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Walnut and Lentil Loaf or Laugh?

4/30/2016

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If I'm in the galley, it is normally 'laugh'!

I was given a wonderful gift by my boating buddy Jude. ‘The Bean Book’ by Rose Elliot.
 
Noel and I had morphed into survival mode with too many jobs to do on board and our leave date fast approaching. This meant meals were hasty-tasties, involving much meat.
 
We were both ready to get back into vegetarian meals (with just a taste of meat now-and-then), when Jude announced she had an extra copy of this book – it was exactly what I needed.
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I also needed this too!
First attempt
Walnut and Lentil Loaf – now called Walnut and Lentil Laugh (recipe at the end).
 
'Laugh' because I was short of time and swooped up – what I thought were - the green lentils and got busy chopping and dicing.
 
It wasn’t until half way through the recipe that I realised I was cooking split peas!
 
‘They’ll be fine,’ Noel said, ‘I like them.’ 
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Hmmmmmmmm...
So I battled on and despite being a little ‘gluggy’ the loaf (made in a non-loaf tin!) was quite tasty with plenty of gravy and sweet chilli sauce.
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However, the next day, the ‘loaf’ had dried out and become a bit crunchy – the flavours stirred, mixed, and wafted, and with a green salad the ‘laugh’ was utterly divine.
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We ate it all - failed to get a pic with salad! But this was the best way to eat it - cold the next day!
Next recipe to try is the Red Bean Moussaka.
 
The loaf recipe is definitely a keeper – but do I use split peas again or try the lentils next time?

See what else we are up to here.
We have a boat for sale, a 1920s Dutch barge - take a look around here.

Link to recipe (or where the recipe can be found) here.

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Bike on Boat

4/29/2016

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​Rouge Corsair is back to being a working boat!

​​‘Naw, we'll do it tomorrow.’ He said.
But I knew better.
 
I was about to touch up a window frame (lucky thing!), in the wheelhouse and thought better of it. Although Noel had decided to lift the motorbike onto the boat ‘tomorrow’ – I am quite used to plans changing.
 
At about 6:00 pm the clouds cleared, the sun shone, and as I slipped dinner into the oven (Mousakka) Noel announces, ‘I think we’ll move the boat up the canal and lift the bike on board.’
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I didn’t even roll my eyes (well, perhaps a little) – I am used to this.
 
With the oven timer set, we disconnected the power, untied, and did a beautiful reverse manoeuvre into the canal.
 
Puttering along to the turning point we almost kept going. The sun warmed our faces, the engine purred and finally, after a long, cold, Belgian winter, we were on the move – although briefly. It was such a relief.
 
Suddenly, we were back on the dock with the bike and derrick at the ready.
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The crowds gathered, the band thrummed out an ear-splitting drum roll……
 
Well, a few of our buddies came to see…
 
 Via Noel’s carefully constructed rope-bridle on the bike we hauled it up, swung the derrick around and smoothly lowered the bike onto the deck.

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It was almost an anti-climax it was so easy!
 
We puttered back to our mooring, just for a few more days – soon we head down to Ypres. Butterflies flitted in our stomachs, we’re almost ‘on the road’ again.
 
What task/job have you achieved that was surprisingly easy?

Rouge Corsair is for sale - take a look around here.
​More escapades here.

 
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A Working Boat

4/27/2016

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​Installing a derrick (crane) on our boat

​For two years, and possibly a lot longer, the derrick has sat in the forepeak. Yesterday it saw the light of day!
 
The promise
Fifteen years ago when we traversed the French canals in our 33’ sailboat we made ourselves a promise to return on a more suitable boat. Now we are back on our 18.5m Dutch Barge - Rouge Corsair.
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The lure to convince Noel that this barging malarkey was a good idea was in the form of a motorbike. I glibly promised he could have a bike on a barge as, ‘there’s so much room!’
 
Good Idea
I must admit it is a fabulous idea. We have more freedom and no ‘backwards-and-forwards’ trying to manage a car and a boat.
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​Eat my words?
Well, it’s been easy so far because we’ve been in one spot, in Diksmuide, Belgium, all winter. So, the bike hasn’t made it on board… yet.
 
