Dreamers, tyre kickers and time wasters need not apply - part 37

Ello! Is me again, Lexie. Where was I? Oh yeah, sellin Atlantis *sob*,

bedroom all shipshape

So, the decision was made. Mum an dad had agreed. It was time to sell our beloved Atlantis. They were heartbroken.

The mill and the marina manager were ringing and emailing every week, putting pressure on mum and dad to move her. Move her where?! There was nowhere to go. So mum put Atlantis up for sale on a boat website. They knew it was unlikely someone would av the vision an ability to finish er but it was either that or they was gonna av er scrapped!

spray foamer

They dun a bit of tidying up in case anyone come round to look and removed some of the tools and equipment like the spray foaming machine. Mum even washed the duvet!

Mum got a call a few weeks later from someone wot was intrested in buyin er. I won’t tell you wot the asking price was, but let’s jus say it was a knock down once only price. Well this man an is wife came to look at Atlantis.

The came about 4 times in all I fink. Dad was there to talk through his vision for Atlantis and even offered to elp advise and guide his contractors (he wasn’t gonna do it imself). Looked like it was gonna appen.

Dad did some work on the engine to make sure she would run ok and be able to leave the mill. Then, the man sended an email, an email mind you saying he fort it was too  much to take on and was gonna start his own hog roast business instead! A what now? Pftttt weirdo!

tidy (sort of) engine room

Then annuva man says he wants er. So he comes to see her. Well, first fing he says? You wanna put some paint on that! Ha really? What a great idea, we never fort of that.

Then, whilst surveying the river through the awesome wheelhouse wot dad built, he says ‘what you wanna do is cut off the front of this wheelhouse and put some patio doors in and then she’d make a lovely houseboat’.

Lucky, dad wasn’t there. Coz if he had been, I fink he would have made the bloke walk the plank (if we ad one). Mum says I don’t think this boat will ever be a houseboat. Thanks and goodbye.

Mum rings dad. Come to the boat she says to im. So off we goes to Atlantis and meets mum there. Mum was crying. She says ‘I can’t do this. She doesn’t want us to let her go. We have unfinished business and it’s time we finished it’.

Dad says ‘ok, well, find me a mooring and I will do it’. Mum telled me later she felt so appy inside, knowin we was gonna get this fing done an we weren’t gonna sell her.

Now all she needed to dus was find annuva mooring! I'll tell you next week if we dun it .. but I fink you already know the answer to that one :).

Lexie out!

Let's have a quick recap - part 36

Atlantis in Maldon

Well ello me pals and my oh my ain’t it bin a while!? Well, yes achewly it as. First, I will give you a potted histry of wot we bin doin over the last few years.

As some of you knows, we has got a boat, hmmm, a ship I mean. We as got a ship. She is called Atlantis. Mum and dad bought her way back in 2003 when she was a fishing boat in Ireland. You can read about all that on some of me old posts.

Anyhoo, in 2010 we moved her from Kent to good old Essex where we was gonna make her all bright an shiny, then sail off to Malta! That didn’t work out too good. The marina manager (boo hiss grrrr) weren’t it turned out, a man of his word. So, we gets to Essex an he tells us no, you can’t live on it, no you can’t weld, no you can’t paint, you can’t do noffink. In fact, he says, I don’t even want you ere. So for the next 5 years he moved us from this mooring to that, each one worse than the last. We finally ends up on a mooring next to a flour mill.

We was forbidden by the marina manager (boo hiss grrr) and the Mill elf an safety manager (quite nice man really) to set foot on her apart from to check her ropes and make sure she wasn’t sinkin!

Atlantis view from port side

We was at our wits end abowt  wot to dus. They coddn’t see how we was gonna ever finish Atlantis or even get on board [we went to Ibeefa to run a dive centre but that’s annuva story wot I tell you laters]. While dad and me was working hard in Ibeefa mum tried to sort fings out once and for all.

She did the only fing that made sense (at the time) – to sell Atlantis! Mum an dad had fort about it long and hard and could not see any uvva alternative. Their dream had come to an end.

Well … find out in the next excitin episode wot appened! See you in the next chapter pals! Remember, stay slinky :).

Lexie out!

