Handcrafted beauty and making a stand against the U.S.A.

Glorious weekend weather, a talented and hard-working carpenter (with serious muscles), and an accessible hard-standing towpath have made a massive difference to our life afloat this past week.

We now have the bulk of a beautiful, bespoke kitchen plus dining area, crafted from oak, maple, black walnut, and beech.

The sun (and there has been some this week between showers and hail), lights a vast expanse of beech which is being nurtured daily. Painstakingly pampered, sanded, and oiled. Once a day for the first week, once a week for the next month, once a month for the next year and once a year after that. I think I’ve got that right!

There are drawers – no less than 7 in one area, and secret ones that I can’t quite remember where they are! There are pull-outs and cupboards, and yup – we can’t at this moment find anything because we have no idea where we put it!

It is hard to remember what was here before, and I can’t wait until I can use the vast expanse of worktop, to sit comfortably at the breakfast bar to eat meals instead of twisting round a curved table edge as I’ve done for the past 5 years. It will be bliss and probably wonderful for the digestion.

Food too can be different now – we have an air fryer (basically a mini oven) and an induction hob. It means grilling is effectively now a thing on board.

I’m waiting until everything is complete to give you the Grand Tour, but suffice to say true craftsmanship combined with the inherent natural beauty of wood is a thing of beauty. As I write, my hand is stroking the smooth curves of this remarkable kitchen.

It’s still chaotic on board. The floor needs finishing. There are many things waiting to be found homes and living in a small space when things are piled high is far from easy. This past week, though, has seen a dramatic step towards a new way of living (and working) afloat.

In other news, which hasn’t brought any rays of joy, after 16 years on Twitter (now X) I’ve posted for the last time. I cannot justify staying with it because of its current owner. I’ve moved to bluesky (as DeenaI). I’m also trying, because of its owners’ outspoken support for the current US regime to wean myself from an unhealthy dependence Amazon. They seem small and probably to some, insignificant protests, but every successful marathon starts with a single step. It also makes me feel less helpless in a world that seems to be spiralling out of sensible control. What, I’m interested to know can we learn from what you’re doing to seize some control?

I’m fortunate in many ways. I have the calming capacity to stroke a Boatdog (and now caress a tactile kitchen), to look out at gently moving water (we’re still on a river and out of flood at the moment), walk the towpaths and watch wildlife all around. All are guaranteed to bring perspective and relaxation.