If you look closely you can see Scott (that black shape) standing by the wheelhouse door watching them, he did say a while ago he'd seen them filming and they kept coming back to that spot then riding off!
Thursday, 23 October 2008
Go Go Gadget Show!
The Gadget Show featured The Hairy Bikers on Tuesday and guess what there we were in the background. We've e mailed them asking if they have any gadgets they want to put in a real life test situation so watch this space!
Wednesday, 1 October 2008
Wet & Wild
Sounds like a funfair ride (or something else - we'll leave that to your imagination)...... But believe us it's not fun! Today really seemed like a day for hibernating but Saff insisted she had to go to school because "It's Art Club" .
Summer seems to be officially over, all painting work has ground to a halt and we've sprung leaks all over (luckily enough they're in the roof not the Hull!) Scott's been promising me a shower on board for ages, now we've got about four!
Apparently it was a mullet Scott caught. Thanks to Ken "It's a mullet, you mullet" and Mark (who posted a comment on the blog) for this info. Also it was quite a big one - keep telling Scott he should join the fishing club!
Last Saturday was Gala Day at Saff's school, luckily it wasn't raining.
It was officially opened by Dave Myers (Hairy Biker), who Saff spent most of the day avoiding, telling everyone who would listen "I've been on his programme so I don't need to speak to him!" There was a decorate a welly competition which Saff won first prize in! (Pics to follow, too windy to bring it back from the car!)
Just discovered I can put video on here so for anyone who didn't see us on the Hairy Bakers............
Did you notice, through the wonders of television we were turned round in that clip, pity they didn't turn us round in the trailer - not our good side! Look closely - there we are in the background.......
Tuesday, 16 September 2008
There are plenty more fish in the sea!
Just as well really as not too convinced about the continued existence of the one Scott caught earlier!
Scott put his fishing rod out whilst the tide was in - he caught a crab which, when he tried to reel it in stuck two pincers up at him a jumped off back into the water. There was probably only about a foot of water left when Scott decided to pack his rod up and give it up for the day. He thought the rod was caught on some seaweed or something as he couldn't pull it, but no it was a fish!
It was a battle but finally the fishing trawler captain won and the fish was on board! Unfortunately, Freddie, slippery little thing that he was, landed on the deck. However once the obligatory photo shoot was over he was released back into the wild.
Scott put his fishing rod out whilst the tide was in - he caught a crab which, when he tried to reel it in stuck two pincers up at him a jumped off back into the water. There was probably only about a foot of water left when Scott decided to pack his rod up and give it up for the day. He thought the rod was caught on some seaweed or something as he couldn't pull it, but no it was a fish!
It was a battle but finally the fishing trawler captain won and the fish was on board! Unfortunately, Freddie, slippery little thing that he was, landed on the deck. However once the obligatory photo shoot was over he was released back into the wild.
Wednesday, 10 September 2008
What a Difference a Year Makes!
Well it's been a year and here we are still by the Causeway near Roa Island - doesn't time fly when you're having fun!
A lot has happened in this past year, Scott, who could in the past brush up quite well when he thought about it, has been mistaken for a member of ZZ Top
I've gone from a size 22 (15 1/2 stone) to size 12 (around 11 stone) - diet sheet and exercise schedule now available for a small fee!
Saff has returned to school and although tired after a year out loves every minute.
We sadly lost our ferocious guard dog Myrna (no we weren't careless she passed away in her sleep), but Saff is planning to get a new dog and call it Scooby Do so that if it ever runs off she can walk round singing "Scooby Dooby Do, Where are you?"
Vita Nova, our new life, hasn't come along in quite the leaps and bounds Scott planned. Rain stopped play seems an appropriate comment. We're told this has been quite a good summer for the area - can't say we've noticed.
We've gained celebrity status. The Hairy Bikers (sorry Bakers) kept passing us in their recent series - apparently the one who lives locally (Dave Myers) is making a guest appearance at Saff's school's Gala Day so we should get to meet him! We've been on BBC radio Cumbria, thanks John! And had a feature written about us in the North West Evening Mail, thanks Claire.
