It is officially autumn now as the temperatures are consistently in single digits during the day and plummeting to below zero at nights. Each day we wake to see the piers and outer areas of the boat covered with a layer of frost. It is at this point that I say a big thankyou for good insulation and a great Reflex heating system that keeps us toasty warm no matter what mother nature throws at us.

This is a busy time of the year for Lars-Göran as most of the boats come up on land for the winter months. Every Monday night for the last month he has been working for several hours helping to raise boats with the crane. It is cold, hard work and he comes home late and very tired. Last week he finished at 10.30pm and practically fell asleep over his dinner. This week it was more efficient and they were finished earlier, but the temperature was subzero which made working outside less than pleasant.



On Tuesday evening we were meant to go back to the apartment building for a couple of hours as we had a board meeting, but the weather was so wild and stormy that we made our apologies and stayed on the boat. This was just as well, because we had winds approaching 50 knots and while our boat escaped unscathed, another neighbouring boat broke away from its mooring and slammed repeatedly into the pier, sustaining some damage to both boat and pier.

The meeting apparently touched on the renovations, which are progressing slowly. The painters have FINALLY arrived at our apartment and should be finished by the end of the week. This was all supposed to have been done months ago and I’m not happy that they are painting the exterior of the windows when it is so bitterly cold. I wonder how long the paint will last. In addition, they have had to remove the sealing around doors and windows and the apartment itself is freezing cold. I’m expecting several penguins to take up residence any day now. There is no way that you can be in the apartment until the sealing is replaced.

When we were first told about the renovations, the proposed starting date was April, with work being finished by October or so. This suited us as we would be away sailing for a lot of that time and happy to live on the boat. But as spring wore on, the delays started and eventually it became apparent that work would not start until after the summer break.

We expected a start in August, but that didn’t happen either. Instead they began in late September and this means that in the coldest, darkest months of the year we are without a bathroom and the heating is going to be erratic as they need to work on the piping. We are luckier than many others in the apartments -–we have a boat to stay on. A couple of others are staying in their summer houses, a few younger ones have moved home to mum and dad while it is going on, but some poor people have nowhere else to be.

Still, it WILL be lovely to have a new bathroom especially. That 1950's one is really due for a facelift. And while very cold, the days are lovely and sunny, so it is not a real trial to be closer to nature. Mind you, in a months time I may be whining unashamedly.