General Witterings -
Wooflet-less on Rosy :-(

The Laird of Strathnaver nipped off back to the tribal lands some few days ago, leaving Jess chez moi, and saying that he would return on Monday 18th November with my Fanny.

It's now Wednesday, and he is not here, and no one seems to know where he is, and I'm Fanny-less.

Incidentally, Fanny the wooflet will only be Fanny in the third person - face to face she will be Fan.  It's only fair, really.

I had a worrying few days with Jess, as I thought she was on the way out.  Last Sunday week, late in the afternoon, we were out for a walk, with her bounding around, when she screamed twice, and lay down, whimpering!!  I thought she might have broken something, but she hadn't, and there was no blood anywhere.  She didn't want to move, so I started to carry her home, though she eventually walked.  On the boat she flopped down and went to sleep - no food or drink.  Her breathing was uneven.

First thing on Monday a.m. we were up at the Vet's - but that was November 11th, Armistice day, a public holiday.  Jess slept most of the day, and ate a bit in the evening, but still no drink and still breathing uneasily.

Tuesday a.m. she was a bit brighter.  The Vet reckoned she'd been tick-ed.  Two injections and a five-day course of antibiotics.  She is still not right - uninterested in chasing balls or sticks.

Anyway, since the departure of David Long, life has been one long read:

"HMS Pepperpot" - The Story of HMS Penelope in WW2.  She was much involved in the defence of Malta, and the book contains details of HMS Maori, which was sunk in the Grand Harbour, and which nowadays makes an interesting and not-too-taxing SCUBA dive.

"All Quiet on the Western Front" which, to my shame, I've not read before (though I've seen the film).

"Riddle of the Sands" by Erskine Childers which I have read before.  A lovely read with lots of little maps and charts to follow.

"Hornblower and the Atropos".  I'd never read a Hornblower book before.  This one starts off in fine style, recounting a voyage along the Thames and Severn Canal, including legging through Sapperton tunnel and shooting flash locks on the Thames.

I've just started "Arrivals and Departures" by Leslie Thomas, which includes 'barges' on the Grand Union Canal.

There has been a fair amount of rain over here, and the River Loire is running fast and high.  There are a few punt-like boats on it, modelled on the old cargo-carrying vessels, and used for fishing and pleasure.  One of them is driven by a stern paddle-wheel, and the other day I watched it manoeuvring.  The paddle-wheel is in two halves, each hydraulically driven, and each can be driven independently.  Hence one half can be going forward whilst the other is in reverse.  Additionally, the pair can be raised and lowered, altering the amount of submerged paddle, and the steerer has excellent control over the speed of rotation.  All this means that the boat can perform quite delicate manoeuvres even in the fast flowing stream.

The rain has delayed the expected stoppages, but they are now in progress.  Most of the long pound has now been emptied to effect repairs to the embankment at Chatillon-sur-Loire.  This emptying includes the pont-canal (aqueduct) here at Briare, which is now empty.

It was only yesterday that the draining of the Port de Plaisance started - more news when it's emptier.

Must stop.  It's time to get up to the station to see if the Laird is on the evening train with the new wooflet.

Toodle pip!!

Bill