Life without borders (as if!)

Ow exhaustin! - part 27

2012-02-03T12:28:00.001Z

Before we proceed wiv dis week's blogpost I fort I tell you now .. I love mud .. there job done!

So as you will remember from last time, we have the anchor in place, the chain in place. Dad bin doing a lot of work to ensure the engine is ready for firin up an the generators are good as we edge closer and closer to our journey to our new moorin. Course, one fing wot be vital for the engine to run properly dus be the exhaust.

Guess what? This don't work like a car exhaust as you probaly worked out ;). We had build a new exhaust because we had taken the old one out when we were building the galley area (which was the upper engine room). Dad had ordered a lot of large round steel pipe that he would weld togeva to go from the bottom of the boat right to the top! Here's the pipe goin frew da galley (well ... what will be the galley). This will all be insulated and boxed in when we startin the fittin out.

Here's one of dad's most trusty tools - his mig welder! What's a Mig welder? Well is a weldin machine wot welds Mig of course pftttt ;). No but seriously tho but ...... there be free (as in da number) main types of weldin . Mig, tig and Stick.

Tig welding dus be for light steel an fings like stainless alloys, aluminum, titanium an copper. We dussnt do much of dat yet but we will when we doin the handrails.

Mig welding is for big steel and uses a reel of weld . prefect for fabricatin fings.

Stick is great for small welds, outside weldin, hard to reach places and for when you dus need to be portable
Dad has run the weld around the pipe at the bottom as you can see in this photo. That so he can put supports in to stop it moving about an of course join the pipes togeva coz it ain't one long pipe you know.

Dad had already cut the holes before we put the pipe in place an they were all correctly lined up (mum was involved but not doin any measurin ;). Look at that seam weld!

I was called in to quality check. Err .. yes yes that all looks fine dad, please continue! Blimey I was quite slim back then!

Here is the pipe at the next level (wheelhouse). That is the back wall of the new wheelhouse there with the pipe goin frew to the roof. The back wall isn't welded in place yet as you can see. That will come later, along wiv a door.

Here's the pipe comin frew to the roof.

Here's the little two smoke stacks on top wiv their lids wot lift and drop when the engine goin so we don't get smoked out!

A view of our glamorous mooring! Annuva step closer to being ready to move to the new mooring! Yay!

Oh, ere's me avin a bit of fun in da river too.

See you next time .. for more on Operation New Mooring. Bye

Chain and anchor and no! dat is not rhyming slang - part 26

2012-01-09T18:44:00.000Z

Last time, I was tellin you how we started preparing for our trip to our new moorin. Dad reckoned we would definitely av tos moor up overnight somewhere. Wifout chain and anchors we would drift and end up who knows where, so anchor and chain installation began.

In the last post, dad had built the chain locker and mum an dad started working on getting all the chain into the bow and the lockers. They used the crane to lift the chain and then lower it into the bow.

Dad put rope on the final chain so it could be lifted up later and taken through the winch. Here's the chain in the locker:

As I mentioned in the last post, dad built the chain lockers out of some old steel and scaffoldin we ad knockin about. Dat is recyclin at its best! heehee. We gots to paint the chain locker once all da works is complete and it will be spray-foamed too when the time comes. We will do that in the future when we don't need to worry about moorin and can remove the anchors for a while. Here's a better view of the locker:

As you can see there are two lockers wiv chain in. Hmmmm - I wonder if you can guess why? Hahaaaa that's right! Coz there are two anchors, so two chains, two lockers!

Here's a pic of Atlantis's bow before work starts on the cutting work for the anchors on a misty cold morning:

Dad started cutting the holes on each side of the hull to house the chain.

Close up as dad cuts the port (landlubbers: left) side of the hull.

Testing that the chain fits frew the hole well:

Testing the chain wiv the first anchor. Don't even ask how we got that there! Ok - you can ask! Well we magically shrunk it and pushed it frew da hole! No? Ok, we used the crane to lower the anchor. Using the crane to hold the anchor in place, we then used a shackle to attach the anchor to the chain and released. Hey presto! One anchor thank you very much!

Here's the chain inside the chain locker, As you can see it fits through the hole well. The hole had to be just right - too big and there's a risk of too much water coming into the bow, risking a flood. Too small and the chain wouldn't release, so no anchor.

Here's the view from above. The angle had to be jut right. Which, of course, it was! Clever

Ok, so, hole cut, chain through, anchor attached. What next? He then welded in steel tubes (fabricated by im) so that the anchor has it's housing to sit in.

Then .... testing of course! Here's a video showing how well everyfin worked:

Here's the anchor in the raised position:

This photo shows the anchor in it's final resting place once the anchor is fully raised:

This photo shows the chain locker with full chain.

Right pay attenshun! Here dus be geeky bit. The anchors weigh 350kgs each! Each section of chain is connected by shackles. The chain section between the shackles is called the "shot" and usually measures 90ft. So, we has 9 shots on board .. meanin we as 810ft of chain! And we had to hammer all the rust of each link "by hand" and checked every single link! I say we, of course, I mean mum an dad! I can't ... no thumb you see?

Well dat is for now, see you again soon. Hope you enjoyed dis update.

Chain, chain, chain!!!! - part 25

2011-12-24T21:37:00.004Z

Hello!! Last time I was tellin you bowt how we decided to move to a new mooring. Well before that cud appen dad had to sort out some chain and anchors in case we had to stop any time during the trip! As you may remembers, Atlantis never had no chain or anchor, mainly coz when she was a fishing vessel she used her fishing gear and nets when she stopped. Well that and she probably never stopped much!

Mum and dad had already stripped out the galley so that dad could get to the front wall. This would get him access to the bow which is where the first step wud appen. Installation of the chain locker! There is a lot of chain to be stored! This the wall wot will be cut away.

Next dad cut two holes in the roof of the bow which where the two chains would come down from the bow. He wud also cut holes in the bow but that wud come later coz he had to work out the right angle for the chain. Ere dus be the first hole:

Ere's the uvva hole! One for each chain. we have put some chain frew to make sure it fits and can slide in an out wivout too much trubble. That chain dus be heavy and mum an dad had to knock all the rust off wit hammers first! Talk about popeye-arms and that's just mum! heehee.

Dad starts by building the locker for the chain. He dus be using steel from the walls that he had already taken down from the galley! Good recycling eh? Here's the first of the walls on the right. He also used some old scaffoldin we had holdin up the bow roof (no longer needed I hasten to add) to make the frame for the locker.

He starts welding up plate into any areas where there are holes. This locker has got to be strong and well built to keep the chain in its place.

Here are some further walls added. The holes are above so the chain will come into the locker when the winch operates (ooohh!!) - all electronically of course ;).

Now, we dus go all well posh and dun a video! Ere's dad dussin some weldin (warning: contains bald head and some flashin stuff).

Dad plated over an old out-of-use hatch too. He as asked me to point out his very neat welding! Ok dad - here is some very neat welding please take note:

I have decided to pay a visit and inspect proceedins as is my right as ship's dog! Yes ... all seems in order, carry on dad, carry on.

Welding sparks! Ohhhh pretty!

And, coz I bin such a good doggie and dad was gettin a bit stir crazy in his little locker, a trip to Old Felixstowe for some fun on the beach!

Next time, more chain, more holes and ..... anchors!!! hurray!

Didn't there used to be a kitchen ere? - part 24

2011-11-12T17:53:00.000Z

Well hello again ma pals! Ow fings? Last time I was ere I dun telled you about ow we did av to get some anchors in so we cud sail Atlantis and err ... well ... stop if we needed to! Before any of dat cud appen, mum and dad had to strip out da galley so dad cud get access to the f'o'c'sle (the what!??) heehee. Well in da olden days it was called da forecastle but is pronounced folksal. Bet you landlubbers didn't know dat eh?

As you can see from these pics mum and dad continued to strip back all da walls, kitchen cabinets and sink down to the frame and the rockwool (dat dus be fibreglass stuff wot you puts up for insulation - it is rubbish tho). When we did see what the insulation was in da galley, it explained why it was always so cold. Plus, da rockwool itself was soakin wet from all da condensation over the years. Yuk!

You can see the damp in this pic - see how the rockwool was stuck to the steel walls! Scraper time! I wonder who got that job? heehee - mum of course! I wasn't allowed in the room much. You can see from the pics that there was loads of fibre glass dust flyin around the room. Mum and dad were coughin a lot, eve tho they was wearin masks.

Here's some more of the nasty fibre glass - mum scraped all dat off the walls! She was coughing like she'd beein avin sneaky cigarettes heehee!

Ere dus be dad doing the 'I'll carry it for you dear, you carry on scraping' trick!

The room started looking a bit cleaner and less dusty as more and more fibre glass gets removed. Dad was clearing the ceiling panels (dat is wot he has in the photo above dis one) while mum works on tidying. Can you see the pattern? heehee.

Dad nips off below decks to av quick check in the lower bow to make sure the pipes dad had disconnected from the old sink were not leakin an pourin water into the lower bow.

Mum says goodbye to the orrible cooker wot she dus hate. Only one ring worked on the top and the oven door wud not stay shut. There was also no tempritcha fing in da oven so anyfink cooked in there had to be watched in case it burnt! Soooooo ... plenty of burnt lasagne ;)).

Watching all dat work as made tired! Fink I shall have lay down by the rusty pipe!

Now the kitchen is completely stripped out and mum even tidied up some tools into a little pile for dad! heehee.

Tune in next time to see how mum an dad put in da anchor and chain for Atlantis's voyage to er new ome! Fanx for readin pals!

Goodbye galley - hello house!?? - part 23

2011-10-14T19:17:00.000+01:00

Well hello again! Is me Lexie. Ow fings? Fanx to da magic of the interwebnet and clever use of the time space continuum we is still in 2009. Big event for mum that year was goin wiv er very great friend Jaclyn to a AC/DC concert at the O2.

Wot is the O2 Lexie I hear you ask. Well apparently it was a white elephant wot cost da taxpayer loads of money. But then it became a concert venue and is great! I av no idea wot all dat means but it makes hoomins very annoyed.

Anyway she was working in London in Waterloo at the time so decided to take the Catamaran Ferry to the concert. Ere dus be a photo of The Houses of Parliament:

Ere dus be the London Eye. Wot is a very big wheel wot goes round wiv some lozenges on it wot you can go in. Mum as bin on dat too. Looks a bit scary to me.

Ere is Tower Bridge wot dus be called a bascule bridge (comes from the French for see-saw) and was finished in 1894.

An ere dus be where mum went to see AC/DC in concert. Dis was second time she seen em live - first time was in 1979 when she was a headbanger heehee.

Anyway ... movin on swiftly back to Atlantis. Mum and dad ad found a new mooring in Essex back where they used to live so it was time to focus on gettin Atlantis sea-worvy for da trip. Like most trawlers, Atlantis didn't av no anchors because the fishermen used the fishing gear itself as the anchors. Dad telled us that she had to av anchors for her trip to Essex because we cuddn't make it there in one tide.

For that to appen we had to pull out the galley he announced. But why? We arks him. Well, he says, because I need to get frew da front wall of the galley to the bow to install the anchors and build the chain locker! Oh ... right .. yes well we knew that of course ;).

Ere dus be a outside view of Atlantis wiv her new wheelhouse. You can see is really takin shape! For future reference, please note lack of anchors at the bow for the moment!

So, wifout furva ado, dad started rippin the galley out. Dussnt panic tho pals (remember galley is boaty-talk for kitchen) coz mum an dad did av plan up the sleeve of their tops for where we gonna eat and that.

Ere is da first bit of work dad did in the galley. He removed the old tables wot he cut out wiv the plasma cutter. You can see, was very smoky in there!

The walls ad to come down too an as you can see ere there is a wooden frame between the wall and the outer hull. This pic shows the outer hull wot looks like it is covered in brown paper. That was insulation .... fibre glass only. Oh! No wonder it was so cold in winter ;).

Ere dus be dad workin at the front of the galley near the bow - he's cutting away all the wood ready to cut a big ole in the wall. On the left there is wot is left of the kitchen cabinets and sink.

Mum started clearin out the room as dad was working to demolish. She found old Atlantis bags wot they used to store the scallops in! Ewww memories of the fish-hold came floodin back.

We burned all da wood on the shore (which we was allowed to do). There was a oooge bonfire wot lasted for days. Mum seemed to enjoy that a bit too much dad said. Nice side view of Atlantis here wiv her new roof takin shape too.

Now I was sitting wiv mum on da shore wondrin ow we gonna eat! Wot we gonna do for a place for relaxin coz that was always the galley. Mum telled me not only has she got a new job in Essex but we dus all be moving into a house for a while *thud ... faints* What! What??!!! She said, dad is gonna commute to Atlantis and come ome weekends and we gonna stay in da howse and go down at weekends. Pfttttt ... speechless. An then she say, it has a garden where I can run around. Ere it dus be:

I like it! An i as a nice step wot I can sit on to look around at fings. I sees cats, squirrels and some geese. This place is great! We has beds, heating, rooms, a barf, some kitchen, carpets an lots of room. We can even switch loads of fings on at once an it doesn't trip the power. Cor!

Work continues on the galley removal an mum has the great job of removin all da fibreglass wot dus be very itchy if you gets it on your skin. I was banned from da room. Ere is some fibreglass:

Well, more soon ma pals! Hope you liked ma posty today. Fanx. Byeeeeeee!!!

What appens when mum gives dad camera responsibilities - part 22

2011-09-03T10:27:00.001+01:00

Hi ma pals ... ow fings? heehee Well, where was I? I fink we was in da middle of buildin a new wheelhouse. Is Spring 2009 and fings are comin along well.

Mum workin in London agin so bin away from ome durin the day a lot. Now at dis point, we as to let you know that she anded over responsibility of photographin progress to the dad. BIIIIIGGGG mistake! As you will see ;).

To make fings easier, dad had cut a hole in da roof (or floor dependin on how you dus look at it) so they could access the wheelhouse from inside on the main deck. This is where the stairs will be in the future but for now we has to use ladder.

Mum has the pleasure of avin to carry me up an down when I wants to go up to av a look at developments!

It was still pretty cold durin April so mum, bless her, tried to make the saloon (wot you dus call livin room) a bit more comfy. A friend of ours gived us some sofas wot he was gonna frow away so dad put em in da corner so we cud av a comfy place to sit. Check it out!! Those curtains are bin bags hee-hee.

Ooohh sofas! Ow luxurious! You dussnt av to arks me twice to test em out so I give em a quick try! Yep, dey be up to da Lexie standards I am pleased to report. Mum says I be dussin ma Tommy Cooper impresshun 'just like that'!

(Stage right mum whispers: *keep going Lex, I don't think anyone has noticed the lack of wheelhouse photos*). Ahem .... right!!!

Oh .. hang on .. think I found one. Here's a photo of errr ..... the port-side wheelhouse lower wall and the walkway! Woohoo!

Oh and ... err the crane!

Oh no wait I think we have a pic of the wheelhouse coming up! Yes, here she is, rather more advanced than you were probably expectin! heehee. Even so though, check her out!! We fink she really looks great wiv her new wheelhouse. You can see dad has cut the windows out and put some temporary wooden windows in for protection.

Right, dat is it! Mum, told dad he is verboten from takin any more photos wifout strict supervision! He said 'well I was buildin the bloody thing'- fair point dad.

Ere dus be annuva angle wiv our 007 powerboat on da back! As you can see is a nice big deck on da back. Lots of sun-bavin potential!

Oh and finally .... news on da ball front .... i got annuva new ball coz we lost ma blue one. I got a red one!

See you next time when we dis stop wheelhouse work stops as they work furiously to strip the old galley so dad can get to the bow and install anchors. We move into a HOUSE (eh what?) an all work focusses on gettin her ready to move back to Essex (crikey!!).

Ta-ta!

Dussnt fink it looks like a wheelhouse ..... yet - part 21

2011-07-31T11:19:00.000+01:00

Hello ma pals. Is me again. I am tellin you all about da new wheelhouse wot dad decided to build. We is still in 2009 by da way but the wevva is fast improvin meanin dad can spend more time on da wheelhouse. The frame is welded and ready for dad to start putting in the walls and roof. Ere dus be a pic of all da frames:

Dad welded all da frames in place and made sure everyfink was straight. He has to be very accurate wiv dus coz we dussnt want a wonky wheelhouse! First he dus put up a coupe of panels wot will be da roof and a large sheet wot becomes da back wall of wheelhouse. Dis will have door and annuva secure locker in it when is completed. Ohhh look it's blue skies too!

Dat is big sledge hammer wot he dus use to make sure the wall be straight wot you can see in da foreground. An also there on da left is red fing that does be hydraulic ram wot he use to push da metal in if it need moving a bit.

These plates is only held in place wiv clamps so dad has to get welding fast! First he does tack weld. Dis very impawant fing to do as quick as possible so dat the plates is made safe. Also, it gives dad da chance to move any panels wot need movin before he welds more bigger welds. He uses a combination of da crane, da clamps, da ram an da sledge hammer, oh an of course mum! Ere he dus be wot will be the inside doin some tackin.

He gets up on da roof and dus some tacks up there too. You never knows, there might be a strong wind wot could pull the sheets off da roof and decapitate someone! Most likely dat wud be da mum wif her track record! Ere dus be dad on da roof preparin for some welding. He dussnt bovva wiv weldin jacket no more, he tells mum, his skin used to da burns pppfffftttttt!! Is dat mediterranean blood! He looks more like he gonna start up his chainsaw eeek!!

Dis photo dus show you view from wot will da front of wheelhouse. Course, that bit not on yet! heehee. Dad and mum boaf commented on how much bigger dis wheelhouse is compared to old one. Yesssss, well, dat is wot I fort ;).

Dat all looks good so dad puts on da next sheets on da wot will become da overhang - a comfy area wiv shade for dose hot mediterranean days. Underneaf there will be some seatin and entrance to da wheelhouse. The old wheelhouse never had a door in it! You had to go down the stairs and out frew da galley so dad is appy to have a new door for easy access!

There will still be stairs in wheelhouse down to the new galley but they will be proper stairs wot you can walk up and down wifout aving to go backwards. Dis also mean da Lexie (dat is me) can go up and down em wifout assistance.

The uvva fing wot I point out to you is da width of wheelhouse. Dis one much wider dan the old one but dad has made sure we still has enuffs room to walk around it. As you can see there be plenty of room. There will be handrails all around there (stainless) for safety (mum forbidden from goin down there surprise surprise). You can see the overhang at da front too which will add extra support for da front of wheelhouse which will be angled in.

