Still in Roanne.

It rained all day.

Lit fire - had to fill central heating with water, as we drained it last year with intention of putting anti-freeze in. Couldn’t do that - only realised to-day that it was cold, it was raining, the Radio Times heater was burned out - and it was Sunday - shops closed. Ouch!! Filled water - lit fire.

Definitely a day to stay inside, and were reduced to watching the latest French technology for dog results leveling.

We did - gently roasting.

Quiet life shattered at mid-day with Claudine and Viv bringing a Gite customer to see (her quotes) the eccentrics that live on a little boat.

They didn’t stay - it was 1430, and we hadn’t got around to lunch yet!

Went up to the big reservoir to look at the view in the evening to get some fresh air, then back to continue battling the web site.

In Roanne.

Admitted defeat on the electric front - took old ceramic bought mail order through Radio Times heater to pieces - terminally - so went up to Casterama to buy replacement.

Great replacement, and cheap, but shore side supply insufficient for battery charger, heater, kettle and toaster. Constant trudging along in pissing rain to switch it in again.

Good fun! Have to think again.

Able to get out occasionally for quick wander on foot or bikes.

As above

This is not being a good week

Cold, constant rain - heavy at times, everything wet and boat getting dirtier and dirtier as it fills up with the red gravel that sticks to our feet, in spite of 3 sets of floor mats, and spreads itself all over the boat.

Electricity supply constantly falling apart.

Supposed to be 10 amps, but cannot get more than about 7.5 for any length of time.

Borrowed an extra cable from American next door who is partly responsible for our loosing our place (The main responsibility is our own - we tried to help out in the autumn, and the people we helped out have never come back and removed their boat - hence, keep your mouth shut in future)

The second cable from a separate supply permits us to put the bathroom wall heater on at full blast, and run the rest of the boat domestics from our own original.

Even so, we cannot have charger, heater, kettle and toaster on at the same time.

April 11 Wednesday

Still in a damp cold Roanne.

Returned unsuitable heater to Castorama, sand bough small German model from supermarket next door.

Weather fractionally better, and system generally holding up better.

Started, slightly ineffectually on battery tray for extra batteries.

Bitter cold wind reduced enthusiasm!

Roanne.

This is a lost week - we seem to be doing nothing but self maintenance.

Roanne.

Day started superbly - bright sunshine and clear sky.

Shot off on bike to take photos.

Pouring with rain by lunch-time, and so for the rest of the day.

Roanne.

Dull & grey.

Off to Claudine and Viv for week end break in bigger area than Narrow boat in continuous rain.

Superb supper - extra guest for supper was Pierre from next door - small vignoble with lots of troubles - including a bankruptcy in the past -, but a Brit sense of humour.

He rents an area of vines and the necessary equipment, but the set up sounds very like share-cropping, which was just another name for slavery!

Ambierle.

Off betimes in sparkling bright sunny weather to Claudine & Vyvien's Gite in the Auvergne to supervise change-over day, and to show us something of the countryside.

Down through Chaise Dieu (big beautiful cathedral in small beautiful hill top town) to Le Puy.

Quite extraordinary - and beautiful - set up of very wide eroded valley floor with a few hard un-eroded spikes (several hundred feet high) upon which  have been built chapels, statues, etc. The area was pilgrims, and is now totally tourism - but at this time of year not obtrusive -, but astonishingly beautiful.

Much photographing.

Due to have dinner in well thought of Auberge on way home - but arrived 30 mins after closing time.

Ate in .......... well know hotel chain - very good, and considering we arrived at 22.30, they looked after us very well.

Arrived back to boat in Roanne somewhat exhausted - these people never seem to go to bed, and never seem to stop eating. Once again we left Ambierle and arrived back at the boat in cold pissing rain.

However, a very pleasant and interesting break was had by all.

Over these next few days there seems little point in writing a daily log:-

It rained and was cold virtually continuously. However, spring growth seems to be going ahead regardless - albeit slowly, and waterlogged.

We lived in the boat  -  as opposed to our habit of living on the bank except for sleeping and administration. Regrettably the boat is really too small for long spell of bad weather - too many draughts, and too much grit and dirt come in on shoes, and living conditions veer to-wards the squalid.

On top of that, we want to get going, and have not done any of the major jobs due before we start - except for insertion of the 2 batteries in their new cradle. Frustration is the order of the day - especially as the saga of the promised moorings has still to be resolved.