Author Archives: spikekalashnikov

Off to Chubu Hospital to get the result of the pathology on my late lamented polyps and have the usual deep scrutiny blood test. As soon as you arrive you nip up to the blood test place on the second … Continue reading →

I went to an English boarding school from 1965 to 1970 where, unless you were actually dead, you had to go out on the frozen fields in the driving rain to play rugby. Any attempt to shirk was the lowest … Continue reading →

The time has come to raise the mast. Kiyuna san and I set off with great purpose. I experience pain in my left calf. I ignore it for a bit until to my great surprise, I can no longer walk! … Continue reading →

Ichiro san has a 3 day exhibition in a very posh space on Yagagi Jima. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Yagaji+Island/@26.6623327,127.9936413,10380m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x34e457a3c6bc8387:0x16929e23f2e116a3!8m2!3d26.6705839!4d128.015522!16s%2Fg%2F121vrgr_?entry=ttu Here is the invitation. I go on the last day, 11 January. On arrival, I find Ichiro san packing the last of the artworks into … Continue reading →

Kiyuna san has been at his eccentric best over the last week or so. He talks to me seriously about the necessity of having an eagle on the boat. His argument is that bad weather at sea is caused by … Continue reading →

Happy New Year everyone! I am afraid this is mostly rambling about boat restoration. We have a picnic on the boat. I go down fairly early to take off the cover and generally clean up. It is the most beautiful … Continue reading →

So Christmas Day is a day like any other in Japan. Everyone goes to work and all the shops and stuff are open. Nonetheless, I celebrate. I go to Hamada san’s shop to get some fine bottles. She gives me … Continue reading →

The next big step before completion of the boat restoration is to install a new jib roller reefing system. This fills me with dread as it involves cutting a steel cable and an aluminum tube to exact lengths and finishing them off … Continue reading →

There has been a lull in the boat refitting. We have decided to restore the horribly split and rotted mast head by filling the damaged area with epoxy mixed with saw dust. Subsequently a stainless steel sleeve is to be … Continue reading →

This post has no story, theme, or anything else. It is just a record of things that I can look back on. The weather has been truly wonderful, warm not hot with beautiful blue skies. One day, surprisingly it rains … Continue reading →