Time for a quick check from ashore to see how she is takin shape. I fink you can see she is ..... errr .... well ok maybe not quite yet!!! You dus need vision (luckily that is somfink dad has in abundance). *whispers* looks like a box to us! But we dussnt say to dad ;).

Time for a quick check of da yard while they dus be takin photos. All in order! I fink I saw a rat so I jus gonna hang out here for a bit!

Is very safe up there now so mum is allowed to wander round on her own (apart from going down the side). They has a little drinky on da upper deck and we dus all enjoy da sunset over .... well ok it's not DAT romantic, bein in an industrial wharf, but they dus be happy! Easy pleased!

Dat is it for now ... tune in next time when you will be under no illusions, it's definitely a wheelhouse!! Fanx for readin ma pals.

Congratewlashun and jooobliashuns - part 20

2011-07-19T14:00:00.000+01:00

Well hello ma pals … is me … Lexie … ow fings? Today dus be very impawtant date for us. It is da anniversary of mum an dad buyin and steppin aboard Atlantis. Or as a pal on twitta said it’s Atlantis’s Gotcha Day. So to celebriate I fort I dus some highlights from our bloggy for ya!

Yes pals, 8 years ago today mum an dad paid the shipbroker an stepped aboard Atlantis as owners for the first time. I wud like to say I did too but I wasn’t even born then! Pffttttt how inconsiderate of them not to wait for me ;).

Here is a bootiful paintin of her as she wod of looked back then. She was originally registered on da Small Ships Register as MV Janettje in 1965 (she is younger dan mum but not dad hee-hee) in Holland where she was built.

Atlantis painted by a local Brixham artist
when she was Janettje

Anyhooooo, back to the Gotcha Day. It was a very hot day an mum an dad waited anxiously by the quayside in Gillingham, Kent waitin for the tide to come in. Atlantis was moored in the middle of the river and had been there overnight where she'd come straight from Kilmore Quay, Ireland across da Irish Sea an round Lundy Island! The crew brought her over in a Force 7 but she didn't find that too troublesome they said. They was more worried about their roast chicken flyin out of da oven! Here dus be ow she looked back den.

Atlantis fishin in da Irish Sea in 2003

But Lexie! I hear you cry. What made da mum an dad decide to do this venture? They had only been togeva bout 16 munfs and were still in da honeymoon period (dad: what d'ya mean were? We still are!) so they were all lovey dovey and finkin let's do somfink mad wiv our lives! You can read all about their romance (barf barf) if you dus wish on da Twisty Turny Fing post wot tells you how they come to buy Atlantis.

Mum an dad knew was a long road they were heading (mum: what d'ya mean were? We still are!) as they prepared themselfs for some orrible jobs ahead. Like *shudder* cleanin out da fishhold! You can read about that particular activity under da Smell-o-Vision post. I dussnt like da look of wot dus be down there ;).

Maybe you wud like to read about how da Lexie (dat be me) comes to be wif mum an dad if you dussnt know bout it already. Now I gonna tell you, a number of pals did get upset bout da events wot unfolded but I like to let you know dat everyfink worked out pretty ok!! As you can tell ;)). You can read about it on dis post wot dus be called Reasons To Be Cheeful. Ere dus be picture of me back in 2005 when I was lickle. Who could resist me? hee-hee. Mum cuddn't and she telled me I was really cute back then (lexie: what d'ya mean was? I still am!).

We moved Atlantis annuva moorin wot was much nicer and betterer for us coz we could make lots of noise and use our brand new crane too! Read about how we went all super-posh and dad put windows in da saloon (probly a good idea dad!). Not that they has any glass in yet! You can see bout dat in ma post wot dus be called Frew Da Round Window!

Life took a turn for the better again when dad finally was able to finish a basic bedroom for us to sleep in. We'd been sleepin on the floor of the wheelhouse for 7 years. Seein as dad was gonna shellfishly remove it they had to have a bedroom! So he built one (as you do) and they moved into it in September 2010. You can read about that in dis post wot dus be Down The Wooden Hill to Bedfordshire. Here dus be the bed (wifout da blankies and all that of course).

Well, I better get on wif dis highlights fing as it gettin a bit long! Ok, the wheelhouse! Dad decided to build a new one, but first, he had to get rid of the old one. And so he did! You can read about that under The Disappearing Wheelhouse. Now you see me, now you don't:

Course as always, we has to stop fings for winter but dis time dad has back-up plan of fings to do. He goes spray-foam-tastic and recreates santa's grotto effect frewout boat! Time To Move Inside tells you bout dat!

Well pals, in terms of da bloggy, we is almost up to date! Da next phase was buildin the new wheelhouse. Somfink dad was keen to progress quickly so we could move to a new mooring we had found. But dat is annuva story. Believe it or not dis the beginnings of hooj wheelhouse!

Fanx for elping celbriate our anniversary. Mum an dad still has a lot of work to do but they can see the light at da end of the tunnel (is a tiny tiny spec i fink). Happy Gotcha Day Lady Atlantis!

Bob errr I mean Dad the builder - part 19

2011-07-04T10:21:00.000+01:00

Hello ma pals. Ow fings? In ma last post I did forget to tell you dat we is now seeing what went on in 2009. Mainly buildin the new wheelhouse as you will see! Once da weather was gettin bit warmerer dad decide is time to build the new wheelhouse! We also heard some worrin rumours bout the marina where we woz moored and fort was time to get wheelhouse done or we wuddnt be able to move Atlantis if we needed to.

First dad did work out ow much steel we needed to be able to build wheelhouse. Here be da first delivery from our pals wot dus av steel fabrication workshop nearby.

Dad also had a load of box steel delivered too that dus be a steel toob type fing wot dus be used to build the frame dat the steel gets welded to. Dese is da steel sheets close up wot will became da walls and roof of da wheelhouse. Dem wooden blocks is there so is easy to get da crane hook under da plate and lift em up - clever eh?

I won't bore you wiv more cranin pics there's been enuff of dem already! So, once everyfink safely craned on board, time to start building! First, dad dun lot of measuring and checkin and measure and checkin to work out where da back wall will go so he cud use dat as the reference point (hey I am gettin quite technical these days ;)). Here is the first frame up! Was horrible day as well, rainin and cold brrrrr.

In case you dos be wonderin wot dat chimney-lookin fing is ... is a chimney! hee-hee.

Next fing was to get all the frame built all the way up to where the front of the wheelhouse wud evenshully be. There was lots of measurin goin on coz is impawtant to get the wheelhouse on straight. Wuddn't want a wonky one wod we? So da routine .... measure, build, weld .. next frame, measure, build, weld .. next frame and so on! You get da piccha!

Dis took dat bout a week to complete. Was still early in the year so quite damp and frosty. Even though we had lots of sunny days, dad wud have to wait until the frost was gone and the sun had dried out the roof enuff so he cud weld.

He was also weldin angle iron on da sides of where the uprights and crossbeams meet to add extra strengf and also keep the structure from bucklin. You can also see the angle he welded on about halfway up to make sure each upright was in line wiv da last.

As you will of course recall, this mirrors exactly how he build the main deck structure too hee-hee dussnt worry pals, dis aint a test. If you dun wanted to see dat, you can go ere: http://dogstoyevsky.blogspot.com/2010/04/lexie-discovers-bbq-sausages-part-6.html.

Frame is comin along nicely I fink you dus agree! As usual, me an mum in awe of dad and wot he dus - he go vishun dat for sure cos we dus be avin trubble seein a wheelhouse! Not that we tells im dat, it be our little sekrit shhhhh!!

See you nex time ma pals when walls and roofsies start bein built! Believe it or not, I dus be in one of dese picchas. Can you tell which one ... Spot Da Lexie! First correct answer on a postcard wins a sossidge ;).

Winter settles in - time to move inside - part 18

2011-06-09T22:39:00.009+01:00

Well hello ma pals! I expect you fort I was never gonna blog about Atlantis again. Well you was wrong. We is still doin catch-up but are getting closer and closer of bein up-to-date. The next few bloggies dus be about getting frew da winter and plannin the building of the brand new wheelhouse wot dad designed himselfs using some software wot he dus tell me is called Autocad.

Any road up, where was I? Oh yeah, so as you know, last time I dun a bloggy I telled you bout how the wheelhouse was gone and we was battenin down the atches for da winter. Well, let me tell ya, those silly humans had taken out the heatin during the summer so they could complete some engineerin works.

Course, they dussnt av fur like me, so they froze their wotsits off during the winter this time! In an amusin attempt to try to reduce the condensation that comes off cold steel durin winter, dad went all foamy-tastic! He spray-foamed the whole of the saloon, new galley (wot isn't there yet - the more discerning reader will have spied) and dinin area. ere dus be pictcha of a newly sprayed area. I fink he fort he was build a new Santa's grotto or somfink.

Any geeks in da audience might like to enjoy some stastititics. The foam is sprayed to a depth of about 2 inches, deadens sound, stops condensation and reduces (if not removes) the potential for rust. Fire resistant but not fire retardant. There that's the science bit ova wif! heehee. As you can see dad also placed battens on da walls which he will later use to apply da erm ... wot do you call it .... oh yeah ... walls!!

Winter does be a tough time - outside work can be almost impossible and welding? Forget it! So mum and dad try to occupy demselfs wiv internal works wot need doing. Dad wanted bit of privacy when workin inside so mum cunninly fashioned some curtains out of bin bags wot she lovingly cut up into hand window sized drapes ;). Hey - don't knock it - it will be all da rage now we as let our secret out on da bloggy heehee.

But Lexie! I hear you ask. What is all dem wooden fings in da photo? Well, I will tell you ma pals. Is da base for the custom built corner sofa unit. Is gonna be massive! Lots of lounging for da Lexie I fink, hurrah! Again, annuva design by Dad of Atlantis. Mum has started callin im Mr Tefalhead coz he seems to be quite clever at doin lots of fings wot neiva of us had any idea he could do. Ere dus be annuva shot of said sofa unit, As you can see, they may have to refink the lengf near the door. I dussnt want no interferin wiv ma me personal door!

Mum also wondered (secretly at first of course) whether her feet wud be able to touch the ground as it goes back a long way. Dad advised that sofa had a back as well, and by the time cushuns was on there it would be fine (me an dad rolled our eyes at each uvva -- tsk even a dog like me cud figure that out - mum so silly). Mum took this photo from the galley door - we fink it shows how long the main deck really is and how well the grotto approach works!

Time for a little break and a nice long winter walk around a country park up da road. Lots of great space to run around in and hillls to climb so we dus get fit. Look like I'm about ot take off!

Next time see the wheelhouse appear before your very eyes - like magic! Fanx for readin ma pals.

Mum an dad has a holibobs - part 17

2011-04-23T19:23:00.000+01:00

Well pals we move on to November 2008 and mum an dad goes on they holibobs. I can't be too annoyed wif dem because:

a) they is goin to dad's uncle's weddin wiv all his famby and
b) this the first holibob they had since they buyed Atlantis and dad needs a big rest

Our friends wot dus be Len and Julie did look after me while they was away for 10 whole days! I did miss dem somfink awful and mum did ring up all da time to find out if I was ok (which I was)! They had a great time I fink. Ere is some photos of wot they dun:

Dis be da otel wot they stayed in wot as got a pool! Was very warm for da time of year happarently so they did some swimmin in it! Dat buildin in da background dus be 18th century castle and dis where dad's uncle got married!

Course first fing dad wanted to do was find some boats an look at moorings for da future! First they went to a place called Marsaxlokk (pronunced marshaslock) and did find lots of boats. Made dad very appy!

They went for trip to Valetta too and saw some more fishin boats (mum say dad finds boats wiv his spidysense). They was like mini-Atlantis's! Not that they was missin er or anyfink ;)).

And annuva one! Busman's holiday! Mum wonder if dad was gonna go and get some weldin gear and hop on board!

Dad avin kittens over a dry dock in Malta wot would make Atlantis look tiny!

Annuva Atlantis!

Grand Harbour, Valetta - where Atlantis gonna live one day (and us of course)

Now some time for sightseein (wifout boats!)

Ok well one boat (they was in this one) for a trip to da Blue Grotto Caves

Ere dus be one of da caves inside

Oh and a final boat (in case you was wondrin if they saw any more!)

Do you fink mum and dad might like boats a tiny bit? Heehee. Time to come ome now please! Atlantis and me wos save an sound you be pleased to know. Now time for da next phase - Operation New Wheelhouse! Oh no, it's winter again! And no heating now coz we had to take it out to get da wheelhouse off brrrrr it's gonna be a cold one. Still that fing moored next to us gave us a bit of extra protectchun.

It looks ok but let me tell you is freezin in dere! I am getting ma winter coat fanx dogness!

Next time on da Atlantis story ..... dad goes spray-foam crazy and opens new Santa's Grotto heehee! Mum gets chicken-wire on da ramp for safety.

Danger, danger - no entry for accident-prone mums - part 16

2011-03-12T21:57:00.001Z

Hee-hee only jokin! Of course she didn't fall down the hole. Mainly, because she wasn't allowed to go near the area until dad had put in new engine rooms floors and made it safe! She was allowed to stand on the ladder and look at the long long upper-deck and take a photo though!

Dad quickly worked to get the roof on and to cover up the hole for safety. He took this photo! Mum wasn't allowed in the area to take photos and he kept forgettin to take photos while she was at work so they ain't got many photos of this part of the work until after! Pfffttt silly sods! Dis photo shows one of da holes!

Well it didn't take long to do put a few sheets of steel up on dat roof and weld dem in place. I'd like to show you da photos of dat but dad ain't got time for photos (he said). Here's a lovely pic of me instead enjoyin a walk wif mum just near da wharf. For your informashuns was April 2008! I dus look quite funny coz i ad bad haircut! Dis was when I was nearly 4 years old!

Well movin on swiftly, after dad had put up da steel on da roof and over da engine room floor he decided was time to open up the wall dividin the back of da boat (we calls dat the saloon remember?) to da front. Mum very pleased coz it meant she didn't av to come up from da bedroom, go out the back door and walk outside round to da front to go to the toilet no more. Ere dus be the journey for your enjoyment ;).

First up da stairs:

Then walk to da aft (dat is back to you landlubbers) avoidin da obstacle course:

Den back along da outside on da port (left!) side and dat is usually in the dark too wiv torch:

We woz amazed how much it changed Atlantis when she was opened up She looks massive! As you can see we tidied up a bit too! I say we .... I mean mum hee-hee.

Here is view of da front where da new kitchen (galley) will be in da future. You can see da luxury bathroom on da right ;).

Well dat taked us to about October 2008 and fings were bobbin along nicely. Mum and dad make announcement to me! They is goin away for a whole week an is goin wifout me! Some malarky bout a weddin in Malta! Wot appen to me I says! You goin on holidays to some friends they says! Pftttt wot a bloomin liberty ;)). Toon in next time for some more bout everyfink bout Atlantis and our adventures.

The disappearing wheelhouse (again) - part 15

2011-01-14T21:34:00.002Z

Hmmm I bet you dus be wonderin wot appened to ma bloggy! Or maybe not .. heehee. Well wot wiv one fing an annuva I did get bit sidetracked.

Last time I did tell you bout how we ad started to remove da old wheelhouse, tellin you bout all da fun an games mum an dad ad tryin to do cranin in the dark. You can read all about dat in this previous chapter!

They finally admitted defeat and decided to wait til the followin day to finish off removin rest of da wheelhouse. Next mornin they hooked up da crane ready for the removal of the last parts.

Den on goes the kettle and time for surveyin dat stuff they had craned the night before. I was asked to assist wiv dis most impawtant task. Ma ball did come along for security reasons that I am unable to discuss wiv you at dis time wifout the appropriate clearance. I got to admit, I dus look a bit confussled hee-hee.

After a quick safety check to make sure everyfink not gonna roll over down into the river or fall on anyway (especially me!) was time to move back onto the remainin part of da wheelhouse that needed removin.

Me an mum trotted off to set up camp in da crane once more while dad prepared for more cuttin. Our pal Jared did come along to elp out as was a Saturday an he wasn't goin a work dat day. Can you spot em?

First dey cut the remainin wheelhouse in two and lifted off da front part. We dussnt av no photo of dat coz da camera run out of battery at dat point and mum ad to put em on charge! Den the final bit still welded has the exhaust in it. Dat come all da way up from da engine room so dad had to make sure he cut it down there as well. Ere does go da exhaust stack!

The final bit! Goodbye smeggy old wheelhouse. No more sleepin on dat freezin floor or wakin up in wot felt like a greenhouse in summer! No more horrible smelly mouldy carpet, no more rotten wood, no more trippin up dem steps and banging your head (mum of course!) on da hatch!

Den, before we knows it, Atlantis has no wheelhouse any more. Don't she look weird! Here dus be the before an after, jus in case your forgotted wot she was like!

Before!

After! (Oh and dat big wooden fing behind Atlantis does be a houseboat dad buildin on a lighter for a customer but dat is annuva story).

Hmmm, wonder wot is gonna appen wiv all dat scrap I hear you ask? Well da funny Gypsy man (he is a real Gypsy I not bein rude) come around a take it away on his truck of course! We fort his truck was gonna have trubble but he dun a couple of trips.

So dat was it, there was a few big scary gaps where da wheelhouse had been removed and dad had to cut away some of the plates to get to fings so for da moment we did cover it wiv a big tarpaulin to stop da worst of any rain goin straight down into da engine room.

Me and mum (well mum mainly) was banned from goin up there for obvious reasons! As in, she wod forget that there was a huge hole where the tarpaulin was and walk on it then fall 15 feet down into the bilge! I wonder, dus you fink dad was right to ban her? We dus!

Tune in next time to see if she fell down the ole! Catch u laters, alligators!

The disappearing wheelhouse - part 14

2010-10-30T18:53:00.000+01:00

Is now May 2008 and we dus be continuin wiv da removal of da wheelhouse. Dey had successfuly ripped out all da interior and dad decided to cut the wheelhouse off in three stages.

Da first stage was the back of the wheelhouse up to the ladder leadin to da roof. Once he'd made all da cuts he needed, they were ready to make the first big lift. Mum dus be operatin da crane an takin photos. Not easy to do boaf, which is why at first she only take photos when dat first load is safely on da ground! Once they got the first one out of da way they realise was all gonna be ok! The crane was copin easily wiv da weight and mum was havin no problems wiv da lifts. Ere dus be da first load safely on da shore.

Woofhoo!! Piece of the cake. I was locked inside during lifts and drops in case da crane did drop its load on ma head. Errr ok no argument from me mum! Dad seems to be lookin ravar relaxed bout da whole affair ;)).

