Chapter 35. Peace of Mind

The finalized plan was to construct an overhang onto the stair shed, to prevent snow from building against the doors. Also to block rain from getting down the steps. Then two handrails with uprights every six feet to hold a sharply slanted roof, better to keep snow and rain off. This would give the crew security walking to and from the wheelhouse, Will still remembered Minnie nearly getting washed overboard. Gates at either end for access to the main deck area, but the loss of the open space was trivial compared to the peace of mind this would grant everyone. Will and Minnie were doing a material list and then look at what they had. If it matched up then tomorrow was a building day, enough of this getting soaked every time it rained. “Or snows, having a nice safe path will be great.”, Naomi said, looking over their shoulder at the plans. “Why didn’t the other guys do this, the old captains?”, Minnie asked. Will shrugged, “Not sure but if I had to guess I’d say they were just used to it and figured it was supposed to be this way.”. Rolling her eyes Minnie laughed “Weirdos.”.

In one of the Roses storerooms was lumber, lots of lumber. Will was old school, he kept the off cuts, mismatched pieces, all left over scrap. Nicely sorted, alongside the 2x4’s, 4x4’s, and so on, up to massive 10x12’s. Planks to replace decking, handrails, finished pieces for window and portholes, doors, shakes for roofing. Racks and racks of wood, all tied in place, no rattling. One thing missing though, that was hard for him to do without, was sheets of wood. Plywood just hadn’t been invented here yet. “Some things are much easier with 4x8’s, building walls, framing rooms in houses.”, he told Minnie as they checked that they actually had enough material to build with. She helped by yawning, a long drawn out bone tired yawn. “Boring you, am I?”, he asked. “Nah, it’s just nice and warm, and it smells nice in here. Trees and stuff.”. she said. Back to business, they did have plenty for the project so tomorrow was planned to stay at anchor and get it done. Will knew his tools were in good shape, they had of course been cleaned and put back in the proper place last use. But he had to check anyway. Saws were sharp, hammers ready, wrenches rust free, planes and chisels sharp, everything was perfect. “Okay Min, let’s go for dinner, Min? Hey where are you?”, no answer. Turning he found her draped over a pile of sacking, fast asleep. She looked so peaceful he felt bad for waking her, but if she missed dinner it would be worse. He bent down, patting her head and tousled her ears until she opened her eyes and stretched happily. “Hey dad, you all ready to work tomorrow then?”. Laughing he answered “I am, don’t want to go another foot until this is done, being safe.”. She stood and started up to the next deck, heading for the mess “Glad we have enough lag bolts and brackets, nails and screws and stuff.”. He stopped dead. Minnie turned and looked “You never checked the hardware, hinges and gate latches?”, shaking her head in sorrow, she climbed back down to where he was standing. “Let’s go, back to the storeroom.”. Well, he thought, I’m sure we have enough. At that moment he could hear his dad ‘you’re sure huh, go make sure’. “Hey, I am over 75, give me a break, be nice to the old guy.”, he complained. It only took a short while to check that they did have enough fasteners to put the walkway together, and the were back up to the mess hall. Tonight Naomi had made a stew with salt beef and canned vegetables. Actually glass jars of veggies, but canned sounded better. However it was made, it smelled great as did the fresh bread too.

He had just sat down and was starting to serve, when Naomi asked “Do I hear you forgot something hmmm?”. He turned to Minnie with accusing eyes, but she was just drawing in her latest book, all innocent. “Nope, didn’t forget anything, why do you ask, did someone say something?”. Naomi stifled a giggle when Minnie still just looked at the ceiling, counting cracks and knots in the wooden beams. “Well, I thought someone did say you were getting forgetful and that she had to take charge in case you just wandered off into the water.”. “Oh, I don’t know who that could have been, do you Minnie?”, he turned to glare at her, with a wink to Naomi first. “Oh fine,” Minnie said with a laugh “It was me who said you needed watching, you forgot to see if we had enough nails, you never forget that so you’re getting old now, off to your rocking chair.”. Well a rocking chair did sound pretty good, but he didn’t think he could build one, he remembered a movie where someone was trying. But it didn’t work out. “Sorry guys, no rocking chair, you’re stuck with me for a while longer.”, he said. Turning his attention back to the stew he served himself a large helping. Then to Minnie he put about a teaspoons worth on her plate. She gasped, “Noooo, not that, I’m sorry you’re old.”. To make up for it Naomi served her a nice steaming heap. Minnie attacked her plate right away, just in case Will made a move. All he did was slice the fresh bread and offer a piece to Minnie, she looked at him, took the bread. “Why you smiling like that dad, I’m kinda scared now.”, she said. Will laughed, he couldn’t hold it back. “No worries sweetie.”.