What appens when mum gives dad camera responsibilities - part 22

Hi ma pals ... ow fings? heehee Well, where was I? I fink we was in da middle of buildin a new wheelhouse. Is Spring 2009 and fings are comin along well.

Mum workin in London agin so bin away from ome durin the day a lot. Now at dis point, we as to let you know that she anded over responsibility of photographin progress to the dad. BIIIIIGGGG mistake! As you will see ;).

To make fings easier, dad had cut a hole in da roof (or floor dependin on how you dus look at it) so they could access the wheelhouse from inside on the main deck. This is where the stairs will be in the future but for now we has to use ladder.

Mum has the pleasure of avin to carry me up an down when I wants to go up to av a look at developments!

It was still pretty cold durin April so mum, bless her, tried to make the saloon (wot you dus call livin room) a bit more comfy. A friend of ours gived us some sofas wot he was gonna frow away so dad put em in da corner so we cud av a comfy place to sit. Check it out!! Those curtains are bin bags hee-hee.

Ooohh sofas! Ow luxurious! You dussnt av to arks me twice to test em out so I give em a quick try! Yep, dey be up to da Lexie standards I am pleased to report. Mum says I be dussin ma Tommy Cooper impresshun 'just like that'!

(Stage right mum whispers: *keep going Lex, I don't think anyone has noticed the lack of wheelhouse photos*). Ahem .... right!!!

Oh .. hang on .. think I found one. Here's a photo of errr ..... the port-side wheelhouse lower wall and the walkway! Woohoo!

Oh and ... err the crane!

Oh no wait I think we have a pic of the wheelhouse coming up! Yes, here she is, rather more advanced than you were probably expectin! heehee. Even so though, check her out!! We fink she really looks great wiv her new wheelhouse. You can see dad has cut the windows out and put some temporary wooden windows in for protection.

Right, dat is it! Mum, told dad he is verboten from takin any more photos wifout strict supervision! He said 'well I was buildin the bloody thing'- fair point dad.

Ere dus be annuva angle wiv our 007 powerboat on da back! As you can see is a nice big deck on da back. Lots of sun-bavin potential!

Oh and finally .... news on da ball front .... i got annuva new ball coz we lost ma blue one. I got a red one!

See you next time when we dis stop wheelhouse work stops as they work furiously to strip the old galley so dad can get to the bow and install anchors. We move into a HOUSE (eh what?) an all work focusses on gettin her ready to move back to Essex (crikey!!).

Ta-ta!

Congratewlashun and jooobliashuns - part 20

Well hello ma pals … is me … Lexie … ow fings? Today dus be very impawtant date for us. It is da anniversary of mum an dad buyin and steppin aboard Atlantis. Or as a pal on twitta said it’s Atlantis’s Gotcha Day.  So to celebriate I fort I dus some highlights from our bloggy for ya!

Yes pals, 8 years ago today mum an dad paid the shipbroker an stepped aboard Atlantis as owners for the first time. I wud like to say I did too but I wasn’t even born then! Pffttttt how inconsiderate of them not to wait for me ;).

Here is a bootiful paintin of her as she wod of looked back then. She was originally registered on da Small Ships Register as MV Janettje in 1965 (she is younger dan mum but not dad hee-hee) in Holland where she was built.


Atlantis painted by a local Brixham artist
when she was Janettje

 















Anyhooooo, back to the Gotcha Day. It was a very hot day an mum an dad waited anxiously by the quayside in Gillingham, Kent waitin for the tide to come in. Atlantis was moored in the middle of the river and had been there overnight where she'd come straight from Kilmore Quay, Ireland across da Irish Sea an round Lundy Island! The crew brought her over in a Force 7 but she didn't find that too troublesome they said. They was more worried about their roast chicken flyin out of da oven! Here dus be ow she looked back den.



Atlantis fishin in da Irish Sea in 2003

















But Lexie! I hear you cry. What made da mum an dad decide to do this venture? They had only been togeva bout 16 munfs and were still in da honeymoon period (dad: what d'ya mean were? We still are!) so they were all lovey dovey and finkin let's do somfink mad wiv our lives! You can read all about their romance (barf barf) if you dus wish on da Twisty Turny Fing post wot tells you how they come to buy Atlantis.

