I'm sorry to report Mum has broken her leg, after falling from the boat. No-one is quite sure how it happened, but from the looks of things she missed her footing stepping onto the pontoon and hit the water. Unfortunately there is a pallet on the mud below and she probably hit her leg on that, leading to a cracked femur. After a successful operation to insert a metal rod she is resting in hospital, making a surprisingly speedy recovery, and beginning to walk unaided after only a few days. There will be several weeks of recovery after which she should be able to walk normally, but Glad Tidings will be out of bounds for the time being. Boat life over the past year or so has made her a lot stronger, so she will be able to return in some capacity soon.
Work has to proceed, and there is still quite a list to get through. Painting on the deck is half finished, staggered by the rain and now this calamity. The sails, which have been hanging in the elements for so long, need to be taken down before they become very mildew'y and the masts are crying out for varnish.
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| After scraping off the "dead skin" of old varnish we can simply sand down the wood and apply a fresh coat, ideally in sunny weather, the options for which are beginning to run out. The smaller masts & spars can be varnished indoors, but time is of the essence for these bigger beasts. |
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| A rag is jammed between two masts to stop them gouging each other in strong winds. |
It has been a chaotic couple of years, and hopefully we are seeing the end of such madnesses. At least if there is an award for "Calamity-Laden Blog 2013" we're a shoo-in!
