My day in cups of tea
WE ASKED NAUTICAL KNOT- MAKER JANETTE WATSON TO TELL US ABOUT HER DAY IN CUPPAS
Good morning. Where are you waking up?
I live aboard Strix, a wooden ketch and a comfortable home and workshop. Weekdays start at 5.30am. It’s the best part of the day. I have an earl grey with a bowl of muesli or toast and marmalade. I check if any emails have come in overnight and answer them after breakfast.
Tell us a little about what you do.
My husband Paul and I are both members of the International Guild of Knot Tyers. We use old traditional sailors’ knots to make modern home décor. I work at the cabin table or in the cockpit under the shade of an awning on sunny days.
Sounds heavenly. Fancy some tea?
Earl grey – weak, no milk, with a slice of lemon. My friends can’t believe how weak I like my tea!
Do you step off the boat at all?
If orders are ready to go, I cycle the scenic route around Pendennis Point to the post office. I love to see yachts setting off on voyages and fishing boats coming in with their catches. One morning, I saw a tall ship in full sail in the mist, but that was the day I forgot my camera!
Of course it was! What do you fancy for lunch?
Greek salad is my favourite. Sitting in the sun on deck with another cup of earl grey is heaven.
I suppose we’ll let you get back to work now. What are you up to?
Afternoons are kept for fulfilling orders or creating items for stock. I listen to BBC Radio 4 while I work – I’m an Archers addict.
And when do you down tools for the day?
I usually put my workbox and rope away before making our evening meal, but I must admit to sometimes carrying on with a project.
A drink as you sail off into the sunset?
At bedtime, I have a cup of camomile tea. On rare occasions, I’ll make hot chocolate in a pan: cocoa with half milk, half water and just a little brown sugar.