Blowy Night

It’s been a shit week to be honest. So much so, that my sleep pattern is shot to hell and this blowy weather doesn’t help.

Maggie is restless, stirring at every flutter, ping, creak or groan the boat produces, and last night was the worst yet. We are still having the occasional firework going off too which makes me wonder if her anxiety is a knock on effect from anticipation.
I got to bed just after 11, having taken her out for her final wee around 10 before the rain hit. As it turned out, the rain wasn’t the problem.

I’d checked the weather radar and overnight forecast, and could expect winds up to 30mph. The temperature looked good though at 14º, so no need to have the little rad on to keep off the chill.
The ropes and everything else were secure, but when it’s windy, the covers vibrate, the straps rattle, and there was an annoying irregular ‘thump’ that bothered me so much, I got up around midnight, padded up on deck in my nightie and checked inside the helm that nothing was loose.

The light ended up going on and off like some kind of burlesque morse code into the early hours and I’m afraid I lost it with Maggie. They probably heard me three boats away as I shouted at her to lie down. The boat was swaying rather than bobbing, so it should have rocked us both to sleep. No chance.
I’d hoped she’d snuggle close and with my arm round her, realise she was safe and nothing could hurt her, but she didn’t settle until gone 3 or that was the time I finally drifted off.
I was awake again at 6.30, walking her an hour later.

Digital Camera

These are pictures of the Cut Through in the Avenue which I usually walk through twice when I do the figure of eight walk as I did this morning.

 

Someone in the other basin has lost an orange life ring overnight. I noticed it forlorn and lonely bobbing in the water as I left the marina grounds on the way to the Avenue.
They resurfaced the road here last week and the corrugated plastic 10 mile an hour signs have torn loose from their bottom tie wraps so are flapping in the wind. Being at Maggie’s eye level on the lamp posts now they gave her a bit of a surprise as she was sniffing along. This limit has been set until the chippings settle on the new tarmac (not that anyone takes any notice as several vehicles have come round the corner doing at least twice that).

I also picked up an unwelcome gift making its presence known by the horrendous stench attached to my shoe. Of course, I couldn’t step into a little turd could I? Oh no.
It had to be a big fat splurty one that had oozed into the entire tread of the sole, and would not wipe off in the grass. I thought Shit! Yes, exactly. Hidden completely out of sight by the fallen leaves that some bastard owner couldn’t be bothered to clear up.
Back at the marina, I went into the ladies to clean up. Nice (not).

Returning to the boat, I checked the ropes again and noted that our boat pole on the roof had flipped out of one of its brackets. It’s tied securely at the other end so can’t get blown off completely, so that may have been my elusive thumping. We shall see.
The WIFI is intermittent and I keep losing my connection which isn’t helping my patience.
Hubby wants me to look something up for him, but it’s doubtful I’ll get a signal long enough to find it. I’ll have a go though and if successful, put the data on a USB stick.

We lost power yesterday afternoon. I only noticed it because the kettle didn’t boil. The trip switches on board were OK and so I checked with our friends 2 boats down to see if they were affected. They’d lost mains temporarily, but it had come back on. It was the trip switch on our supply bollard that had triggered so I reset it and everything seems OK now. We had an instance last week and it was our new kettle that was causing the problem as it had developed a leak which resulted in an earthing fault. It wasn’t cost effective to take it back for replacement or refund, so we bought another travel kettle, plus we still have the one for the gas hob.

According to the radio, the weather today is going to be cloudy and windy, with the chance of showers later this afternoon.
According to the internet weather site we refer to, it’s going to be breezy and cloudy. Makes you wonder when a breeze becomes a wind.

The sky cleared up a bit so I walked her ladyship up to the bank to put some more credit on our mobile phones. Or tried to.
It really isn’t my day (or my week).
I managed to put a tenner on mine,  but the network for Hubby’s new one I bought on Friday wasn’t listed, and I tried three ATMs at different banks.
More stress!

Butter wouldn’t melt!

Maggie is curled up in the corner now catching up on her shut eye. Wish I could do that.

yeah, cute

Unless I’m ill, I can’t normally sleep during the day.
MOH is coming to visit today and has promised to take me out for a meal.
Last night Maggie and I were invited into Tuppy’s boat for supper and company.
It’s nice to have such caring friends.
Thanks guys.

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