Mum an dad knew was a long road they were heading (mum: what d'ya mean were? We still are!) as they prepared themselfs for some orrible jobs ahead. Like *shudder* cleanin out da fishhold! You can read about that particular activity under da Smell-o-Vision post. I dussnt like da look of wot dus be down there ;).

Maybe you wud like to read about how da Lexie (dat be me) comes to be wif mum an dad if you dussnt know bout it already. Now I gonna tell you, a number of pals did get upset bout da events wot unfolded but I like to let you know dat everyfink worked out pretty ok!! As you can tell ;)). You can read about it on dis post wot dus be called Reasons To Be Cheeful. Ere dus be picture of me back in 2005 when I was lickle. Who could resist me? hee-hee. Mum cuddn't and she telled me I was really cute back then (lexie: what d'ya mean was? I still am!).

We moved Atlantis annuva moorin wot was much nicer and betterer for us coz we could make lots of noise and use our brand new crane too! Read about how we went all super-posh and dad put windows in da saloon (probly a good idea dad!). Not that they has any glass in yet! You can see bout dat in ma post wot dus be called Frew Da Round Window!

Life took a turn for the better again when dad finally was able to finish a basic bedroom for us to sleep in. We'd been sleepin on the floor of the wheelhouse for 7 years. Seein as dad was gonna shellfishly remove it they had to have a bedroom! So he built one (as you do) and they moved into it in September 2010. You can read about that in dis post wot dus be Down The Wooden Hill to Bedfordshire.  Here dus be the bed (wifout da blankies and all that of course).

Well, I better get on wif dis highlights fing as it gettin a bit long! Ok, the wheelhouse! Dad decided to build a new one, but first, he had to get rid of the old one. And so he did! You can read about that under The Disappearing Wheelhouse. Now you see me, now you don't:

Course as always, we has to stop fings for winter but dis time dad has back-up plan of fings to do. He goes spray-foam-tastic and recreates santa's grotto effect frewout boat! Time To Move Inside tells you bout dat!

Well pals, in terms of da bloggy, we is almost up to date! Da next phase was buildin the new wheelhouse. Somfink dad was keen to progress quickly so we could move to a new mooring we had found. But dat is annuva story. Believe it or not dis the beginnings of hooj wheelhouse!

Fanx for elping celbriate our anniversary. Mum an dad still has a lot of work to do but they can see the light at da end of the tunnel (is a tiny tiny spec i fink). Happy Gotcha Day Lady Atlantis!

Danger, danger - no entry for accident-prone mums - part 16

Hee-hee only jokin! Of course she didn't fall down the hole. Mainly, because she wasn't allowed to go near the area until dad had put in new engine rooms floors and made it safe! She was allowed to stand on the ladder and look at the long long upper-deck and take a photo though!

Dad quickly worked to get the roof on and to cover up the hole for safety. He took this photo! Mum wasn't allowed in the area to take photos and he kept forgettin to take photos while she was at work so they ain't got many photos of this part of the work until after! Pfffttt silly sods! Dis photo shows one of da holes!

Well it didn't take long to do put a few sheets of steel up on dat roof and weld dem in place. I'd like to show you da photos of dat but dad ain't got time for photos (he said). Here's a lovely pic of me instead enjoyin a walk wif mum just near da wharf. For your informashuns was April 2008! I dus look quite funny coz i ad bad haircut! Dis was when I was nearly 4 years old! 

Well movin on swiftly, after dad had put up da steel on da roof and over da engine room floor he decided was time to open up the wall dividin the back of da boat (we calls dat the saloon remember?) to da front. Mum very pleased coz it meant she didn't av to come up from da bedroom, go out the back door and walk outside round to da front to go to the toilet no more. Ere dus be the journey for your enjoyment ;).

First up da stairs:

Then walk to da aft (dat is back to you landlubbers) avoidin da obstacle course:

Den back along da outside on da port (left!) side and dat is usually in the dark too wiv torch:

We woz amazed how much it changed Atlantis when she was opened up She looks massive! As you can see we tidied up a bit too! I say we .... I mean mum hee-hee.

Here is view of da front where da new kitchen (galley) will be in da future. You can see da luxury bathroom on da right ;).

