Tuesday 18th November
Some sun, scattered showers
Williams announced at lunch that he had a jolly idea. His suggestion was that we should go round coating all the ropes in tar so that when the sailors pulled on the rigging they'd get stuck. The rest of us endeavoured to explain to him why that was a Bad Idea. It took about three quarters of an hour but we did it in the end. He gave up the project with some reluctance and proposed instead that we paint all the brasswork blue. The others all fell in enthusiastically with this idea, but I felt it was my duty to look out for his interests while the captain was ill and that it was therefore up to me to dissuade everyone. I started, but Stinky looked into my eyes again and said "Has Evans found his teddy bear yet?" The ship is now looking rather blue.
I'm rather worried about Rosebud. It's been over a week and a half now. I think I'll pop down tomorrow with some nourishing gruel and see if I can get him to take some.
Tuesday, 21 November 2006
Monday, 20 November 2006
Day 12
Monday 17th November
Still rainy
Spent most of the day steering. A young sailor kept me company and the time passed quite pleasantly. His name is Adrian. He knows lots of interesting jokes which are rather funny although I don't get all of them.
Apparently he ran away to sea at the age of eleven after a big argument with his mother (his father had died when he was very young). They reconciled recently and now he goes home every Christmas. But this short summary does not do justice to the trials and heartbreaks of a life upon the wave. The Sea, Diary, is a harsh mistress.
Still rainy
Spent most of the day steering. A young sailor kept me company and the time passed quite pleasantly. His name is Adrian. He knows lots of interesting jokes which are rather funny although I don't get all of them.
Apparently he ran away to sea at the age of eleven after a big argument with his mother (his father had died when he was very young). They reconciled recently and now he goes home every Christmas. But this short summary does not do justice to the trials and heartbreaks of a life upon the wave. The Sea, Diary, is a harsh mistress.
Sunday, 19 November 2006
Day11
Sunday 16th November
Rainy
Today is the day, I decided when I got up this morning, Diary, to Find My Socks. To that end, I took a quick breakfast and then went to the end of the bottom deck to begin a systematic search.
Alas, it was not to be. I spent nine hours combing the ship from bottom to top, back to front, but I didn't turn up a single sock. I'm beginning to think they suffered the same fate as Evans' teddy.
Rainy
Today is the day, I decided when I got up this morning, Diary, to Find My Socks. To that end, I took a quick breakfast and then went to the end of the bottom deck to begin a systematic search.
Alas, it was not to be. I spent nine hours combing the ship from bottom to top, back to front, but I didn't turn up a single sock. I'm beginning to think they suffered the same fate as Evans' teddy.
Saturday, 18 November 2006
Day 10
Saturday 15th November
Rainy
Decided to hand over the steering to a sailor for a few hours again today and try out the open air swimming pool on B-deck. The rain actually made it quite pleasant, surprisingly.
Met Stinky on the way back from the pool. He was with Parker and Williams. They were on their way to watch a film. I was wondering why I hadn't been invited and asked if I could tag along, but Stinky just held my gaze for a few seconds, then asked, apparently changing the subject, "Has Evans found his teddy bear yet?" There was a certain inflection to his voice, Diary, which I did not like. All in all, I found the event somewhat sinister.
Rainy
Decided to hand over the steering to a sailor for a few hours again today and try out the open air swimming pool on B-deck. The rain actually made it quite pleasant, surprisingly.
Met Stinky on the way back from the pool. He was with Parker and Williams. They were on their way to watch a film. I was wondering why I hadn't been invited and asked if I could tag along, but Stinky just held my gaze for a few seconds, then asked, apparently changing the subject, "Has Evans found his teddy bear yet?" There was a certain inflection to his voice, Diary, which I did not like. All in all, I found the event somewhat sinister.
Friday, 17 November 2006
Day 9
Friday 14th November
Overcast
Still haven't found out who's been stealing my socks. I missed another pair today.
We had the tennis tournament today. Parker and Williams have been training hard and they waltzed home in the doubles. In the singles, each quickly knocked the sailors out of their half to face each other in a tense final. After the fifth hour of this match, the decision was taken to call it a draw. Parker was ok about it but Williams was muttering darkly something that sounded like "We was robbed".
I teamed up with "Stinky" Johnson for the doubles (there was no-one else left) and we got knocked out of the second round. I got knocked out in the first round of the singles- I lost to Williams.
