Freedom

Well it's here, the big U! Yes, I'm officially unemployed.

Still not too sure how I feel about it, but I was so close to going postal I guess it's the best thing all-round.

Anyway, back to business...

Doing my trans-London trip today, and it's not really gone according to plan.

First, whilst speaking to a another boater in Camden, by Hampstead Road Lock, I hear that there is a big party tonight at Kensal Green, I left Kensal Green this morning. DOH!

And secondly, Actons Lock, the last lock I had planned to do today was fucked!

So basically after about 20 mins, I realised that I could never fill the lock due to a broken bottom paddle (which I didn't spot due to it being dark).

So after turning round and travelling about 2 miles back to Islington, here I am, just upstream of Sturts Lock.

Well that was interesting, just let another boat moor alongside me (yes, right now I stopped typing to help tie them up), I guess that's my good boaty deed for the day.

Peace.

Aqunomad.

Windows 7

Well my copy of Windows 7 arrived today and I’ve got to say, I really think Microsoft have got this one right!

I’d only used Vista for a couple of hours before having to go back to XP (even with 4gb of ram!), but 7 is really good. All of the drivers installed automatically including the one for my TV tuner and multitouch trackpad. I got it all working in a matter of about an hour which is much quicker than with other OS installs.

Right, I'd better go to sleep now, serious lot of code to write tomorrow!

Aquanomad.

Real cooking cont...

I think I'm onto something, just made steamed chicken and veg with red wine gravy on the stove in a single steamer! Not only that, but i'm boiling the chicken leftovers on the stove overnight to make soup!!

This might be normal to your grandma, but I have no grandma so am rediscovering this shit for myself, no medals required though, it's just part of being an abandoned child.

I can see a trend forming here and with being aware of the relatively high level of susceptibility addiction in my system, I can say I'm addicted to cooking on my stove. So much so that I'm looking for pots and pans to fit the meagre space afforded by my stove

Well gotta go, ebay is calling...

Aquanomad.

Real cooking!

I have just discovered the delights of stovetop cooking, which is basically using the heat radiating from the multifuel stove on my boat to cook with!

With the sad demise of TV chef Keith Floyd I feel there is a gap in the market for an 'off his head' chef, perhaps I can help out....

Aquanomad.

Woohoo!

My engine appears to be behaving itself at last, it started quite well after a pretty cold night and that makes me happy :D

So I'm back on track, and have the 'other' engine issues to fix, namely the small, but nit fatal, water leak that drians about 1-2 ltrs a day from my cooling system and an oil drip.

Gotta go, gotta make soup.

Aquanomad

Engine victory, perhaps...

Well my engine is now working, or at least it has been all day. The real test will be in the morning.

And talking of morning, I'll have to go to work :(, mind you, I've only got 2 weeks left there and then I'm off!

Talking of off, I'm thinking of going up the Lee and Stort first and back in London for Xmas, then off up the Thames to Oxford, If you didn't get the hint, I'm in London for Xmas, so fully able to occupy a seat and eat turkey if anyone has a spare seat and too much turkey...

Aquanomad.

Still stuck!

Well I'm still here in Little Venice, which unfortunately means my boat is still broken :(

I had to call a marine engineers in, yes, I know I was supposed to do all my own work on the engine, but after 3 days I had run out of ideas.

It turns out that the 'lift pump' had failed, which although not good, means that I could never got my boat started and it's also a difficult thing for a newbie like me to diagnose.

So I'm left feeling quite positive about the situation, having the parts delivered tomorrow morning helps too!

Aquanomad

Air leaks and arsonists

Well my engine is still not starting properly, I've narrowed the fault down to an air leak in the low presure side of the fuel system.
Looks like another day of spanners and smelling of diesel for me tomorrow, but I don't really mind, it's all part of the boating experience!

Talking of the boating experience, one thing I've yet to master properly is lighting the fire.
I'm now begining to wonder if I should have spent more of my youth lighting fires, pehaps that could have assisted in my current dilema. Lighting them is not that much of a problem actually, it's just that my firelighter budget is eating into my wine budget and that concerns me.

Aquanomad.

Dirty fingernails...

Well after 2 days crouching over my battle-scarred engine I'm beat, next stop seems to be re-con fuelpump city.

I'm not complaining, I've learned loads about my engine and have replaced all of the serviceable parts, and checked all of the other parts.

Things I've learned:

• I have 3 electrical systems, a 12v, a 24v and a 240v
• Pumping the oily crap out from my engine bay means it's easier to crouch down in the two and a half foot high steel dungeon that is my engine compartment.
• How to change a diesel filter, also how it feels to be covered in diesel.
• How much I owe to a long lost friend, Tom Barrett, that man taught me everything I know about engines and it's coming in very useful now, thanks Tom, wherever you are...
• I probably need a new fuel pump.

Well that's It, till next time.

Aquanomad.