Well dat taked us to about October 2008 and fings were bobbin along nicely. Mum and dad make announcement to me! They is goin away for a whole week an is goin wifout me! Some malarky bout a weddin in Malta! Wot appen to me I says! You goin on holidays to some friends they says! Pftttt wot a bloomin liberty ;)). Toon in next time for some more bout everyfink bout Atlantis and our adventures.

Down the wooden hill to bedfordshire at last - part 12

Hello! Fanx for continuin wiv reading bout our story. Here quick refresher: da year is 2008 and will become known as Year of the Bedroom! Is also known as Operation Wheelhouse!

Now last year we was all sposed to move into our new bedroom but fings bein as dey dus be, it didn’t appen. Wot I fink I explains now is dat boat building time not like normal time. Fings always end up bein more complicated dan first imagined. Sometimes some big problems come up wot dad has to deal wif before he can finish somfink else.

Like the time when they did strip out da bow bedroom in the early days and den they accidentally broke da pipe wot did go from da galley (dat is kitchen remember) to da outside of da boat. It was unrepairable coz of bein so old, so dad had to fabricate new one and weld in place!

Anyways, before we cuds move into da bedroom dad had to have somewhere where he could do a lot of the bedroom preparation work. He needed a big room to build the bed, parts of the walls and make the doors. He did make the doors himself from scratch! They decided that first of all they wud ave to do some work in the saloon to get ready for making fings for da bedroom.

They worked in da saloon all frew da early munfs of 2008 – January frew to March. Was very cold there and to access the saloon at the time, they did av to go outside and walk along the walkway to the back door. 

There was no direct access from the galley or wheelhouse at dat time so it was a cold walk from the galley around the outside of the boat to the newly installed back door in the saloon! Mum and dad considerately put annuva dog flap in for me but I preferred to stay warm in da galley during those winter munfs! Plus I had builded up ma coat to protect me ;)). I calls it da  Larry the Lamb look!

Dey was workin on puttin da walls in place and workin on the doors. Was very cold in there as the windows let in lots of cold air so they work hard and fast to get everyfink ready. Dad was concentratin on da walls and the curves, den he started  building the bed frame along wiv a small wardrobe wot they cuds keep mums clothes in.

Dad didn't need to keeps his clothes in dere coz they too dirty and orrible he say! Is for mum's work stuff so she can keeps it all clean. You can see da wardrobe and part of the bed in dis pic. Not very big wardrobe is it? Dad say space is always at a premium in a boat, even one as big as Atlantis! I fink is his way of stoppin mum buyin too many outfits!

All da walls are gonna be has cherry veneer wot dad dus then stain and lacquer an den polishes (mum dus that bit) to bring to a bootiful colour and shine. Here is da befores an afters pics of wot dad dun wiv da walls to the en suite shower. You can see wot dad dun step by step to get a bootiful colours wot you can sees your face in it! Pay attenshuns, here come the science bit (heehee I nicked dat from advertisement wot I seed one time).

Step 1 - laminate da wall out of plywood
Step 2 - sheath in veneer (North American Cherry and very expensive!) using contact adhesive
Step 3 - give Lex a sossidge (haha just put dat in for fun, so I check you readin!)
Step 4 - stain orange
Step 5 - stain brown
Step 6 - laquer
Step 7 - colour-sand (make it smoove) and polish
Step 8  - do all of dat again (from step 3!) about 10 times

Hey Preston! You has your bootiful walls thusly:

So tick tockety tickety tick ---- bedroom is coming!!!! Mum and me gettin really eggsited bout it too! Dad workin really hard and tryin to get everyfink done quick. I fink I mighta said dat already ;). Here dus be the bed all ready for da mattress wot gonna be put on top! Mum never telled dad til later but she imaginin herself fallin off it! Dad built everyfink himself. He has to custom builds everyfink coz you can't buy dis sort of stuff in da shops. Da more obserbant readers will notice that dad has been testing the bed out (pillows and dad shaped dust!) for size!

Mum not overly impressed wiv da access dat dad has had to hastily arranged! She finkin of those nights when she has to go to the loo up the ladder. Mum an ladders are a deadly mix!! Dad tell mum she just has to put up wiv it! He has not the time nor the inclination to put in a staircase. Deal wiv it he tell her. She get da hump dat is for sure and go off in a strop!

