F&%*k$n!

Nerves a jangle, a meet up at the boatyard at 10am to lift some masts, my own included. We got Ken’s and Joe’s done and then my monster. All was going swimmingly until someone noticed the cap shroud had come out the spreader end cap. Hmmm. We dropped the mast - just to the deck. I whipped out a pair of pliers, then the clevis pin and then something else dropped - the end cap. Plop!
Effing effsakes! Game over. Absolutely gutted. I stayed on with a totally heavy heart and helped John A do his mast; and just to round off the day got whacked by one of his bottle screws which scratched my glasses. What would have happened if I wasn’t wearing them, I shudder to think.
I then legged it home to look at Selden Mast spare parts online. So many variants - I phoned the rigger at Port Edgar - he said, give me a second, and came back yep, I have one in my hand right here. Things. Can only get better. 
At least MrT showed up in the Diggers much later and we were treated to a corker - Man City v Tottenham. One of those occasions when the whole pub is engaged. A tumult. Indeed. A fitting end to the day.