Dad starts the next cut and decides they gonna remove da front from da wheelhouse. Dis one is a big lift and very heavy so best to get it down as soon as possible. They are losin light fast which aint elpin! Dey put all da chains and hooks in place as he start cuttin and mum puts some tension on da chains to help dad wiv da cuttin. Ere he dus be doin da cuttin wiv da gas axe.

At dis point dad ad to stop cuttin and they had to work out what they was doing wif all da wires, cables and pipes. They spent some time cuttin and removin what wasn't necessary and chasin some of it back to da engine room to see what they had to keep. It took a lot longer dan anticpiated and by the time they were done it was dark.

They discussed the best fing to do next. They could leave everyfin til da next mornin but now da crane was holdin the front of da wheelhouse in place, dad was worried about stability of the crane, the wind, the tide and all of us safety. They decide to press on and dad say to mum is she sure she can handle da crane in the dark. Let's go for it, she say. So they did. Bloddy bonkers if your arks me!

Dad continue wiv da cuttin on da starboard side and mum wait pashuntly in da cab of da crane for da next lift. She decided to take me into da crane wif her for safety and I fink for bit of support! Coz she talkin all da time to me tellin me wot goin on 'right Lexie, wot we gonna do now is, we gonna push dat lever forward to bring down the chain, right?'. Ok mum ;)). Ere it goes! Mum pull back da lever and keep slowly increasin da tenshun in da chain. The crane start to tip forward (even a big crawler crane like dat cud be pulled over) as mum pull back. The front of da wheelhouse suddenly pop free and dere it is hangin in da air!

Dey stop for a moment and mum relax back in da cab and wait for her heartbeat to go back to normal! Phewie! Dat woz bit scary I fink. No time for stopping dad say. Let's get dat bit on da shore as quick as we can! Up, up, up mum dus lift it higher and higher to make sure it can clear Atlantis.

And higher! Keep your nerve now mum!

Mum holds da lift in posishun while dad comes safely ashore to direct mum on da last part to lower it down to da ground. She moves da boom to the right and uses da levers to bring down the chain at da same time as she lower da arm. It is very dark now! You can see da telegraph pole in dis photo (just) wot she has tt make sure she don't knock down wiv da boom. Is bout 10.30pm at dis time.

Dad decide is too dangrious to carry on so they get it all on da ground and den pack up for da night. They can carry on in da mornin coz there is lot of cuttin still to do.

Wiv dat is off to bediscles for an early start. Tune in next time and you will see the final lifts and Atlantis wifout a wheelhouse.

Now you see it.... now you don't - part 13

2010-09-24T21:33:00.001+01:00

Hello! I am here to tell you some more fings bout developments wiv regard to the Atlantis and our journey of turnin her from stinky fishin trawler to beautiful trawler yacht! I fink I said last time we are in the year 2008 (aka Year 5) now. Operation Bedroom - check! Operation Wheelhouse - check!

You can see all da ova posts ere and there includin when me and mum an dad first got togeva and how da whole boat fing come about in da fing on the right wot dus be called da Archive!

Any road up enough of this twaddle. Let us continue wiv dis bloggy and tell you wot appen next! Mum and dad (and me) was very appy wiv our new lovely bedroom. Dad had builded little seat fing in da corner and mum put ma bed on there for me to relax in. You can see ma bed in the corner ere! There was lots of dust in the room too as you can see, mum slowly vacuumed it all up but we woz all sneezin for a bit!

Dad had put in some lovely stairs wot we could use to go up and down whenever we liked! Mum was mostly usin them for going to toilet in the night - we did larf me and dad - coz mum didn't like to wake us up so she buyed a headtorch for her nightly trips to the toilet! Heehee. Interestin to note: dad did not use headtorch, he just turn on the light and make us all suffer! Tsk.

Now dat we all comftily sorted in our new bedroom dad decided to top off da luxury wiv brand new 32" flat screen telly and delishush heater so me and mum can watch our favourite filums and be all cosy!

Now he cuds to turn attenshuns to removin da wheelhouse. When they originally buyed the boat, they had fort they wud just refurbish the wheelhouse becoz dad was not sure he was skilled enough to build new one! Err hello!! Earf to dad ... earf to dad! Are you mad or what!!! So mum say, yes do it!

Ere dus be pictcha of da wheelhouse wot we gonna get rid of! Oh look at dis photo and you will see ma bestest pal wot dus be Jared in da corner.

Mum an dad also say they be so appy to see the back of da wheelhouse as it ugly and remind them of freezin winters and boilin summers tryin to sleep! First of all they stripped da inside back to da bare metal on the back wall. Dad's plan was to cut the back of the wheelhouse off so they could easily remove everyfink inside. He had to decide what instruments we woz keepin like da radar, depf sounder and dat kind of fing. This photo shows some of the early walls comin out - dad is pretendin he is gonna get rid of it but woz mum wot dun it all!

First fing he dun was to pull out da walls at da back. Then he just cut the back off! Just like dat! Well maybe not just like dat but pretty quickly!! He was using his gas axe as it can be done wifout worryin bout burnin dat ova parts coz they all bein disposed of anyways! Wot is Gas Axe I hears you arks? Well, I tell you! It dus be a Oxyacetelene cutting torch. It be called dis becoz of it run on gas air an it cut fings really quick.

Once the back was off da wheelhouse, was possible to start removin da rest of all the fings inside like da walls, seats, shelvin an fings. They did use big sledge hammer to get rid of lots of fings. I was not impressed dat my beanbag had taken a bit of a kickin!! Pftttt dey forgot to move it! Mum didn't seem to appy bout her rug eiva ;)))). That is dads for ya!

More strippin work continued frewout da week. As you can see the wheelhouse was built to a high quality! heehee. The more they pulled out the happier they woz wiv da decishun. Speshully when dad did find holes all along base of da wheelhouse dat woz filled wiv builders foam. ;)).

During the removal phase dad had to make sure he knew if there was any wirin and cables wot he had to keep for da new one as well. Here are some wires wot he had to fink about (rather im dan me):

Dad wanted to get the wheelhouse off in a munf (dat be four weeks to you landlubbers - oh no wait we seafarers also says dat!) becoz he didn't want to have too many sleepless nights worryin bout da structure. He was also worried becoz we wud have huge hole straight down to the engine room so he was concerned about da weava too. They agreed that they wud work until it was done and mum took some time off work to be there every day and elp wiv what she cuds. Of course, dis did include relaxin wiv da Lexie ;)).

Dad wod work on smashin everfink up and den mum wud take it all to the shore where they wud put fings in skip or, where possible, burn the wood.

Every time mum goes off to make a cuppa or some lunch or wotnot dere be more stuff to get off da boat! Not sure she was expectin so much of dis! She had to walk across those precarious planks! As we all know only too well, not somfink mum too good at! Den down the ladder,off the boat to the shore, then back an do it all over again! Many times. She was certainly gettin a workout dad say to her! Rassssspp she say to dad.

Slowly but surely da wheelhouse started to get cleared out an dad cud start finkin bout cutin the rest of da wheelhouse off!

Ere dus be front of wheelhouse. This dus be tidy compared to ow it started! Mum did get very sore hands and arms (even though she was wearin glves) coz of all da fibre glass around. I was not allowed in dere for obvious reasons. Dus you see dat fing on the right hand window? Dat is a whirly fing wot go round really fast and was so dat if was raining the helmsman could see frew it! Dat was the fishermens wot had that.

Here dus be some more of da wheelhouse comin out. You can see here is da fibreglass wot I telled you about wot give mum da itchy arms. It also did make them cough a lot!

Ere dus be da bonfire wot they woz puttin all da wood on. Here is just a small pile of da wood wot mum piled up on da shore. Dat is mum and dad powerboat behind wot was 007! Or James as mum liked to call it ;).

I fink overall did take about 2 weeks to completely strip da wheelhouse. The weava was not great eiva but me an mum did av some R&R walkin around enjoyin da mud! Well, I say we, I mean me!! Heehee. Dis ma muddy boots and ma sheep look - all da rage in 2008 I can tell you.

More in da next chapter bout wheelhouse removal. Mum become da family crane operator and dad realises he can do anyfink if he put his mind to it. I continue to enjoy walks and relaxations wiv da family.

Down the wooden hill to bedfordshire at last - part 12

2010-09-01T21:37:00.001+01:00

Hello! Fanx for continuin wiv reading bout our story. Here quick refresher: da year is 2008 and will become known as Year of the Bedroom! Is also known as Operation Wheelhouse!

Now last year we was all sposed to move into our new bedroom but fings bein as dey dus be, it didn’t appen. Wot I fink I explains now is dat boat building time not like normal time. Fings always end up bein more complicated dan first imagined. Sometimes some big problems come up wot dad has to deal wif before he can finish somfink else.

Like the time when they did strip out da bow bedroom in the early days and den they accidentally broke da pipe wot did go from da galley (dat is kitchen remember) to da outside of da boat. It was unrepairable coz of bein so old, so dad had to fabricate new one and weld in place!

Anyways, before we cuds move into da bedroom dad had to have somewhere where he could do a lot of the bedroom preparation work. He needed a big room to build the bed, parts of the walls and make the doors. He did make the doors himself from scratch! They decided that first of all they wud ave to do some work in the saloon to get ready for making fings for da bedroom.

They worked in da saloon all frew da early munfs of 2008 – January frew to March. Was very cold there and to access the saloon at the time, they did av to go outside and walk along the walkway to the back door.

There was no direct access from the galley or wheelhouse at dat time so it was a cold walk from the galley around the outside of the boat to the newly installed back door in the saloon! Mum and dad considerately put annuva dog flap in for me but I preferred to stay warm in da galley during those winter munfs! Plus I had builded up ma coat to protect me ;)). I calls it da Larry the Lamb look!

Dey was workin on puttin da walls in place and workin on the doors. Was very cold in there as the windows let in lots of cold air so they work hard and fast to get everyfink ready. Dad was concentratin on da walls and the curves, den he started building the bed frame along wiv a small wardrobe wot they cuds keep mums clothes in.

Dad didn't need to keeps his clothes in dere coz they too dirty and orrible he say! Is for mum's work stuff so she can keeps it all clean. You can see da wardrobe and part of the bed in dis pic. Not very big wardrobe is it? Dad say space is always at a premium in a boat, even one as big as Atlantis! I fink is his way of stoppin mum buyin too many outfits!

All da walls are gonna be has cherry veneer wot dad dus then stain and lacquer an den polishes (mum dus that bit) to bring to a bootiful colour and shine. Here is da befores an afters pics of wot dad dun wiv da walls to the en suite shower. You can see wot dad dun step by step to get a bootiful colours wot you can sees your face in it! Pay attenshuns, here come the science bit (heehee I nicked dat from advertisement wot I seed one time).

Step 1 - laminate da wall out of plywood
Step 2 - sheath in veneer (North American Cherry and very expensive!) using contact adhesive
Step 3 - give Lex a sossidge (haha just put dat in for fun, so I check you readin!)
Step 4 - stain orange
Step 5 - stain brown
Step 6 - laquer
Step 7 - colour-sand (make it smoove) and polish
Step 8 - do all of dat again (from step 3!) about 10 times

Hey Preston! You has your bootiful walls thusly:

So tick tockety tickety tick ---- bedroom is coming!!!! Mum and me gettin really eggsited bout it too! Dad workin really hard and tryin to get everyfink done quick. I fink I mighta said dat already ;). Here dus be the bed all ready for da mattress wot gonna be put on top! Mum never telled dad til later but she imaginin herself fallin off it! Dad built everyfink himself. He has to custom builds everyfink coz you can't buy dis sort of stuff in da shops. Da more obserbant readers will notice that dad has been testing the bed out (pillows and dad shaped dust!) for size!

Mum not overly impressed wiv da access dat dad has had to hastily arranged! She finkin of those nights when she has to go to the loo up the ladder. Mum an ladders are a deadly mix!! Dad tell mum she just has to put up wiv it! He has not the time nor the inclination to put in a staircase. Deal wiv it he tell her. She get da hump dat is for sure and go off in a strop!

Wot dad dussnt tell da mum is he wanna surprises her. She has to go away for a few days to do some training and he bin tellin her dat the bedroom not gonna be finish for a few more weeks, so she just has to be patient. Patient she say! Ha --- she bin sleepin on a floor for 5 years, dat is patient ain't it?! Harumph and off she go for her trainin.

When she gone, dad an Jared (wiv some elps from da Lexie - mainly testin fings and dat) finish off da bedroom double quick. Dey put some nice lightin in and finish off da wardrobe wif rail and lights inside. They dus some shelvin so mum can put her nice fings on dem like her smelly candles wot she like. Dad get a new telly and dvd player so she can watch her favourite movies in bed if she likes. Dad finish off by puttin in da mattress and makin the bed up all nice. Mum gonna love it we finks! Don't it look cosy!

Den he and Jared work hard to builds new staircase for runnin up and down as much as we likes! I test it and it is all good! Better than the ladder. Dad was only doin ladder for joke and know wiv mum track record she cant be goin up a ladder in the middle of the night. They finish off da staircase and everyfink ready for when mum come home. She is now officially got a real bedroom complete wiv bed and staircase access! Hoorah!

So they offishully move in an spend their first night in their new bedroom. I be in there too but I am free to go up and down the stairs when I likes. Mum has put ma bed nearby so I can sleep in it if I wants but I lie wiv dem anyway ;)). You be pleased to know she has never fall out of dat bed yet! Although she did spend a fitful night wonderin if she would! Silly moo!

Tune in next time to find out about how they finally gets rid of dat old wheelhouse and open up the back of the boat when dad removes the upper engine room.

Abbysinya! (there is a joke about dat but I forgets it now!)

Looks like the bedroom will have to wait annuva year - part 11

2010-08-02T20:01:00.001+01:00

Last time I telled you dat 2007 was big push for da bedroom. Dad was very keen to get rid of the old wheelhouse so he could complete all the steelwork as soon as possibles.

He started buildin the rooms down in what was the old fish-hold. You remember that? There was no trace of fishy smells any more coz mum and dad had cleaned out each bilge compartment and jetwashed any remainin icky stuff!

In case you forgetted, here is da fish-hold before (wif some strip out too):

And here it dus be after, ready for fittin out (blasted and painted):

The first fing dad dun was to weld new plate into old access route and cut a new bigger hol by the bulkhead wall where da new staircase would go. The fish-hold was big enough for two bedrooms, a small hall and an en-suite for da bigger bedroom. Dat was gonna be mum and dad's bedroom (and mine of course) for a while.

Next fing wot dey dun was get all the wood for walls and floor down the hole into the hold. Altogeva they dun about 20 big sheets of wood wot measured bout 3m. They was very heavy! Mum was puttin them down the hole and dad was loadin them togeva.

She fink she got the raw end of the deal but dad telled her was good for her dinner lady arms!! I won't tell you wot she said to dat!! Troof was dat the bilge was not covered over and dad, knowin mum's track record, decided it was too risky for her to cross. She would fall in for sure!

Next fing wot need to be done was to put in a new door to da engine room wot never had no access there before. Dad did cut out the hole and they put in the new door. Until dat time, they had to go down few annuva ladder! They always goin up and down ladders! If I wants to go wiv dem, I has to be carried.

Ere dus be new door. Please everyone control your excitement! Ahhh bless mum and dad they saddo's they got very eggsited bout their new door I can tell you!

After that dad start battenin out da walls wiv some strips of wood. He also gotta spray foam da walls wif da erm .... spray foamy stuff! Once that done he can start to put up walls and put in da floor! Bedroom here we come. Oh wait .... 2007 is finished! Guess we not gonna be in da bedroom this year! Never mind, we dus be used to dat. Sometimes is just the way of fings. So we carries on sleepin on da floor in the wheelhouse for a little longer. Mum dussnt as to worry bout fallin out of bed just yet ;)).

Oh just in case you wondrin wot da Lexie up to! Well here I dus be relaxin in ma favorit place in da galley where is warm and toasty! Mainly coz mum got the oven on for heat for us! As you can see dem seat cushions has seen better days. No I didn't claw them! Well ok I did claw them but they were already mankazoid anyway!

See you in 2008 definitely be in the bedroom den I can feel it in ma bones!!

It must be frew da ... round window - part 10

2010-07-03T23:00:00.001+01:00

Well hello furriends! Is still 2007 - was a very busy year you know? Dad, never content wiv one or two fings on da go at once, decides to buy the drydock where we was living at the workin wharf.

Before he know where he at, he's workin on Atlantis, Auldyn River, anovva houseboat build and boats comin in and out da drydock. Here he is stick weldin on some fingamabobbies wot is called anodes on a boat in dere. Dat his old weldin elmet he did arsk me to point out! (dog knows why!!)

They decides is time to take on more peoples and dad starts a small boat buildin business. Headin up da team dus be ma favouritest person Jared! We also has is bruvva workin for us he has long hair wot dus be called dreadlocks an he likes to run after me in da yard tryin to steal ma ball! We also has annova couple called Fry and Leela (like from da futurama - dat is not they real names but wot we called dem for fun). They dus let me eat some of dey samwuches but we dussnt tell mum bout dat! Dat is just between us ok???

Mum dus be workin from ome quite a bit an has set up her office in da galley (kitchen). We is quite cozy in dere although sometime she get wet from da hole in da roof where dad is cuttin away old metal ready to make it easier to remove da wheelhouse. She has to wear her cagule. There be lots of noise goin on too but she dussnt mind, she all fixed up wif appropriate cloavin as you an see! Is dark in there so she has to squint ;)).

When mum is at ome I dus make maself comftibles in da galley as well. Is nice and warm in dere most of da time. We turns the cooker on for extra warmf if it get too cold. Mum make sure she sorts me out wif ma comfy cushion next to her in da galley as well!

Course as we knows, before dad cud take off da wheelhouse, he had to build da bedroom and before he cud do that, he had to finish off da back structure (wot we calls da saloon). Oh, I forgot, fings were made a lot easier wif dad's latest purchase - a big crane! Here he is sittin in da cab.

Dad also used da crane to build the two-storey wooden structure wot would go on top of da lighter he was buildin as a houseboat for a customer. Dey builded da structure on da land by da wharf and then wud use da crane to move it onto da lighter which was moored next to Atlantis. Ere dus be da wooden structure. Dem windows is from China!

Meanwhile back on Atlantis, Dad and Jared was workin on preparing da back structure for da windows. First of all they dun painted da structure so it would be easier to mark out da windows. Then they use a template made of some stuff wot is called MDF and cutout all da steel to form da windows. Here dus be a before and da after shot - can you see dem differences?

