Emotional times, a Bleed Screw and lumps of wood laying around...

I know.

My "post titles" get more obscure...  I blame Brexit!

I've never liked this time of year...  the approach to Christmas - MORE so this year as I'm feeling very emotional at the moment.  Actually, SCRATCH that,  as a child I LOVED this time of year but as an Adult... well, it used to be frustrating ... folk madly dashing around spending money they don't have spare on things they (or their family/friends) DONT really need...

THIS year, just being in the town or shops wandering around hearing the Christmas music playing and seeing people scurrying around it's making me quite tearful.  It's the first Christmas 'mum-less'...  now don't get me wrong...  since being a grown up my folks have never enforced the common recreation attempt of a 'perfect family Xmas' - in fact, quite the opposite... Mum and Dad have always been quite self sufficient... just being there for each other.

Of course, that all changed when mum died.  I have to keep writing that btw to remind myself she is gone.  It's so very hard changing her from the present  to past tense too.  I'm having a similar trouble in regards my soon to be ended civil partnership.... changing from "we" to "I" is very difficult.

Even though, we'd never gone in for big presents, at this time of year - like most people, I always used to be wandering around with one eye looking out for some token gift that mum would like.   It hurts not doing it which has caught me off guard.

Dad is insisting "it's just another day" and after his lonely adjustment to life without mum, is adamant he's going to ignore Christmas totally... declining various family invites.

It'll be horrible for him.    I know this... you see, as an adult, I've spent 3 Christmas's "alone" - all of which have been thoroughly miserable... it's just what happens...  bearing in mind he comes from a large catholic family and went straight into married life with Mum for 52 years - it's going to be his first one alone.

I 'GET' that he feels he has to do it...  and in a similar vain, after 14 years with Andy, I'm doing the same thing on the boat alone - I suspect Dad (like me) is figuring he's going to be bereft and would rather not have an audience for it... a bit like my brain is bracing me for too I suppose.... my logical brain KNOWS its just another day... but my emotional brain is going to be screaming at me that I'm mum less and mid divorce - hells, bells it's already been laying the foundations ...

Anyway - I just thought I'd write that down in the hope it clears the fog a bit and lets me think about other things...

SUCH as, boaty chores.

THAT said, I  came down with a cold (commonly known as 'man-flu') which has knocked me sideways... I suspect because I've been running on adrenaline for months, now I'm able to be under the weather, my body has ceased the opportunity.  Oh well... a few dozen lemsips and bottle of sleepy night nurse should get me over the worst of it.

I've  assembled the first rear seat and back rest -using the old shelving donated by the tenant... it may look ugly now but once it's covered with purple leatherette... well it may still look ugly but will at least make it a little more comfortable to sit out the back of the boat lol.

I've finished the bow seats now and fixed them in to place....   all I'm waiting for are the turn-buttons to arrive from Ebay and I can 'tick' that job off.

The weather isn't being particularly

helpful in the painting department though...  one minute it's minus 3 - the next its raining ... neither being ideal.

Still, it has given a few nice photo opportunities... the sunrises from my temporary winter mooring being quite beautiful .

oh - btw... the fuel filter housing arrived this week... I've removed and installed the bleed screw (onto the existing assembly and that's cured the little diesel drip...the water drain bung on the new one has now been replaced by a plastic thingy which is a little easier to handle than the current Torx one in situ.

Until next time....