She floats!

On the 11th June we met our new boat, chaperoned by Martin, at Oxford Cruisers where nine years ago the Malpus boys craned The Green Man into the water (this sentence might be a little link heavy). It brought back a lot of memories... For Rob. I think I was so traumatised by the experience the first time round that I blocked it out. All I remember of that day is the boat being on a lorry, but I'm sure that's a stolen memory from a photograph of the event. Anyway, back to the present...).

Rob had been to the yards to see the boat during construction, but I hadn't. This was my first view of our new home-to-be.

LOOK! I SEE MY BOAT! That blue bit is my boat, yes?

It wasn't until I was up close that I actually realised how huge the boat actually is. I fear it my have taken trees out on its journey down here. And whole buildings. It's massive. 

See, even the crane looks small.

It really didn't take long for the driver to back the lorry into position and the crew to get the crane ready to winch her.

Nearly time to hold your breath.

She flies! *holds breath*

There's nowt like your home-to-be balanced delicately on some straps in mid air to get the adrenalin pumping.

And then, with the clanking of chains and people steadying the ropes, she was lowered, ever so carefully, into the water. She finally met the Thames. And she floated.

Floating is a good sign. We're all unanimous on that.

And, just so you get the idea of how big she is, I took a photograph of her beside a normal sized boat.

She ate all the pies. That's my girl.