Thursday, June 24, 2010

Nasty work

I have been working too hard these past few days. I pulled the boat out of the water, got the mast down, and trailered it home.

Once there the process began on scrapping the bottom after power washing it. What marine life wasn't removed had rotted. It has been hot, dirty and smelly work to scrape and remove barnacles and oysters.

I removed the 700 pound keel after using every brain cell to figure out how to jack up the boat high enough to let the keel all the way down. Somehow that got done without crushing me or the boat. Once the keel was removed, the worst of the marine growth up in the keel slot had to be removed with a flat bar.

Yesterday was comparatively easy because I painted the prepped bottom for 8 hours. Last night I was so stiff and tired that I wondered how I would make it to do another day of labor. But this morning found me feeling limber again.

I feel as if I have had little time to do anything other than hard labor. So at noon I met a sponsee for a cold soda and talked about the seventh step. I needed that meeting. Being on the island and not having C. there has been isolating. I don't think that I did this on purpose, but work became the focus instead of meetings.

A friend came stopped by the other day. He had been splitting up enough oak wood to fill his truck bed.  It was good to talk to him and simply have another soul who appreciated the labor that was done.  We both commiserated on our aches and pains.  He then left to go home to dinner with his wife.  I eventually went inside, fixed a hamburger, and then fell into bed.

The good news is that in another day or so and the boat will be ready.  And in another day or so C. will be coming home.  It has been two weeks since she left.  In those two weeks I haven't managed to mess up anything and have gotten a lot of things done.  Sometimes the nasty work has to be done.  It's not necessarily what I want to be doing but the sense of accomplishment is making me feel good.

I haven't had a lot of time to think about being lonely.  Only at night when the work is done for the day and I lie awake for a few minutes reviewing my day do I think about my solitude.  I know that it would be really easy for me to isolate and just keep working at task after task.  The persecution of self runs strong within me.   But for today, I'm glad to have gotten off the island, had some Al-Anon time, and am actually going out to a Mexican restaurant tonight.  Whooee! A big night on the town for this fellow.

18 comments:

  1. Glad you got out for a break! It's so easy to get involved in tasks and daily chores, to get in our mind and want to skip a meeting. But it's always a blessing when we make it!
    Can't imagine how you did all that work in this heat too - you forgot to mention the heat - that's an accomplishment. More so - getting the boat up like that - an even bigger accomplishment! Saw the picture and went "Owwww" :)
    God bless.

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  2. It is what it is.
    Another part of the total package.

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  3. that is a beautiful boat Syd

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  4. A nice meal well deserved too. Enjoy but watch you don't overeat those jalapenos, they can really work on a person, heehee.

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  5. Hey, I can relate. I don't get out much. J left for San Diego a few days ago so I've been home alone too. Seems to me the house is cleaner (:D), and I get more done. It's not his fault, I just think I have to push myself more when he's here. Not sure why. I'll have to work on that because I don't like it.

    I can no longer walk our Alaskan Malamute due to medical issues so I have been driving to pick up M and go to a park near his apartment so he can help me walk her. I've enjoyed it so much that I'm going to see if he will do that with me on a regular basis. There is a nice park near his house and I've enjoyed seeing him and being around the other people at the park. Motivates me to exercise more too.

    Absense makes the heart grow fonder. Enjoy your reunion! When will that be again?

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  6. nothing like a change in routine. even if it involves hard work. happy weekend syd!

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  7. gosh, Syd, wish I could get a hold of a Mexican meal. no Mexican to be had in Yorkshire.

    doing the next right thing is always good... I also understand the dangers of filling the mind and body with compulsive work.

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  8. I have no idea how you got your boat up on blocks like that. By yourself. When we had a boat, it stayed in the bay at a slip and once a month a diver would clean the bottom of the boat. I don't want to even think how hard it would be to get it out and up by one person and no heavy equipment. It does sound like you have been busy and time has gone by enough that C will be home soon. She will appreciate your work to take care of the garden and boat so well. I hope you enjoy your Mexican dinner out.

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  9. Syd,
    You may be working harder than when you had a job. Laugh. Remember, I am living vicariously through you--take it easy and enjoy retirement. Laugh.

    Love,

    SB

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  10. Amazing how the body rebounds after a good rest--night's sleep. It has always astounded me and still does.

    LOVE the photo of Compass Rose! You treat her so good.

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  11. Keeping busy is such a good thing, and I am learning also to incorporate the human element...hanging out with people. It's important for me. I'm sure you will appreciate all your hard work when the time for enjoying time on the water comes.

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  12. To everything there is a season. This has been the season for you of solitary work. And now the season will change and you will have your beloved home.

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  13. I too like to be caught up in work. I guess because it makes me feel productive and I don't have to be involved emotionally. Isolation for me is a dangerous thing, I tend to go deep inside the self...but the last few weeks have been jam packed so I decided on the spur of the moment to head up to the cottage with the kids for some relaxation. Your boat is beautiful and soon you will be able to enjoy your reward, and C will be home to enjoy it too! Have a great weekend.....

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  14. Its funny how dinner out at a Mexican restaurant can be such a big fun deal huh. lol Almost a little embarrassing.

    There is a certain amount of satisfaction in hard physical labor...you start at point A and you work your way to point B, then you complete your job at point C. It is concrete progress. Start and finish. I always like that.

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  15. Love your picture of your Compass Rose - she's pretty! I can't figure out how you got her up there, but I'm glad you're getting the job done and I'm sure you'll enjoy taking her out again soon! I hope you and C have a wonderful reunion, with one of your great dinners and much catching up and laughter... Have a great weekend Mr. Syd!

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  16. I love Mexican! Sounds like a great night out.

    I need to have some time to myself. And, for me, hard physical work can be good for the soul. But I have to be careful not to isolate. It's easy for me to do.

    Thanks for sharing.

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