In just under 3
weeks I'll be moving home. I'm finally going to have my own little space!
I've lived on my own
once before, for about 9 months when I was at uni. Living with other people
doesn't suit me, so while I wasn't too thrilled about being stuck in the
Scottish Borders, I loved having a home that was just for me. Not so
fortunately, it had damp (I couldn't afford to ever have the central heating
on), the light fitting over my bed leaked, a hundred ants would appear if you
left any food out and lastly, it wasn't really mine. I was renting it for 2
semesters after which time i knew I'd be emptying it out again.
So you can imagine
just how excited I am to be getting a wee place for one in Edinburgh (a 20
minute walk from the city centre!!! OH HELL YES!) and it belongs only to me!
I'll be getting the
keys on the 15th but it's not as simple as just moving my things in. It needs a
bit of setting up. By which I mean, it arrives in Grangemouth on the 15th and
then I have to spend the next two or three days bringing it down to where I will
be living.
And that's because
THIS is my new home...
Isn't it exciting!
I'm gonna be staying on a narrowboat! Not for a short stint either, I signed a
three year lease on the mooring, so it looks like I'll be there a while. The boat's name is Marpessa at the moment but only because I haven't been able to organise getting it painted yet.
I went down south to England and had a look at about a dozen different boats in two different marinas. This was, in fact, the first one we looked at. I took a few photographs but it was such a foggy day that these pictures from the marina's website are much better.
That was back in November, the boat was supposed to be here around the end of February, but as anyone who has had to deal with boat people quickly learns, time doesn't pass the same way for them as it does for everybody else.
Once the boat is up I can start decorating. Even buying furniture has to wait as I'll have to measure the fairly tiny doors so I know I can actually get stuff inside! But before putting anything in, I'll be ripping a whole lot of stuff out, and that's gonna be FUN!
As you can see from the pictures it needs a lot of work. There seems to be an unspoken rule in the narrowboat community that states good taste isn't welcome. I have seen pictures of beautiful narrowboat interiors but they are the exception and you will never find one for sale! Having said that, my boat does have an unusually stylish bathroom sink.
I've got so many ideas in my head about how I want it to look and I'm bursting with excitement and anticipation. I can't wait to document it all too. I have never done anything remotely like this before and I'm determined to do as much as I can myself.
I did take a little video while I was there, just to get an idea of the space, so if you'd like a little tour please come inside...
You can see from the video how little room there is for manoeuvring in a narrowboat!
Ha-chan
XXX