Before:

After:

Here's da view from da inside after dey had blasted and painted it.

Maybe you dus remember dat it looked like dis at da start back in 2003 and mum is standin in roughly da same place for boaf photos!

I fink 2007 was their hardest year. They worked really hard and achieved a lot dat year. I hasn't even telled you bout all da ovva fings yet! So I leave it there for now with a lovely sunset over da river.

Bye for now pals fanx for readin ... in da next episode ..... mum and dad get a bedroom complete wiv bed!

I've started ..... so I'll finish ..... beep beep beep .....

2010-06-25T07:34:00.003+01:00

That ansome border terrier Marley Magnusson as put me under da spotlight and makins me sit in da black chair! He dun arsk some questions coz someone dun aksed him some! Dis wot he dun arks me!

1. Wot is the favourite fing wot your pawsons and hoomans duz for you?

Oh gawd! Just one fing? Mmmm ang on i be finkin...... Marley dat such an unfair question! They dus so many fings for me is really ard to say. Ok ere we dus go:

Mum - I fink is da fact that she is never ever ever too tired to play wif me. Dussnt matter what time it is, or what she bin doin. She always got time for playin wif da ball or tuggin da rope or, one wot we boaf dus love doin, playin hide and seek!
Dad - He ma protector an in da mornin mum dus get up early and I gets into da bed and me and dad has cuddles and he tickles ma tummy til I go into da trance!

Me and dad avin ..... fun ... apparently

2. Iz time for noms, wot you eatin?

Sossidge, wiv a side order of sossidge on a sossidge coulis with sossidge wine! Did I menshun sossidges? Hahaaaa of course dis is a joke becoz I dus not be allowed sossidges all da time, only one a day! These days I dus av chicken chub wot as herbs in it so I dussnt get da gurglies.

Sossidge anyone?

3. Duz you ave an embarassin abits?

No, defnitally not. nope, no way,none whatsoeva! Weeeell .......ok I dus have two! Da first one is dat I occashunally has a kling-on on ma starboard bow if you get ma drift? Mum has to errm ...... assist wif removal procedure. Second fing is dat I torks in ma sleep and they dus sometimes call me da snoffle-offagus!

Snoffle, snuffle, pppffffff

4. Wot is your favourite animal fillum?

Born Free - wot is bout lioness called Elsa! An I dus love da feem toon as well - Born Freeeeeeee as free as da wind blows!!! Teehee!

5. If you comin to a pawty at my ouse, wot you bringin wiv you?

Sossidges of course!

Right dat is me dun! Now I gonna ask dese five questions to some pals!

1. Who would you share your last treat wiv and why?

2. What is your favourite song?

3. What would you do if you had a time machine?

4. What is your favourite colour?
5. What superpower would you like to have and why?

These are da pals wot I be arksin da questions: @Mariodacat, @Jazzydacat, @Flocatlady, @Mattiedog, @MrsFiddlesticks

I thank you!
Lexie-loo signin off
Bye bye

oh i dus like to be beside da seaside!!

2010-06-21T17:30:00.004+01:00

♫ oh i do likes to be beside da sea
oh i do like to stroll along da prom prom prom
where da brass-band play tiddly sossidge song ♫

Hee-hee! I dussnt even know wot a prom prom prom is! We did av a lovely time coz we went to da seaside da ovva week! You know what I really enjoys? Yes dat is right, swimmin! I fink you know me wells enuff to say you dus knows dat bout me! Dis me in da surf at ma favrit beach in Essex - Walton.

So where did this obesshun come from? Am I really a fish in disguise? Maybe, I mean they dus call us border terriers the otter dog coz we has a head shaped like an otter and when we is in da water you cuds mistake us for one. But it wasn't always dis way! There was a time when I was afraid of da water..........

When I was little an livin wif da orridbles man you may members dat I was trapped on his boat a lot on ma own. You also remembers dat I got fed up of bein on ma own one night and jump off his boat and swim round to mum and dad to be! You can read about dat ere if you likes to but you dussnt av to!

Annova fing wot maded me bit more scared appen before mum an dad fitted Lexie's security door to da side of Atlantis (large piece of metal - no expense spared :0). Mum an dad had to go to a weddin. I hadn't been wif dem very long and it was da first time dey left me on ma own for a long period of time.

They had gone on little outins and they had teached me som code words 'back soon button moon'. Dis mean take a chill-pill Lexie we be back before you can say 'antidistinctlymintystablishmentism' fingy.

I notice that they was gone long time, longer dan usual! I got a bit worked up bout it an fink I go look for dem. They obviously forgetted where they dus live. I manage to jump ova from Atlantis onto Mamba wifout any problems. Now da hard but, jump from Mamba to da steps. I has never dun this coz mum always carry me up da steps.

One .. two ... free ... jump! Oops plop I goes! I missed da steps and fell between da boat and da steps into the mud. Luckily, the tide was out. Oh dear! I spended some time slappin about in da mud, plop plop plop round I went to Atlantis, nope can't get on dere. Plop, plop, plop back to Mamba. Nope no good there! Mmm fing was if I standed still too long I start sinkin in da mud. Oh gawd, wot gonna appen! I just keep ploppin round dat is the ticket!

After a bit, I dus hear voices and I can hear dat it be da mum and dad! Oh fanx goodness! Bark bark bark plop plop plop I goes. I hear mum say ' Lex knows we're back then' and larfs. Humph, you might larf woman, I be ploppin around in dis mud down ere!

They comes down the steps and jump onto Mamba, then they walk across and go on board Atlantis, wifout a care in da world! Oi, you two, over ere!!!! Bark bark plop plop. Wot is wrong wif dem? Is dey mutton jeff or sufmink?

I hear dem come runnin back onto Mamba and see dad head pop over the side above me. Finally tsssk! You know what they dun then? They larf at me! Pffft I mean really! Anyway, dad did get da boathook and pulled me up by my collar. I used to wear it all da time den, not like now where I dus take it off when I relaxin at ome! You be please to know dat I recovered from my trommactic experience.

Only fing was as a consquienz of dat I did get bit scaredy of water and swimmin. Not really sofmink you should be when you is ship dog! Mum and dad try to get me to go in the water but I wasn't avin none of it.

Mum decided da best fing to do was go swimmin erself so I wud follow er. Fing is wif regards to da mum we did has such a strong bond now dat she know I dus follow er wherever she go. Mum goes, I goes! Guess what? It did work! And now?

Well, you can't keep me outta da water. I likes to swim in da sea most of all. I don't mind da river but it dus give me da gurgly tummy. We fink is becoz of da brackishness of it. Mmm say we, I mean mum becoz I dussnt even know what dat mean! I'm a dog!

It was our dearest friend Kafleen (@pasikas), who worked it out from da very beginning and she was right! Our latest acquisition (fanks to Kafleen again) is a paddlin pool wot I can go in to keep cool in da hot summer. It was also from da advice of @henryandfriends dat I was brave enuff to finally go in da pool as well! You can read wot him sed to do in da Anipal Times.

So dat dus be ma obesheshun - water! Good job really aint it? Oh and dis me in action avin swim at Walton - Baywatch styley! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts2mcH5TDqM.

Thar she blows - part 9

2010-06-07T22:07:00.000+01:00

Hello me old chinas! Yes it dus be me again. Lexie! Da cockney sparra. You know wot dus mean china of course! Is cockney rhyming slang for china plate = mate (friend).

Well enuf of all dat Eliza Doolittle malarky let's get on wif fings. I has decide to concenratates on 2007 again. Dis was a long year wif lots of fings appenin for mum and dad. I, of course, remained completely wonderful and lovely. I still bin gettin lots of walks and as bin playing wiv ma ball. I dussnt even realise that I has had about 20 balls coz we has lost so many!

I even got annova holiday - in Cornwall this time and celebrated my 3rd birfdee as well. Mum forgetted to take da camera on holiday! What an idiot so we dussnt av no photos of me on dat one! Life wif mum and dad seemed to consist of endless walks, play, swims and general lovin. Dis is what is all about init? The love and joy our hoomins bring us .... oops I mean we bring to our hoomins heehee.

Dad had finished diggin out our new berf for Atlantis which we was movin from da marina to a working wharf where we did av a crane wot dey had buyed for to elp wif da remove of da wheelhouse.

Not content wiv working on Atlantis, Audlyn River, mum holdin down a day job and bellydancing, they decide to take up annova hobby - powerboat racin! I fink perhaps they shud of consulted the fashion police before havin dis photo taken! I did not go in boat wif dem when they is racin, as is too dangerus for doggies. Dad was driver and mum was be the navigator. When they was not racin we go out for rides in da boat.

Back at da marina is end of May and mum, dad and Jared has prepared Atlantis to move to her new home around the corner at da Wharf. Becoz of her draught/draft (that dus be the distance between the waterline and the bottom of da hull) they had to move Atlantis over two tides. First, she did go to on the tide to the outside of the outer arm where she was moored. When the next day did come, we sailed her round to her new moorin at da wharf. Thar she blows!

She get settled into her new moorin. She sits high on the mud at first and it will take her some munfs before she start sinkin down into the mud. Dat only mean one fing, more sleepin at a angle again til she settle down. We used to dat! That is also a great fing bout sleepin on the floor, can't fall off nuffink! Mum knows dey soon gonna be sleeping in a bed again. She keeps wonderin to herself if she gonna fall offa da bed! Dad say he get her a safety net! haaaahaaa he funny dat one! He a keeper - as far as I concerned - dey boaf is! Dey has passed da test ;)). Dad built a nice big ramp for us to get across from da land to Atlantis. Is safe and wide. Dad did boing up and down on it lots and lots for us to see was very safe!

Here you can see dat Atlantis sit up so high on da mud that my lovely friend Jared can stand inside wot us seafarers call da kort nozzle! Dat duz be the protective fingamabob wot go around da propeller - see?? Avast ye landlubbers get to it! Jared dus be really tall as well he is like abot 6 ft 3 inches or somfink like dat, so you can see ow big our propeller dus be! Ain't he lovely? I dus really love Jared, he so kind to me and has always got big smiles and tickles for me!

While she dus be sittin high on da mud, they also decide to give her a bit of a clean up on the hull, washin off barnacles and ovva orrible slimey green fings wot I can't possibly talk about. Mainly coz I dussnt know what they is!

We is gettin to know the locals a bit better too! Not sure they appreciate me swimmin on dere patch and I dussnt fink they saw the funny side! Made me larf tho ;).

I like it at the wharf, I can go out ma dog flap whenever I likes an go across da ramp to the yard. I dussnt need to be carried anywhere! The yard is all locked up at night wiv some big gates. I can wander around at my leisure! I like goin out at night and early mornin to see if I can catch rats. I fink my barkin is givin me away tho ;). Might have to refink ma strategy.

Well, that is that ... this turned out to be bout the move wot we dun at da end of May 2007. They can turn their attenhsun back to workin on Atlantis and Auldyn River. The main priorities for dad dus be to get us into a real bedroom so he can remove the wheelhouse! More about that in da next espiode!

Drink up me 'earties. Yo ho!

Dem legs is made for walkin and dat wot they will dus - part 8

2010-05-25T22:55:00.001+01:00

Hello ma frends. Bout time you wrote da next chapter ain't it Lexie? mum says to me. Ok ok I say. I be a very busy lady you know. Wot wif all da nappin wot I has to do, all da tweetin and such. I mean dis not some excoos but it has been extreeeeemely ot lately and I has to make sure I keeps cool. Is very impawtant for da Lexie. Dis be ma bestest position for keepin cool: chicken drumsticks mum calls it, or frogs legs!

Anyway, where is we at? Oh yes, da year dus now be 2007. I was tellin you before bout mum's manager (she was woman not man) who was really orrible. Was gettin mum down a lot and dad say is time to quit.

On MV Atlantis (MV dus stands for motor vessel) the usual fing appen. Can you guess? Yes - frost, cold, ice, frozen pipes, mum fallin over bla bla bla! Mum heard bout a new exercise class startin up in da village near where we was moored. She decide to go along wiv her frend and did discover they was bellydancing! She loved it! Da moosic... da dancing... da heaters in the dancehall!

She was hooked da first time she went and has been dancin ever since! Probly we be tellin you more bout dat later from time to time. Here she dus be when she dun her first performance at a school fete! She was really scared can you tells?

Mum was as well worried bout money and quittin her job wivout anuvva one but she say, what the hell, I can't go on like dis. So she quit! Was great feelin. They talks it over and they decide is time to go freelance and work for herself. Wot she does for a livin? I hear you ask (possibly) She work wiv da interwebnet. She build websites, content management systems and writes for da web. Dad say she can find job easy wiv her skills and experience. He dus be right bout it!

She hadn't even left her job when her old boss call her up and offers her some contract work! Best of all, she can do it mostly from ome! Yippeee! She is doin a web fingamabob for a housing association in Hammersmith, London. They ask her to go in twice a week and rest of time she can work from home! So that's her sorted and I get to av mum time 3 days a week and all weekend too! Hooray!

In da meantime, I telled you bout the fing what dad was gonna be working on. Dad had been given da opportunity to do some eggsitin work on a huuuuge boat call Auldyn River. Da man wot buyeded it wanted to turn it into a recordin studio and he wanted to film everyfink for a televishin documentary wot would be on the telly! Audlyn River dus be a hooge boat as you can see from dis pic. She was a coaster and shipped bulk materials all over da world.

Dad and mum had decided to employ Jared full time to be dad's apprentice and learn all da fings he need to know to be a shipwright. Jared would be workin wiv dad on boaf Atlantis and Auldyn River. Dad also had friend wot could work wiv dem on and off to elp wiv fings who ad experience of workin on boats.

Auldyn River was 54m long and it was da intenshuns of da owner to make her into a recording studio and floatin home! First fing they dun was to cut all dem blue fings off da side (on boaf sides dat is). Thems is called combings. After that they did av to prepare da hold for its new floor coz it wud be split into two and have a further storey on top!

They had to buy lots of hoooge stacks of wood for da floorin and to make da supportin frames. Dad use a fing wot is called a magnetic pillar drill to make oles in da steel to bolt the wood to the steel. Here's da wood wot they did av to put in da hold. You can see how deep the hold is. On da wall about 2.8m on da wall you can see da wood and some steel hangers wot they would lay da floor on.

They moved all dat wood by hand, carryin it up da 1/4 mile pontoon on they shoulders one by one! Dad earned his nickname of Popeye coz his muscles got even bigger in da end!

Dey jump over to Atlantis for a while. Dad has to get her ready for sailin to anovva mooring wot we as secured. Is still wiv da same landylord is just more of a working moorin where he can has access to a yard and do fings dat is not allowed in da ovva marina. He has until May dat year to get her ready for da trip. Is only about 1/2 mile around da corner so won't be too difficult!

Best fing about dis is some new equipment wot is goin to make life much easier for dad! First fing is a digger. He use dat to dig out the new berth for Atlantis. Here he is diggin out da berth ready for Atlantis to come around and live there.

Sounds easy, right? Not really! He had to use the digger to lay concrete beams in da mud first, so he could drive on them so he wouldn't sink in! Of course, dis all was between tides and he had to make sure he move the digger back before it came in or is bye bye digger! heehee. Mum was responsible for watchin da tide and of course, made sure I kept a safe distance in between throwin da ball for me! A very serious and impawtant task!

Next fing is a 30 ton crawler crane wot they has buyed. They can use dat to lift steel onto Atlantis and for dad to remove da wheelhouse and build a new one! Mum likes da sound of dat! Why? Becoz removin da wheelhouse means dey has to finish the bedroom so they can move into it! Oh mum fink, imagine sleepin in a proper bed again! I dussnt know if I telled you but they bin sleepin on da floor for FOUR years! Yes, FOUR years in the cold and windy (winter) or boiling hot greenhouse (summer) wheelhouse on a mattress about as thick as a cream craker. Course, mum being mum worries. What about? Fallin out of da bed! heehee!

Dad start workin in da fishhold (do you remember that - the stripout?) to turn it into bedrooms and en suite shower. He has to get it ready so he can remove da old wheelhouse. Here he is ..... working ;).

Dad be hoppin between Atlantis and Auldyn River tryin to sort everyfink out redy for our move. Jared is workin ard on Auldyn River and is comin on really well, dad say. He say he can leave him unsupervised to get on wiv fings and each mornin Jared come to see us for cup of tea and dad tell him the days work.

Wot bout me and da mum? Well, we dus av lovely routine. We gets up bout 7am and go for walks all along da beach. If the tide is in I get to swim too!

We dus find a nice woodland to walk in as well dat as got bluebells and little paths. We dus play hide and seek in da woods and mum hides behind trees and fink I not know where she is! Silly woman!

We comes back to Atlantis and mum does some work. Den we dus all av lunch togeva and mum does any tidyin up wot dad dus need. She might take some stuff to the local tip for im or go and get gas for da cutters or weldin supplies.

Later on durin da afternoon we dus go for more walks togeva and plays wiv da ball. We dus av some tea when is later and I usually get anovva walk before bed time. I has learned dat these are times when I dus go for wee and poo! Mainly, coz she say wee and poo all the time! Can a doggie get any appier dan this? I dussnt fink so! Altho I fink I shud of start measurin ma legs I'm sure they has got shorter since then!

Well friends, as usual, dis is turnin into one loooong post. We fink we might have to spread 2007 over a few posts as a lot appens that year. I shall love you and leave you and hope that I'll see you again!

Lexie signin off! Bissous!
xx

A tale of war-time romance to commemoration of V-E Day

2010-05-08T16:26:00.006+01:00

Mum was finkin bot her mum and dad today becoz V-E Day today here and theirs is a war-time tale! She was lookin frew some old photos she has of dem and I fort she might like to tells you bout them on ma bloggy. I ope you don't mind! Over to you mum!

* * * *

This is a photo of my mum and dad on their wedding day, 21st June 1947 (also know as the longest day or summer solstice in our hemisphere).

Dad, James Edward - Jim to his friends, was born on the 19th April 1922 in the village of Netterton near Bedlington, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. One of 10 brothers he was born into a family that had no money and lived in a small part of an old dairy, squashed in together.

Dad left school when he was 11 to start working down Netterton pit (pictured on the left). Because he was small for his age, he was soon identified as one of the many lads that worked on the coal face, the most dangerous part of the mine. He survived two mine collapses and when I was a child he used to fascinate and amuse me by pushing the coal embedded in his knees with his fingers!!

His father (George) was foreman at the pit and earned extra money at night as a barefist boxer in the pubs and working men's clubs around Newcastle. He was a violent and hard man. His mother was a kind and loving woman, a school piano teacher, she died in childbirth at the age of 42 when she gave birth to her final child, her only daughter, Ada.