Wot dad dussnt tell da mum is he wanna surprises her. She has to go away for a few days to do some training and he bin tellin her dat the bedroom not gonna be finish for a few more weeks, so she just has to be patient. Patient she say! Ha --- she bin sleepin on a floor for 5 years, dat is patient ain't it?! Harumph and off she go for her trainin.

When she gone, dad an Jared (wiv some elps from da Lexie - mainly testin fings and dat) finish off da bedroom double quick. Dey put some nice lightin in and finish off da wardrobe wif rail and lights inside. They dus some shelvin so mum can put her nice fings on dem like her smelly candles wot she like. Dad get a new telly and dvd player so she can watch her favourite movies in bed if she likes. Dad finish off by puttin in da mattress and makin the bed up all nice. Mum gonna love it we finks!  Don't it look cosy!

Den he and Jared work hard to builds new staircase for runnin up and down as much as we likes! I test it and it is all good! Better than the ladder. Dad was only doin ladder for joke and know wiv mum track record she cant be goin up a ladder in the middle of the night. They finish off da staircase and everyfink ready  for when mum come home. She is now officially got a real bedroom complete wiv bed and staircase access!  Hoorah!

So they offishully move in an spend their first night in their new bedroom. I be in there too but I am free to go up and down the stairs when I likes. Mum has put ma bed nearby so I can sleep in it if I wants but I lie wiv dem anyway ;)). You be pleased to know she has never fall out of dat bed yet! Although she did spend a fitful night wonderin if she would! Silly moo!

Tune in next time to find out about how they finally gets rid of dat old wheelhouse and open up the back of the boat when dad removes the upper engine room.

Abbysinya! (there is a joke about dat but I forgets it now!)

Looks like the bedroom will have to wait annuva year - part 11

Last time I telled you dat 2007 was big push for da bedroom. Dad was very keen to get rid of the old wheelhouse so he could complete all the steelwork as soon as possibles.

He started buildin the rooms down in what was the old fish-hold. You remember that? There was no trace of fishy smells any more coz mum and dad had cleaned out each bilge compartment and jetwashed any remainin icky stuff!

In case you forgetted, here is da fish-hold before (wif some strip out too):

And here it dus be after, ready for fittin out (blasted and painted):

The first fing dad dun was to weld new plate into old access route and cut a new bigger hol by the bulkhead wall where da new staircase would go. The fish-hold was big enough for two bedrooms, a small hall and an en-suite for da bigger bedroom. Dat was gonna be mum and dad's bedroom (and mine of course) for a while.

Next fing wot dey dun was get all the wood for walls and floor down the hole into the hold. Altogeva they dun about 20 big sheets of wood wot measured bout 3m. They was very heavy! Mum was puttin them down the hole and dad was loadin them togeva.

She fink she got the raw end of the deal but dad telled her was good for her dinner lady arms!! I won't tell you wot she said to dat!!  Troof was dat the bilge was not covered over and dad, knowin mum's track record, decided it was too risky for her to cross. She would fall in for sure!

Next fing wot need to be done was to put in a new door to da engine room wot never had no access there before. Dad did cut out the hole and they put in the new door. Until dat time, they had to go down few annuva ladder! They always goin up and down ladders! If I wants to go wiv dem, I has to be carried.

Ere dus be new door. Please everyone control your excitement! Ahhh bless mum and dad they saddo's they got very eggsited bout their new door I can tell you!

After that dad start battenin out da walls wiv some strips of wood. He also gotta spray foam da walls wif da erm .... spray foamy stuff! Once that done he can start to put up walls and put in da floor! Bedroom here we come. Oh wait .... 2007 is finished! Guess we not gonna be in da bedroom this year! Never mind, we dus be used to dat. Sometimes is just the way of fings. So we carries on sleepin on da floor in the wheelhouse for a little longer. Mum dussnt as to worry bout fallin out of bed just yet ;)).

Oh just in case you wondrin wot da Lexie up to! Well here I dus be relaxin in ma favorit place in da galley where is warm and toasty! Mainly coz mum got the oven on for heat for us! As you can see dem seat cushions has seen better days. No I didn't claw them! Well ok I did claw them but they were already mankazoid anyway!

