Beetle About

I like a  small narrowboat with a layout that works.

They make cute and economical boats for two, or provide the ability to get around on your own.

The latest I have seen for £29,950 drive away is the Aintree Beetle.

LOA :   25ft
Width:    6ft 10"
Draft:    2ft 2"
Height Above Water :   5ft 8"
Headroom :    6ft 4"

To maintain the price point, there are few options, but really there are few required as it is nicely equipped at base level.

With few compromises, it would function well as a long term cruiser for two, or a weekender for 4, however, falling short as a two person liveaboard, though one might manage it. You would just need to keep your belongings to a minimum as storage would be an issue.

Any reader of this blog would know I am not a fan of cassette loos. Space limitations require it on the Beetle.

However, at the sacrifice of the forward under bench storage on the starboard side or adding a little more length, I wonder if an economically sized pump-out or composting loo could be fitted. Hard to say from where I write this ... but it would bring this small boat closer to ideal for me, looking more and more like a long term single.

Unfortunately I'd need permission to post pics ... but this link will take you to the brochure which includes the layout, however, it looks something like this ...

Going by the analogy "that it is not how big it is, it's how you use it", many people love their small boats for their compact utility and economy. The Beetle looks like it will provide that too. I believe 7 Beetles have been sold since their unveiling at Crick this year.

Note to Self ...

When and if (shudder) I get to tour the canals ... particularly anywhere near a day trip from Merseyside ... I must take time to visit ..

Lady Lever Art Gallery

Built by the William Lever of Sunlight Soap fame, he built a gallery housing his collected art works. It is named the Lady Lever Art Gallery in testament to his wife.

His collection started around 1880, ultimately consisting of something like 20,000 pieces which were free to his workers to visit and view.

I believe it is still free to visit the gallery which contains some very tasty art work.

One can view paintings, furniture, tapestries, wedgewood and chinese pottery,  classic antiquities, sculptures and more.

When I say "yummo", I'm not just thinking of the tea and scones they serve. And this link provides transport information and directions to get you (me) there.

DIY GUITAR KIT from LHG Custom Guitars (Australia)

UPDATE: These DIY Guitar Kits are now available from the good people at diyguitarkit.com.au

Three or four months ago I had never heard of a DIY Guitar Kit.

The LHG logo

I was approached by LHG Custom Guitars (Australia) in August to provide some marketing and internet services to enable them to sell DIY Guitar Kits throughout Australia.

I am a moderately capable guitar player, but I have never built a guitar or even though about building a guitar because I didn't think I had the skills required to undertake such a project.

Well ... I was wrong.

The first kit I built - a very easy Strat-Style guitar

While providing my services, I encountered the merchandise and was most intrigued and very impressed.

I had also been set the task of generating the documentation that is provided with the kits. The instructions are comprehensive and illustrated. And it wasn't far into this task when I realised ... I can do this ! ! !

My other kit - Ibanez RG Style. The neck has a cool Mother of Pearl inlay in the shape of a Dragon.

I bought two kits and have 2 more on order ... which provides me with plenty of man cave projects for 2013.

Basically there are 3 steps.

1.  First job is to finish it. By that I mean painting, lacquering and polishing the body and neck.

2. Assembly ( not as hard as you think).

3. Set up, which requires stringing the guitar, setting the action and intonation.

Step 3 was the step I was unsure of. I was ok with stringing, but the other two parts (Action and Intonation) were new to me.

I was provided with a couple of 12 minute video tutorials ... and lo and behold ... I can now set up an electric guitar like a Luthier.

On order - Due Jan 2013

Such a fun way to learn. I didn't take pics of the first build because I was busy documenting ... but I will from now on and post them on my blog.

Building your own guitar is ssoooo cool !

LHG's kits start at $99.00 and range up to around the $200.00 mark, which I think is incredibly cheap, considering that on completion, you end up with a great quality guitar.

Also due in Jan - to appease my AC/DC Wannabe-ness

There are heaps more models ... and you can order yours here.


Anyway ... much to do ... more later !

WANNA ROUTE ???

If you are planning on seeing England and Scotland ... and have the smarts to do it by narrowboat ... then, try this route. Allow approximately 90 days for a round trip. Or start and finish somewhere en route if you can't spare that much time.

It is a one-way route taken by a bunch of comedians, taking them from London to Edinburgh over 47 days on a 69ft narrowboat (doing gigs along the way), starting at the London 2012 Festival and culminating with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at it's destination, the world’s largest arts festival.

Take the link above if you'd like to know more.

8TH WONDER OF THE WORLD !

Not commonly considered as one of the 7 wonders of the world ... but ask yourself ... where do GNOMES come from and/or where do they go to get away from it all or to retire ??

Surrounded in mystery, Gnomesville's location is a well guarded secret known to only a few ... most of whom are West Australians ...