As Scott was quoted in the Evening Mail Article:
"It's a big project but I just chisel away at it. It is like climbing a mountain - I take one step at a time, I know what the goal is at the end of it"
A lot has happened in this past year, Scott, who could in the past brush up quite well when he thought about it, has been mistaken for a member of ZZ Top
I've gone from a size 22 (15 1/2 stone) to size 12 (around 11 stone) - diet sheet and exercise schedule now available for a small fee!
Saff has returned to school and although tired after a year out loves every minute.
We sadly lost our ferocious guard dog Myrna (no we weren't careless she passed away in her sleep), but Saff is planning to get a new dog and call it Scooby Do so that if it ever runs off she can walk round singing "Scooby Dooby Do, Where are you?"
Vita Nova, our new life, hasn't come along in quite the leaps and bounds Scott planned. Rain stopped play seems an appropriate comment. We're told this has been quite a good summer for the area - can't say we've noticed.
We've gained celebrity status. The Hairy Bikers (sorry Bakers) kept passing us in their recent series - apparently the one who lives locally (Dave Myers) is making a guest appearance at Saff's school's Gala Day so we should get to meet him! We've been on BBC radio Cumbria, thanks John! And had a feature written about us in the North West Evening Mail, thanks Claire.
As Scott was quoted in the Evening Mail Article:
"It's a big project but I just chisel away at it. It is like climbing a mountain - I take one step at a time, I know what the goal is at the end of it"
Saturday, 30 August 2008
No Publicity is Bad Publicity?! - or is it?!
Met up today with Claire High from the North West Evening Mail apparently no publicity is bad publicity so we may as well have publicity!
Just got to mention Claire and the photographer (John?) were totally unprepared for their visit to us. Claire had suggested meeting on the boat but we arranged to meet at the cafe at Roa Island. Just aswell really - in the lovely shoes Claire was wearing she'd have stood no chance of climbing aboard Vita Nova! By the way we paid for coffee at the caff - do reporters not get expense accounts nowadays?
The Photographer met up with us at the cafe then went home to get his wellies - where did he think he was coming to take photos - they've looked at our website!
We've asked for a copy of the feature before it goes to print but apparently the Editor doesn't like this to happen. Excuse us but you're writing about our life we don't think it's unreasonable for us to proof read what's written!
Watch This Space!
Just got to mention Claire and the photographer (John?) were totally unprepared for their visit to us. Claire had suggested meeting on the boat but we arranged to meet at the cafe at Roa Island. Just aswell really - in the lovely shoes Claire was wearing she'd have stood no chance of climbing aboard Vita Nova! By the way we paid for coffee at the caff - do reporters not get expense accounts nowadays?
The Photographer met up with us at the cafe then went home to get his wellies - where did he think he was coming to take photos - they've looked at our website!
We've asked for a copy of the feature before it goes to print but apparently the Editor doesn't like this to happen. Excuse us but you're writing about our life we don't think it's unreasonable for us to proof read what's written!
Watch This Space!
Saturday, 16 August 2008
Six Seconds of Fame - only Fourteen Minutes Fifty Four Seconds to go!
Our story is sparking interest and famous bikers and taxi drivers are beginning to spread the word, perhaps unintentionally in the case of the bikers.
The Hairy Bikers, one of whom lives at Roa Island have a new show starting at 8.30 on Monday, BBC2, the trailer for their programme is filmed at Roa Island with us in the background, our boat that is - not us standing there waving! (Pictures to follow)
On my journeys to and from work I encounter a variety of A1 (that's the company) taxi drivers.
