Monday Morning, I go offshore Wednesday

I am off on my travels again on Wednesday, I will be up at 0500 on Wednesday morning for a drive to Heathrow, then a flight to Aberdeen and a taxi ride to Aberdeen harbour to join the ship, Skandi Olympia. I will be taking my 2m/70cm radio with me as I was informed by my project manager that as long as A) I remain within the law of the country I am in, and B) I follow the instructions of the marine crew, I can take my radios with me and operate from the ship. OK, I know, on 2m & 70cm's that means basically while in port only, but hey, that's fine with me.
I doubt I would be allowed to operate the ship's HF radio, but you never know...
I have been into town to buy all my bits and bobs, but I have to go in again as I forgot a couple! I have the obvious like sea sickness pills, indigestion etc, but no head ache tablets and while I can get them from the ship's chief mate if I need them, it is just easier to take my own.
I started packing the bag this morning, I have put all my PPE into vacuum bags so they take up less space. I want to take my laptop, but it is a bit big, so I am going to take all the data I have on my laptop on memory sticks and continue to write my books offshore when we are not working. I have several new story lines and I still have the story of the love of my life, Abel. But that is a huge undertaking as I have so much to go through. Over 1000 text messages, 1500 emails and go knows how many IM's and Facebook messages. It will be a tome when it is finished, but I think it will work. Abel is going to proof it for me, after all, it is as much about her as about me.
I have decided I am going to start fitting out the shed as my radio shack when I get back, but nothing permanent, as I am now registered for a council house (or social housing as they now call it). This great news.
I took mum shopping this morning and got my peanuts for my snack attacks offshore. Dry roast, I would prefer the normal ones, but I have to watch the fat content. Dry roast are OK, but they do smell like farts when you open the packet. Not the best smell in a small room on a rolling ship...
OK, food.
Last night I had a bowl of soup, home made, onion, carrot. tomato and garlic, with a chicken stock cube and a rasher of bacon. It was nice. I tried to do it without any oil, but I had to add some sunflower oil while I was doing the onions.  It was really nice.
This morning I had an omelette, not my favorite and I still feel a little burpy as a result. I won't do this again. Cereal while on board is the new plan, porridge, museli or one of the bran cereals, not looking forward to it, but it has to be done.
Mum has not got the hang of small portions yet, but I am working on it. She is not sure about this small plate thing, but the bottom line is you can not get a lot of food on a small plate, so it is perfect.
Lunch will be one of her casseroles, she was chopping onions when I last looked. It will probably be with the remainder of the pork roast from yesterday.
I am planning to go out this afternoon, partly because I still need a few things for the offshore bag, but also because it is near the start of my working month and I always take a day off before I start work, so tonight will be either a BMT or BLT at Subways. Yum. It probably should be a BMT, as it is a lower fat content, but no cheese, either way I think it is too much. It is better without the cheese (Am I saying this? Stop me someone!).
OK, got to go, I am doing the outline on one of the next books.
1. I am working on the book about me and Abel meeting.
2. I am working on my dark book about a government that takes ownership of your body at death.
3. I am working on a book about my brothers sculpture - yes, still.
4. I am doing a fiction book on a survey job, not sure about how this one will pan out, but it is one I feel drawn to doing.
Catch you later