The journey home

Hello Everyone I hope you have a good if somewhat unusual Easter.
Luckily for me the Easter bunny was able to deliver to me on the boat, so I now have a little Lindt bunny and chick to eat, Saving them for now.
Hope you are all coping OK with the social distancing and following your respective governments rules. John and I are doing OK, well no we are better than OK, the weather is gorgeous, there is a supportive live-aboard group, we are both well and can exercise and we are nice and relaxed. We have been able to undertake some boat maintenance that otherwise just would not have been done.
So what news do I have for you all, nothing terribly exciting but here is what is happening, both our families are well. My grandmother was in hospital for a non COVID condition but was discharged on Monday and by all accounts is doing OK. She has nurses twice a day and family visits through the windows.
Over here in France we are awaiting an update that the president is due to deliver Monday evening there are lots of rumours some good, restrictions will ease, some not so good, restrictions will be tightened, we will just wait wait and see. We fill our days sort of with reading, cooking, maintenance and puzzles.
On Thursday we had to move the boat as on Wednesday we went aground, while we have been here the canal level has been steadily decreasing and then that coupled with a full moon and northerly winds meant we touched bottom. Not necessarily a problem Take Five is long keeled and we would probably have just sat in the mud but we do want to be able to move when restrictions are lifted so we asked for a proper mooring. Sadly none available but it was suggested that we change direction and go nose in and that’s what we have done. We float on Thursday morning so moved then and in this new position we are permanently afloat which is good as tide keeps going out, we now know that depths alongside are very variable 0.5m to 1.8m, also out here we get more breeze which I am sure we will be very grateful for soon.
We continue to walk our neighbours dog ‘Twayder’ she is dutch and part Freesian which is apparently why she is stubborn. We are allowed an hours exercise on foot each day and must carry our signed and dated permission slips (Attestations) and identity documents whenever we are off the boat.
I have bought some plant pots and planted out the little strawberry plants, but no sign, as yet, of the haricot or tomato seedlings fingers crossed. If they don’t appear soon I will plant more as I am not very patient.
The latest project we have decided to undertake on the boat is that of redoing the caulking. We had a set back this weekend when we realised we had ordered and received the wrong sort of Sikaflex but I have reordered so we are awaiting delivery but are in the meantime removing the existing caulking from the deck around the main mast, it’s time consuming which is good we think we are likely to have a lot of time on our hands for the next few weeks.
We might be looking to buy a portable air on unit as well, as it’s likely to get ridiculously hot down here and even if we can move we will now be moving on the waterways during the hottest season, rather than as planned arriving in Honfleur early to mid June.
I am still exercising and have now thanks to the Guernsey Body Zone gym team added a strength workout to the mix using some nautical weights. Thank goodness exercise is still considered essential, an hour cardio in the morning and an hour yoga Pilates in the evening, that and the dog walk keep me sane.
Let us know how you are all coping and keep safe.Les mer