There's Bill Clark on the Radio, whose show I have never managed to listen to but he plays me clips from it in his taxi and there's Bob, author of taxi tales, and there's the pink panther car driven by a lovely lady dressed head to toe in pink, with pink seat belt and steering wheel cover and pink panthers on the doors. She shares the cab with her brother and has to take all the pink out when he's driving it. She's about to make the local papers because someone has apparently complained about her taxi! You can read about her on Bob's taxi tales.
The Hairy Bikers, one of whom lives at Roa Island have a new show starting at 8.30 on Monday, BBC2, the trailer for their programme is filmed at Roa Island with us in the background, our boat that is - not us standing there waving! (Pictures to follow)
On my journeys to and from work I encounter a variety of A1 (that's the company) taxi drivers.
There's Bill Clark on the Radio, whose show I have never managed to listen to but he plays me clips from it in his taxi and there's Bob, author of taxi tales, and there's the pink panther car driven by a lovely lady dressed head to toe in pink, with pink seat belt and steering wheel cover and pink panthers on the doors. She shares the cab with her brother and has to take all the pink out when he's driving it. She's about to make the local papers because someone has apparently complained about her taxi! You can read about her on Bob's taxi tales.
Friday, 15 August 2008
The Lazy, Hazy days of Summer.....
Well it's been a while, and we would love to say we've been working hard and made loads of progress with the boat. However...... don't know about the rest of the country but Summer seems to have passed Roa Island by completely, which has severely limited the amount of work Scott has been able to do. He keeps pottering doing things he can just abandon at a moments notice when the heavens open!
We have however had the whole car fiasco to keep us entertained. Scott decided his beloved BMW just had to go, rising fuel costs and really it just wasn't practical for our new life. It took a while and we didn't get anywhere near the car's true value but finally she was sold.
The next mission then was to get a new car. Scott trawled through E bay and finally settled on a Mitsubishi Shogun, ideal car for our purposes, only problem was it was in Thatcham, Berkshire. Scott didn't view this as a problem as he has a friend, Hi Ken, in Thatcham whom for unknown reasons he'd been unable to contact for a few weeks. So Scott decided, buy this car, go to pick it up, find Ken at the same time and kidnap him to bring him back here for a few days. Great plan!
So early one Tuesday Morning Scott set off in a pink taxi to the train station - the buses from here are carefully timed so that you can arrive to see your train pulling out of the station - and set off on what was to be an epic journey.
It was my day off so me and Saff decided to go swimming, do a bit of shopping and come back after the tide, another great plan! I was quite concerned about securing the boat up as that's normally Scott's job so we set off with plenty of time to make sure everything was locked up and the ladder secure. This part of the mission wasn't nearly so complicated as I'd imagined so we had time to pop to the cafe on Roa Island before our bus. We went out at the appointed time to get the bus, only to discover (when it didn't turn up) we were actually an hour early! In my concern to secure everything properly I'd panicked and made us leave far earlier than we needed to. We ended up in Clarkes for a drink (at 10.30am) and finally got the bus. Should have realised the day wasn't going according to plan! Arrived at the swimming baths only to find it was shut that day, so we were faced with four or five hours wandering aimlessly around town carrying our swimming bag, or a mad dash round the supermarket, taxi back and home before the tide. We opted for the mad dash and got back before the tide. I got really brave and climbed up onto the roof to set the wind generator going - then later had to go back up to stop it so I could start the other generator.
Scott's day wasn't going according to plan either.
"Wrong type of leaves on the track" caused train delays, he missed connections and ended up being late. Things then began to look up for a while, Scott went round to Ken's house, which Ken wasn't living in at the time due to work being carried out to repair flood damage, but miraculously a few minutes later Ken turned up at the house. So Scott decided to stay the night at Ken's and drive back the next morning, kidnapping Ken in the process.
So me and Saff spent our first night on Vita Nova without Scott.
It turned out Scott couldn't get hold of Ken because he'd managed to change the phone number on his mobile.
