Monday 22nd January Day 184
In the real world it’s Wednesday 31st January and I’m finally feeling well enough to crack on and write my blogs! ((it’s about time Peachy but I’m sorry… it won’t last!))
I wake up feeling surprisingly okay today so make the most of it and we crack on and finally start the boat jobs. We probably have about another six weeks in the marina until we get out on the cut again weather permitting, we may go sooner if the weather picks up. I’ve never known so many storms in such a short space of time and don’t fancy cruising in that kind of weather.
Anyway, we get up both ready to DIY which is rare ((I’ve still got the swear jar standing by!)) First job is to move everything out of the kitchen and dinette area and into the bedroom since we are sanding today and I didn’t want to get everything covered in dust, then it’s sandpaper at the ready. We set about sanding the dinette as we are going to varnish some of the panels and paint the others, just to make it a bit more homely and freshen it all up. Then the other area for sanding is around the stern doors. The control panel cupboard, around the steps and wood trims.
We also manage to finally fix the control cupboard door which has been hanging off and a real nuisance since we bought the boat in May 2022! I cannot believe we will have been living on a boat two years come May. Anyway, as is usual with jobs you put off for ages, we sort it in about 20 minutes and finally we can look in, check wiring etc without having to hold the door open fearing its going to fall and rip out all the wiring.
It’s pretty much a full day of sanding as I also tackle one of the doors which has about 15 layers of green paint. I want to strip it back to wood as where it’s situated it gets a lot of use when we are cruising as that’s where we store things we need, so hence lots of dirty hand prints which are difficult to get off after time. A good varnish and it will be easier to wipe off and will look better.
It’s nice to get stuck into these jobs now that I’ve finally sent my book off to my publisher for editing. I probably won’t get it returned to me for maybe another month depending on their timeline so it means I can crack on with the DIY. I also need to get the canal book in some order and do some research on areas to add in. I want to publish the canal book in time for Xmas so I need to get as up to date as I can. It’s a ‘year in the life of’ ((I wouldn’t bother buying it as most of you will have already read it if you’re reading this)) Hey, don’t put off my readers. There will be a lot more to it… hopefully! I also need to crack on editing my psychological thriller. ((Yeah, yeah we have heard it all before. Your mum is going to disown you if you don’t finish that thriller!))
I need to start thinking about the cover for the canal book, as I said before I was interrupted, ((Sorry, i’m sure. Just keeping it realistic)) it’s a year in the life so started in July 2023 – July 2024 so if I can be somewhere near then i can get it edited. Unless I decide to try and get a publisher for it. We will see.
That’s it. ((Peachy it’s probably a good time to commit a murder as you will probably have no fingerprints left after all that sanding – there you go a free idea for a book – I literally do all the work around here!)) Until tomorrow. Day done. X
C.L. Peache 