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Holy cow, I can’t believe it’s already February. Unbelievable.
Actually, what’s more unbelievable is the fact that I am continually surprised by the passing of time, and the progression of the calendar. I’m like the baby that giggles every time you pull your hands away from your face and sing, “peek-a-boo!” Thankfully for my shipmates, though, I rarely need to be changed.
Fun has been in no short supply around here. We go curling nearly every Friday, and some of us are getting halfway decent at it. (Maggie and Shackle in particular)
I am getting halfway embarrassing at it. For every good shot I make, I seem to counteract it by bailing out on the ice and sending my stone off into a forsaken curling wilderness of furrowed brows and snickering.
I’ve also been on a reading and writing tear as of late. I’ve checked about 1000 books out of the local library since I’ve been here. Now that I’m out of school, I’ve found that I have to be much more deliberate about nurturing the mind, but also that I take greater pleasure in it as well.
Work has been going along nicely. We’ve been overhauling all the blocks and bits of wire, varnishing spars and deckboxes, rewiring the ship’s electrical system, overhauling the ship’s plumbing, and basically giving her a good, thorough once-over. Leather-working, wire-brushing, corro-sealing, slushing, worming, parceling, serving, tarring, greasing, painting, scraping, sanding, grinding, rust-busting, and then, at five, clean-up for supper.
My ship’s work is interrupted at times by my efforts to get my AB-Sail certification, which is an important step in the licensing process. Collecting sea time, having it evaluated, background checks, and an exam are all a part of the process. There are a few more hoops mariners of today must jump through, but it’s not so bad, and easily worth the small hassle.
Next week promises more of the same for us here in the LBG: working, curling, having fun, and staying warm.
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