Spag Bol and painting.

Hi Folks.

I do love it when we find a peaceful place to moor and no one to bother us and here is just one such mooring. The peace and tranquility is deafening, not even the sheep are making any noise.

This morning we were awake just after 7.30am, so I got up and made us a cup of tea, to warm us in a rather chilly back cabin. Marmite was so cold she slept at the foot of the bed on my fleece until I move, then she followed me to the galley, where she made it quite clear that she wanted feeding. Paddy was still snoozing in his bed, laying on his back with his legs in the air, with his crown jewels on show. Not very manly.

8am I was up and dressed and out walking Paddy along the towpath. The sheep in the field opposite were all laying down as if expecting rain. It was a little on the chilly side, but the wind had gone from the past few days, which was nice. Back on the boat, Paddy, Marmite and I enjoyed breakfast before I got on with cleaning out and relighting the back cabin stove, ready for the days cooking. On today's menu was meatball Spag Bol, which we would be having for dinner. There are twenty meatballs in the packet, I always like to split them in two, so they will do two meals. I then split ten of the balls into two to make twenty again, these are then fried off in a frying pan first, I then add onions and a spag bol sauce, if I do not have any red wine on board, which on this occasion I do not. I then pour the meat balls etc into a casserole pot, I then add some extra herbs and mushrooms, put a lid on the pot and put it in the back cabin oven to slow cook all day. The Spagetti will be cooked later. With the dinner now cooking I turned my attention to some painting on the inside of the boat for a change.

This time I was going to repaint the four port hole liners in the galley and bathroom. When we first had the boat painted over 4 years ago, they were painted cream, but we decided to paint them red to match the ones in the back cabin and engine room. Firstly I rubbed the four liners down, I then put a coat of red undercoat on them all.

I left it to dry for a few hours and then gave them all a coat of red gloss.

Already they look much fresher and more colourful. I then turned my attention to one of the galley doors, because the beading on the doors has discoloured due to the wet getting into the wood, despite the wood being varnished every year.

 

I masked up the edges and painted on a coat of red undercoat.

This was allowed to dry.

Once it was dry I painted on a coat of red gloss, which immediately made a huge difference. This has all got to be allowed to dry, before I can put on a second coat. I will then add a coat of clear varnish to the doors, to give them some extra protection, because I like to have the doors open during all sorts of weather.

With the paint jobs done, it was time to sit down and watch a Saturday afternoon film on Channel 5. Today's film was Battle of the Bulge, with Henry Fonda and Robert Shaw. To follow that we are now watching Gunfight in Black Horse Canyon the film was made in 1961 and is showing its age. Mog and Dog have been fed and the generator is now on charging the batteries. I have spagetti to cook and then I will settle down to watch the new Star Trek movie which is on TV tonight. I could watch the X-Factor, but will save that pleasure for tomorrow night when we will find out who goes home first.

Not a particularly mad day, but I did get a few jobs done.

I hope you had a wonderful day xx