Well we've been starting to get a bit twitchy. about six weeks ago we emailed off our final plans and spec for the boat. After hearing nothing Mick rang them to check that the builders had got the info from us. They had. Richard was needing to answer some questions on the steel before it could be delivered, this had been held up with Kevin having had his operation. Kevin was doing well, but had got an infection which was making his recovery slow going.
A few weeks later we heard that the steel had arrived but work hadn't started, at least we owned the base plate! A couple of weeks ago we decided to send hard copies of the plans through the post as Richard had had difficulty opening our plans. I called to check that they had arrived which they had and Oleanna was to be the next boat to be started. The metal workers had a few bits to finish off on the boat before ours and then they'd get started. They'd be in touch.
A very quiet time passed, with no news and us wondering if our plans for Christmas onboard in London should change. I've accepted two Christmas shows at Hull Truck, hoping that they won't scupper our plans. If the boat is ready before the shows are open, we'll try to move the boat to a suitable marina over weekends and then have her moored up and ready for the off just after curtain up. Winter stoppages may mean that we'd have to head north before we go south.
Mick was starting to get quite twitchy so I suggested that he rang them to see where we were at. A few things had been changing on their company records and we wanted to seek assurance from them that all was well. So Today Mick rang and had a chat with Richard.
Apparently Oleanna has been started! Possibly she exists up to her gunwales. The steel work is done elsewhere from the fit outs so Richard was a little bit vague as to the progress. But they would want us to pop down soon to see them. Just you stop us! They have been doing some restructuring of the company and Oleanna will no longer be taken over to Market Drayton for her fitout. They are going to lease a unit next door to the steel work and do her there. So after a year of them being at Betton Mill wharf which is a great spot on the side of the cut, but old, dusty, cold and very hot this summer they are moving back to near Hilton where we first went to see them. This is slightly closer to home for us, means that we'd have more of a choice of where to launch Oleanna when she is finished, so might be able to avoid some winter stoppages. But it is also a little bit worrying as Kevin seems to no longer be a director and they will be trading under a different name.
So the excitement of them having started is slightly tinged with concern.
The sorting of the house has slowed down somewhat with my summer shows keeping me busy. The new carpet in our living room needs replacing as the really hot sun has been melting it! We need to replace some original glass in our bay window before going ahead. But hopefully we can reuse some of the carpet upstairs in the bedroom known as The Shed. But that room needs redecorating before it gets carpet and at the moment it is full of things to go into storage. It's like a very big jigsaw and I just need to find a few days to sort my work room out so that the pieces can start moving into their final positions to free up space elsewhere. Maybe a container in the garden would help!
No comments:
Post a Comment