The Derrick is on
We hauled out the dismantled derrick and assembled it easily on deck, there was just one bolt missing. The parts are very well made, heavy and, have probably been used once as there is no wear.
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Bridle
Noel is creating a bridge to lift the 250kg bike and the marina residents are gathering for the spectacle.
 
Will it work?
Find out tomorrow…
 
See what else we are up to here.
We’re selling our boat (with crane), look here.


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For Private Sale – A Range Of Canal Boats

4/22/2016

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Would you like a small, affordable apartment in the Europe, UK, or the USA?​

Have you ever thought of buying a barge, narrowboat, motorboat, or even a trawler?

​You could have your very own wandering apartment! With the ability to move neighbourhoods if you wish – the choice is yours.

Advice - here's some advice on buying a boat... there are many things to think about, for example, do all the seacocks work, (test them!) when were they last serviced/replaced? It may not sound a big-ticket item but if they corrode or break, then your boat will sink... to replace them you need to haul out. Here's many other things you must consider.

If you'd like to advertise your boat here for FREE, please email me (ckijack@yahoo,com) the words WITHIN the body of the email. Maximum 62 words including price, location,etc. Attach a photo of around 200-300 KB, supply the URL link (of your main advert/website) - in the body of the email as well. Format the text as per the other adverts - let your full advert supply detail (I will link your photos to your URL).
If you'd like me to re-write your ad to match the format, please send $25 via paypal ([email protected]) and I will do so. 
If you are a business then contact me for advertising rates.
​The best bit!
You can explore, in your own home! Whether you meander along remote canals or putter through unique villages, wherever you stop you’ll have your own pillow, your own tea-mug,  and your own bed! How wonderful!

Unique selection
Here’s just a small selection of boats available from our FB group Women On Barges (WOBs) – please like and share. Leave a comment too, we’d all love to know what you think.

We invite you into our homes - click on each picture for more details and lots of fabulous pictures.
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Luxmotor Barge "Kendra Erin" built 2006 to high standard. Luxury live-aboard/full inventory. 2 full size bdrms, 2wc, large bathroom w/bath/shw. Low hr Vetus-Deutz 6-cyl 170hp engine/Vetus hydraulic bow thruster. Updated over last 4.5yrs.  Heating:Kabola series HR 400 230V (2016) feeding radiators, separately heating storage hot-water in summer. 2 Webasto water cooled air conditioning units.. - £225,000  http://kmbond.com/
Klipper-’s-Hertogenbosch, TheNetherlands -
€385.000
 Large barge (27,39 x 5,09) with legal berthing place in the centre of the town ’s-Hertogenbosch. Built in 1886, the barge has seen several changes during her life. Her last renovation was recently finished and left her with all the luxuries of a large gourmet kitchen and a comfortable living space. 1 bedroom. Complete with CBB Certificate.
 www.woonschiptekoop.com
Tjalk - North France/Belgium - £164000
​
Comfortable live aboard Tjalk available. She has underfloor heating and every convenience installed for happy cruising or living aboard anywhere in the Continent or the UK with two staterooms and heads. We are looking or a smaller boat so we can do coastal sailing.​ Listed at £164000.
[email protected]


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Dutch Spits Barge - River Medway in Kent. £160,000
The Twinney Wharf is 3.2 miles from Rainham train station and an hour train journey from London. The barge is on a residential and transferable mooring. Fully operational with all working equipment/very good condition with valid certification and up to date dry docking/hull surveys completed in Oct 2016 at Turks shipyard in Kent. Aft/front accommodation refurbished with new flooring, kitchen & bathroom, heating system. Call Gosha/Chris on 07521755088. [email protected]

Do you love boats?
If you are interested in knowing more about canal boats and an amazing selection of boats on offer, join 
Women on Barges (WOBs) on FB. Obviously, there are only certain people who can join.  (BOBs – Blokes on Boats
 is for men). Not only will you have a varied range of boats to link into, but you’ll be welcome, have fun, and tap into THE best (and friendliest) resource on canals and canal boats on Facebook!
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This Time Next Year We'll be Millionaires!

