Monday, August 11, 2008

Back to Landmonkey Status

The last few weeks have been busy and hectic for me.The people who were in the shop finally got moved out after a few days delay. They had been keeping four large birds in their apartment above the shop and it was filthy with bird guano everywhere. The place smelt like a barnyard, so I spent over a week scrapping, cleaning, steralizing and painting the whole place. A lot of work that I wasn't anticipating on top of the move itself.The only good part about it was I managed to work off my first months rent here.

In the midst of all this, I got a series of four phone calls from my Dad telling me about several deaths in our family. I went to Victoria last week for my cousins funeral. He was killed in a motorcycle accident, a sad and tragic end to a fine young man.I couldn't make it to the others as they were too far, or I got the news too late. A sad week for sure.

The actual process of moving was hard to say the least. As the doors on my boat are so narrow, I could only fit boxes the size of milk crates through them. So I made about a million trips off the boat, along the docks, up the ramp( always low tide during those days of course!)around the compound, through the large shop and up a large flight of stairs.My arms are still numb from all the carrying.

I knew I had a lot of stuff on the boat, but was amazed to see the boat come about 8 inches out of the water when it was fully unloaded. It practically floats above the water now! I must make an effort to be more careful what I put back on there, surly some of that was gratuitous weight. Ive impressed myself with my ability to pack stuff away. I have twice as much space in the apartment but its already stuffed to the brim with the stuff from the boat, its a huge pile all spread out.

I miss the boat and the constant movement of it swaying in the river.However there are some aspects to this apartment that Im loving. First and foremost, a proper kitchen with counter space and a huge fridge.There is a really large deck outside that we have been barbquing on and enjoying pinic dinners with a view of the river.



Secondly is the killer bathtub. It is set into an alcove in my bedroom and its huge.I have the tv on a stand next to it and can swivel it to watch it in bed or in the tub as the desire strikes me.



And last but not least, I finally have a secure satellite and internet line. It took me awhile to get the internet sorted out but hopefully from today on, I will be ok.Ive only managed to get online for a few moments each day by catching some rogue wireless signals, I think we have things sorted out now though.

There has been some delay in getting my boat out of the water. I contacted several boat movers who sounded like they were going to do the job but then backed out for fear of liability if she cracked apart during the move. Ive finally found a guy that sounds like he will do it, just trying to coordinate everyones schedule with the tides to make it happen. It looks like its a go for next Tuesday.I would have liked it out sooner so it can dry in the warm weather, but as the whole moving schedule got bumped back a few weeks, its better this way as I still want some time to re-do the floors inside the boat before I bring it inside.

I was supposed to get cut back to two days a week at work this month, but one of the girls broke her arm, so I am still picking up some extra shifts there. Ive been getting some calls about my mobile service again lately , so it looks like there is some work there if I want it.

Right now ,I am just going one day at a time. I have no idea what Im in for in trying to move and fix the boat. No idea of cost or effort required. Just jumping in with both feet and praying that things work out, money is available when needed and this will all be over some day.

Ive been thinking that as much as I love living on the boat, its a bit small for my needs on a forever basis. I want to fix it up, then build a floathome for myself with more living space and rent the boat out as a B&B and /or use it as a cabin in a more remote spot.I could build a massage studio in the floathome and have a home based business which suits me fine. Another dream to work on, but making my dreams come true is what keeps me going in life.

1 comment:

Jamie said...

Keep those dreams going, R! You've been through it this year, but I believe that good things will come to you (after all, a year ago my then-boyfriend abandoned me at sea with a boat that was too much for me ~ and now a year later, I'm happier than I've ever been in my life!). I'm wishing you many blessings!

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