Looking forward to our first Christmas on Ravensdale

Ravensdale decked out for Christmas

This Christmas is definitely going to be different for us.

And if the weather forecasters are correct we are quite literally going to be rocking around the Christmas tree J

We considered booking into a hotel for the festive season, as we have done on a number of occasions in the past, but decided we really wanted to spend the first Christmas since moving onto Ravensdale on board.

Neither the prospect of cooking Christmas dinner in a tiny gas oven nor the forecast of 70mph winds on Christmas Day have managed to put us off.

We even decided to stay put when it looked as though we could have been without our heating system over the festive season.

However, we’re now hoping Phil has rectified the heating problem as it has been running fine since he went down into the engine room and straightened out the outlet pipe from the heater. So we should be lovely and warm for the celebrations.

The new name plates have been fixed on both sides of the boat

We have also put up the new name plates we had made for the boat once we had registered her on the Small Ships Register and received our registration number.
 

Choosing a name for our new home proved incredibly difficult as it would also be our address.

After compiling a list of around 50 possible names, a neighbour suggested Ravensdale as we were then living in Ravensdale Court, Corpach, and it was the first name we both liked so Ravensdale seemed the obvious choice.

And, at long last, we have got around to putting up the Christmas lights on the outside of the boat.

We have previously only put up warm white lights at Christmas, but decided a white (OK, whitish) boat called for something a bit more colourful so we went to B&Q and bought two sets of 400 flashing, multi-coloured lights.

Armed with a pack of cable ties, we attached one set to the rail around the bow and port and starboard sides. The other set creates a canopy of lights over the aft deck.

I was like a kid in a sweetshop when we turned the lights on and I totally love being able to see the boat flashing like a beacon to welcome us home when I take Dex out for a walk in the dark.

They also seem to be attracting the attention of passers-by who stop to take photos and some have brought their children along to see the lights.

I tried to take some photos of the lights in the dark. They haven’t come out very well, but thought I would share them anyway as they may be poor quality, but they still make me smile J

Finding room for more decorations inside the boat was more difficult as the main cabin is surrounded by windows.

The end of a tiring day!

I got out the boxes of decorations from previous years, but most have had to be repacked due to lack of space and we have had to settle for a three-foot fibre optic Christmas tree, a lighted rattan star, our Christmas cards, a few baubles and a table decoration.

I also swapped some of the pale grey cushions in the main cabin for large red ones to give it a more festive feel.

All the decorating proved a tiring business and Phil and Dex fell asleep in front of the TV.

Talking of sleeping, I don’t know whether it’s the sea air or not going to work, but I seem to be sleeping much better now than I have in years – especially since the arrival of the new mattress J