Nearly...

We appear to have survived the winter! At one point I honestly didn’t think it possible, and it hasn’t been easy, but y’know I think we done did it. I grew a large and unruly beard for a while, as shaving in the dark was too challenging, but instead of looking like a distinguished sea pup I ended up looking like some kind of shovel chinned barbarian, so in the end it had to go.
    Hold on a mo, as I type this it’s trying to snow again. What the buggeration!? Bloody weather. Maybe the last three days were spring, we’ve bypassed summer and gone straight back in for another round. If this turns out to be the case at least Becky and I know what we’re dealing with I suppose. We’re still strip washing ourselves with bucket and flannel, still sewn into our thermals the rest of the time, still cooking on the woodburner to save gas, still living with candlelight in most areas. So it’s still testing us. But, at least until it started to snow again just now, we have learnt to smile, or at least contort our faces into a convincing rictus, and we are tentatively beginning to congratulate ourselves for surviving the worst of the cold and dark. We haven’t done much on board except live and sleep, not getting enough of either since mostly we’ve been getting used to the long commute back and forth. But with the hopeful change of season we’re starting to plan the next round of work on board.
We’ve been stockpiling materials and parts over the winter, including a humbly accepted donation of plumbing and electrical parts, rope and paint from an old boat buddy. We’ve also secured some right nice reclaimed hardwoods including large enough amounts of oak, teak and mahogany which is all earmarked for specific homebuilding projects that are coming soon.
I’m still on medication, yes it took its time getting going but it’s helping a lot now. More importantly I think I am beginning to learn some big lessons with regard to my awful and terrifying nosedive last autumn. The pace and balance of what we get up to next has to be moderated by this so, things are going to be a bit different. No guarantees, but hopefully we’ll have some new words and pictures to show you soon.