Dad realised his life would become a carbon copy of his own father's and at the age of 17 knew he had to find a way to escape the future that awaited him. He did not want his future to be working the mine all his life until he died either in a mine collapse or emphysema, drinking and fighting at weekends. It seemed to be the life of the men in his village.

So, at 17, in 1939 he signed up for the Army Air Corps. He had never been out of Northumberland before, the further he had travelled was to Newcastle on the bus to sign up for the AAC. He told us the two best things about signing up for the AAC was getting a pair of his own shoes to wear EVERY DAY and a set of dentures (false teeth).

He'd lost all his teeth when he was 9 from a gum disease (pyorrhea) because of poor diet. He didn't get dentures until he was 17! He only had boots to wear down the mines and shared them with four of his brothers, so when they weren't working down the mines, they walked around barefoot.

After several postings to France, he was eventually posted to Hornchurch, Essex in 1942. He was 20.

Mum, Elsie Elizabeth Jean - known to all as Betty - was born on the 16th February 1924 in East London, third child of five, eldest daughter.

Her two sisters, Dorothy and Rachel came soon after and the three grew into beautiful young women and were often referred to as the Andrew Sisters! Her dad decided to move them out of London in 1938 to a more rural location - Hornchurch, Essex. Not so rural now but in those days it was only fields, a few houses and shops.

Mum was 18 in 1942 and she started working at the Admiralty in London. She deciphered morse code and was also a radio operator. Working in London during that time was difficult as there were many air-raids. She sometimes spent the night in shelters in London and also in the East End. Sometimes she made it home to Hornchurch and then it was the cupboard under the stairs, if her dad had locked the Anderson shelter he had built in the back garden (later to become dad's shed)!

In an effort to get to know the locals, the RAF held dances every Friday and Saturday night at the Aerodrome. Mum and her two sisters used to go every Friday and Saturday to dance and let their hair down with the odd jitterbug with a Yank! Mum hadn't been to the dances for a few weeks as she'd been stuck in London. Her sisters were constantly talking about a young handsome man that had recently turned up at the Aerodrome. 'He dances like Fred Astaire' my Aunt Dorothy told mum. 'Handsome like him too' my Aunt Ray pitched in.

Mum was intrigued to see this man. She loved a man who could dance and Fred Astaire - well if this Jim was anything like him then she could see herself out arm in arm with a man like that! Off she went to the dance with Dot and Ray. 'All right pet, would you like to dance?' Well he doesn't sound like Fred Astaire but let's see, mum thought.

Dad sure could dance and he was good looking too! No wonder they called him twinkle-toes! Mum used to say he was so light on his feet and you didn't need to know how to dance, he could just take you around the room like your were floating on air! They soon got the nickname Fred and Ginger at the dances!

They started courting and had been dating for about a year when dad's squad was told he was going to be stationed in The Azores. Before he left, he proposed to mum and promised to marry her on his return. Six months, tops he told her. She agreed to marry him when he came home. That was June 1943.

Due to an oversight by the AAC, they forgot to bring dad and his squad home after the end of the war. They spent almost a year with little food and water. When they were finally brought home, they were so malnourished and sick they were taken straight to a sanitorium in Christchurch, Bournemouth to recover. Dad spent a year there gaining back the weight he had lost; he weighed just four stone when he went into the sanitorium. He had several operations on his stomach, his legs and hands. He was bed-ridden for over six months. A kindly nurse brought in a record player and her collection of music for him to listen to. It was the beginning of his love of some great composers - Beethoven, Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky and Wagner (I can't listen to Tannhauser without thinking of us sitting in our lounge together listening on a Sunday afternoon).

During this time, mum had heard nothing from dad. She had tried to tell herself that he was just a bad letter writer! In her darkest days she was afraid he had died. She was still going out with her sisters to dances, but that Jim had stolen her heart and although she was asked on dates, she declined and became more of a chaperone to her sisters, hoping she would one day see her Jim come walking along her street.

It was now 1945, the war was over and life started to return to normal. People went about their daily lives. Mum got another job in London and went on a few dates but her heart wasn't in it. On arriving home from work one afternoon, she found a letter. It was from Dad. He explained how sorry he was not to have been in touch. He told her how he had been left behind in the Azores and was now recuperating in Christchurch.

Could mum come and see him? He was a bit of a sight, but maybe one weekend she could get a train down?

There was a nurse at the hospital that would put her up or they could arrange a cheap bed and breakfast for her. Could she! Who needed a train? She could fly there she felt like she had wings! He was ALIVE!!!!!

Mum visited dad often at the sanitorium and as he became stronger, they would go for walks around Christchurch, Boscombe and Bournemouth. They loved the place! That also explains why we went there on holiday EVERY YEAR as kids! Memory Lane for mum and dad. Eventually, dad was strong enough to leave the sanitorium and travelled back to Hornchurch with mum to a room they had rented for him in the house next door to mum. Dad moved in during December 1946.

Mum and dad set the date for their wedding for the following summer at the local church. They had got to know each other well during their walks and talks in Christchurch. Mum realised what a kind and funny man dad was. Dad learned how sensitive mum was and that she had a sadness to her that he would try all his life to help her overcome.

Mum had been through many traumatic times while she worked in London during The Blitz. She didn't speak much about them but they took their toll on her mental heath. She also suffered from what we now know is post natal depression. She was later diagnosed as having manic depression and underwent various forms of barbaric "treatment" to try to "cure" herself as she saw it. Still, through all that, she was a wonderfully kind lady and often fought through the illness to be a supportive and loving mum.

Dad suffered from poor health because of the poverty when he was young, working in the mines when his lungs weren't fully developed and the near-death experience in the Azores. Despite all that, he was the funniest man I ever met and could have everyone laughing at him when we knew we should really be crying.

They managed to have three children my brother (shown above) was born in 1948, my sister in 1954 and me in 1963.

Mum spent years in and out of hospital trying to beat the depression. When I was 12, a blood clot lodged itself behind her retina and she lost the sight in one eye. The day before my 18th birthday party she lost the sight in her other eye. She fell off a stool she was using to clean the windows. As she fell she turned so that she could use her arms to break her fall. She fell into a flower-bed where there were some fuschias tied up to canes. One of the canes went into her other eye. She had to have emergency surgery but they could not save the eye completely. She ended up with 1/4 sight in her eye. These two events made life even harder for her but she coped well with her blindness.

Sadly, mum died in 1988. She took her own life after years of battling with depression and a deep sadness we could never help her get past. Dad was heartbroken. He had spent so many years looking after her and trying to help her overcome her depression. He died two years later in 1990 from stomach cancer, cancer I believe was brought on by her death and his broken heart.

God rest their souls. I know, in my heart, they are over the Rainbow Bridge dancing in the great Ballroom in the Sky together - Fred and Ginger - Jim and Betty RIP!

* * * *

Ok is me again Lexie! Your hostess wiv da moastests. Wow now if that didn't have you grabbin for dem tissues you as a harder eart than me! I fink mum should write a book bout her family!

We're all goin on a summer olidays init! - part 7

2010-05-07T20:12:00.002+01:00

Is bin so long since I dun bloggy bout Atlantis I did forget where I was up to! I had to go back and has a look. Ahh right I am livin in da life of the luxury(ish) after bein rescued from da horrible man wot shud never of had a Lexie!

The year now dus be 2006 and we in middle of anova cold winter, sleepin da wheelhouse! I won’t bore you wif da details, I’s already telled you bout the kind of fing that appens, you know! Fings like:

· Frozen water pipes
· Boiler locking out coz of cold (boiler was housed in engine room what was very cold)
· Wakin up in da middle of night freezing coz is bout -2
· None of us wanting to go to the toilet in da night
· Ice in da shower
· Wearing four layers of clothes (I did have a coat too!)
· Mum wearin hat in bed (dad say he still fink she sexy!)
· Slippery steps of death (as previously mentioned)

Dat last probly bout da first three munfs of the year! You know the drill, lots of layers, dad escortin mum back and forth to the car for safety (mum and ice = fallin over).

Mum still workin miles away in Witham wot is bout 60 miles from da boat. She workin from home one sometime two days a week. I dus really missed her. No matter what time she got in from work, she always takes me for walkies to da beach. We even wud go out wif torch (and dad if mum in danger of fallin over).

Durin the daytimes me and dad wud snuggle in da boat for warmf or if was not too cold he wud go and do some work on da boat. I would accompany him in ma supervisory capacity unless was too cold for da Lexie! I hads ma own door by then so I cuds come and go as I liked.

As the weather warmed up, dad continued wif da work on the new structure (remember is called saloon!). Most important was all da welding to make the structure good and solid. All da supporting beams across da roof was welded in place.

A crane barge arrive to move da crane from the main deck to the roof of the superstructure so dad could use it for installing the skirts.

He was also busy with putting the skirts around the roof to give her nice curves. Dad had been workin on his own and was havin to wait for mum to come home to help before he cud do fings. In da end, they decide to employ a young lad wot live in the marina to elp! That was Jared. He is ma lovely friend wot loves to play wif me and always had time for tummy tickles – for me not dad! Heehee.

Dad and Jared (he is on da roof in dat photo aboves) had the crane moved onto the roof of the structure so they could use it to put the curves in and could tac them into place. Here’s dad and Jared workin on the back curve.

At weekends mum and dad worked on putting a new generator they had acquired into the engine room. Dad liked to save all the dirty jobs for mum! They cut a hole in the side wall of da upper engine room and use a chain-hoist to slowly manoeuvre the generator into lower engine-room.

Me and mum was spending lots of time walkin around da area and finding fun places to go. Our best walk is to da local power station which walks all along da Medway riverbank. Goes for miles and miles and involves lots of mud, swimming and ball throwin! I can walk for a long way now coz mum has built up ma stamanina! Not sure if you knows this, but I loooooves to swim! heehee ;)).

When mum at work and dad and Jared busy, I fnd maself a nice place to relax an has a little sleeps!

In August, mum take me to the Lake District to see if I got this walkin fing sorted! She say we goin on walkin holiday Lex! I say, to maself coz I can’t talk hoomins, oooooh I never been on olidays before, this should be fun and I loves to walk now. I not the little doggie wot scared of everyfink and everyone no more! I ready to take on da world, is they ready for Lexie?

Dad decide to stay at home and do more noisy, dirty work while mum is away. He has to cut out more of the engine room, to get other equipment in that he has. He say ‘me and Jared can make a mess, lots of noise and not worry about you and Lex! Go, have a good time!’

So off we goes to the Lake District – me, mum and our friend Pelicia wot is from Malaysia! Oh, let me tell you, I never had seen such wonderful fings like all dem hills and lakes! Was wonderful! Dis is Pelicia, she lovely! We was at Lake Windermere.

We go to Grassmere (Wordsworth was being all poetic there wif his I wandered lonely as a cloud and all that jazz). We stay in lovely doggie-friendly hotel. I was allowed to stay in da room right there with mum! We climb up hill and down dale!

Here's me and da mum posin! I never knew life cud be like dis! Is I dreamin? I scared dat one day I gonna wake up and find it was all a dream and I still locked on dat boat wif da orrible man and his shoe wot he beat me wif!

When we gets ome dad and Jared has been workin ard on Atlantis! Dad also met a man wot is buyin a oooooge boat called a coaster. He wants to turn it into a recordin studio an he heard that dad is an hexpert in dis area of boat conversion! He wants dad to work for him and he wants to film it all!

Here is the boat and in da next chapter we tells you wot appen wif dat boat!

We also tells you bout mum’s job and how unhappy she was! Her old boss what she love did leave and she was put under anova orrible manager who was making her life hell! Quit! Quit! Quit! Dad say. So she did!

Fanx for reading friends! See you on da hustins (wot is they?)!
Lexie-loo!

I've been tagged by dat lovely Mookie!

2010-04-24T10:16:00.002+01:00

Yes I have been very lazy wif regards to this post! I got tagged by ma lovely friend wot is Mookie, who is a most wonderous guinea pig! His bloggy is ere, which I fink I told you about before. As you may remember, he is live with Lippe who is ma great friend wot is travellin the world meeting anipals!

Here do be the game's instructions first:

1. Open your first photo folder

2. Scroll down to 10th photo

3. Post photo and tell a little bit about it

4. Pass it on to 5 others

Well, I look at ma folder of photos. Me and the mum does have separate folders for our photos. When I scroll to ma 10th photo, guess what I found? A photo of me - swimming! Quelle surprise! I hear you say. Indeed, I say back to you as well. How boring! We all knows Lexie is a blinkin dog dat is enjoying lots of swimming, she certainly goes on about it enough! Oh no! What to do!

I ask da mum to step in and look at her folders, see if she got anyfink that is not a) of me and b) of Atlantis! Luckily, she has been scanning old family photos and has dated everyfinks. So, this be the 10th photo from her first photo album and I fink I let her use ma bloggy to tell you bout it in her own words! Over to you da mum!

* * * *

This is a photo of an album cover from my most-played collection. They are called the The and the album is called Infected. The album was released in 1986.

The first time I heard this album I knew this band were different from what was around at the time. I couldn't get to the shop quick enough to buy the video to go with it! Wow! The video was just as amazing.

I had heard nothing like it before. This was a new kind of music and the lead singer, Matt Johnson, created lyrics that seemed to speak to me directly and were about things going on in my life at the time.

I quickly became a fan of their music and videos. I went to every gig I could (which were few and far between - they were very underground at the time).

This album had amazing strings and brass arrangements and a guest appearance on Slow Train to Dawn by Neneh Cherry. The album was written at the height of Thatcherism. It was an album of its time. It spoke to us about our frustration with the system and the inequalities around at the time. Here's what NME said about it:

“It's uncanny. In just eight songs Johnson has freeze-framed a whole nation at a moment in time. Infected - to an eerie, ultimately disturbing, extent - is Britain 1986 trapped on vinyl."
- NME

Over 20 years later and I still listen to the album regularly and watch the fantastic video. Over the years one track or another still hits me and I think 'yes! that is exactly how I feel'.

If you get the chance to listen to any of their albums, also consider Soul Mining, Mind Bomb, Dusk, Hanky Panky (a tribute to Hank Williams like no other), Burning Blue Soul, Solitude and Naked Self.

Their website has a jukebox of their songs and you can get a taste for their style and the impact of their lyrics if you can transport yourself back to the 1980's! Here's the link http://www.thethe.com/

* * * *

Ok is me again Lexie! Your hostess wiv da moastests. So now I dus tag five friends wot I wud like to do the same fing on they bloggy too. Here goes!

@Marleyterrier - http://marleyandlola.blogspot.com

@Huntyr - http://www.huntyr-huntyr.blogspot.com

@Jazzydacat - http://jazzydacat.blogspot.com

@Confuciuscat - http://www.confuciuscat.blogspot.com

@Mattiedog = http://mattiedadog.blogspot.com

Lexie discovers BBQ sausages - part 6

2010-04-15T18:56:00.000+01:00

We is back on da boat theme again and anova chapter in the life of me, the mum, the dad and of course our vessel, the lady Atlantis.

I fink I sticks wif 2005 because I didnt really tell you much bout wot mum and dad was doin that year, da focus in ma last post was all me!! So I say, enough about me for a change! I moved offishully on board during the summer and mum and dad were in the middle of buildin the new back structure. Dis back structure is gonna be wot is known as the saloon (dis be lounge or living room to lubbers of da land).

They arrange for about 10 tons of new steel to be delivered by crane barge to da boat. Here I am ensurin dat the steel is of acceptable quality! I has growed up a bit since den as you can see, and, perhaps some might say I filled out a bit heehee! Dat is good livin ma friend!

First of all dad welded all these lickle triangles to the deck which would become da supports for da beams wot go up! They were all measured and and tacked into place. Mum particularly enjoyed the fact that they are about ankle height and she manage to catch her ankles just about every time she move around the deck. Oopsie! Dat be her tho she always fallin over fings, trippin up fings and wot not.

Ok so once dem triangles all welde in on boaf port (dat the left to you landlubber) and on da starboard (dat is right landlubber) side dad start weldin in da beams wot becomes da erm fingies for da walls. I forget da word I ask him later but he is out right now! Here is dad admirin his handywork in da sun and smokin a fag!! He dussnt smoke no more!

After the straight bits is in place, den is time to put supportin beams across between the uprights on port and starboard. Member wot dat mean? Oh good ... jus testing! You can see in this ere picactur that da beams is goin across to da over uprights. you can also see orrible boat wot I was prisoner on. On da right of dis and the picture above you can also see the beautiful lovingly crafted anti-Lexie door mum and dad put up to stop me jumpin onto the ova boat (dat is called Mamba). Mmm no expense spared eh? heehee! And they callin dis their luxury yacht! Bless em.

Ok next fing wot they dis is to put the walls in place usin the hiab. They then clamp da walls to the beams (clever eh?) then dad does bit more tacking wif stick welder as is called. This is temporary weldin just to hold da metal in place until he does big weldin wif da Mig welder wot is big machine wot let you weld for long time big welds! See I could work in a shipyard no problemo! Here are the walls goin into place.

Dad had meticliously measure all dese fings and did draw it all first usin his autocad software wot elps him design fings da right size, shape and place on da boat. Clever ain't he? Member he has tefal head as discussed previously! Me and dad give everyfin a quick check, make sure we can walks along da side of da walls nice and easy like. Is perfect for Lexie! I also fort I check to see if door is over in case I wanna jump onto Mamba for quick bit of fun!

Next fing dat appen is to put on da roof of da structure. This was made up of four plates wot they had to crane into place. Here is one of da plates being craned in place by dad. Mum took photo's whilst directin dad coz he cud not see what was appenin! She was very crossing her paws dat it would not just slide off da boat into the water! Luckily enuf it did not! heehee.

Once all da plates was in place and da walls was done on boaf sides, time for dad to do some serious welding! Here is some welding wot he dun on the roof of da new structure. He use the jack wot you can see on da roof to bring da plates togeva so he can do nice big strong welds. Mum was his assistant and I had to stay on the maindeck coz of hot welding and sparks, for ma own safety!

Here is da view from inside the back structure. You can see is really taking shape now! Was a great place to go and cool off from dat hot sun of da summer. We all did sit inside eatin our ice creams and drinkin beer an cider (water in ma case humph).

Mum cook evenin BBQs and I did get lots of lovely nommy sausages. Life for me was totally different. Mum did take me walkin EVERY DAY! And she teach me bout swimmin so we can go to the beach and have fun there too. At night we wud all sit on back of boat relaxin. I wud sit on mums lap while she give me tickles.

