Things are pretty much as I left them. Elias still has a barking cough at night. Eric is still a doll when his brother isn't around, and a terror when he is. I still find myself occasionally sticking my fingers in my ears to block out the noise of Elias and Eric stirring each other up.
Ah, but - some things did change while I was gone. Eric is starting to use the toilet, which means that the day when we'll sail (and live!) in a diaper-free state is that much closer.
Another thing that happened while I was away was that winter settled in for good. It's pretty chilly here, and damp. The paint touch-ups that I began before Elias went into the hospital might wait a long time before they get their final coats.
Luckily, the boat is very cozy and snug. While I was away Alisa made this great curtain across the back of the dodger.
It completely closes off the space around the companionway hatch and keeps cold air from coming below - just like the unheated Arctic entryways that are de rigueur on houses in Interior Alaska.
We also insulated all the hatches and portlights with the plastic shrink-wrap that people in North America put on their windows in the winter (thanks for mailing it, Mom!). It keeps the boat warm and stops condensation, the dread foe of every sailor living aboard in a cold-ish place.
It was pretty heartening to come back and see that even if the boys were running Alisa ragged while I was gone, at least the boat was a comfortable home for the family while I was away.
Feel free to pass along any potty tips...
ReplyDeleteElias used to get horse stickers as a reward - the forepeak of Pelagic was plastered with them. Eric has been getting chocolate. Basically, we attempt to buy the behaviour we want!
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