On the Wednesday, the plan was Scott and Ken would leave early to get back in time for me to go to work. Scott filled the new car with petrol ready for the journey back, so far so good, for about 6 miles...........then the gear box blew up! About 9 in the morning I was woken by Saff to say dad had been on the phone. I had to phone work and say I couldn't go in that night because the gear box on the car had blown up and Scott couldn't get back, a story which through the wonder of Chinese Whispers resulted in me getting texts from work mates going "are you all alright, heard the car blew up!" Scott and Ken then spent the day sitting in the car at the side of the road in pouring rain waiting for someone to rescue them, which didn't happen till about 6 in the evening. Scott spent another night at Ken's, by complete coincidence it was Ken's birthday so they spent the night drinking Southern Comfort, fate works in mysterious ways! And Scott set off on the train the next morning, leaving the car with the ex owner to sort out. Scott was supposed to arrive back about 3 so me and Saff set of to meet him from the train so that I could hand Saff over and go to work. More leaves on the track, more delays, I had to phone work and tell them I'd be late. Scott finally made it back about 5 so I got to work about 5.15, an hour and a quarter late.
So the car, plus tax, plus train fares we ended up £600 worse off with no car to show for it, pretty expensive way to visit Ken on his birthday!
Thanks go to Ken and Karen for once again taking Scott in and sorting him out, Karen even lent him socks, he'd gone prepared to come straight back!
Eventually we got our money back and the search began for another car.
Located in Wales, a Daihatsu Sportrak, it was a Thursday this time, Scott took Saff with him on the train so that I could go to work as normal. As normal things didn't go according to plan, the usual train delays - why they set out timetables so you can plan your route to be somewhere at a particular time is quite beyond us. When Scott and Saff arrived at Wrexham to be picked up by the owner of the car, it turned out they were at the station at the wrong side of town - the man they were meeting was at the other one. Through a series of miscommunication Scott and Saff set off to the "right" station as the man they were meeting set off to the "wrong" one. Eventually they managed to coordinate their movements and the car was ours.
No major problems with this one - it got them back from Wales! A sticky brake, maybe the car just didn't want to leave it's home town! Then a battery that kept going flat, turned out a wire wasn't connected in the engine, oh and the heater doesn't turn off - but with the summer we're having that's hardly an issue, the windscreen wipers work fine!
On an entirely different subject we changed position recently during high tides and ended up leaning slightly the opposite way to where we had been for a while. Not much of a lean just different, Scott found it slightly disconcerting, and even more so when he discovered some tiny holes in the porthole leading to the bunk room meant that water now gathered there and leaked down when it rained. Scott was out of bed early several days, when the rain started it dripped into the bowl next to his bed and every 5th drip, like Chinese water torture splashed into his face. He couldn't fix the leak until it stopped raining long enough to dry out
We have however had the whole car fiasco to keep us entertained. Scott decided his beloved BMW just had to go, rising fuel costs and really it just wasn't practical for our new life. It took a while and we didn't get anywhere near the car's true value but finally she was sold.
The next mission then was to get a new car. Scott trawled through E bay and finally settled on a Mitsubishi Shogun, ideal car for our purposes, only problem was it was in Thatcham, Berkshire. Scott didn't view this as a problem as he has a friend, Hi Ken, in Thatcham whom for unknown reasons he'd been unable to contact for a few weeks. So Scott decided, buy this car, go to pick it up, find Ken at the same time and kidnap him to bring him back here for a few days. Great plan!
So early one Tuesday Morning Scott set off in a pink taxi to the train station - the buses from here are carefully timed so that you can arrive to see your train pulling out of the station - and set off on what was to be an epic journey.
