Hurricane Holes and Poop Soup.

  We had the first real winter storm blow through today here aboard HAWSEPIPER's Afloat Global HQ/ gross place to be. 

       We had great luck- a simple, small cargo after a hard week full of fail. We loaded before the weather hit, and then learned that our discharge time would be delayed until after the weather, as the ship we were supposed to fuel decided to heave to out at sea and let this big ass nor'easter  pass since they were going to get stuck awaiting a berth anyhow. So my company put me in one of our hurricane holes, 'in the corner' of a large protected pier we rent from the port authority where up to 5 barges can fit. We got the pole position- the most protected, innermost berth. Great spot to wait on weather. 

 So the storm has been a strong one. Hard gales and storm-force winds, lots of snow. So much wind, and so variable in direction that the HQ is an odd mix of clear decks and snowdrifts. So be it, we're staying inside, just venturing out to check on the large number of mooring lines out. 

     But it's cold, damn cold. Now, we did some work on our potable water system so it wouldn't freeze up when temperatures got under the teens, and that's going well. But less well is the black water drain system, the piping leading from the house to the MSD, the crap tank. 

 Yeah, there's an ice plug somewhere in the septic piping, but it's behind the macerator in the head, the garbage disposal-like chopper that grinds up the contents of the toilet before sending it to the treatment tank down below... so we discovered this when *someone* (not me, that's all that matters to me) tried to launch the Brown October and hit the frappe setting on the toilet, which did its' job... and then sent the contents back to the toilet somewhat energetically when the pump was turned off. 

 Somewhat. Energetically. 

      Ever leave the top off a blender?