Click here, minimise, and listen whilst reading the text Download 07 In the Bleak Midwinter We understand from afar (through BBC Radio 4) that you are having a bit of a cold spell in the UK - but although we can't claim the degree of disruption to our lives that you must be experiencing this November and December we have had unusually low temperatures wallowing around freezing, the occasional light dusting of snow and an unusual amount of hard rain. It is very damp but we have abundant food, logs for the Jotul wood burner, diesel fuel if needed and, so far, an uninterrupted electrical and water supply. We can use our small generator if the electrical supply fails.
Download 05 O Little Town of Bethlehem Another glorious carol click here!
Spud and Teds are well pleased with the new sleeping arrangements, (namely, the sofa!) in front of the fire which stays alight all night and is supplemented by the central heating in exreme circumstances.
Our plans for the Christmas season start with a flying 4 day visit to Sophie and Steve and Lucie's Grandchildren, Charlie and Max. (It's their turn but we wish we could do more!) All being well and subject to a
gamble on a rather unseemly weather forecast, we return on 20th December for Christmas and the New Year on "Body and Soul" meanwhile the dogs will be looked after by our kind neighbours whilst we are away.
We are all very healthy, active and happy and have a lot for which to be thankful. We hope all our friends and "rellies", who read this, are too - and we earnestly wish you all.......
Download 16 O Come All Ye Faithful
A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Our skype address is Lucie.Malcolm.Walker (Recommended - it's free!)
Email us on [email protected] (also free)
Our snail address is:
Malcolm and Lucie Walker
Body and soul
C/ol Minervois Cruisers
Port De Meilhan
47180 Meilhan sur Garonne
France
You can now see our facebook presentation/photos etc on:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=51826&l=3682db7075&id=1790747326
More is inevitable!
PS. From time to time, the Canal Authorities (The VNF) have to empty parts of the Canals for maintenance purposes and our section will be without any water in it after 7th of January 2011 until the 7th March.
Not unreasonably we have decided to move house ("Body and Soul")to a section which has got water in it before that date! This means a short journey through a few locks to a mooring at the pretty little village called Caumont. We plan to leave on the 3rd or 4th January. Our address will remain at Meilhan however - for any snail-mail. It will be collected by us in our van twice a week.
After "le chomage" and sometime in April, we will be making our chilly way eastwards through Toulouse to Castelnaudary (about 220 klm) where we have booked ourselves in to the dry dock from May 4th for two weeks and where we will paint our bottom and sides. We look forward to this and a continuation of our adventures and our eventual return to Meilhan in time for the summer months after a leisurely journey via the river Lot, perhaps, or another attempt at the river Baise.
....but it's never plain sailing, y'know, is it?
Hope you enjoyed the above favourite toons!:
Read on, scroll down for news of what happened to us on our Christmas visit to Trowbridge