See you in 2008 definitely be in the bedroom den I can feel it in ma bones!!

Thar she blows - part 9

Hello me old chinas! Yes it dus be me again. Lexie! Da cockney sparra. You know wot dus mean china of course! Is cockney rhyming slang for china plate = mate (friend).

Well enuf of all dat Eliza Doolittle malarky let's get on wif fings. I has decide to concenratates on 2007 again. Dis was a long year wif lots of fings appenin for mum and dad. I, of course, remained completely wonderful and lovely. I still bin gettin lots of walks and as bin playing wiv ma ball. I dussnt even realise that I has had about 20 balls coz we has lost so many!

I even got annova holiday -  in Cornwall this time and celebrated my 3rd birfdee as well. Mum forgetted to take da camera on holiday! What an idiot so we dussnt av no photos of me on dat one! Life wif mum and dad seemed to consist of endless walks, play, swims and general lovin. Dis is what is all about init? The love and joy our hoomins bring us .... oops I mean we bring to our hoomins heehee.

Dad had finished diggin out our new berf for Atlantis which we was movin from da marina to a working wharf where we did av a crane wot dey had buyed for to elp wif da remove of da wheelhouse.

Not content wiv working on Atlantis, Audlyn River, mum holdin down a day job and bellydancing, they decide to take up annova hobby - powerboat racin! I fink perhaps they shud of consulted the fashion police before havin dis photo taken! I did not go in boat wif dem when they is racin, as is too dangerus for doggies. Dad was driver and mum was be the navigator. When they was not racin we go out for rides in da boat.

Back at da marina is end of May and mum, dad and Jared has prepared Atlantis to move to her new home around the corner at da Wharf. Becoz of her draught/draft (that dus be the distance between the waterline and the bottom of da hull) they had to move Atlantis over two tides. First, she did go to on the tide to the outside of the outer arm where she was moored. When the next day did come, we sailed her round to her new moorin at da wharf. Thar she blows!

She get settled into her new moorin. She sits high on the mud at first and it will take her some munfs before she start sinkin down into the mud. Dat only mean one fing, more sleepin at a angle again til she settle down. We used to dat! That is also a great fing bout sleepin on the floor, can't fall off nuffink! Mum knows dey soon gonna be sleeping in a bed again. She keeps wonderin to herself if she gonna fall offa da bed! Dad say he get her a safety net! haaaahaaa he funny dat one! He a keeper - as far as I concerned - dey boaf is! Dey has passed da test ;)). Dad built a nice big ramp for us to get across from da land to Atlantis. Is safe and wide. Dad did boing up and down on it lots and lots for us to see was very safe!

Here you can see dat Atlantis sit up so high on da mud that my lovely friend Jared can stand inside wot us seafarers call da kort nozzle! Dat duz be the protective fingamabob wot go around da propeller - see?? Avast ye landlubbers get to it! Jared dus be really tall as well he is like abot 6 ft 3 inches or somfink like dat, so you can see ow big our propeller dus be! Ain't he lovely? I dus really love Jared, he so kind to me and has always got big smiles and tickles for me!

While she dus be sittin high on da mud, they also decide to give her a bit of a clean up on the hull, washin off barnacles and ovva orrible slimey green fings wot I can't possibly talk about. Mainly coz I dussnt know what they is!

We is gettin to know the locals a bit better too! Not sure they appreciate me swimmin on dere patch and I dussnt fink they saw the funny side! Made me larf tho ;).

I like it at the wharf, I can go out ma dog flap whenever I likes an go across da ramp to the yard. I dussnt need to be carried anywhere! The yard is all locked up at night wiv some big gates. I can wander around at my leisure! I like goin out at night and early mornin to see if I can catch rats. I fink my barkin is givin me away tho ;). Might have to refink ma strategy.

Well, that is that ... this turned out to be bout the move wot we dun at da end of May 2007. They can turn their attenhsun back to workin on Atlantis and Auldyn River. The main priorities for dad dus be to get us into a real bedroom so he can remove the wheelhouse! More about that in da next espiode!

Drink up me 'earties. Yo ho!