4/13/2016

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How this famous 'Only Fools And Horses' Saying Relates to us!

Today we went into a shop and when we left Noel said, 'You came out with more money than I went in with!"

And he was right.

Eco Shop in Diksmuide (and with a chain of stores right through Belgium) have great recycled gear and we had purchased a near new single bed for one of our cabins.

We also dropped off a few bits to sell, you sign up with them and they sell your gear (ask them first what they will take) and pay a percentage of the sale price into your account and a percentage into theirs (you receive a touch more than they do).

The shop manager grinned as I gave him my details for the proceeds from our sale items. Meanwhile Noel, (rolling his eyes) paid the membership fee (7 Euros). I pocketed Noel's change too.

Then we discovered the bed that we had originally paid for had been mistakenly sold, so we had to choose another, which was 5 Euros less. Yes, I pocked the 5 Euros.

If I keep this up,' I said, 'this time next year we'll be millionaires!'

Our bikes are great transport and have carried all sorts of gear!
Our bikes are great transport and have carried all sorts of gear!
Noel came out scratching his head! We then proceeded to roll the bed home - we don't have a car, just a motorbike (which isn't much good transporting a bed!)
What unusual items have you wheeled down your local high street?
Plan B was better, wheeling both the bike and bed. After this pic, I did take Noel's bike - wheeling his and mine, while he just managed the bed!
Plan B was better, wheeling both the bike and bed. After taking this pic, I did take Noel's bike - wheeling his and mine, while he just managed the bed!
Click here for more of our (writing) escapades.
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TV Show Contestant?

4/12/2016

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​I was a contestant on the new UK TV show “Can’t Touch This!”

Well, it was a homemade contest, very similar to the TV programme, first aired a week or two ago.

For anyone who didn’t see it “Can’t Touch This” is an assault course where contestants lose all dignity doing battle with impossible obstacles. The finalist of each show has the opportunity to leap from a precipice to touch a car – if they touch the car they win it.

​My homemade version had so much more at stake.

In the TV version, show contestants do battle with swinging boxing bags while balancing on a narrow beam, they are thrown, bumped, bashed, and crumpled into embarrassing falls as their body's conspire against them and gravity.

Did we build our own home-made course?

Not quite.
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Image courtesy of Prawny at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

​As I lay prone on the sofa, under blankey, cuddling my hot water bottle, I felt guilty. Not because of the athletic contestants, but because - for a long week - Noel had been working on the boat alone, feeding me, and clearing up – flu had taken over my body.

​‘I’ll make us a cup of tea,’ I croaked as we giggled at the TV. Yes, it was another big Saturday night for us!
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Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
‘That’ll be nice,’ Noel said, clearly relieved that I was actually going to do something. He continued to giggle, and then laughed out-loud clutching his stomach as he watched my efforts.

First challenge: move hot water bottle out of the way.
It really didn’t want to go, the liquid bag was quite comfortable perched on my tummy, but with courage and persistence I pushed it aside.

I took a deep breath, for next it was battle-of-the-blankey.
It was wrapped around my torso and clinging to me with serious tenaciousness and snugglyness. I unwound it, wiggled, and kicked my way free. This left me panting, but I would not give up – there was a cup of tea to be had!

Next, I had to sit up.

Fortunately, I could utlise the side of the sofa to haul my weakened, pathetic body to sit up.

Noel applauded, then wiped his eyes.

Seeing the finish line in sight, I swung my body back and forth to gain momentum for the big stand-up-challenge, and with a little wobble I completed it on the second go!

Go Me!

Motivated by the thought of a chocolate biscuit with the cuppa, I staggered to the galley, clutching the work top, and filled the kettle of water all on my own.

I didn’t win a car, but I got a nice cup of tea and a piece of chocolate and I managed to finish both before I snuggled back under blankey, hauling my hot water bottle back on my tummy once again – deeply satisfied in my competitive spirit and ability.

It may take a couple of days to get over it all!

Do you think I should to apply to the TV show?
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Image courtesy of aechan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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