The weblog has been discontinued at this location. You're welcome at blog.taas.it for the latest follies and pictures.

And 'Easy' has stood up against its technical and insurance survey. Delivery date in the first half of April.

That's not the same as actually sailing the boat. There is some work left.... Applying anti-fouling, stepping the mast, replacing the prop-shaft bearing, replace anodes, install VHF radio, AIS and chart plotter.

Not to mention ABN-AMRO bank, raising all the barriers they can, to frustrate the transfer of funds at the exact date and time as the change of ownership.

"Noo drinkin', chust wan gless of beer...."

Several people asked: "What's the name of that boat?!" It's Para Handy and the name in previous post is a forward-looking-photosoup.

Para Handy is the nickname of character Peter Macfarlane, Scottish skipper of the “Clyde Puffer” Vital Spark. Neil Munro created him as the main character in his short stories "The Vital Spark". His life is one of pride in his ship, light-heartedly overcoming life's setbacks, love for his crew and stout beer.

Our Canadian adventure was on Para Handy. And our Scottish link completes the reasons to rename "Easy".

More about Para Handy here and on Wikipedia. Short stories here or as BBC TV series here.

Ladies and Gentlemen.... We've got her!

And gone is our savings account...

The day of the final bid on the Catalina 36. In a week we could be boat owners...

It's one of those monday mornings....

Consequence of digging a tunnel through a city is that inevitably things get in the way. Builders commonly deal with this by bulldozering old stuff out of the way. This time the city has asked them nicely to spare two medieval elements of the city wall; the city gate and the windmill. And because builders are good people too, they've honored the request. They're going to move the the city gate out of the way on on rails and will jack up the entire windmill one meter to dig underneath it.

Here is the old gate ready to go, with the windmill in the background.

	The medieval city gate tower is in the way of 21st century plans

Just to show you what a complete bore the weather in Delft is, today....

No, it ain't what you think it is. This is Julien Berthier's latest nautical creation. Apparent heading: "The abyss". True heading: "Safe harbour".

	Julien Berthier's Love-Love

"Love-love" is the permanent and floating image of a wrecked ship that has become a functional leisure craft." It wouldn't surprise me though, if entering a marina creates some 'waves' among the local lifeguards...

Considering the purchase, I have some serious concerns about the comfort of 'life on board'...
(especially about using the head)

Sometimes the line between insanity and skill isn't fully clear....

And now some interesting local culture. The New Year's Dive. Where twenty thousand people with orange caps run into the ice cold surf to symbolise a fresh start.

	New Year's Dive - photo: ANP

Update: Twenty-seven thousand did the dive today.

Celebrating 2011 ...

Nothing left for breakfast?

Finding this site definitely proofs, I've spent too many idle hours with my laptop:
"CatsThatLookLikeHitler-dot-fuckin'-com"

By people who think:
1. "Kitler" is the appropriate name for any white cat with a black spot on its nose
2. "the furred reich" is an hilarious joke describing the cat's lair

Caleb Holloway, a floor- hand, recalls his final minutes on the rig.

Posted on Christmas day by The New York Times. Very educational for those who - like me - work with flammable stuff in pressurized equipment. Your ration of (failed) emergency procedures and pain.

Video by David Barstow, Xaquín G.V., Rob Harris, Haeyoun Park, Sergio Peçanha and Graham Roberts/The New York Times

Original, more and high quality video on New York Times