They wud larf all the time and av music playing. Was so nice not bein locked up and free to roam around as I liked. Mum show me where to poo and wee in case we can't get off boat and them she just clean it up after I bin. No shouting, no hitting! Dat will take some gettings used to.

This photo shows the finished roof and how much welding dad did. Was very safe to stand on there. Mum and dad take me there sometime up the ladder. They did buy a little boat so we can go for trips out to sea! Is very good fun!! Da wind dus blow in your face and spray from da sea is all over you. Is very tickly and funny.

Dis is photo from anova pontoon wot show the whole of da boat. You can just about see the new structure on the back. Dis work took them most of dat year to complete and by the end of Autumn they were ready to move on to the next stage.

Tune in for da next episode and find out more about ma first holiday to the Lake District!

Lexie out!

Lippe came to town

2010-04-11T16:46:00.016+01:00

I fink you all know who Lippe is! He on his 2010 World Tour and is spendin time away from his family visiting anipals around the world. You can read more about his adventures on Mookie's wonderful bloggy at http://mookiepig.blogspot.com.

I was so honoured when Mookie told me dat Lippe would be coming to see me! He had spent a great time already with Bijinte and I Am Fuzzy; dey is two of wonderful bears wot you will find on Twitterington.

Lippe arrived to stay wif us and he was dressed very neatly! We decide to get to know each ova right away and we make friends as soon as he work out i loves avin ma ears tickles.

Lippe got settled in right away and mum tell him dat he goin wif her to bellydance practice tomorrow so early to bed! He had a little go on her drum so he get in da mood. Drum is called tabla or doumbek or darbouke. Mum show Lippe a Baladi rhythm wot go dom-dom tak-a-tak, dom tak-a-tak.

Mum got da bedroom ready for Lippe and he had nice big bed to himself. I fink it was a bit too big for him maself. I'm sure I cudda shared it but mum wasn't too keen on dat idea! I wonder why?

Next mornin we got ups early and Lippe had look out the window while I was doin ma business!

It was a lovely sunny day so before Lippe went wif mum to bellydance practice, we had a little play outside. Mum give Lippe ma bestest ball to frow for me. Not sure he was gettin da idea so I give him so lickle tips wif some whisperin in his lug-hole (he dussnt have ears!!).

Postie-lady came around as well and bring a surprise present for me! It was from Mookie and was some lovely noms wif postcard as well! Lippe readed da postcard to me as I am not too hot wif all dat kind of fing. Fanx Mookie! As you can see I am dribblin wif anticipation of eatin dem noms. I has eaten dem all now and dey was scrumptish.

Mum and Lippe gets ready for bellydance! Here is Lippe in his arab costume! I fink he was hopin to start up his own harem!

On Thursday night, was time for #keepfits wif @henryandfriends. Lippe was very good at stretchin and relaxin! One of da fings I not so good at. We had a little fun at da #keepfits but I fink Lippe was bit tired from all his exershuns and travellin.

Next day we treated Lippe to a tramp around da RSPB bird reserve wot is in Tollesbury. Was long walk bout 8 miles and Lippe did get a lift in mum rucksack from time to time. I have ordered new rucksack for mum - speshul Lexie-size!

We saw lots of birds (which I am not allowed to chase boooo!) and I had swim. It was a bit cold so Lippe kept warm inside da rucksack quite a bit! I fink he might of eaten some of my biskits too! Ma supply certainly seemed subanshully reduced!

We got to da bit of river where I can usually has swimsies. Dis time we not bovver bout dat but you can see is nice pretty river dat go out to da sea in da end.

These are birdies I is not allowed to chase - don't see why not - I just keepin them on their toes for da exercise! Not like I wuds eat em or nuffink.

Next day we dus take Lippe off to Colchester. Dis is oldest recorded town in England and was called Camulodunum (accordin to da historians wot write history dey dus say was AD60 or maybe AD77). We took Lippe to Colchester Castle. Dis was originally the Temple of Claudius and build around AD10. Den lots of different impawtant types of peeps did build more bits of it. Stop me if I gettin technical! Queen Boudica who was fearsome warrior woman did destroy it in huge battle. Here is wot it look like today:

The castle had a jail in da dungeons and we show dis to Lippe. Da jail was used by da self-proclaimed Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins who murdered women and young girls in Essex becoz he say dey was witches. Dere was nearly 600 womens killed in Essex. We showed Lippe da jail and he did not like it I dussnt fink.

We took Lippe to da Hollytrees Museum. This is museum of random fings wot you can find in everyday life. We saw many kitchen fings and stuff about da girl guides in there. Was interesting. We show Lippe loads of teaspoons wot you use wif teacaddy to make ... well ... tea of course! I fink Lippe really liked da spoons.

We decide dat becoz of dere is no rain and the sun was shinin, we pop outside for a quick cuppa (coffe dis time not tea!) and some cake. We buyed Lippe a BIIIIG bit of cake which he stuff in his gob. He had cream wif it as well and I fink he dus really like cream. He sure can stuff it away for a small fella. Course I was on hand if anyfink did need lickin.

Next day was Sunday so we decide to ave relaxing time at ome. First of all dis is mainly becoz mum and dad does like to av nice big breakfast and watch F1 Grand Prix when it is on the telly. So mum cook up big breakfast for everyone and she take it to Lippe in bed. I fink he never as seen a breakfaste as big as dat maybe? I was hangin around to see if he was gonna drop me a bit of bacon - no such luck! Humph!! I fink he wanted to but mum was watchin ;)). I mean who needs three sausages?

Den we did settle down to watch da Malaysian F1 Grand Prix. Was very eggcitin race and Lippe was quite settled on ma bean bag! I did not mind Lippe avin ma bean bag. Was comfty for him. We watched da race. Button and Hamilton were rubbish! Schumacher was also rubbish! Phhh mum shouted at da telly, sofmink she like to do a lot!

Sebastian Vettel won da race, in da end and he raced very well. Lippe was happy of course! Vettel is German so a great win for Germany, hooray!!!! You can see by ma expression, I am not appy wif da British drivers! We shall have to av words I fink.

We spent da rest of the day relaxin and went for some little walks down to da sea wall which is one of ma favorits. It was Easter Sunday after all. No point in exertin yourself too much ;)).Lippe ad a relax on da wall while I ran round sniffin fings.

Mum, dad and Lippe had been to Pets At Home wot is the shop of doggie noms (note they went wifout me!!) and they brought me back some delishush noms!

Dat night we decide to spend a few days on Atlantis. Lippe was very eggcited bout it as I dussnot fink he ever been on a boat before. After avin a look at Atlantis from da shore, Lippe was so eggsited to get on board!

Lippe went straight to the wheelhouse to have a look out da windows! Dunno why! All you can see is da bridge over Maldon!

He decide to have a tour round and check out a few fings. Here he is looking at a deck porthole. It dussnot open and dad advises me dat we will be doin away wif dem for nice new ones wot I can poke ma head in and have a sniff, but not when we as guests on board he tell me! heehee I fink he dussnt know da Lexie!! There might be noms in there for dogness sake!

I decide to show Lippe more about ma job on da boat, which as you can see do be mainly supervisin, checkin decks for da comfort factor and generally mungin about lookin at fings and of course, mostly impawtantly, relaxin!! I fink Lippe is gettin da hang of it, yes?

Lippe let us know he was very interested in helpin dad in da engine room. Dad did have a few wiring jobs to do and he needed to check da oils and fings like dat. Lippe stepped up to assist! Dad was most impressed! He commented dat me and mum alway seem to disappear when he mention engine room! Well DER!!!

So off he go wif dad. Mum did say to Lippe don't get dirty! Don't fink he cared. I know wot he means. Mum say to me - don't go in the mud - no Lexie no!! I say (in my head) cannot hear you!!!! heehee. I fink Lippe dun that too! When he came up from da engine room to test da hydraulics on da crane, look how filfy he was!!! Good work Lippe!

I ask Lippe wot he bin doin! He say checking fings Lexie! You know he say to me, dat is what make a great engineer. Ooooh I say. Dad say Lippe was better dan me and mum put togeva - humph!!! Here he is checkin some gauges or sufmink like dat.

He also checked over dad's wiring diagram for da compressor, which was all tickety boo happarently! Phhhh like I'd know ;)).

Bored yet? No? Still reading? Phew fanx dogness. Ok, movin on. Dad ask Lippe to make sure all da levers for da engine are all workin ok. No problem he say! Aye aye captain.

Mum finks we should take him wif us when we sails to Malta! I hope Mookie will say yes and he can some and stay wif us for da trip. Poor Lippe, he was really tired after all dat work. We show him to his cabin for little sleepy dat night. He had a good wash and brush up in da head (dat the toilet to you, not the actual toilet hoomins sit on but da bathroom I mean ;)). Got it? hee-hee.

Mum ask me to point out dat this cabin is not finish yet (i'm sure you wud never av guessed). Is cabin wif two single bunks. Guests welcome when we is moored in Malta! We not jokin! Atlantis has enough room for 8 guests, 10 at a squeeze.

Next day we go back to our house so Lippe can get read to go on to Jazzy! We decide to have one last walk togeva. We goes to da sea wall and me, mum and Lippe sit togeva enjoyin da view. Me and mum startin to get bit emoshunal but we try not to show Lippe how much we gonna miss him!

One final cuddle back at ome and Lippe bids us farewell ready for his next stage of da journey to our great pal Jazzy Da Cat wot lives in London! We put little present in his belongins which will go to Mookie! We dussnt say nuffink bout wot it is now.

Auf weiedersehen mein lieber kleiner freund (goodbye my dear little friend). Ich hoffe, wir werden uns wieder treffen. We will never forget you.

Lexie signin off ....... dancin wif tears in ma eyes *sob sob*

The Dogfather made him an offered he couldn't refuse - part 5

2010-03-26T18:59:00.002Z

Before we go any furvers I wanna say from da bottom of my heart dat I am so touched by wot ma pals all said bout ma bloggy yesterday.

So where was we? Oh yeah, I had managed to escape from da boat and make my way to Atlantis! I stayed da night wif dem and they did make sure I was comfy and cosy as could be. I stay wif dem for a few more days until da man come back from his shift. The weather is bootiful and I make sure I stick to dem like glue and am nearby at all times:

Dad had telephoned da man to let him know what had happened and told him 'we need to talk'. Da man came straight over to Atlantis and took me away. Mum had spent all night fuming about all the fings wot had been happenin over da munfs. She was at her wits end and it was all she cud do not to beat da man over da head she say!

Dad and mum had already had conversation bout how she must keep her cool or she lose doggy forever! Dad reminded mum dat he deal with people all da time and he used to convincing people to do the right thing. Leave it to me he say. Don't worry he say (ha - as if she cud stop).

mum - What are you doing to do?
dad - I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse!
dad - Just don't say anything and leave it to me. Trust me.

As da man take me away up da steps, mum turn away wif tears and a heavy sadness in her heart. She trust dad wif all her heart. He will do what it takes. She must keep her mouf shut! Mum stand on deck so she can hear what they say and Dad follow da man. They stand at da top of da steps wif me between dem.

Dad - Listen mate, maybe it's all too much for you - Lexie you know - the responsibility. You know we love looking after her and Wendy has become really attached to her. Why not let us take her off your hands? You'll have more time for yourself, more time to go out with your mates (he single dad wot love going clubbin).

Man (i dussnt say his name) - No way, my kids still care about her and they'd kill me.

Dad - Well they're hardly ever here and when they are here they can come and see her any time (mum finks over my dead body).

Man - No. It's not going to happen. You can still look after her though.

Dad - No forget it. It's too painful for Wendy and it's not doing Lexie any good either.

Man - Ok well how about if I let Lexie have puppies and you can have one.

Dad (fuming) - What? No - Lexie comes and lives with us or we don't look after her any more. Fuck it (dad did swear!) - forget it - I'm going to get another dog for Wendy. Lex is not our problem any more.

Dad turn away and walk off down steps and back on boat. He grab mum and take her inside before she say anything.

Mum - WTF! Now we've lost her forever! That is it - I don't want another dog. How will she understand? We've done this. We've caused her even more pain!

Dad - Calm down! Trust me - he'll be back.

Three days passed. Mum could see me on da back of da boat and I did see her too. I wud stand on my back legs lookin over at her. Why she not come get me? She not like me no more? I bin bad? Man call me back - get down he shout! Come here he shout! He is angry I can hear in his voice.

Den I wakes up on da fourth day and everyfin as changed. I cannot finds ma bowl and da basket wot the man give me to sleep in. I sniff around. Come on, he says. I follow him off da boat (must be goin to the pub I fink). But no we go down steps to Atlantis. I see da man and da woman is there. Mum call me Lexie - come here, here girl. Hello Hello! She cuddle me, she kiss me! They seem bery eggsited and I gets very eggsited too!

I go inside ... there is ma bowl and basket from da ova boat. Mum come in and say Welcome home Lexie! I dusnnt know but I never goin back to dat boat.

I did not know but the man was goin on away for three weeks and he cud not find anyone to look after me. He knew if he left me, mum and dad wud report him to da RSPCA! His ex-wife refuse to have me, no friends would have me. He stuck!!!! Soooooo, he take me over to mum and dad knowin dat he have no choice! I am all theirs and they are all mine - my mum and dad!

For a long time I fort I was goin back to da man. Mum sorted lots of fings out pretty quick. First fing she dun was take me to da vets. They check ma legs and feet and do x-rays. They say is all fine and she can take me for walks but to build up slowly.

Den we go to place called Pets at Home. I get collar, lead, toys, another new bed, brushes, combs and all manner of fings!

They teach me swimmin, sniffin, meeting doggies, runnin, playing, fetchin, sittin, staying, waiting, stopping, layin down, rollin over and so many fings dat I never knew about! Oh and of course,tweetin! heehee.

I finds out about life on a boat. I learn about how not to look when dad is weldin (sofmink mum could don wif remembering), noisy machines and was soon to discover my love for extra strong mints, which, for health and safety reasons I am tightly rationed on, after I once ate a whole packet off the table!

Mum and dad finds out more bout me too! See above re extra strong mints (they refer to this as OODR = out of dog reach). They put in dog flap and taught me how to climb up and go down the stairs in da wheelhouse. They show me dat when someone is shoutin it can be because they is warnin you bout a dangerous fing or they is shoutin bout good fing. I did not like shoutin and always did hide under the table!

Well friends, you can see it worked out well for us all! Mum spent a good few months wondering if I was happy, sad, fed up, depressed and asking dad if he thought I liked being wif dem. Silly woman!

Now we can carry on wif da story of Atlantis in da knowledge that I is now offishully Ship's Dog!

See you later .. Ali Bongo out!

PS: Oh I forgot to say dat of course you will be finkin ow did mum and dad know bout all these fings was appenin to me? The man told them! He told them bout his boys and wot they did to me and how his ex-wife want me to be put down so he cud be hero wif his boys.

Den when I did move in wif da man he tell mum and dad bout all da beatdowns he give me (dat wot he call dem) to show me who is da boss! Mum and dad had to hold their tongues bout that til they knew for sure they had me!

Reasons to be cheerful - part 4

2010-03-25T20:56:00.003Z

Well ma pals welcome to 2005! Was a cold winter and mum and dad did av some snow at da marina. Here's a picture of dad on da pontoon in da deep midwinter!

Lots of snow did land on Atlantis so dey did stay safely tucked away inside da boat wif da heatin on full blast. Now, this might sound lovely and cozy but when you got a boat her size wif no insulation, da walls run with condensation when da heat is on and when it is off dey gets ice on dem, on the inside!

Atlantis had no insulation at dat time; she has now though you better believe it ;)). During the really really cold times, dey av to leave da heat on all night else they wake up with frozen faces. The temperature dropped to bout minus 2 when the boiler was avin some problems. But dad being dad, would get up in da freezin cold early mornins and start da boiler again before he would let mum get up. Dey also used to put on da gas cooker in da kitchen and a friend told them bout puttin a large upturned plant pot (wot is made of clay) on da stove to warm da room up. It did work quite well. These drums has da diesel in wot has to be pumped:

Around bout dis time (which was bout February of the 2005 year) I was living at ma first ome. I had been given to a family as a Christmas present by their nan and I was livin wif da family who had three small boys. Dese boys was bit rough on da Lexie puppy so I spend lots of time hidin. There do be lots of shoutin at da Lexie and da only place I feel safe is under da sofa. Dey decide to pull me out from under da sofa one day and dey manage to pull me so hard they pull ma legsies out of they sockets. I ad to go to da vet and had operation on ma legs and pelvis.

When I come back home they fink is fun to tread on my little pawsies and manage to break ma toesies this time. I has to have ma feet bound up and vet say I won't ever be able to walk far and may have brittle bones. After all dat the boys was not interested in me no more and da lady who woz they mum got fed up cleanin up after me. (They never bovva house training me or gettin me jabs so I can go out). She go mad bout me and say they gotta get rids of me - she want to av me put to sleep or put in sack and drownded. I was only 5 munfs old den.

The boys dad wot did not live wif dem say dat he take the doggie becoz of da boys beggin him not to av da Lexie put down. He take me to his home so I start ma life in da new place! Dis funny place like noffink I ever seen before. They is not got houses there, they is livin on floatin fings wot is called boats I find out.

The man wot take me in was fireman and he did spend lots of time away from da boat at da fire station. I realise I gonna be spendin lots of time alone locked up in da boat. Dis man not take me for walks or take me to da vet or nuffink. I get lots of bowls of dog food to last me as long as they can while he at da fire station.

Dis man is nice to me most of da time exceptin when I dus bad fing wot is go to the toilet inside da boat. Fing is da man dus not understand dat I as no choice bout it. When I first go live wif him he put paper down so I go on dat. He say good dog and fings like dat so I fink is ok.

When he paintin his boat in da bedroom downstairs one day he put down paper so it not splash on da floor. When he go to work I see there is no paper for me no more but I members there is paper in da bedroom. I go down there and do ma poo and wee on it. When da man come home he bery angry wif da Lexie and he give me 'beat down'. Dat wot he call it. He hit me wif his shoe but I dussnt know wot dis be about!

I dussnt like it on da boat is dark and cold and scary. I as no-one to play wif and I feels so lonely. I cant elps it but I whine an cry a lot. There is some people wot live around who complain to the man bout my cryin. I try to stop. Maybe if I is a good doggie da man will like me some more.

While all dis happenin mum and dad be busy on their boat doin their next big job! Removing da wooden deck. The deck is made of ironwood, very thick wood which is good at absorbin up da salt water. Was perfect for fishermens not so good for your future gin palace! Here's a picture of dem taking up da deck:

In da background on the right you can see the boat wot I live on; the grey one wif da red paint on it.