... and if you wish hard enough ... I may divulge this location for my avid readers.

It is not a deliberate tourist attraction, nor is it owned by any human ... it exists simply because gnomes of all persuasions escaping their suburban existences, choose to live wild and free in an obscure sanctuary located deep in Western Australia.

It even has Australia Post mail delivery for all the messages and letters that people send to their gnome friends.

Well ... ... ... ... ... ... it is 2 hours drive (south) from Perth, in the Ferguson Valley.

More precisely, it is at the corner of Wellington Mill Road, Ferguson Road & Wellington Lowden Road, Wellington Mill, Western Australia 6236

You can zoom in and look around ... but gnomes are very good at hiding and slipping into the background.

Once upon a time (it is believed) a lone gnome appeared in the vicinity protesting a planned local council development. Soon, this lone protestor was accompanied by a throng of rallying gnome brothers (and sisters) and a community was born.

The exact population of Gnomesville is unknown, but recent estimates put the population in the region of 6,000 residents ... and growing !

This is despite the infamous (but globally un-reported) Great Gnomesville Massacre of 2007 where many gnomes lost their lives in defence of their proud nation against a hoard of rampaging humans.

Gnomeazons or Lesbignomes ??

Ram-gnome or the Ter-gnome-ator ??

Gnomesville interview on ABC radio :

Looking for Home

"In this beautiful rugged land, I have roamed
One lost Gnome looking for home.

Rescued by the Langes I was
My only wish was to live in Aus.

Given shelter for the night
I knew then I was alright.

Given the name eddie Boy
Made me happy & full of joy.

Now here in Gnomesville, I publicy stand
the head of this bloody great Lange Clan.

To all that read this through
May good health & happiness be with you.

And all I can say in reply to that is .... fairy nuff !

WARNING ! GRAPEFRUIT WILL KILL YOU ! ! !

First ... grapefruit will not kill you. Quite the inverse in fact.

I have another blog about food. And I think this recent entry to that blog is IMPORTANT and worth re-posting here.

Contact me (through either blog or at mhcook@gmail.com) if you wish to know more about how drug companies have NO INTEREST in curing you whatsoever.

OK ... enough ranting ... here is the entry which speaks for itself.

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I don't even consider I am 'dieting' because I am eating the foods I like in regular and large quantities.

And I am happy to do that day in and day out, every day of the year, without sufferance of any kind.

Initially, I kept my usual breakfast as is (because it was quite ok), to be refined at a later date.

Well ... as it happens ... breakfast evolved by itself.

Changes I made are :

1. Replaced white bread with wholemeal. This is an easy change and though the calories don't change much ... the quality of the food increases considerably. There is no cost difference.

2. Replaced the glass of fruit juice (at approx. 125 calories) with fresh pink grapefruit at 32 calories per half.

Note the sticker that denies me the one food that will cure my condition. Who benefits from that ?

The advantage of eating the pink grapefruit ... and the reason for the change ... is that eating pink grapefruit every day for 90 days is said to clear heart blockages, thus eliminating the need to take blood thinning medication, which after 12 years (4,380 days) of taking the maximum dose of Lipitor (not to mention Ramipril & Metoprolol as well), has done NOTHING to 'cure' the 5 blockages in my heart.

I will post another entry at a later date concerning my personal experience with how ineffective modern medical practice (and drugs) have been at ACTUALLY curing my health issues.


OK ... so that's the breakfast changes, reducing my daily brekky calorie intake from 444 calories to 390 calories.

And I'm still loving it and eating plenty and eating well.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

Spring is here, so I have been doing my spring cleaning and gardening. Both things I like to knock over before it gets too hot.

The ground in Mandurah is typically sand. Sand with the consistency of caster sugar, which drains instantly and leaches out any residual organic matter. Hence, it is very dry and contains very little nutrients.

Native plants can survive in it. But not much else.

I am proud of my soil. It is still sandy, however, it is black and rich and plants thrive in it. Being well mulched .. it also retains water. If you have ever lived in WA ... you would appreciate what a blessing that is. It has taken 10 years to get it this way.

Early days ... tomatoes should be over 6ft high by New Year.

This is my vegie garden. It is small ... about 2.5m X 1m. But it grows more than I can eat on my own through summer.

This year I have a bed of rocket, sheltering some basil, thyme and capsicums. Against the fence I have red and yellow tomatoes and sugar peas. The sugar peas should have been a punnet of snow peas ... unfortunately I picked up the wrong punnet from the tray at the shop. 

Ohhh ... there are a couple of onions in there as well.

I will post pics of the produce that comes out of this tiny patch ... I made it ... and even I am impressed with how much comes out of it. I picked 20 - 30 kg of tomoatoes off the two plants last year.

Excuse the dates on the photos ... seems the camera date went back to default on the last battery change.

Seizure later !