It takes all kind of boats......

Part of the fun of being on the water is that you see so many boats, all very different.
This however beats it all, a floating home, front door and all. The two men on the front are steering, the thing actually goes quiet fast. You can rent them for a holiday.
We are moving around on the lake near Grou, the wind is rather strong en keeps changing direction, so we keep changing places so not to be moored below the wind. It is good exercize because we only use the spudpoles and no ropes, they work wonderful. The only problem is that, because of the wind and waves, we move a bit up and down and you can hear that when lying in bed, we have to think of a solution.

Time flies when having fun

The previous blog was only 10 days ago but it seems a long time, we do so many "1st time" things that life is very intense at the moment. Saturday we are really left our berth. It was very quiet everywhere and finding a mooringplace at an island near Grou was no problem. Our first night in "free" nature. Although not brilliant weather we enjoyed the tranquility, the view and the silence. We'll surely have simelar experiences in many places, but never again the 1st time. The next day we went to a landing at Grou to pick up the birthday visitors. On one of the first bright and warm days of the year we had lunch with friends and family and celebrated Rebecca's birthday and our new start. It was a special day.

Helas there was also a unfotunate event, but everything went well in the end, Panache dicoverd hunting. Panache ran free on what we thought was a small island but there was nevertheless a connection with the hinterland. He discovered it and suddenly he was gone and ran across the fields behind the deer and rabbits who are running free there. He is fast and has a formidable stamina. Michel and Steven tried to get him but in vain, Steven is fast but not fast enough, so they came back empty-handed. I'm glad the deer and rabbits are faster than Panache, this time he has not managed to catch anything and came back at last. A lesson for us, we can not let him run

free without a line.  Later that afternoon we sailed everyone back to Grou, and than returned to the lunch spot where we stayed two more days.

The wheather turned and it was pretty windy when we had to leave, Michel's choir rehearsal in Warten, but with the technical possibilities of the ship and skipper Michel it was no problem, not even during the journey to Warten. One more experience. 

Wednesday until Saturday, we again moored on the lakes, this is really a beautiful area, to return Saturday because of the performances of our respective choirs. That day to was very pleasant and the performances went well, many compliments though I do believe it's exaggerated but it was fun. We had the ship moored along the poles opposite the harbor entrance and stayed there a few days. That we do not need to attach mooring lines to lie somewhere is not in our system yet, we can simply lower the spudpoles. We try to learn Panache that there is one place on board where he can urinate when necessary but for now he refuses and we row ashore to walk the dog.  

Michel left today to go to Amsterdam for business and that means I'm alone on this small island, a new experience.
Meanwhile we keep working because it all has to be finished. The last corner in the living room is painted, I made 10 curtains for the portholes and Michel works on in the wheelhouse. There are now steps by all doors, the bank was enlarged because with the new padding it was to small, the framework for the new cabinet stands and Michel drills sóóóóó many holes for Rebecca to fill. When finally we paint and make the upholstery it will be complete metamorphosis

And now we go roaming

Tonight is the last night in the marina Warten, tomorrow we finally leave and will have no fixed abode (our Amsterdam address apart). Before that someone comes to look at the sunroof because we want to add an extra piece and then we're off.

Last weekend we were in Amsterdam where we had several nice appointments. One of them the semifinals of Emergenza, a large (international) competition for pop bands; Mondegreen
(Steven's band) took part. They were very good and will go on to the finals, which means that they play May 22nd in the Melkweg in Amsterdam.
We have also emptied the storage we had had and that means that for the first time in 3 years, starting from Naarden, we have no more external storage.
We learned to do away and say goodbye to things (especially Rebecca had a problem with this) and it is liberating. While we enjoyed staying in Amsterdam, Panache stayed in a dog kennel in Warten, it was the first time but he found it clearly fun. There were all Spanish water dogs, and he fitted in perfectly.Together with the owner of the kennel, we shaved all his hair so he now looks more like a Dalmatian than a Lagotto. His curls will grow back soon, or so we hope.

We intended to leave Wednesday but Michel was invited, by Malka, to go to Jeff Dunham so he went back to Amsterdam because he did not want miss that opportunity. For those who do not know who Jeff Dunham is, see you-tube. He is a stand-up comedian and ventriloquist, worth the effort to look. Will we have access to internet from now and therefore the means to blog? We don't know but we'll see, I'll report it here.

Measured and found to be OK!

Today we did the trial run with Peter Voerman.
He has followed, evaluated and contributed faluable ideas during the conversion, according to the SI standards, so that we could qualify for a Rhine patent.
Today we showed that 't Majeur meets all the requirements and thus we can get the certificate.
We were not really afraid but it's nice to know for sure that everything is in order.
We have, as part of the inspection, attached the figures of Europe number and the name of the homebase to the back.
Michel and I both still have the most ties with Amsterdam so that's the place.

What we did.....

Although I didn't report last week a lot has been done on and around the ship.We have been busy with DIY, maintaining social contacts, being ill and sailing (yes we finally left the shed). In the wheelhouse a solid bench was made, the pillows are ordered and the fabric to upholster has been bought so soon we can sit there comfortably. It is high time because now everyone around us goes boating and of course we have to keep a close eye on that :-). The walls around the windows are almost finished and the next projects are, removable steps for the steering wheel to have good visibility when travelling and steps by the sliding doors. Although he had the flu, Michel did a lot.We got acquainted with people from the DBA, names we only know from the website now have a face. It was a pleasure to meet Andy and Caroline and visit their barge Neeltje.

Easter weekend, our children were on board We have been playing  Mah-Jong. Malka had brought her cat Castor and he did well. Panache thought to have fun with a playmate but no such luck. Castor not only ignored him but he did all kind of things that are forbidden to Panache, such as climbing on bed, going in the kitchen and off the stairs to the bow. A weekend of frustration for poor Panache.

Today we finally went sailing and it was nice that the first cruise we undertook because we wanted to and not because it was related to the renovation, was together with Malka and Steven.
The trip was not without adventure and exciting moments. The harbour box out and later in again was a breeze and no problem for Michel while I had anticipated worse.
Unfortunately later there was in a narrow winding ditch a skutsje that, sailing with good speed, overtook us while a cruiser came to meet us. A collision between our aft and the skutsje could just be prevented by Michel by hitting back hard. That went well but unfortunately  moments later the engine cooling alarm went off because the "wierpot" (filter in the water inlet) was blocked in the shallow water. Quickly to the side and there it could be fixed but Michel was not happy and the skutsje was long gone so Michel could not tell them off any more.

We have seen that there are lots of nice large berths in the lakes and ditches where you can stay for one or more days so if we leave here we'll see where we end up.