One day, I see da man talkin to some people wot I saw on anova boat near to me. They is man and woman. He tellin them how he took me in but dat I is bad doggie. I hear lady say to dis man bout bringin me over to meet dem so they can say hello. So da man come and get me and take me to them. I as to be carried to them coz is dangerous for little doggies to climb and jump.

The woman grab me off da man and cuddle me up really tight to her. She even gives me some little kisses on ma head. How funny! She doesn't even know who I am and dat I is bad doggie. She dussnt even seem to care bout dat. We go inside their boat and the lady put me on her lap and cuddle and strokes me all night long! Is lovely. I fink I am gonna like dis lady. The man of dis boat gives me some tickles as well! Oh I like them, they smell nice and they as not shouted at me!

Da man take me back to the other boat and I look over his shoulder as we leave at the new people wot I just met. Dey look nice I fink I like dem a lot. Maybe I will see them again.

Next day da man go to work and leave me on ma own again. He dussnt put food down for me and I fink he must of forgotten. I fink oh well I just conserve ma energy and lay down. It will be all right. Bit later, I hear the door open on da boat. Oh no, maybe da man come back to tell me off! Maybe I hide under the table. Is not man! Is lady from last night! She callin ma name and her voice all softy softy and loving. I go to her and she stroke me. She give me a little kissy again!

Now she is liftin me up and carry me out da door and guess what? She tell me I am gonna stay wif her and da man for a little while. When I gets on their boat the lady put me down and we go on little exploration. I look around and sniffin fings. Da man come up to me and say hello. He tickly me on the chin and rub ma head. He smell nice.

Lady take me inside and there be a basket wif nice blanket dat she say is for me. Dere be some toys to play wif and a ball and some rope to tug. They also have got me some food and treats. I dussnt know but I stay wif dem for four days til the man come back. Mum and dad manage to persuade dis man dat he cannot leave me alone for days on end and they say they will look after me while he not there! In the end he agree, dad is good at persuadin I later finds dat out! I also find out they fall in love wif me da moment they see me! I fink I did fall in love wif dem too but I was too scared to even fink it. I dussnt knows it but soon dis will be ma forever ome!

Over da next few munfs mum and dad (to be! heehee) keep workin on da boat wif lots of fings they as given demselfs to do. Every time da man go away, lady come over to get me to stay wif dem. They has BBQs wif dere friends and I get to nom on sausages and ova nice fings. I soon start getting bigger! Here's me on dere boat at about 6 munfs old. I am in da wheelhouse which is where da lady like to sit and work so I be wif her. I bit scared of da stairs so they has to carry me up and down:

All dis time, they are lookin after me as often as they can get me. Mum convinces da man to put in dog flap so I can go on da deck and do poo and wee. I still aint bin for no walkies or to vet or anyfink. Lady try to get da man to let her take me to vet so I can go for walks wif her but he say no.

Dey is gettin more and more attached to me and me to dem too! Every time da man come to take me back I dus whine and cry. The lady does cry too and dad say he not sure dat lookin after da Lexie like dis is good idea. Is breakin her heart. The man wot I live wif on ova boat den start bein funny bout me goin to see ma new friends. He fink they gettin too friendly and close wif me. He decide to stop all dis. Mum heartbroken.

One night man go off and leave me alone again. I finks I had enuf of dis malarky! I manage to get out dog flap (he did lock it but I chewed it til I gets out). He had put a gate on his ramp wif a lock so no-one get on and I cud not get off. I fink bout dis for a little while. I know da man and da lady is not far away maybe I bark and they come get me. I bark bark bark but noffink appen. Is very windy and maybe da wind is takin ma bark away. Ok .. I got no choices ... ready!? One .... two .... free .... jump! I jump overboard (even tho I is bery scared) and swim round to da steps near their boat.

I manage to climb da stepsies and get onto the boat they is next to wot is called Mamba! I jump over their boat and den stand outside their door barking as loud as I can! Da lady open da door and look out, she see me sittin there shiverin and all wet all over. She take me inside and they wraps me up in warm blanket and gives me cuddles and little treats.

Mum and dad (to be!) had cleared the decks and had some steel delivered ready to build the new structure on da back of dat boat:

The talk bout wot they will do. They decide that is it! Enough is enough. Dad decide he gonna have quiet word wif man and make it clear to him dat he is not cut out for havin doggie and is time to hand over Lexie to dem wot loves me and will looks after me.

Tune in next time to find out what happen! Did da man hand me over? Did I go and live with dem peeps? Was it to be ma forever home?

All I can say for now is ..... I'll be back......

If smell-o-vision was real you would be holding your nose - part 4

2010-03-15T21:20:00.006Z

Now where was I? Oh yeah da year... 2004 da place .. MV Atlantis! We now moved into da second half of da year. The back deck has been cleared of all da steel that was cut off and taken away by da scrap man wot name is Michael. He took da metal to da scrapyard and it weighed in at 11 tons! The money he got for da scrap paid for da use of his crane.

Dad did buy a small hiab (also known as a knuckle boom crane to you machinery types) so he could use it to lift the new steel we needed for da back structure later on.

He also bought weird green boxy fing which happarently is a hydraulic power pack! But of course, we all knew that ;)). It is for many years later when he will be usin it for the crane, thrusters and stuff like dat.

Now dus you remember back to da bloggy wot did be tellin you bout da stinky bedroom!? Well, mum and dad decide to have another go at it. They bin sleepin in da wheelhouse on a matress on da floor and fort it might be worth trying to get a bedroom fixed up!

It was July 2004 and Mum say dat wakin up in da wheelhouse in da mornin was like bein in a greenhouse! It was so hot they had to sleep wiv all da windows open and no clothesies on! Of course, my suggestion would have been some sort of fan and maybe some curtains!

Da first fing they had to do was to strip da bedroom back to its bare steel walls. So, lots of smashin and hammerin den dragging all da wood up the stairs. Dad did all the demolishin work and then mum would take the wood to the back of the boat and cut it up with a fing wot cuts up wood the name of which I forget! I check dat and let you know in a bit.

Getting the stuff up the stairs was quite difficult as you can see the stairs aren't proper stairs like wot you has in house! Note mum's amusing use of bath bomb to try to cover da smell of 35 years of rotten damp wood!

Ok dad did confirm that fing wot i mentioned earlier is called a jigsaw but is not like da puzzle is fing wot go chop chop chop really fast! Anyway, they manage to complete the strip-out of the room in about two weeks. Here's a photo of how it looked after the strip-out:

By da time August came around, da weather was cheerin up a bit so dad tell mum she can do some paintin. Although the bulwarks (dat is the sides to you landlubbers) were gonna be cut off dad wasn't sure when that would be, so he fink dat it be good to have a bit of paint on dem to protect em for a bit longer. It was nice sunny weather and mum had booked 3 weeks off work so they decide she could paint while he was working on da bow bedroom.

First of all she had to chip all da rust off with chippin hammer (dis give you big biceps and make your arms tingle).Den she use da grinder to smooth off all da chipping (dis make you arms tingle too). Den she clean off all da grindings and paint da first coat of paint wot is called vactan (dis be wot we in da trade calls a rust inhibitor ;)). Den was undercoat, den was top coat in green . Dis photo show you some of the stages:

But wait ma friends guess what? It is the 12 September 2004 and you are all excited to hear dem words what does finally fall from ma lipsies! They are this: I WAS BORN!!!! Oh yes, I have come from ma mummy tummy and am a ickle puppy wot is snugglin up close to ma mummy wif my brofurs and sisfurs.

Of course mum and dad don't even know i has been born yet. Dey not meet me until after Christmas when I had to go and live on da boat behind them wot was called Jorja! I will tell you about dat next time!

Is nearly October and fings are startin to cool down a bit weather-wise. So they finks, what better time to start work on the worst part of da boat - the fishhold. Mum has managed to avoid goin into da fishhold for over a year but dad decide they are gonna clear it out by Christmas!

I wishes dis was smell-o-vision! 30 years of old stinky oil, dead scallops and heaven knows what else had permeated into da fishhold and it was a terrible place to go even for a minute! Dad decide to stop work on the bow bedroom and work on the fishhold instead to eventually turn it into two bedrooms, one with en-suite shower.

So they start stripping, clearing, hoisting and moving all da orrible fings out of da fishhold. Again, with a ladder that mum seemed to spend her life climbing up and down! Of course, to make matters even worse, the hold was lined out with the thing she hate more dan anyfink in da world - you know what is that? Is polystyrene! Here is the ladder:

and here is da hatch at da top of dat ladder. Look at all dat polystrene! Mum had to bag all dat up and touch it. Very hard for a polystyrophobic (i made dat up) but she did it. You would not believe da smell of that stuff either! It had years of dead fish and oil soaked up into it! This photo shows only one lot - there was about five times dat much which their friend Jim (with da one leg) took away and disposed of.

Once the hold was stripped they got the walls back to bare steel. They realise there had been a bad fire in the hold at some point. You can see this in da photo here:

Before the hold could be blasted and painted, dad spent two weeks up to his waist in oil and dead scallops in da bilge cleanin dem out. He would fill up buckets wiv da muck and can you guess? Mum had to carry dem up da ladder and pour dem into big container (what is called an IBC). Every evenin mum had to scrub dad down wiv scourer and dettol. Dat's love dat is! This photo shows da bilge. There are 10 separate compartments which dad had to climb down into and clear out!

Once the hold was all cleared out, dad used our new shotblaster to clear away all da rust from da walls, he sprayed da walls with vactan, den primer. Dis was da result and best of all - no more smell!

They had managed to complete da fishhold back to bare walls in record time and decided to have a break over Christmas, mainly because dad's skin needed to recover from spending weeks in da bilges and mum had to rest her newly acquired rugby player legs from all dat ladder climbin!

So they downed-tools and took some rest over Christmas. It would be only a few weeks after Christmas and they would meet me for the first time not knowing that I would one day become their beloved doggie!! Best known to you as Lexie Dogstoyevsky!

Well, that is another chapter completed! And as Arnie says I'll be back!

I can't stand up for falling down - part 3

2010-03-05T09:36:00.002Z

Well here I dus be again wiv da next episode in da life of da Lexie (oh yes and mum and dad I supposes). Well guess what? It is 2004 and dis be ma year! Is true! I be born in September 2004. I don't be wiv mum and dad until 2005 though (booo) but I let you know all bout dat later onsies.

So, it's January 2004 and is bloody blinkin cold. Mum and dad are spendin their first winter on da boat and are findin out many fings bout life on a boat in winter, let me tell you!

Dad's job for 2004 was to cut down the a-frame and remove the winch room and winch. He worked over da winter usin da autocad software to design the new look for Atlantis - trawler to trawler yacht (or expedition yacht as he decided later coz it sound posher - or should dat be more posh!). Here is da a-frame wiv her supportin arms being cut off (you can see ma dad in da right hand side):

Mum was going back and forth to work each day (except Wednesdays remember!). The winter mornings were dark and cold. The evenings were ... yep you guessed it dark and cold!

Dad had to staple chicken wire to the steps leading up to da pontoon after mum managed to slip off da top step and go all the way to the bottom (10 wooden splintery steps covered in slimey mud) when she came home one night. If she had not been wearin her rucksack she would have gone straight into the mud! Luckily that and her ample bottom had ensured she got wedged between the steps and the boat moored next to us at the same wot woz called Mamba!

Here do be a picture of da deadly steps you can just see dem in the corner of da photo (this one was taken after dad had removed the A-frame, winch and mast):

After that lickle incident, Dad put chicken wire on da steps and they would meet at the the top each evenin to make sure she made it home in one piece!

Another fing wot they found out was dat in da mornins when was cold and frosty the pontoon wot they did walk on to go to work (dad did accompany mum for healf and safety to da car) woz very slippery! Mum would slip and slide along it. Is long way as you can see from the photo below. She would grip onto the white railings and sort of slide of her feet along so she not fall over. Have you spotted a theme? Mum is at olympic gold standard when it comes to fall into, off of, up, around, down and out of anything!

Layers, another thing they got used to doin. They had heat on the boat but where there was no insulation the temperature would get down to about -4 inside! You couldn't touch the walls in case you wud stick to them! So, they got to wearing four or five layers and got used to bein cold. Course, if they went to visit they friends in houses they would be sweatin coz they woz wearin lots of clothes. Becoz was cold and damp on da boat they would start steamin if they got anywhere warm!

In da mornins da water would be frozen so mum would fill up some big containers wiv water da night before so they would have water for washin and drinkin tea. Atlantis has got big water tank on but they didnt use it then becoz it had to be cleaned and av pump fitted.

Slowly, Winter turned to Spring and fings started to warm up. Dad worked out everyfin wot he needed to take down da a-frame, remove the winch room and winch. Dis was da first really big job dad had on da boat. They never ad da crane or any of da equipments wot they got now so dad start off wiv small metal cutter (wot is called a plasma cutter) and a small winch. They dus look back and larf now at how they managed it! Look at my dad sittin right at da top of da a-frame which is long long way up (he dussnt like heights can you believes dat!):

Dad did start to cut one side then da over side so dat the legs was freed from da middle bit. Let me know if I's gettin too technical for you heehee! Mum say her heart woz in her mouf when dad was up there! He did av harness on but you can't really see it in the pictures.

He worked on da left leg first and cut so dat it would fall down and land on da other leg. He had worked out exactly what was gonna appen, and ow it was gonna fall and everyfin. He had to be sure dat it fall where he want and not hit da boat next to us or da pontoon or any people! He did a perfect job as you can see in dis photo:

More cuttin and winchin and winchin and cuttin and stoppin and checkin and winchin and cuttin - phew I's gettin tired just writing it! Then da other leg was ready to go. Mum say da noise was incredible and people in da marina was comin out of their boats to see what as appenin! Timber!!!!!

The next leg lands safely:

Dad was ready to move onto the winch and winch room removal which you can see here. You can just see my dad in da corner using da cutting equipment:

Once the room surroundin the winch was taken away, he was left wiv da winch to cut apart. Dis was more difficult and he did use a fing wot he call a gas axe (is called oxy-acetalene cutting torch). Da winch was big and very heavy:

Dad cut it up into bits and our new friend dat we had just met who was good at gettin rid of scrap metal did take the bits away for us. His name is Jim and he has only got one leg but he is da most mobile person wot we eva met wiv one leg!

It took dem bout two munfs to complete. You might be wundrin wot mum woz doin during this time, apart from goin to work? Sunbathing on da bow dad said! Cheek! Was her job to firewatch, tidy up (dat is not polishing or vacuuming!) da steel and move it round da boat for pickin up. She had to take rubbish to da tip and make sure dad had plenty of cups of tea and big fings to eat to keep up his energy too!

I fink I might have to stop there. Dat is only half the year and I ain't even beens born yet! Maybe dis blog is goin to be a bit longer dan anticipated! I let you have breather! Fanx for readin.

So, as the great Dave Allen did say - goodnight, thank you and may your god go with you.

Please let me know if we is borin you yet!

You have just been through a black hole - fanx for travellin wiv da Lexie

2010-02-24T16:49:00.002Z

We is makin a quick stop in 2010 just before we heads back to 2004 and find out more about what shall henceforth be known as "Year of da Lexie"!

At da weekend we did move our crane to its new home ... a massive 300 yards away! Dis may not sound a long way but it was difficult for our dad to do becoz he has to get the crane arm, which dus be da longest fing eva, under a telegraph pole wire and round vehicles and wot not. He was bery close to dis car but managed to miss running it over:

Da weather was orrible an it was persistently precipitatin (dat be rainin to you lot). Luckily our friend Mark was there wiv his friend (who did give me a bit of his cornish pasty) and he let us hide in his container when it was really bad. He's got it all set up nice wiv some old car chairs, a big heater, a radio and lights. Is quite cosy! They never had a doggie their container before so I's fort it best to check around for crumbs and such:

Dad hop up in da cab and mum get into position ready to direct da crane arm under the wire while makin sure dat as the crane tracks back it don't hit nuffink or he don't drive into a car. Dis be da crane arm touchin da telephone wire:

Telegraph polls clear is now time to move some of da ova vehicles wot is in da yard. Our friend Mark has a forklift which he did use to move fings about. H did use da forklift to move dat blue truck:

Dad was jumpin in and out da cab of da crane and each time he hear funny lickle noise dat he not recognise. Hmm me finks no matter just carry on wiv da job in hand. Den .... he did rip his jeans in da most embarrassin area for a man ... around his meat n two veg, if you get ma drift! Mum had to rush off to da shops and buy him some new ones! Here do be the casualities:

The crane did move into place slowly but surely. I was checkin the yard to make sure everyfin was in order. Crane? What crane? I neva saw a fing occifer!

So, there passes anova day in da life of da Lexie! Now, back to 2004 where mum and dad are comin to terms wiv icy pontoons, frozen water pipes and crossin boats in the dark!

So fanx for stoppin by. It was ... nice to see you ... to see you nice!

Febreze just isn't man enough for the job - part 2

2010-02-18T17:45:00.001Z

Right where was I? First, I do say hello again ma frends. I am just gonna go check where I left off, back in a mo! Chat amongst youselfs ...... dum de da ...... right I's back! Let us move on to da next episode in da life of da Lexie (yet to be born) - dat is me!

Is July 2003; mum and dad is movin onto Atlantis. Dey manage to get her into a residential marina in Kent, only problem is dere be no mooring available yet so dey has to tie up just outside the main marina. So what's wrong wiv dat I hear you ask? Gettin on and off board was a bit tricky! Dey ad to walk 1/2 a mile along a pontoon, go down a rickety ladder, cross two concrete lighters covered in seaweed and other slimey doings, then climb over anova empty ship to their boat. They had no power or water to the boat yet so everyfin was runnin on generators.

Mum decided in her infinite widsom to take three weeks off work (she had 9-5 job then) and dad had already given up his job to make the conversion of Atlantis his full time work (he was IT Consultant before). They realised the best fing was to get as much stuff on board as they cud and then stay on board for the whole three weeks til mum had to go back to work.

They decided that the priorities were:

making sure they had somwhere to sleep
making sure they could wash themselfs and their clothesies (priority for mum, dad didn't really care!)
making sure they has loads to eat (priority for dad, mum didn't really care!)

There was only one cabin below decks in da bow (landlubbers: the front pointy end of boat). Mum had clocked dis cabin when they went to see da boat in Ireland and had mused to herselfs 'at least I don't have to sleep down there'. Of courses, later, she realised there was nowhere else to sleep!

