To go back to the very beginning..... Chapter 4

I couldn't believe how much John and I loved our life on the boat. We had taken a huge chance selling everything to start our new life. We had never even been on a narrow boat, and then to be let down so badly by our builders, the odds were stacked against us. Luckily for both John and I, all these set backs didn't put us off. It was as if the powers that be did everything to make us give up and walk away, but we were determined to see it through. I have got to admit we would get so tired and down because we were constantly working on something or other, I would drive John to distraction because I can be really fussy, while the fit out of Tickety is relatively simple, everything had to be just so.I don't know how he put up with me, but he did and he was amazing the way he put all my ideas together. I would get really excited every time another little detail was added to our home, John wouldn't get quite as excited as me but I knew he was really pleased with any progress made.. we did find that for a long time there didn't seem to be much to show for our long hard days of work, a lot of the behind the scenes work had to be done before we could even think about finishing touches, the frustration drove me nuts at times! We had gorgeous Stressless swivel chairs stored at Mums but, because there was so much mess and dust flying around the boat they had to stay at Mums and we made do with fold away deckchairs. When John put the first Bulkhead in I was amazed at the difference it made. I was worried it would make the boat seem pokey, after being used to the boat being open, but it had the opposite effect, it gave the illusion that the seperated rooms were wider, quite an acheivement on a 6ft 10" boat! Once the living spaces were defined I was in my element deciding where I would like things put, and me being me would never choose the simple options. Oh no no no. I would always want poor John to do what seemed like the impossible!. He didnLt have the faith in himself that I had. I knew he was more than capable of bringing my ideas to fruition. There wasn't one thing he didn't have a go at, and after a lot of shouting and turning the air blue he would get it right and I would be over the moon! Don't get me wrong I didn't just stand about shouting orders, I couldn't do a lot of the jobs but the ones I could do I would roll up my sleeves, and get stuck in! Eventually when all the groound work was out of the way like the wireing and plumbing, [ expertly done by my brother John ] I could finally look forward to homemaking with a vengance! The day my running water was put in I thought I had died and gone to Heaven! After months of using plastic containers, to be able to just turn a tap on was total and utter bliss! I don't think I will ever take running water for granted ever again. Can you imagine how thrilled I was to get cold running water and when I got hot water I was ecstatic! For days after the water was installed I couldn't walk past the tap without turning it on and watch in amazement as the water went down the plug hole in my new sink, yes a sink! We now had a sink too. Small things eh. Even though at times it felt like it was taking an eternity to get things done, I noticed one day that slowly, slowly Tickety Boo was becoming our Des Res. There was still lots to do, but now we could see results to show for all our hard work.