It was my day off so me and Saff decided to go swimming, do a bit of shopping and come back after the tide, another great plan! I was quite concerned about securing the boat up as that's normally Scott's job so we set off with plenty of time to make sure everything was locked up and the ladder secure. This part of the mission wasn't nearly so complicated as I'd imagined so we had time to pop to the cafe on Roa Island before our bus. We went out at the appointed time to get the bus, only to discover (when it didn't turn up) we were actually an hour early! In my concern to secure everything properly I'd panicked and made us leave far earlier than we needed to. We ended up in Clarkes for a drink (at 10.30am) and finally got the bus. Should have realised the day wasn't going according to plan! Arrived at the swimming baths only to find it was shut that day, so we were faced with four or five hours wandering aimlessly around town carrying our swimming bag, or a mad dash round the supermarket, taxi back and home before the tide. We opted for the mad dash and got back before the tide. I got really brave and climbed up onto the roof to set the wind generator going - then later had to go back up to stop it so I could start the other generator.
Scott's day wasn't going according to plan either.
"Wrong type of leaves on the track" caused train delays, he missed connections and ended up being late. Things then began to look up for a while, Scott went round to Ken's house, which Ken wasn't living in at the time due to work being carried out to repair flood damage, but miraculously a few minutes later Ken turned up at the house. So Scott decided to stay the night at Ken's and drive back the next morning, kidnapping Ken in the process.
So me and Saff spent our first night on Vita Nova without Scott.
It turned out Scott couldn't get hold of Ken because he'd managed to change the phone number on his mobile.
On the Wednesday, the plan was Scott and Ken would leave early to get back in time for me to go to work. Scott filled the new car with petrol ready for the journey back, so far so good, for about 6 miles...........then the gear box blew up! About 9 in the morning I was woken by Saff to say dad had been on the phone. I had to phone work and say I couldn't go in that night because the gear box on the car had blown up and Scott couldn't get back, a story which through the wonder of Chinese Whispers resulted in me getting texts from work mates going "are you all alright, heard the car blew up!" Scott and Ken then spent the day sitting in the car at the side of the road in pouring rain waiting for someone to rescue them, which didn't happen till about 6 in the evening. Scott spent another night at Ken's, by complete coincidence it was Ken's birthday so they spent the night drinking Southern Comfort, fate works in mysterious ways! And Scott set off on the train the next morning, leaving the car with the ex owner to sort out. Scott was supposed to arrive back about 3 so me and Saff set of to meet him from the train so that I could hand Saff over and go to work. More leaves on the track, more delays, I had to phone work and tell them I'd be late. Scott finally made it back about 5 so I got to work about 5.15, an hour and a quarter late.
So the car, plus tax, plus train fares we ended up £600 worse off with no car to show for it, pretty expensive way to visit Ken on his birthday!
Thanks go to Ken and Karen for once again taking Scott in and sorting him out, Karen even lent him socks, he'd gone prepared to come straight back!
Eventually we got our money back and the search began for another car.
Located in Wales, a Daihatsu Sportrak, it was a Thursday this time, Scott took Saff with him on the train so that I could go to work as normal. As normal things didn't go according to plan, the usual train delays - why they set out timetables so you can plan your route to be somewhere at a particular time is quite beyond us. When Scott and Saff arrived at Wrexham to be picked up by the owner of the car, it turned out they were at the station at the wrong side of town - the man they were meeting was at the other one. Through a series of miscommunication Scott and Saff set off to the "right" station as the man they were meeting set off to the "wrong" one. Eventually they managed to coordinate their movements and the car was ours.
No major problems with this one - it got them back from Wales! A sticky brake, maybe the car just didn't want to leave it's home town! Then a battery that kept going flat, turned out a wire wasn't connected in the engine, oh and the heater doesn't turn off - but with the summer we're having that's hardly an issue, the windscreen wipers work fine!
On an entirely different subject we changed position recently during high tides and ended up leaning slightly the opposite way to where we had been for a while. Not much of a lean just different, Scott found it slightly disconcerting, and even more so when he discovered some tiny holes in the porthole leading to the bunk room meant that water now gathered there and leaked down when it rained. Scott was out of bed early several days, when the rain started it dripped into the bowl next to his bed and every 5th drip, like Chinese water torture splashed into his face. He couldn't fix the leak until it stopped raining long enough to dry out
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