After dinner they retired to the lounge. The Christmas tree was still undecorated but would be in a few days, he didn’t like to do that before December first. He still wanted to figure out some kind of tree topper too, it just wouldn’t be the same. Minnie and Naomi were playing crib, he had begged off to journal for a while. Then join in after he had his thoughts written. The boat log didn’t take long, not a lot happened, just cruising along. He had a diary as well, he had written in it sporadically since getting aboard. At first it was just the things that were were happening to him and Minnie, then it was what he missed from the old world. Things he looked forward to, that he planned to do, things he had done. Just a long rambling blurb of his life. Then more writing in his to-do book, about building tomorrow, hoping the weather allowed it. Christmas planning, meals and so on, the night before. He was in a lucky position, or maybe it was unlucky. Any tradition he started would be the only one, no variation from other influences. One problem he had was that if he couldn’t remember the poem ‘The Night Before Christmas’, then no one could. He used to read it to his children, then grandchildren, years on it was just the two of them, then the last Christmas had just been Minnie and him. Writing it down he found he had gotten mixed up a bit from other stories, but it worked out eventually. There was a vague plan swirling around in his head to get Minnie to draw the poem out, that one and a few songs in a book for the crew. Another tradition maybe.

His musings were interrupted by a cup of tea out down, on the table beside his notebooks. “Hey thanks, I was nearly done with all this.”. Naomi just laughed and patted his shoulder, “We know, we counted the books you wrote in, that one was always last.”. Minnie was snuffling the deck ready for another game, Will had a thought, “Want to try a new game? If I can remember the rules that is.”. Minnie was interested and so was Naomi. So now he was shuffling two decks and explaining the rules for Canasta. He’d played it for years, he and his wife. There were two versions, a four player where you are in teams, and the one they were playing. A long game, kinda frustrating at times, but still fun. It took a couple of tries, to get going in the game, to figure out the rules but they eventually got it. Not something they would play every night, but on some occasions definitely. Naomi hit the 7500 point mark first and won the game, jumping up from her chair with a whoop of glee. Minnie was close, Will not very. The cards had not been kind. “Well done sweetie, well done.”, he applauded. Minnie chimed in with “Go you, I’ll get you next time though.”. After tidying their lounge, they shut off the lights and repaired to the cabins for the night. Naomi to read as was her custom, Minnie was going to visit with her for a bit, so it was a solitary Will who climbed into his cold bed. “Awww, forgot again.”. He did the walk of shame to the galley, hot water bottles in hand. As he passed Naomi’s cabin the door quickly opened and a laughing Minnie tossed another to him. It didn’t take long to fill all three with piping hot water, drop off one then back to his cabin. Arranging them in the huge bed then off to the head. A few minutes passed then he climbed into the now toasty sheets, at least the bottom was. The radiators kept the room warm enough but he enjoyed having warm feet to sleep. But, finding the icy cold water bottle in the early morning was not so much fun. Especially because Minnie’s was high in the bed, so sometimes it got kicked into his stomach. A very rude awakening. He drifted off quickly tonight, quite content in his thoughts. Nothing to stress or worry about. And looking forward to getting on the tools tomorrow. He stirred a little when Minnie came in later, but not fully awake. Mumbling goodnight and love you he felt her cuddle up and knew nothing more.

Stolen novel; please report.

The next morning came and it was a nice day. Not windy, warmish, snow stopped. The Rose was rocking gently at anchor. Will was on deck at first light, tea mug in hand. Just gazing out to sea, at the near coast, the monstrous boulder protecting them. Desolate definitely but beautiful nonetheless. “I can’t imagine living here dad, just too cold for me and you right, maybe Naomi too.”, Minnie said beside him. He jumped, not realizing she had come up too. “Oh hi there, when did you wake up, hmmm?” Will asked. “Lil while ago, I knew you’d be up here. Dying to start building huh.” she laughed, looking over at the ready tool bag. “Yup, but not yet. Just relaxing, thinking, planning.” he answered, gesturing at the coast with his mug. “I liked that small island we stopped at for a couple of days, we should use it as a forward base. Leave a bunch of supplies there, just in case.”. Minnie liked that idea, so of course that was written in the to-do book. What to leave there, in a cave or a cairn, nothing that would be damaged by freezing. “So just oatmeal then, sounds horrible dad.”, said Naomi who had just joined them, “I like the stuff, but you need more than that for a survival cache, thing, whatever it is.”. “What about waterproof barrels, underwater where they wouldn’t freeze. Tie them to an anchor, down deep, bobber on top or chained to shore. Might work?”, Minnie wondered aloud. “Try a few different things maybe.”, said Will. After going below for toast and cheese, a nice light breakfast they came back up on deck to start construction.

