Hands-On Preparation of Hammy on the Inside

So!
We crawled around on our knees inside the Hammy after having smoothed out an old curtain. We quickly gave up drawing a template for a mattress and cut the curtain along the correct edges.  It was important to be careful and as is I cut one corner too tightly but we relied on the correct corner, which Gordon marked with a big tick and "correct".  Then to the foam shop, we went for the cheapest option which was still more than adequate for our sleeping comfort.
In the rough and ready shop, the owner moved up his extra foams, had a look at the curtain-template,
returned with the shape we  wanted.  So over the busy road (South of Edinburgh city) with the foam.  And - wow! - it fit really perfectly and snugly.  We test-drove the mattress in the back of Hammy in the busy street by lying down - and yes - just right!  Just then we remembered before driving off, praying a prayer that the Lord would help us and we feel this is JUST RIGHT - and we are thankful!

Oh yes Gordon's fold-up bike fits into the bike-bag - what a relief.  Plus after ditching some ideas and sagging dividers between the front seat and the rest of the Hammy, we've still managed to go for what we already owned.  In this case our 15-year old tartan picnic blankets with the waterproof on one side.  Our plan to double up with the washing line and the thingymegee on which to hang the  divider was a flop: too long and too floppy!   So bulb-light moment for Gordon and we got a luggage tidy-up with two plastic coated hooks and just the right length between the two front roof handle bars.  So the  one picnic blanket could be pegged up here without any unnecessary folds and would serve well as black-out of light too and probably insulation.  OK it remains to be seen what the gap is going to be between roof and elastic.  The second old tartan picnic blanket is generous enough to cover the passenger front seat and to protect agains the bicycle in the bike-bag leaning on it.  What a relief that all of that plus extra bits of saddle and carrier would fit in the well in the front.

The final test will be when everything is packed and we are definitely trying to balance simplicity/minimal with maximum comfort!   The plan is to leave the driver's seat completely uncluttered just in case there is a need........to get away quickly!!!

Back to the mattress: the plan is to slip it into a single duvet cover and then build our bed with sleeping bags lined with......yep - sleeping bag liners.  Quite possibly an extra duvet.  This is the thing we have no idea how hot or how cold it would be inside the Hammy.  We have a thin roll of silver insulation to possible stick up with press stick on the windows if we need extra protection.

So.....with our 2 fairly narrow planks placed horizontally just underneath the luggage cover we have suddenly seen more storage possibilities but have to keep thinking through the logistics.  Maybe we can use some of our own plastic storage to place on the two planks and still have a little vacant place to possibly work with food.   At night the bike in the front - the storage on the planks and - we have made sure - we can manage to sleep under the suspended storage and still turn around in our Hammy-bed without making all the stuff fly.  During the day:  the bike in the back (on one side) leaving enough room for at least one of us to have a dozy-doze in the back - or just to lie down and read.  We would also have to take the storage down during the day, especially while we are mobile as - once again things will go flying.

We have still a way to go to see where/if we can find room for 2 small chairs and of course our clothing and laptop bags.  The only way we would know is by actually packing in and out and thinking of details such as where are we going to have our rubbish bin and bottles of water and cooking ring.

Much to do, but much done and discovered today!

Exciting!!!

Bless the Lord o my soul and forget not all His benefits, or any of His benefits:  first and foremost the greatest gift, out of His great love, the giving of His one and only Son:  forgiveness!, justification! adoption! an imperishable inheritance! bright hope!
The blessings of those we love and who love us: our family - all of them!  Our friends over many years and our present church family.
And all the extra's like a comfy mattress!