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This Weeks "We're Here" Map:

No - once again there isn't one, we are still squatting in St Jean de Losne.

Sunday 18 April 2004 and Monday 19 April 2004.

Cold, windy, wet.

Started bimini in between rain.

Little done as rain more or less drizzly constant, followed by those maddening periods when the rain lets

up just long enough to give one time and encouragement to lay out tools and bits, but returns to ensure no work is actually done. Picture is a-typical evening shot when sun crept obliquely under horizon clouds.

On Monday got well stuck into the "bimini" project. Did I explain to non boaters that a bimini (silly name) is a pram hood type cover that protects places like steersman position from sun and rain, and can be folded back hen no longer required.

We bought the tricky pieces in England - desperately expensive Stainless Steel clamps and swivels - but built the rails and main bits of the frame locally from 22mm copper water piping bought at the hardware supermarket.

Tuesday 20 April 2004

Summoned to workshop for supply and fitting of new drive plate. Boat mobile by evening. As we were over there, on that side of the moorings, watered up, and did a diversion so we could pump out on way back.

During operations by the experts to one end of boat, set about other end by fitting new larger cleats to coach sides at front of boat for stronger mooring in uphill locks.. In course of work flipped 1 clamp and 2 small spanners over side - stupid and cross making.. Regained clamp, but spanners gone. Suspect - after 7 years and multiple droppings - deep sea magnet getting weak. Cleats look good - the bolts holding one of the old ones snapped at a crucial moment - boat going forward in lock and line that should have slid, jamming, Said cleat, designed to bring boat comfortably into side of lock, departed boat sounding like a partridge in flight. Initially considered it AWOL, but soon realised it had deserted in the face of and could no longer be considered part of the establishment.

Wednesday 21 April 2004

Late starting.

First fine morning - clear and warming up, after 10 days of drizzle and cold dull days.

Disassembled cleats and bimini to clean and paint steel work below fittings.

Fixed (!) folding chair (rivet pulled out). This is the €5 folding chair we bought in the SM at Roanne about 4 years ago - one gets attached to these things!

Mounted CBL brolley.

Investigated car intermittent non-starting. Over 2 years 3 garages - 2 in UK and 1 in France - have investigated and "cured" this problem. In desperation "hot wired" the starter solenoid under the bonnet, with a proper press switch. Probably never fail again, now, except to catch fire. (Even that would be the second time).

Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 22 to 25 April, 2004

Worked very hard - lots of jobs, but like on these occasions - little to show for it.

Greatly daring, cut expensive canvas stuff for bimini during major committee meeting.

Started sewing it to-gether, and sewing machine went on big-time blink.

Took it to Dole - felt a bit spare trotting around Dole with a sewing machine in a shoulder bag slipping down arm - with all it's appurtenances, only to find - when finally in helpful shop - that the electric plug was - not unnaturally - an English one, and French adapter (equally naturally, we have several) not considered..

Took opportunity, whilst in Dole, to go back to France Telecom to complain that, in spite of promises, mobicarte P.A.Y.G. SIMM does not enable data or computer calls - still unable to connect to Pipex's "numero special", although no problems at all on same line to same number using same telephone through expensive abonnement contract. Most helpful, much talk, and enquiries, but when we returned to boat, it still didn't work! getting pissed off! Spend much time shuffling SIMMs cards from phone to phone without avail.

Heard over mobile on Saturday, whilst wandering around Dutch Barge Association annual rally (no, we are

no longer members - just spectators) that spares for sewing machine could take a week, so we are the only boat in this - the cross-roads of the French Waterways - held up by mechanical problems to it's sewing machine.

Watered and pumped once again, and went by car to St Symphorien (about 3 kms up road on entrance to Canal du Rhone au Rhine - aka River Doubs, to look for "mates". Gossiped enormously, but mates either gone, or not yet arrived!

Spring is properly with us, after 2 hot sunny days(!) Rape, that last week was dotted yellow in green fields is now sheets of fluorescent yellow, corn is well up, ducklings abound, small birds busily tweeting in bush behind us, (what we consider to be sweet bird song, apparently is adversarial backchat, most virulent in nature) and trees no longer skeletons.

Much embarrassed/gratified to have more people who have discovered and "enjoyed/suffered" this site visiting us. Thanks for kind remarks. Pity this always happens when we and the boat are filthy, washing up is undone, and alto-gether, we are wandering around like cluttered and headless chickens, rather than members of the professionally run, well organised, well fitted out, immaculate and alto-gether competant turn out we try and kid everybody is the real us.