little venice 

mel and ruffy

out and about in london

cooking up a traditional english breakfast feast

a sigh of relief!

Well, we didn't quite make it. Two days before Mel and Ruffy were due to arrive Woz and I decided enough was enough and that if we didn't stop working now we'd collapse when they arrived and would have been wandering around in a comatose state. So, after a big clean up Woz and I officially went on holidays and had a great two days to relax before they arrived.

Monday morning we hit London and saw all the sights. Oxford St, Picadilly Circus, Leister Square, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, the London Eye, and then sat in the park outside Buckingham Palace and had a picnic lunch.

Monday afternoon we decided to capitalise on the weather and took the boat on it's maiden voyage to Little Venice. Considering Woz and I had only been out on a friend's boat once before and Mel and Ruffy had no experience at all we did incredibly well and managed to navigate our way along the canal and through the locks without sinking the boat!

Today we're all off to Paris which we're very excited about. We've had a sensational time so far and are really looking forward to our long anticipated coffee and croissant in a little cafe in Paris.

the heat is on!

Well after two warm days (30 degrees) it's officially a heat wave and the Brits have already begun to complain! We're loving it!

getting there .....

Woz surprised me with some roses as I got home from work this afternoon, and a new kitchen! Well, nearly.... newly stained benches (first few coats at least) and a new sink and tap (our last one was emerald green and plastic with a colonial gold tap). Still to go are the new kitchen cupboard doors and a new, a little less emerald, oven and cooktop.
Oh, and as of yesterday, we also have a bed! Luxury!

we're right locals we are!

I never thought it would happen, but just six months into moving here, within the space of a week, we have randomly bumped into not one, not two, but three people we know! Out of the millions of people who live in this city it was kind of nice to see some familiar faces on the streets of London. Got caught out though on a quick trip to B&Q (huge hardware store like Bunnings) when we bumped into a friend at the tube station. Woz and I were both looking very dishevelled, in our old work clothes, hair all over the place, with paint spattered all over every part of skin that wasn't covered. Woz's comment was, "If we're going to keep running into people we're going to have to start looking after ourselves". When we got home I pulled out my hair straightener which had gathered dust in the cupboard and Woz his shaver (after almost two months of unemployment he is sporting a new beard).

have I got something on my face? 

ro lends a hand

wall lining up and the floor going down 

thanks for your help jerry!

the way we live...(timber store by day, bed base by night) 

the beginning of the new ceiling lining. 

let there be light! 

ta da! 

ready to lift out ..... 

cutting the new one 

the old skylight 

are we there yet?

We're back, and much has been done! I had the week off last week (half term holidays) and Woz and I worked together trying to blitz the boat. Fortunately we had a few friends come and help out along the way too which was great. I can honestly say though after a week of working on the boat and not seeing the results I wanted (I can be a tad impatient), I don't know how Woz does it. We did finally get somewhere with it as you'll see, but with many hurdles along the way. Yes, there were tears!

on our way home 

look out london ..... here comes jerry!

Jerry steps foot on English soil.

For those of you who don't know, Jerry (aka Jarred) is my cousin on the Weatherhead/Holt side of the family. He's over here to see a bit of Europe and see what London has to offer.

congratulations matty!

I am the proud sister of the recipient of not one but two certificates. Matty has graduated with a Certificate Level IV in Horticulture - Arborculture and a 'Diploma in Horticulture (Arborculture). Go you good thing!.

ho hum

Another week has passed by already and Woz has been working flat out on the boat though it still doesn't look like much has changed. He's been doing a lot of research and has now sourced and ordered most of the materials for the next few jobs. Next week we're hoping to finish the sky light and then we'll begin to see the fruits of our labour but until then we're working on the little things.

happy mothers day!

Happy Mothers Day to our two Mums.

looking out of the basin from our boat

the view of the basin from our boat

painting the hull 

drying out the last of the water  

scraping back the hull 

what lies beneath