Yesterday, Erik put a loving arm around me, put his lips to my ear and whispered, "it's time." A thrill went up my spine. Finally, we were ready to bed the backing plate for the new chainplate for the inner forestay. Erik stomped off to the foredeck in the driving rain; I grabbed my 11/16th wrench and climbed into the anchor locker. It was everything I dreamed. Aluminum filings rained down on me. Erik broke a drill bit. I smeared 4200 sealant on my favourite fleece with the skill of an infant eating chocolate pudding. I climbed ever deeper into the locker, trying to get some purchase on the [unrepeatable] locknuts. And throughout, Erik and I yelled sweet nothings at each other via the hawsepipe.
"Do you have it yet?"
"No."
"What?"
"NO!"
"For crying out loud. What the hell are you doing down there?"
""I'm trying to get a nut onto a bolt that some idiot drilled too close to the bulkhead! So give me a minute!"
These loving exchanges will live in my heart forever.
But my exotic adventures were not at an end! This morning, the weather rolled in. Once Indy informed me that it was, indeed, time to get out of bed and make her breakfast, I got up and lit the diesel heater. But fun was in store. When the wind strikes from a certain angle, our old-style and on-the-list-to-be-modified chimney allows a backdraft. Which makes the fire go foooom! And today, it blew a black fluffy cloud of soot through the salon. We turned off the fire and aired out the room, but the magical transformation was complete.
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| Mom. Loves. Cleaning! |
But the fun wasn't over. Because some of the soot did indeed fall to the ground (and let those carbon particles be an inspiration to their gravity-flouting brethren.) And my girls, not wanting to be left out of the mess-making fun, ran through it. I, dear friends, got to scrub soot off their feet. Several times, no less. How those young ladies show their love for me.
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| Be sure to run through the soot again in five minutes, darling. |
8 comments:
Aah cleaning. When Great Grandma passed on her genes, the cleaning genes were missing. What a waste of time when we could be reading a good book. The trouble with cleaning: just when you finish, you turn around & it stares you right in the face once again.
It is too bad for you that Vera is here with me today instead of there with you. I declare Vera should be made a national treasure or at least our family treasure.
Love Mom
One day I decided to clean out our diesel heater with the vacuum cleaner. The excess soot shot out the exhaust and filled the boat. We sent our daughter ashore and for hours we cleaned...
You should train the kids to tighten nuts in small places. That is what they are for on boats.
Happy cleaning.
@Diane: I'll keep that in mind when we clean the chimney. I am resigned to more soot, but there is no point in making the problem worse than it has to be.
The kids are washing the dishes as I write... I think I'll release them from nut duty today.
Good job cleaning. We are going thorough a little renovation to insulate the guest room. Luckily our contractors have been fairly clean and Charol is coming today to help clean up. The work should be done next week. I am glad to have help, I am not so handy with house repair or cleaning. I tip my hat to you and Erik.
I know that tight spot with the nut to close to get the wrench on and the "loving" husband asking/yelling if you've got it yet. You must live on a boat.
I feel your pain (however bravely masked).
Aeon
@Aeon: I knew you could relate.
Very interesting story, thank you for sharing with us.
Can definitely relate to your story. Not all glamour like the world believes. We has to replace a bolt deep in the tight spot that only I could get into, and hours later I ruined my favorite pants, shirt, and had a nice scratch on my forehead that bled for a week I think. The payoff was getting to our next location safely.
Ambrose @ Brown & Reaves Services, Inc.
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