Saturday, December 26, 2015

Christmas at work (I'm on a boat edition) 2015

I'm trying to remember how many Christmases I've spent away from home. I'm 41, and my first one was when I was 18... so it's probably easier to think of the number of times I've been home for Christmas. Maybe 8 times?

      Although you can't see it in the above picture, we decorate the HQ every year. lights, a small tree, etc, and make a big dinner. I cooked this year. Ham, sweet potato pie, mashed potatoes, broccoli, stuffing, biscuits and apple pie. Sufficient to clog both the pipes AND our arteries.

    This year was one of the best times I've had since I started going to sea. Most of the time we work on Christmas, and celebrate just by having a nice meal. This year, we were off for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but we were anchored, and there were other barges rafted up to us. So Christmas Eve, we had dinner next door, and everyone on the mooring came in and out for dinner and visits. Christmas day I cooked, and we had dinner, and did more visiting throughout the day.
           Each of us would have preferred to be at home, of course. But where we couldn't do that, we were able to have a good time nonetheless. Being able to share moments like that with people who you really like helps a lot.
      Today it's back to the routine. We'll be loading later on, and working on the leftovers for another day or two. Couple more days, I'm being relieved, and can go home.

3 comments:

Captain Jill said...

Glad you were able to have a day off to enjoy the holiday.

This is my first Christmas home in decades! Christmas is always the best time of year to find work offshore. This year, I was wishing I was at work. Sucks to be sitting at home, not knowing when any work will come up.

Paul, Dammit! said...

Jill, did you try talking to Kelly Sweeney?

leeholsen said...

belated Christmas wishes !

occasional lurker here. you may not make many Christmases at home in your line of work, but you seem to have a good wife to celebrate it with when you do get home; and that is unbeatable imo.