Monday 27 June to Saturday 2 July 2011
The writing hut was finished, but time was still in short supply. Dave was off for the first of his skippering charters on Monday, so I was going to be spending a week a Goat Bottom on my own for the first time.
I'm a bit leery about things going bump in the night, especially if I read anything suspenseful or scary, but I'm very leery about furry friends with sharp teeth running over the bed. So I threw myself enthusiastically into rat-proofing my sleeping quarters. Instead of trying to stop access to the cab, I just blocked access from the cab into the main part of the truck - I hope!
Then there were the training sessions - monitoring the battery power, practising using the generator, agreeing settings for the toilet, to make sure I didn't run out of electricity in the week. Then there was the washing so Dave had clothes to wear, and rustling up some curtains - more important suddenly, now I was to be on my own.
On Monday morning I went down to the boat and woke George and his mates, who'd had a hard night partying. After 20 minutes bullying, they were off the boat and in the taxis, and I was worn to a shred. I cleared up a bit, but it was hot, so I went back to GB and helped Dave get sorted, then drove him to Perigiali for his charter - a 10 minute trip, then I'd be able to come back and WRITE!
But Dave's guests hadn't been able to get to Perigiali due to problems on the ferry, and so he was stuck with taking a large boat into Fiskardo arriving late in the afternoon, single handed. Anyone who knows Fiskardo will know that you can't get on the quay after 12 noon, so he'd have to lie off the wall on long lines - not possible in a cross-wind, single-handed. So I said a quiet goodbye to two more writing days, and volunteered to go along.
Twenty seven hours after leaving GB for a quick 10 minute run, I arrived back. Admittedly, I'd had a lovely time, and a nice meal, and one less night alone with the rats; but the ferry and then the bus from Vasilliki didn't get me back till 4 pm on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, I started to write. I finished the first draft of the pantomime by Thursday lunchtime - 30 June (cutting it fine), and emailed it to the Director. Then I updated the blog!
The nights haven't been too bad. Last night was the first time I've heard any scrabbling - but that kept me awake for hours. Rats must travel in packs (there's a clue in the name?) as there seems to be activity, several captures, then a quiet period, then it starts again. I doubt we'll ever be free of them. So we've arranged with a friend to take a couple of kittens and bring them up as outdoor cats, we want them lean and hungry, ready to take on anything.
The writing hut was finished, but time was still in short supply. Dave was off for the first of his skippering charters on Monday, so I was going to be spending a week a Goat Bottom on my own for the first time.
I'm a bit leery about things going bump in the night, especially if I read anything suspenseful or scary, but I'm very leery about furry friends with sharp teeth running over the bed. So I threw myself enthusiastically into rat-proofing my sleeping quarters. Instead of trying to stop access to the cab, I just blocked access from the cab into the main part of the truck - I hope!
Then there were the training sessions - monitoring the battery power, practising using the generator, agreeing settings for the toilet, to make sure I didn't run out of electricity in the week. Then there was the washing so Dave had clothes to wear, and rustling up some curtains - more important suddenly, now I was to be on my own.
On Monday morning I went down to the boat and woke George and his mates, who'd had a hard night partying. After 20 minutes bullying, they were off the boat and in the taxis, and I was worn to a shred. I cleared up a bit, but it was hot, so I went back to GB and helped Dave get sorted, then drove him to Perigiali for his charter - a 10 minute trip, then I'd be able to come back and WRITE!
But Dave's guests hadn't been able to get to Perigiali due to problems on the ferry, and so he was stuck with taking a large boat into Fiskardo arriving late in the afternoon, single handed. Anyone who knows Fiskardo will know that you can't get on the quay after 12 noon, so he'd have to lie off the wall on long lines - not possible in a cross-wind, single-handed. So I said a quiet goodbye to two more writing days, and volunteered to go along.
Twenty seven hours after leaving GB for a quick 10 minute run, I arrived back. Admittedly, I'd had a lovely time, and a nice meal, and one less night alone with the rats; but the ferry and then the bus from Vasilliki didn't get me back till 4 pm on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, I started to write. I finished the first draft of the pantomime by Thursday lunchtime - 30 June (cutting it fine), and emailed it to the Director. Then I updated the blog!
The nights haven't been too bad. Last night was the first time I've heard any scrabbling - but that kept me awake for hours. Rats must travel in packs (there's a clue in the name?) as there seems to be activity, several captures, then a quiet period, then it starts again. I doubt we'll ever be free of them. So we've arranged with a friend to take a couple of kittens and bring them up as outdoor cats, we want them lean and hungry, ready to take on anything.
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