TTNNNNEPFWFTGITL!!

A visit to Weltonfield today confirmed that both the boiler work and the engine service have now been completed! Nick showed us how best to use the central heating, top up and bleed the system, how they tinkered with our engine in the service and what exactly to look out for from our beloved chunk of BMC iron in the stern, what a top bloke!

Still just a gnat's wing away from actually being able to cruise, once Trevor has been down to inspect the work he will (hopefully) be able to issue us with the BSC, which we can get off to BW asap, along with our license application. That's one thing that those folk new (newer than us anyway) to boating or first time buyers might do well to bear in mind when looking at potential boats; see how much time is left on the current license and enquire as to whether or not the current owners would be willing to sign over the remaining time to you, could save some hassle. Not that applying for a license is a huge difficulty however... Just a thought.

I was thinking about setting up a list of; Things That the Näive Newbie Narrowboaters Never Expected to Pay For When First They Got Into This Lark (TTNNNNEPFWFTGITL, catchy huh?), one entry for which cropped up today in the form of the charge for the "rental" of the new gas bottle! Not the use of the gas inside it, you understand, just the canister - I'm not saying it's an unjust charge, it simply never crossed my mind. So down went our £30 to account for our third 6KG bottle.

We are also now in possession of our trusty BW key, and we located the hexagonal pumpout key, which had been temporarily lost in the excitement of unpacking bags, stocking galley shelves etc.

I'm on the lookout for a replacement rubber impeller for the raw water pump, so that we have a spare with us at all times. Spare filters wouldn't go amiss either.

In short, I think we're finally getting there, the boat is ready - at precisely the same time as we're off to Norway! Truly that is Sod's Law at work... But at least we'll be able to get straight onboard as soon as we get back! We'll be on the Northernmost tip of the European continent for one week, which means leaving Wils on a temporary mooring for a week, at further cost of course. We now know to leave triple the amount of time we think we need for anything boat related!