You may remember in the early days of the blog, that I commented a lot on how I do not enjoy living in the city. The pollution (noise and fumes), the isolation of living in a flat, the concreteness of it all. On Day 14, I decided to come up with a plan to get out the city, using the planning tool PATH. Sadly, I never got round to doing the plan.
However, a week ago, a 40 ft canal boat popped up on my friends Facebook feed saying it was for sale and I started to explore the options of buying it. It is on the Union Canal in Edinburgh, so I wouldn’t have to move out of Edinburgh, it’s part of a small community of other canal boats in a locked area, it would be living near/on water, it would be living more outside and being part of a community. It would mean massively downsizing, which would be really exciting as I believe we hold onto so many of our possessions for way too long, although, also pretty scary!
I went to see the boat on Sunday and it looks great! So for the last few days I have been doing a crash course in owning canal boats and how to buy them.
The one stumbling block is the £25,000 I need to buy it.
My flat is on a mortgage of just £35,000, my flat is worth £160,000. That’s £125,000 equity in the flat. But the lenders I have spoken to have not agreed to lend me the money. I didn’t know this until yesterday, but you can’t take a traditional home mortgage on a boat as it’s not on a plot of land.
So I am stuck on the way forward.
My dream is in reach, but I need to find £25,000 first!
This evening Honey and I went for a walk up Arthur’s Seat with Hannah. We went to the top.
Pre-Covid, I would go up to the very top of Arthur’s Seat maybe once a year maximum. Maybe even less, maybe once every 18 months. Since lockdown started I’ve been up it more than 5 times – on Saturday (Day 173) I ran to the top of it! The amount of exercise I’ve done since lockdown started is awesome!
Face-Mask Corner
Today we have Hannah.
Hannah found her face-mask in her flat, she thinks it got left behind by someone visiting. She’s washed it a few times and now wearing it.
Wow – that’s amazing, that face-masks have become so much in our lives, that they just appear in our homes. It’s like finding a sock down the back of the sofa!
The other day, when I was trying to get a photo for Face-Mask Corner, I said to someone “do you have a face-mask”. Afterwards suddenly realising that was a crazy question as we all have to have face-masks!
Readers Corner
Just one sharing in here today.
Robin
Robin posted a comment on Facebook on yesterdays blog (Day 176) saying:
“Day 176. It truly is beyond belief!”.
That’s right – in face on Monday, it will be 6 months of writing this blog!
It Made Me Smile
Nothing to be included in this section 🙁
Music Corner
Please do share your favourite tunes and playlists to be included in here.
As I come to the end of today’s blog I am feeling so so tired. I am not sure whether that is because I am no longer on my detox or because of all the learning about canal boats and problem solving on how to buy her.
I think that darker nights certainly has an affect. Last year, I bought a SAD Lamp, to help boost my energy, it worked really well. I think I remember using near the start of darker nights, which helped with my mood and energy. I will have to dig it out again.
Hope you’ve had a good day.
Jim x
Olivia Duggan
Hi Jim
What a lovely idea of living on a canal boat !! The boat looks in great condition.
Hope it works out for you at some stage…fingers crossed.
Well done on six months of your daily blog!!
Take care
Olivia & Mannix