Mum steeled herself and armed wiv air freshener, Febreze and pledge (a rather pointless combo) made her way down into the cabin. She was not prepared for the horrors that awaited her! Oh the innocence! Did she really fink that a couple of spray bottles were up to the manly task of eradicatin 35 years of fishermen stench?

Well let me tell you! They were not! There were five separate bunks in da cabin. Each bunk had its own mattress and duvets. I fink it would not be an exaggeration to say these mattresses and blankets were rotten, mouldy, covered in mildew and soakin wet! Febreze was not man ennuf for dat job! Ok, no problem, don't panic! I'll just get rid of da bedding she finks and we can get new stuff, job's a goodun!

Dad (from the safety of the top of the stairs) - How is it down there?
Mum - Aboslutely disgusting!
Dad - So can we sleep down there tonight?
Mum - Errrrrr .. you must be joking!
Dad - Do you need some more Febreze?
Mum - No I need a flamethrower!

Note the magic tree in the photo! Dat is doin diddly!:

Afte removin all da beddin and other rubbish they found (clothes, letters, diaries, cigarettes, bottles of whisky, needles!) the smell still remained! It was in the wood! The smell was unbearable (wish we ad smell-o-vision in these photos). They decided to abandon the cabin and sleep on the wheelhouse floor on an airbed for the timebeing til they can decide the next move.

The next few weeks were spent in a wonderful dreamlike state. Mum and dad had never been happier (that's coz they hadn't met me yet!) They were enjoying their little unreality pocket because they knew all too soon mum wud be back at work and dad would start the long long journey of transformation.

They didnt see anyone else and hardly left da boat. The galley (landlubbers: kitchen) was so filthy dat mum spent 3 days scrubbin the black floor and walls to discover they woz white! When mum did see da head (landlubbers: toilet) she cried (35 years of fishermens who knows what in there). Bleach and elbow grease wud do the trick (note: toilet is still black - eeeewwww).

The shower cud not be used inside until da leaky floor was fixed with new cement. They decided to shower outside on the deck. No-one cud see them so it was no problem. Dad showered in da noddy but mum was still worried in case a satelllite, helicopter, plane or ship could spot her) so showered in her swimsuit at first. They had plenty of time to sort out hot water later and as it was summer it didn't matter! Dis was their view from da stern (landlubbers: back of boat)

Dad had been busy re-wiring from Dutch 110 DC to 240 AC so they could use the shore power and stop runnin the generators when they got their proper mooring. He'd sorted out the flush on the toilet and a new shower head had been mounted on the deck. He'd also repaired the cooker and managed to get the microwave on board on his own (we dussnt know how he did it!).

By the end of the first few days they worked out sleepin on an airbed was a very bad idea! Mainly coz it deflated in the night. They went off to storage and brought back their mattress, washing machine and a few other essential items (remember each time they got off da boat they had to climb over another ship, cross the concrete lighters of death, climb the rickety ladder of death and walk the 1/2 mile pontoon).

Dad rigged up a pulley system and they managed to get everyfin across to the ship they were moored next to (remember: ship, death ladder, death lighter, 1/2 mile pontoon each time). They had a bit of a lean on as you can see in dis photo (mum sez was like bein in da Crooked House at Southend Funfair):

They woz avin the time of dey lifes! The summer that year was glorious. Mum and dad spent every evenin sittin on deck enjoyin de sunsets wiv a glass of wine and some pasta. They woz avin nice swimmin in da river in da evenin to cool down. In the daytime they woz organisin fings and cleanin up da boat as best they cud to make it bit more habitable. for da long road ahead. Three weeks of no work, no phones, no internet and no tv! What does one do of an evenin? Well I leave that bit to you imaginins!

As the three weeks drew to a close, mum start finkin bout gettin back to work in da office she was at. Dad heard from their landlord that they would be moving to their new mooring which was a few boats further in and they would have electric and water on tap! No more climbin rickety ladder of death etc etc either!

So, off mum went back to work. No washing machine, no shower and twice a day clamber of death. She had a few slips and slides over lighters of death and rickety ladder but made it to the car park each day! She used to have to ring dad to say she got to the car safe and then ring him so he cud come and escort her back again! But they fort it was worf it - each evenin they saw bootiful sunsets and relaxed on da back deck listenin to da birds and drinkin wine (hmmmm seems to be lots of wine drinkin goin on here).

She was goin to da gym to av a wash and washin clothes by and. Dad was workin ard to get everyfin sorted out. He installed a new boiler and tank for hot water, got the washin machine workin and started plannin the next steps of the conversion from Trawler to Expedition Yacht.

What about Lexie I hear you ask? Well I was still jus a twinkle in da eye! Mum used to fink bout Jim (her beloved cat wot did die) a lot in dem early days and tell herself it was for da best that Jim was over rainbow bridge. You couldn't keep a cat or dog on a boat really anyway! Heehee little did she know! The marina was full of cats and dogs!

Mum and dad decided to settle down for da winter and start the real work in 2004 (year of da Lexie)! Dad had got the boiler workin so they had plenty of heatin, hot showers and they used da galley as kitchen/living area. He'd sorted out TV and internet as well! Mum was now workin from ome two days a week as well!

They spent their first Christmas on Atlantis and went to lots of parties on many other boats. Mum says drinkin and climbin over boats dussnt mix tho!

That is da story of how dem spent their first year on da boat (well it was six munfs really I spose). More to come soon! I hope you enjoy dis one as well.

So, as Truman says, in case I don't see ya ... good afternoon, good evening and goodnight!

Life's journey is a twisty turny fing - part 1

2010-02-09T19:31:00.003Z

I bin finkin some of you might like to know more bout Atlantis and wot mum and dad has dun to her since dey bought her. Mum said to me da ova day

- Hey Lexie! Why not do a potted history of Atlantis!

Don't know nuffink bout no pots not sure wot plantpots has got to do wiv it, but I gonna tell you bit bout our boat. Dis post about how mum and dad came togeva and bought Atlantis.

Mum and dad boaf luv da water since dey was very ickle ankle biters! Dis be dem as ankle biters:

Dad first - he da one on da left - nice tie!:

Now mum - she was a child model and did Paxo Stuffing, Colgate Toofpaste and Mars Bar adverts!:

Long before mum and dad got togeva dey was friends wiv each ova through their partners. Mum's husband at da time worked for dad and dad's girlfriend was a friend of mums! Phew got that? Da two couples becom good friends and went on holidays togeva. When dey was on holidays in France dey fell in love wiv dem bootiful yachts and motorboats. Dey dream of da life on da ocean. All four of dem fink dey would like to have a big boat and sail around da world doing nice fings like divin, sunbavin, jetski-in and all sorts of general beachbummin around!

Any-road-up, da four of dem find dis boat they like in a place called Heybridge Basin, Essex. They decide to find out about it but then, for reasons best know to demselfs mum husband and dad girfriend decide they dussnt wanna do it after all. So, they all forget about it. Events took a strange turn for mum and dad (separately as they did not know about each other then as they had all drifted apart as friends). Mum husband did run away wiv anova woman and dad's girlfriend did run away from him too! They woz left lost and lovelorn.

Mum had to sell her house to pay off her ex and all the debts! She had nowhere's to go! Out of da kindness of his heart ma dad (who is called Justin and he is just like his name - he is da most just, honest, true, kind man eva) took ma mum in as da lodger til she cud get a place of her own. He was lovely to mum becoz he also was appy to let her bring her cat, Jim, as well.

Guess what appen next? They did fell in love! Dey woz not hexpectins this and woz big surprise for them. They woz bery bery appy (oops they ARE very very appy). Dis wot they looks like now:

Dad first (he likes to pull annoyin faces mum says!):

Dis be ma mum (she likes hats and loves to larf!):

One day dey had a conversation dat woz to change their lives and bring dem one step closer to da Lexie:

mum - Hey, remember when we nearly bought that boat in Heybridge Basin?
dad - Yeah I remember
mum - I still think back and regret that we didn't do it
dad *turns off tv (must be important)* - you mean... you would do it?
mum - yep!
dad - great! coz I found the perfect boat. She's in Ireland and we can go and look at her anytime!

So off dey flew to Ireland and there she was - MV Atlantis WD44 - waitin for dem to buy her and give her some TLC wot she did need. Six munfs later, after some negotatin wiv da owner and gettin a crew to bring her back to engerland, mum and dad were finally able to move on board on da 19 July 2003.

Dis woz Atlantis when she was called Janettje bout 38 years ago:

Sadly, mums cat Jim died just before mum and dad moved on da boat. She was 19. Here is a picture of Jim. Jim was a tabby (and a girl but mum did not know dat when she first got her as a kitten!).

Here is Jim (she was meowin coz mum did wake her up from nice sleep - I can relate to Jim in that regard!):

When mum and dad moved aboard Atlantis, they had been togeva just a year. They knew dey had long road ahead of dem. Main fing was they had their realised their dream and now all they needed was da will to do it (along wiv a bottomless pit of a bank account).

On a very very important note, I hadn't even been born yet! Mum was grievin over Jim but was also rememberin her with great joy because she did av bery long life wiv mum.

Fanx for reading dis bloggie. So I will say this to you - toodlepip old beans! Stay tooned for more about their adventures and how they came to be da forever home of da Lexie in da next episode...

I's only bin here five minutes!

2010-02-05T16:29:00.000Z

Cor blimey, would you Adam and Eve it! I only bin here for a teesyweensy tiny bit of time and two wonderful pals wot I know has given ma blog da Honest Scrap award. As instructed, I am followin da instructions wot I as to do to repay dis great compliment to some ova pals wot I luvs. Fing is not all of dems as blogs but i dussnt care bout dat dey is still da best! First of all, here is a pictcha of da award:

Second to come I fank ma two friends @cokiethecat and my great new friend wot is called @mrsfiddlesticks! Dat is great name init? Ok so, accordings to da rooles I now has to do dis fing where I tells you 10 fings bout me which you was hunaware of and den I tell you ten over pals wot I fink you shud get dat award too. Off we toddle then:

I live on a boat (heehee i know you probly know dat one!) oh i guess dat is no right to use dat one how bout 1a) i as psychic powers to will ma mum to open da fridge door to give me da cheese or ham wot i dus LUV!
I is bery frighten of big black bin bags.
I am a holympic swimmer and da most wot i swum is 1.5 miles wivout stoppin from Hoo to Upnor.
I has ad all me gubbinses removed for da healf and safety of ma womb and dat so i dussnt never as had no baby Lexies but if I did they would be ---- GORJUS!
I once took part in a doggie downathon and met Peter Purvis at da event (well he walked past me anway - that still counts right?).
I luvs mud - oh yes I sure do. I loves to roll in it. I also lubs rolling in fox poo, rabbit poo, horsey poo mmmmm smelllyyyyyy.
I luvs to DJ at pawpawties. If you wants a toon anytime, you let me know. I as a DJ page at www.blip.fm/dogstoyevsky.
Mum call me Dogstoyevsky coz she lub to read dem Russian books by Dostoevsky!
I once did ate a whole packet of extra strong mints.
I has got a pet passport so I can go travellin wiv ma mum and dad.

So now ma dear friends wot it readin dis bloggie, I is gonna tell ya bout some great pals wot I am awardin dis ... erm ... award to! Yes, here we go:

@marleyterrier - ma bestest border terier pal in da whole world, very funny and always give me is last rolo.
@pasikas - my wonderful scottish friend. She never fails to make melarf and I luvs to see her pop up on Twitta.
@henryandfriends - he is da most wonderful bear wot I knows
@tweetypie54 - makes me feel all warm and loved inside
@frugaldougal - that doggie has da biggest heart and does wonderful fings for anipals
@mattiedog - the cutest shih tzu i ever saw and he luvs a bit of bling.
@oatiedog - she is gorgeous, kind and just makes you wanna cuddle her right up.
@sydpie - very funny, very girly but most of all aint afraid to nick a sausage or two.
@diamondbertie - he is exacly that! A diamond geezer!
@OllyTed - i luvs goin to #keepfits wiv ma lickle bear pal! he sure knows how to do dem stretches.

Is very hard to say bout only 10 because I can fink of 100s and 100s! I av so many wonderful pals on twitta and I am so appy to have found you all.

So long, farewell, auf wiedersen, adieu .. dis dus be da Lexie signin off.

Avast ye landlubbers .. shiver me timbers .. where's me rum!

2010-02-03T20:38:00.000Z

Hello chumleys! I am doing anuva post on my bloggie. I hope you did enjoy da last one. I am quite enjoyin maself wiv all dis bloggin malarky!

This weekend me, mum, dad and our crew (our great pals what is called Jared, Len and Julie) did move our boat from Hoo St Werburgh on da River Medway to Fullbridge Quay at Maldon in Essex. Is about 60 nautical miles.

Before we set sail mum and dad did av loads of fings dey had to get ready first. The most important fing wot they dun (in my umble hopinion) was to remembers to bring ma lifejacket from da house! Here's a photo of me in ma life jacket lookin out da wheelhouse window at da scenery:

I am wonderin if the lifejacket has shrunk! Ma bum does look awfully big in dat fing. Must be the angle ;). A friend suggested I has a lovely meaty bum! Must be all da swimmin wot I does. But wait, I digress...

So off we went on our journey. Everyfin ran smooth as clockwork. Da engine was purrin along. For your informations we has a Stork Diesel 660 hp engine. We made an average speed of bout 10 knots (dat be 12 miles an hour). First of all, we went along da River Medway and passed some very interestin fings. Dis is a big ferry wot we saw dat was anchored up in da middle of da river while the crew and passingersies onboard did all av some rest:

When we was out in da deep sea bits, ma dad and our good friend Len was takin turns to drive da boat. We has da GPS which shows da maps of where you is at and where you is goin. Very clever init? Is like da A-Z of da sea. Here is a picture of ma dad (right) with Len (middle) and my very great hoooman bean friend Jared (left). He is ma best hooman friend in da whole world. Dey is lookin at da GPS wot you can see on da computa:

When we was goin along we saw some birdies was following us. They was just cruisin along enjoyin da fermals i fink. They are good at dat and i fink they fort we had some fishes on board but we dussnt av fishy smell no more! We also saw a seal wot was swimmin by and he did stop to av a look but mum was too late wiv da camera to take a pic of him. She did get dis photo of da birdies though:

As da sun started to set and da tide was ebbin, dad decided was time to anchor up for da night. He already planned our journey so dat we set off on a spring tide. Dus you know wot dat be? Dere be two types of tides - number one is da spring tide, which be big tide (nuffink to do with spring season) and number two is da neap tide (nuffin to do with turnip), which is ickle tide. For further informations, tides is all do wiv da moon and da sun and da waxin and da wanin!

So .... we did find some bery deep water and anchor up for da night. We did watch a most beautiful sunset before we did settle down for da night:

We had some food and da hooomans took turns in sleeping coz of avin to be on watch. Luckily, coz I am a doggie I did not av to do a watch, so I assisted by sleepin in my basket, ready to pounce at da speed of a cobra, if required.

Next day we set off bout 9.30 in da mornin as da tide started to rise again. Once we woz sailin we did all have a cuppa and some breakfast. We was all settlin down for da journey when da police decided to pay us a visit. Two police officers did board Atlantis and den they did ask us questions and take notes about fings. Dey did use their radio to run checks on all da hooomans (notice they did not run check on me!!) to make sure dey was not norty. Dey discovered dat none of da hooomans was criminal and did stay wiv us for annva cuppa. Dad and mum showed dem round da boat and they told dad off for taking so long to finish her, then they went on their way. Here is a picture of da policemens wot was waitin in their boat for da ovva two (who was avin cup of tea):

By dis time we had reached the mouf of da River Blackwater and were happily sailin past da sea wall where mum dus take me for walks! She was tryin to tell me bout it but I didn't av a clue wot she was on about. Silly woman. When we woz in da Blackwater we did reduce our speed to bout 6 knots so we could get round da buoys. Dese were tricky for such a big boat as ours but was easy for ma dad coz he dus be a very good sailor.

Before we cud even say anti-distinctly-minty we woz in Maldon! Da river did start to get narrower and narrower and we was now in fresh water. Dad was bein bery careful not to hits nuffink and we slowed down to bout 4 knots.

When we did get to our moorin was all paws to da ropes and we tied her up and dad did shut down da generators and da engine. Then, we all had a cuppa. Wot is it wiv da hoomans and dere cupsa tea! Our new landlord wot is named Jim did come round and gave us a paintin pontoon to stand on in da water. We dus av to paint her very quick or we get into trouble wiv da local council. As you can see, she is feelin bit unloved and lookin bit shabby, so soon all da hard work start again.

After we did some general tidyin up mum and me did took our friends Len, Julie and Jared back home to Kent. We left da dad behind to made sure da boat was safe when da next tide came in and den we went to our house at bout 2am!

We got home and then of course, the only course of action open was to ............. sleep!! mmmm sleep i sure lubs to sleep! Da hoomans let me have a quick snooze in da bed before they got in. I mean, after all, a girl has to get her beauty sleep init? They is good to me.

So that is da story so far. Hello? Are you still there? I hope I nevva dun bored you. Well goodbyeeee, goodbyeee, cheerio, chin-chin. This is Lexie signing off.

A bit earlier than expected!

2010-01-28T20:28:00.000Z

Okey dokey pig in a pokey soooooo... right.... here I am then! I wasn't gonna start a blog yet i was gonna wait til I had sumfink excitin to say and was only gonna blog bout our boat. So, then I fort, what they hell, I just blog and see what appens.

Some of you may know dat we live on a boat. We is temporarily livin in house while ma dad gets fings sorted on da boat so we can move back on. Mum and dad have lived on her since 19 July 2003, and I moved in wiv dem on da 1 September 2004. Ma mum and dad av dun lots of work on da boat and now we is ready to move her to a new mooring nearer to where we lives so dey can work harder to get her finished.

Here is some pictures. She be called MV Atlantis. MV means motor vessel. She is a 100ft trawler yacht conversion.

This be her in July 2003 sailing in the Irish Sea

This be her in January 2009 moored at Tylers' Wharf

As you can see she needs bit of TLC now. Dat why we moving too. Maldon has a drydock for her to go into to get nice new paint job and finish off all works.

Ma dad dun all dat work himselfs with a little help from mum and lots of help from a great lad who live nearby called Jared. He is from South Africa and I loves him loads.

We is workin on a new website for da boat coz we are lazy at updatin the old one. If you do want to see our journey have a look at www.letsscuba.co.uk.

How does you end a post? I'm not sure of da ending a post etiquette! So, maybe I just goes like this. Cheerio toodlepip - This be Lexie signing off.