Still here.

Almost a month since we last blogged so a bit of catching up to do, so far this year we,ve had a wedding anniversary, ours 37 years and a birthday (sort of) No Direction went in the water on 4 Feb 2008, so happy 3rd birthday. 

Although No Direction hasn't moved so far this year we have been busy onboard with a couple of alterations, gone is the Sofabed which had only been used as a bed 5 or 6 times in 3 years, it wasn't the most comfortable thing to sit on and we have a Dinette which converts into a double bed so visitors can still stay, it has been replaced with a swiveling armchair and footstool, no money changed hands as the Sofabed has gone to our Daughters house in exchange for the armchair and stool, Jayne says she will stick with her Laziboy Recliner, we also have a new Television and some wider bookshelves.

One task which is definitely not on my favorite jobs list is cleaning the fire and flue, I do this twice a year,  people see coal or log fires and say how lovely they are, which is true when you only have to look at them but the other side of the coin is cleaning them out, as the weather has turned a little warmer I let the fire go out on Thursday ready for cleaning on Saturday.

There were a couple of parts which needed replacing, one being a round grill that the ash falls through this is at the hottest part of the fire and erodes away over time, the other was the seal around the door, this gets replaced every year, the worst part is unbolting and removing the tin deflector plate.

The Corner Bubble Stove stripped for cleaning.

The old one on the left eroded by heat. next to the replacement.

All back together with new door seal and re-blacked exterior.

Although cleaning the thing is a hassle we wouldn't be without it, we have found burning Logs/Coal is the cheapest way to heat the boat as the Bubble has a back boiler piped to the radiators.

The boaters reading this blog will certainly remember the TV program "Narrowboat" where they renovated "Dover" I have the DVD which I still watch now and again not so much for the boat re-build but for the other Historic boats featured, anyway after the TV company had finished with it they sold it, after being moored in Braunston Marina for at least 3 years it is now for sale, again, considering the work that went into the project it looks a bargain.