Well, today is Saturday. I have just started my early shift part of my work rota. Early shifts mean I get up at 0315 hrs to get to work for 0430 hrs. I hate early shifts. however, I also hate middle and late shifts. in fact I hate working for somebody else TOTALLY. The only good part of early shifts is that on Thursday I finish at 1220 hrs, and start work again at 1515 on the following Wednesday. This means I get 5 days on the boat. Yippee.

I must sell the house so we can get away from this WORK thing and live in peace and a little comfort on Lily Maud. I know it is going to be hard living on a boat, but it is hard in a creative way. The harder you work, the more comfortable you can live.

I do not mind filling with water every 3 or 4 days; I don't mind having to plan my life so you can refill with stores at the necessary intervals. I don't mind getting wet and cold in winter, when you have to move the boat to get to a pump out / water point / diesel pump / gas supply etc.

I do not like paying for pump outs or emptying the cassette, but it is a price you have to pay to live on a boat. Everything in this poxy country has a price.

I do mind rip off boat yards and chandlers; I do mind the health care system which does not allow for the fact that some people do not have a fixed address or want a fixed address.

That however, is a political problem I can try and influence.

And if at the end of the day, ones health problems win and death becomes the new reality, well, it would have happened anyway, and at least you died doing something you wanted to do.

Morbid? No, I say realistic.

Please note that I have not intention of leaving the world at the moment. I am just conscious that we must all do it at some indeterminate time.

I went on a 3 day management indoctrination course once at a paper mill I worked for. It was run by a yank who had survived being a transport pilot in the Vietnam War, cancer of the spine and such other life threatening occurrences. His main theme was that everything in life is voluntary except one thing.

You did not have to work, dress, eat or anything else if you did not want to. The only thing you HAD to do was die!!!! I think once you realise this and accept it as inevitable, you have both grown up and can actually enjoy your live. I say thank you to him.

NOTE FOR THE DAY.

Cheer up, it can only get worse!!