Our second Wintering has been a great success. We’ve had a very interesting and pleasant five months getting to know Briare and enjoying our surroundings since the first of November. The weather has been pretty dull and cold throughout and that was something of a surprise to me. Frankly, it was colder and more damp than the River Ouse in the UK. Thanks to our Jotul wood burner and an inexhaustable supply of free drift-wood, we have been kept warm and dry. Today is different. The sun is shining and the sky is blue, the forcythia is blooming and the willow trees are in spring mode. We are excited about our next adventure to the Southwest of France which starts on the first day in April after a farewell party at Beaurin with Lucie’s family. We start with the lock in the town centre.
Crossing my favourite river Loire on the Briare Aqueduct for the last time on Monday we will slowly make our way down the Canal Lateral a La Loire to Decise, then onwards along the Canal Du Centre through Digoin. Then, depending on how we feel, we may take a small diversion in order to go back to Verdun Sur Doubs. We haven’t yet been up the Doubs. We did love Verdun last year. The idea is to hit the Rhone during the summer when there will be less of a current and to arrive on the Canal Du Midi during early Autumn when there will be less tourist boats getting in our way! Does that sound awful? This will also mean that we will have the luxury of time to visit and explore new places more thoroughly. We have plans to go up the river Seille as far as it will allow.
In the last five months we have got to know so many people who are now added to our ever growing list of good friends. Especially worth mentioning here, are four couples – Keith and Jenny on Gulliver, Mike and Rosaleen on Aquarelle from Ireland, Dominique and Nicolas on Elmajo (French) and Pat and Gerard, who live near Gien. They will, hopefully, be joining us for a short cruise on our way South.
Another great difference made to our lives is the ability to reach other friends and family so easily through the internet and through Skype. It is a fantastic facility to have, enabling us to be as close or even closer than we might have otherwise been had we been living in the UK.
My blogging skills are improving daily which is such fun. I hope soon to add audio to the blog so watch out for the commentary to go with the pictures – or even some music – Yeah! We are still awaiting the fixing of our “bimini” – which will give us much needed shade over our cruiser stern for our trip to the South and much better than the collapsable umbrellas we have had to date. The unexpected gusts of wind on the river Soane and Rhone can play havoc with them! 
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One of the many full english breakfeasts enjoyed on our stern during the wonderful and diverse overnight stops along our 2000kms of cruising.
We have many friends and family hoping to join us along the way this year. The access to flights and fast trains is bigger and more varied towards the South.
Keep looking on our blog for detailed information of our whereabouts and the rail or air connections available.
Lucie will be hopping back to the Uk end of May beginning of June to see her new grandaughter and to attend her oldest friend’s (Nini’s) wedding in Witlshire. Fingers crossed for it to all go through, but Nini has just bought a run down house not far from the Canal du Midi as a project which means we will be seeing more of her hopefully. More good news!
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Here we are in front of Aquarelle from Ireland. We look after each other’s boats when we go away.
Lucie and I went to the UK to see our various offspring in March this year. The Winnebago (Boo Boo) is now in Alan’s hands – we hope he will have better luck in selling it for us. Our agent failed to get a sale over 9 months. Not a good deal.