Overcast
Still haven't found out who's been stealing my socks. I missed another pair today.
We had the tennis tournament today. Parker and Williams have been training hard and they waltzed home in the doubles. In the singles, each quickly knocked the sailors out of their half to face each other in a tense final. After the fifth hour of this match, the decision was taken to call it a draw. Parker was ok about it but Williams was muttering darkly something that sounded like "We was robbed".
I teamed up with "Stinky" Johnson for the doubles (there was no-one else left) and we got knocked out of the second round. I got knocked out in the first round of the singles- I lost to Williams.
Thursday, 16 November 2006
Day 8
Thursday 13th November
Sunny
Well, I did it, Diary. Got up before light this morning and tipped the thing out of the window. My immediate sensation is one of relief, coupled with a slight nagging doubt that things can indeed be settled that simply.
Today marks one week since we set off. I had the galley staff knock up a cake to mark the occasion- if you're not carefull the days can start to seem all the same at sea. Even Rosebud managed to stagger along and force a little tea down- let's hope it stays there- though Evans was still suffering too much to put in an appearance. You can imagine how gutted I was, Diary mine.
Another pair of my socks has gone missing. That makes the third. I didn't really think anything of it when the first one went; after all, losing socks is scarcely an uncommon occurrence, but when it comes to three pairs in one week one starts to wonder. No, don't worry, Diary, I'm not about to paraphrase Oscar Wilde, tempting though it is.
On my way to the laundry to see if they could shed any light on the matter, I heard raised voiced coming from the salon. Looking in, I found Parker and Williams standing on chairs, each with a table knife held at the other's throat. It seems a dispute had arisen over the fair division of the last slice of cake. There had been two alternative plans proposed: the first, backed by Parker, was that Parker should have it, and the second, put forward by Williams, was that Williams should have it. I considered resolving the matter by eating the cake myself, but generously decided to simply cut the thing in two.
Sunny
Well, I did it, Diary. Got up before light this morning and tipped the thing out of the window. My immediate sensation is one of relief, coupled with a slight nagging doubt that things can indeed be settled that simply.
Today marks one week since we set off. I had the galley staff knock up a cake to mark the occasion- if you're not carefull the days can start to seem all the same at sea. Even Rosebud managed to stagger along and force a little tea down- let's hope it stays there- though Evans was still suffering too much to put in an appearance. You can imagine how gutted I was, Diary mine.
Another pair of my socks has gone missing. That makes the third. I didn't really think anything of it when the first one went; after all, losing socks is scarcely an uncommon occurrence, but when it comes to three pairs in one week one starts to wonder. No, don't worry, Diary, I'm not about to paraphrase Oscar Wilde, tempting though it is.
On my way to the laundry to see if they could shed any light on the matter, I heard raised voiced coming from the salon. Looking in, I found Parker and Williams standing on chairs, each with a table knife held at the other's throat. It seems a dispute had arisen over the fair division of the last slice of cake. There had been two alternative plans proposed: the first, backed by Parker, was that Parker should have it, and the second, put forward by Williams, was that Williams should have it. I considered resolving the matter by eating the cake myself, but generously decided to simply cut the thing in two.
Wednesday, 15 November 2006
Day 7
Wednesday 12th November
Cloudy with some sun, occasional showers
Came out on deck this morning at dawn's first light to a chorus of birds. Enjoyed a peacefull moment alone with the rising sun, nothing but gently rolling ocean all round, before Stinky crept up behind me on one of the upper decks and poured some frozen peas from the galley down my back.
Didn't see much of Parker or Williams today. Went down to where the sailors were keeping them company after a bout of steering only to find there was no-one there. I found a harmonica lying there though and amused myself getting a few tunes out of it.
I've made up my mind that Evans' teddy is going to have to go out of my porthole. Get rid of the evidence, that's the only way to be safe.
Cloudy with some sun, occasional showers
Came out on deck this morning at dawn's first light to a chorus of birds. Enjoyed a peacefull moment alone with the rising sun, nothing but gently rolling ocean all round, before Stinky crept up behind me on one of the upper decks and poured some frozen peas from the galley down my back.
Didn't see much of Parker or Williams today. Went down to where the sailors were keeping them company after a bout of steering only to find there was no-one there. I found a harmonica lying there though and amused myself getting a few tunes out of it.
I've made up my mind that Evans' teddy is going to have to go out of my porthole. Get rid of the evidence, that's the only way to be safe.
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