Quiet day

After the excitements of yesterday, we've been very quiet today. I kept the fire well stoked overnight, and it stayed in. I also left the hatch to the under well deck space open, so that the pipework got the benefit of the warm saloon temperatures. Combined with a much less cold night, this meant that all was well this morning. We now have just one further night to get through before the promised (though probably brief) thaw means we can relax for a bit.

We've put 50 litres of water in the tank, hand balling it in two drums from the service block, so we'll be able to carry on for a few days more. Only time will tell if the thaw lasts long enough to unfreeze the water supply to the pontoon, in which case we could fill the tank and be set for a couple of weeks more.

We're anxious about plans to go to Lincoln to spend Christmas with Graeme, Cathy and the boys; if more severe weather is on the cards, we might have to think about getting a small oil filled radiator to supplement the Hurricane heating, so as to protect the vulnerable area under the well deck.

There's still no further communication from Vicky at Wilson's. Correction: as soon as I'd posted this, she rang, and they're coming tomorrow.

Following up from a post by Sue on No Problem, I've ordered two pairs of slip on studs for our shoes, to make walking around on the ice easier. These ones came from the AA; when they arrive, I'll report on their utility, though, of course, this has probably guaranteed a thaw for the rest of the winter. In which case, it will have been money well spent.