The Journey -
Two Weeks of Rosy News

For reasons that may become obvious, I didn't send an e-mail last week.  Apple orgies.

On 6th September we pootled down to Garnat, and moored by 'The Lighthouse'.  Roy and Audrey weren't there, but my post was, so I then spent a happy few hours catching up with the rest of the world.

Out of interest, if you head East along the D739, for about half a kilometre, there is a wonderful store.  It's like a very big village shop, selling everything from welding rods to corn flakes, though it's a bit too scruffy to be called a supermarket.  As their main clientele is canny French farming folk, their prices are pretty competitive.

On the next morning to Gannay, where I spent a couple of days tidying up the stern deck cants - stripping the paint off, undercoating, masking off an area, painting it and then sprinkling fine, dry sand over the wet paint.  I immediately removed the masking tape, and, the next day, when the paint was dry, painted all the cants, including the sanded parts which, of course, now provide a non-slip footing.  This work considerably improved the stern view.

On Monday 9th September I pootled down to Decize, whilst the final India v England cricket test match fizzled out into a draw at The Oval.

A disaster at Decize.  With visitors expected I was going to do a big wash, but the launderette is 'hors de service'!!  I did some hand washing, and visited the Decize Tourist Office to do some internetting.  A boat called Zipp was on the mooring, with a lone Oz chap on it, called (wait for it ...) Bruce.  Zipp had been a hire boat, and he bought her from the hire boat company.  I asked if he had surveyed the boat himself, or whether he had used a professional.  He thought for a moment or two, and then said "I'll have to give you a 'No' to both of those".

On Wednesday 11th September we set off northward, after a quick visit to town to get some money, to top up with the en vrac Merlot and to buy yet more moussec.  Overheating engine problems on the way, caused by me not keeping a close enough check on the level of the coolant but, fortunately, no lasting damage.  We moored in the countryside at Chevenon.  and I spent the next day tidying, cleaning and hoovering.

Up early on the Friday, and went to the village for bread, and to see the château.  It's lived in, but there are arrangement for passers-by to enter the grounds to view it across the lawns.  All very gothic and forbidding - a square castle with a round, spired tower at each corner.

Then along the cut, down the embranchment to Nevers, and to the much refurbished port where there are now pontoons, and which is set up to attract over-wintering boats.  Jean-Marc is the helpful Capitaine, and he lives on a boat.

Nevers was somewhat noisy, as the streets were crowded with motor bikes - Nevers is close to the race track at Mangy Cours and a big race was to be run the next day.

I walked to the SNCF Station to meet Dick and Jeanie.  Dick tends Kelvin engines, and, yes, he knows all the 'Dick' (with a capital D) jokes.  Two of his best are:

At a party, mine host said to him "Have you got a glass, Dick:?" The reply ..."No, just erectile tissue, the same as all the other blokes".

He set up house with Jeanie before such arrangements were common.  He was discussing this with some colleagues, who were keen to know what Jeanie's attitude towards marriage (and the lack of it) was.  One said "Doesn't she put any pressure on you, Dick?" to which he replied "Only when she sits on my lap".

Ho!  Ho!  Ho!

They gave me a lovely brass Primus stove - something that I've lusted after for several years.  It's my reserve cooking system for when we run out of gas.  Salmon for supper, poached in a white wine sauce, with buttered potatoes sprinkled with oatmeal, and a fennel salad.

The next day we set off on Rosy, still heading north.  A lovely, warm, sunny day.  We took things gently, stopped for lunch, and settled down for the evening in an out of the way place where we had a barbecue followed by freshly plucked blackberries served on a bed of Birds' custard.  Dick's a bit of a flower whizz.  Meadow Saffron is out now (the flowers are purple, and look a bit like a crocus) and toadflax.  More importantly, the conkers are dropping, and, even more importantly - so are the walnuts!!  Yummmmmy.

We also got several jobs done - of the sort that I can't do on my own - so the pressure settings are now correct on the water pump (such that it doesn't cycle on and off whilst the taps are on) and on the gas regulator (such that at 'High' setting on the stove, the pressure no longer blows out the flame).

The next day was a pootle down to Cours le Barre - which is where I was last year on September 11th.  This is one of the prettiest landscaped moorings in France - and it's free, with water and electricity.  Rabbit for dinner.

Then on to Marseille de Aubigny, where we looked at the small museum in the Marie - model barges, hand-made clogs and some evocative 'Before' and 'After' pictures of the town.  Then we went for a walk, passing the moored barges (one is supposed to belong to Mr Calcutt Boats), and on out into the country to find the abandoned Canal du Berry.  We found it, but the towing path is totally overgrown, so we walked back along roads until, just outside the town, we could pick up the in-filled section, and walk along it, back to Rosy and our supper of pasta with a tuna sauce.

On the final full day of Dick and Jeanie's visit we cruised down to La Chapelle Montlinard - the nearest point on the canal to La Charité sur Loire, which is where Dick and Jeanie were to catch the train to Paris.

At Lock 28 I'd been tasked to check out Josette at the cafe adjacent to the lock, and called Chez Josette - but it was a busy time at the lock, and there seemed to be lots of satisfied truckers trotting in and out of the cafe, so we gave it a wave and went on our way.  We moored south of the bridge at Montlinard, in the shadow of a silo.  We had plans to dine out at the bar/café by the bridge, but were a bit late, so after watching some voles/rats/coypu/otters playing in a pool we retired to Rosy for some curried corned beef hash.  If anyone has eaten at the Montlinard bar/café I'd be grateful of a food report - it looks like the sort of place that could be a little gem.

On the following morning, Dick and Jeanie took a taxi to Montlinard, and hence the train to Paris and then the EuroStar to Waterloo.

Rosy and I wandered down to Herry, where I 'got' a French word-play joke - the village épicierie is called Épici'herry.  On the path up to the shop I passed a couple of old fellows, one of who could have been Bruce Bainsfather's 'Old Bill' with snow white hair, and a magnificent snow-white walrus moustache.  As is my wont, I said "Bon jour".  Ditto the following morning when I walked up to get some bread.  On my way back with the bread, Old Bill stopped me and thrust at me two bags, one with about two kilo of peaches in it, and the other with a honey-dew melon "Un petit cadeau de mon jardin".  THAT put a smile on my face.

Right, walnut fans.  Make a note of Lock 31.  On its west side are five productive walnut trees!!  (Lock 32 is the painted one.  If you happen to be thinking of painting the bits and bobs around a lock, please note that light green, dark green and pink don't go together awfully well).

And that, yesterday (Sat 21 Sep) brought us here to Ménétreol.  Free to moor, electricity three Euros a day, water a bit more.  I'm here for five days, in the shadow of the hill upon which sits Sancerre, HQ of a wine-growing area that includes Pouilly Fumé.  I went over the road to make obeisance to the aged crone who looks after the mooring, and to pay for the electricity.  She whipped the money out of my hand, and shut the door in my face without giving me the key to get into the electric box.  Then she opened the door a crack.  She was giggling away, and told me to take better care of my money.  I told her she was a naughty little girl and she giggled even more.

That's all, Folks

Toodle pip!!

Bill