We are happily moored at Tinteniac - about 45 klms South of St. Malo and 25 klms North of Rennes. We have great neighbours - 'live-aboards' with their families, pets, and a growing number of local home owners. All important facilities are within easy walking distance and our fourth-hand VW Golf appears able to take us to the beach or wherever needed - so far, without breaking down.
Frankly, the whole of spring was dismal, weather- wise - Neither of us can remember being subjected to so much continuous rain anywhere before. Last week, however, the promised heatwave arrived and Brittany is green, lush and warm again at last - just right for the French holiday season, July and August.
Lucie is under excellent treatment for her Horton's disease and we regularly visit two of Rennes' hospitals for its continuation. The steroid dose has been slowly reduced because of the known negative effects upon the body's immune system and calcium levels. There is going to be a long but careful recovery period - maybe up to two years, apparently.
We have regular, sometimes daily, visits by the local nurses (lovely ladies) who administer various blood tests and blood thinning injections, whilst acting as the link between the GP and the hospital's specialist department. The medical care service is indeed as good as it sounds and we are both impressed and reassured. There is further encouragement felt as the wheel-chair and the zimmer frame are returned to the local pharmacy - restoring space in the back of the car. So things are on the way up. My plans for the installation of a 'Stenna' lift for our back stairs are on hold - for the time being!
Staying where we are for this summer and winter 2018/19 is allowing us time to pay more attention to our own well-being and to long term maintenance matters in Body and Soul. There is merit in having a secure shore power source and access to water as opposed to moving from port to port, or having to use our generator as we "wild-moor" - but we will miss, for the time-being, the excitement of travelling as experienced during the last 13 years on canals. We have, perhaps belatedly, understood the impact of age-related ill-health and are moving accordingly.
Our 12 volt system and Trojan batteries, are kept healthy, fully charged and lightly used. Our 70hp Isutzu engine is run, under load, at least twice a week for half an hour keeping in great running condition whilst also giving us hot water.
Our Eberspacher water heater is permanently defunct - now a familiar blow to our creature comforts; but we 'make do' with kettles and our engine. (and we have since been given a small microwave oven) We are trying hard "to think out of the box" and devise a system- using either gas or electricity, (both of which we have) solely for hot water. to replace the Eberspacher (or similar machine, 'Wabasto', 'Kabola'). Our four radiators and towel rail, however, stand empty, cold and probably unnecessary as we have our Jotul Wood burner and a couple of oil-filled electric radiators to keep us warm in the cold months.
The question is, would we endanger the value of our asset by too much 'out of the box thinking': Should we dig deep and bare the cost in order to preserve the status quo? Answers please....because it ain't all plain sailing y'know!
Next post - don't miss more about what we have been doing and where we are going and what's brewing at the Pigstye Brewery! News of various friends and families, Bro' Robert's eightieth birthday party (planned for the 15th July, at their home in Walmer) - close rellies only - so hear all about it - only on this site!