oW

Ow.
And yes, it is almost entirely my own fault (when did that ever change)
I got through to the point in STEAM-MOLE where finally all the characters are together, I just have to do a wrap up (which is moderately complicated as they have to survive various disasters and confound their foes). I have all the scenes sketched (I tend to work on a four-phase process - broad outline, write the initial piece (5K or so) to get character 'feel' and motivation, and then sketch scenes about as as far that will take me. Then I 'flesh' those scenes, getting motives and point of view (the character can only know what is seen/known/heard by them, and sometimes this is a PITA and sometimes this is useful as I know and other characters know, but I don't want the reader to know (yet)). While I am doing this I add notes of things that need foreshadowing, and scenes that need adding. I don't so much start at the beginning and write to the end as build the story up like a jigsaw, fitting in pieces, then stopping and sorting out a whole lot more bits of sky. Anyway, maybe two more days, and then edit, first reader etc. Unfortunately the weather for next week looked rubbish and my friend Peter is only over for a short trip, and I really wanted to go to sea with him and bring back a fine stock. He's a good bloke, and it's my way - I assume if I enjoy something everyone else will love it, despite lots of evidence to the contrary. So we took a short trip to sea yesterday as Willy said it was heading to flat calm.

So the entire lemming crew a full tank of fuel (100 litres + I think) Scuba tanks wetsuits weight belts etc etc and a few more etc. set off on what wasn't flat calm... and the boat just NOT getting onto the plane. So a couple of us got on the bow. And up she went. It was pretty bouncy and the others retreated. But your friendly idiot stayed, squatting because you can't stand there, and using his thigh muscles as shock absorbers. It was moderately wet, and not a warm day, and quite a lot of ye bounce.
I realised after an hour or so... I was cold and sore muscled. Anyway we fished, caught not as much as sometimes, but different fish, and enough, so we headed in. I did not even try the bowsprit squat, and we battled. And got in... I got out on the bow and jumped to hold the boat... and lo: ye thigh muscles failed completely to absorb the bounce. They said 'we hate you, we're stiff sore cold going home to mummy... and sat me down in the water. Anyway I spoke harshly to them, and I got up and we winched out the boat and I walked up the ramp... and squatted down to pick something up and fell over again. By now this is getting tedious, but I do realise those muscles are in spasm and not working and we manage the rest of the day without falling over. And hot shower and Ice-gel and some rest and all I am is bloody stiff and sore. Anyway, the kitties have fish, we have some fish, and the lactic acid will work out, and I'll put the feeling in a book somewhere :-).