Back on the Boat

I started working on the boat again this past week. Mike is working on refitting the holds with some sweet carpentry and Cap'n James is readying the old tub for her haul-out next month. I'm helping out a little with some of that but mostly I'm doing bosun's duties... a.k.a. fiddling with string.
At first it was hard to recognize the ship. She's all shrinkwrapped like she was last year, but this time the masts are gone so I can't see her from the bridge anymore. I actually panicked walking across on my first day back because I thought maybe she was at another dock across town or something. James and Mike think it looks like a kid's clubhouse right now and when Heather mentioned she might stop by, James scrawled a message on the door. I guess I'm officially a woman now, because if I were still a girl I don't think they'd let me in.
Working under the winter cover is pretty durn cold. I dress for work in sooper dooper insulated coveralls that make me feel as if I should be blasting off into space or rolling around in a snowbank like that kid in "A Christmas Story". No workwear company makes these for women so I've got the smallest men's size they can make. Apparently "short" covers men from 5'0"-5'7". James and I totally have matching outfits now, but he looks way better in his suit than I do. Asshole.
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No, wait, I mean thanks for giving me my job back, James. You're a kind master!