This little piggy

Listening to "Long Ride Home" by Patty Griffin

BANG!  WHAM!  KAPOW!!

Am I perhaps watching some classic Batman?  Engaging in a boatyard brawl?  Unfortunately not, for both of these might be more enjoyable than the sad sad truth.  No, my little toes have just been informing me, in the most painful way possible, that they are willing to take one for the team by reintroducing me to the hazards on our decks.

Let me back up a bit.  We've been on the hard for a while now, and the most urgent action I take on deck is scrambling to get the clothes off the rails before the rain truly starts.  Before that we were in the marina and, again, speed on deck was not critical.  We were working on various projects, hauling groceries, or just ambling about and chatting with our neighbors.  Because of this relaxed pace my feet have slipped into complacency and forgotten the obstacles that were once second nature.  

If you live on a boat, or any slightly uneven or confined space, then you most likely understand.  I make my way into the cockpit, duck my head just enough to miss the hard dodger, swing around, and drop down onto the companionway stairs in one fluid motion that can be done without even thinking.  I've done it so many times that it can be done in the dark, in squally weather...practically in my sleep.  I am told, constantly, that I must prepare for the worst, and part of that is being able to move around the boat efficiently, quickly, and without causing injury.  At best, a couple of good knocks on the head will let you know just how low your dodger is, but at worst you can seriously hurt yourself.  A stray hand or finger left around a windlass could cause the kind of injury that forces you to abandon shoe laces in favour of velcro for the rest of your life.  (My! you must be thinking...how can she go from a stubbed toe to dismemberment in three paragraphs?)

So the other day, while working on some time sensitive paint work, I ended up running all over the deck and ran into, quite literally, a block for the wind vane.  

Many, many times...

Now I sit here nursing my bruised toe and cracked toenail desperately hoping this is one lesson I retain. 

The offending party