage…   Now though, these are things that will control my life much as my children did before they grew up and became independent.

Of course, these aren’t ‘things’ to be seen in negative light; instead they’ll be new considerations that this Townie never had to bother about before.  Crikey!  I can just see myself turning into a bit of a hippy :D

I was thrust back into the real world today with the arrival of a couple of new cd compilations sent by a fellow soulie I’ve never met…  I hope the new life I’ve chosen is full of such camaraderie that I find on the underground soul scene.

I’m sure my trip to Manchester tomorrow for the all-nighter will find me talking endlessly to friends from far and wide about my new plans they’ve been reading about.  Their main worry is about the boat-warming party I should be holding.  That’s not going to happen – I’d need to hold several to invite them all in  :P

As there’s a pub next door to the Marina I may look at staging a soul night there instead with guided tours around my new home :D

That reminds me…  I’m off to look at suitable battery operated or minimal electrical usage mass storage mp3 players – it’ll save me booting up my PC all the time to play music!  It’ll probably have to be an ipod with docking station. Wonder if I can get one that’ll read my 1TB external?

I’m also in the throes of choosing my new sofa for the boat.  It’ll have to be a sofa-bed for when guests stop over and I have made my choice.  The Salisbury in plain black leather – made especially for narrow boats!

In fact, the two things I’ll miss the most from my current house are my 8 seater corner leather suite, my tropical tank  and my mahoosive under-lit super king-sized bed.  Not items that are ‘life or death’ so I’m not too worried at waving them goodbye.

All this and the requirement to gen up on libel, defamation and slander for a threatened, pending, legal wrangle brought by another side… all because I want a nice new fashionable shiny oven and hob and the first personal insults to me of “chav”, “bimbo” and “tart”.  You couldn’t make it up if you tried!  :lol:

It’ll be interesting to see if they have the courage of their convictions, or whether it’s just empty ‘internet warrior’ threats. I’ve done nothing wrong; I’ll go as far to say that I’m in fact the victim here!

Stop sending vitriolic threatening messages that encompass me, my family and other peoples property. You’re now verging on being a fanatical stalker. It’s childish, unnecessary and very sad.

And thank you for your vehement advice about surveys. You’ll be pleased to learn that I’m aufait with these having commissioned enough of them during my lifetime which is twice as long as yours nearly ;)

I’ve deleted all your comments/messages.

Thanks in advance.

Well, it was quite a task tracking down a surveyor who’s willing to work on a Sunday. Why choose a Sunday you might ask! Well, that’s the only availability the local boat yard has for a dry-dock reservation unless I want to wait until October or November. There’s no way I could ask the current owner to take the boat to some far off location so I’ve had to pay a premium and be done with it.

I want to be on board by October/November!

I wasn’t going to have one but then thought hey, it’s nigh on 40 grand I’m parting with here… so better to purchase with all the information about the boat to hand so I know what I’m getting and what might need seeing to now and later on.

I’ve no doubt the boat’s sound but the extra peace of mind will be invaluable. After all, I’ll be living on the boat, not being a ‘fair weather rider’.

This is all falling into place so that I’ll be celebrating my first Christmas on the boat!  How fabulous!