Well, he thought, heightened strength really helps when you’re building something. Watching Minnie and Naomi effortlessly driving 8 inch spikes, cranking lag bolts tight, tossing 4x4’s like toys, they made it look easy. He had reasoned that the hardest part of building without power tools was going to be cutting with handsaw’s or drilling. Nope. He could cut the thickest beam easily. Perhaps not as quick as a chop saw could, but it was pretty easy going. The wood they had decided to use, and they’d had on hand was white oak. Hard, tough and very water resistant. Nothing like the heartwood but there was none to be found in their stores. The completed walkway curved around the stair shed, then straight to the stairs leading up to the wheelhouse. Six feet wide with four feet high sides, not solid but with close spaced stringers. Openings allowing water to run out, quarter inch ribs had been fastened every foot to give purchase if the deck was too wet, and of course the peak roof slanting down on both sides. A steep pitch to keep snow and ice from building up. He hadn’t bothered with gutters, not enough sheet tin and bending was a pain without the proper tools. It had been frustrating enough figuring out the way to extend the roof over the stairs leading up to the wheelhouse door. Minnie and Naomi were smaller people but Will was well over six feet and didn’t really want to bash his head on the overhead. Worked out eventually and now they had a safe passage to and from the wheelhouse. No more danger of being swept overboard.

“Hey dad”, Minnie called from where she was sitting on the roof hammering the shakes on. “When did you do this?”. Will climbed up the ladder and joined her. “When did I do what?”, he asked. She pointed at the gable roof of the stair shed. There were various roses carved into the wood, vines coiling around, through and over, down the edges and burrowing into the deck. Seeing this took Will aback for a bit. “I never did that, I was in a bit of a hurry building this, remember?”, he said. And looking at the building he noticed something else a bit off. The joints where he had butted beams against each other, for the sake of time and need, were now tightly mitred, the edges nearly invisible they were so precise. “Well, I guess the Rose needed to improve on my work. “, was all he could say. “Looks better though.”, Naomi added, she had also climbed up to get a closer view. Now that he took a closer look at the entire structure he could see where improvements had been made, very slowly over the past weeks. To the point that the the craftsmanship was as perfect as the rest of the boat. “I guess she wasn’t happy until the final touch was put on.”, Naomi laughed. Minnie thought this was delightful, but made an effort to keep her nail lines straight as she hammered the wooden shingles on. “Don’t wanna tick off the boat.”, she grinned. Will agreed one hundred percent. It only took an hour and the last shingle was on and solid. The last thing to do would have to wait. A coat or two of linseed oil would waterproof the wood further and protect from sun and wind as well. But the temperature was too low, that would have to wait until the reached warmer climes. The brass hinges and gate latches were lightly oiled to keep them from binding in the icy weather.

As the crew packed up the tools, and scrap lumber, then swept the deck clean of sawdust they surveyed the work with satisfaction. They were making the Rose their own, not just a working boat. Not anymore, this was their pride and joy, their home for years to come. And as they sat and relaxed, the warmish weather that had helped the building day seemed to be coming to an end. “We caught a good break from the weather today, but you can see it’s starting to sock over again.”, Will mentioned. The light was dimming early as usual but snow clouds were beginning to thicken and the wind had picked up. Minnie reached out and caught an errand flake and watched it melt on her palm, “Winters okay, mostly, but I sure miss the sun.”. Naomi curled her arm over Minnie’s small shoulders “Pretty soon we’ll be having water fights with the little guys, barbecuing on the bow and all the shrimp we can eat.”. Will nodded, “Couple of weeks more and we’ll be docked at Laketown, just in time for Christmas.”. That perked Minnie up and as they carried everything back below for the night the sound of her singing ‘Rudolph the reindeer’ echoed over the lake.