Catching Up.

It's been a while since I have updated the blog, not for lack of things happening, but lack of energy on my part, the internet situation is entirely too vexing and sometimes I am literally just that lazy that I don't want to fight with it anymore. However, it's time to get caught up on the goings on around here.

Firstly, I turned 29. 

My birthday booty from my boat neighbour, very thoughtful of her.

Here's to my last year in my twenties, let's hope it's a good one.

Secondly and most importantly, we are now enclosed. 

It took two weeks of straight work but our canvas man  got our cockpit enclosure finished, it looks awesome and gives us so much more living space.

It's huge!

The weather has just turned from summer to fall, rain, wind and cold are now set upon us for the next ten months and the enclosure came just in time. We now just leave the door open into the cockpit, our electric heater inside the cabin and one in the cockpit keep it toasty warm, on those days we don't light a fire in Skippy, most days it's warmer out there than inside, hot air rising and all.

The trick was getting some lighting out there, I'm not sure if this is a permanent solution but the twinkle lights are pretty...

The lanterns are just cool

And who doesn't love a star light?

Our living space has almost doubled with the addition of the enclosure, at first we didn't know what to do with it all, we would have the door open but all still be crowded down below, but it didn't take long for the pets to find sanctuary out there, the cat has become a constant hassle trying to keep her from slipping through the cracks, the kids now drag their toys and crayons out there and it has also solved some of our hot water heater issues. Now that the wind is blocked from whistling through there, we don't have fire balls shooting out of the bottom of the heater, always a good thing.

Aside from that, school is coming along, although sometimes reluctantly, but we are finding ways to keep entertained, learning what happens if you give a mouse a cookie, hint, don't do it.

Penelope and Jeep are learning to tolerate each other, there was some hissing and snapping for a while but they have moved from opposite ends of the couch ....

To this, progress.

The hectic time of the year is bearing down on me, somehow Halloween, Aislinns birthday, Finns birthday and Christmas snuck up on me and I am not prepared. Birthdays are going to be a bit different this year, no more 4000 square foot house to hold a huge party, so we are keeping it small, if not simple (come on, people, it's me your dealing with here.) we,re inviting only a few friends and planning an outing.

Also being space restricted has caused me to have to get creative with presents, I can always rely on grandparents to get the kids toys and things they want, so this year I've decided to make them gifts, here is Aislinns 'Frozen' themed quilt I am in the process of sewing. I am discovering it is very difficult to quilt in such a small space with a cat who likes to bat and chew on the thread as it feeds through the machine. Also this project would normally have taken me two days but it has been weeks and is still hidden under the v berth waiting to be done, I can't work on it until the kids are asleep and my night owl reader has been staying up later and later.

Giant dog at the Country Store. 

(I don't know, thought it was odd and worth sharing.)

We have made it to our three months anniversary living on SweetHaven, it seems longer somehow, and we love it. It's hard to imagine ever living in a house again. We love our boat, we love the sounds, waves lapping against the hull wind tinkling through the rigging, birds crying, seals barking. The motions, the closeness; to each other and the environment. I was worried about weathering our first winter on the boat and true we haven't gotten into the really bad weather yet, but there is nothing like hearing the wind and rain storm outside, hear the lashing, feel the rocking, being right in it all, but being tucked away safe and sound down below, lanterns burning, fire roaring, kids playing, dog and cat cuddled together, it seriously does not get any better, add a cup of tea and a cookie and your in heaven... Of course we don't mention the long trek up the docks in this bad weather when we actually have to go somewhere, or slipping around the deck at 3am in the pouring rain trying to replace the tarp that's blown away so the hatches don't leak, but the little trails make the simple pleasures all that more enjoyable.