You will Nevers leave

Leaving Nevers

Christmas and New Year were now behind us and on the 2 January we finally moved out of the port and back to our old spot just outside.

Before we left there were a few things to sort out. VNF had chopped down lots of trees and Albert and Anita (lovely couple that they are) had given me an electric chainsaw so I set about filling the roof of the boat with wood. The captain had designated me a spot around the back of the office with a power point (nice fella).

Captain's log!

Every time I started to cut the wood a strange fisherman would stand with his hands in a long brown mac and just stare at me. When I say fisherman, he would turn up with no rod, as his licence had run out, but he liked to come every day to the same spot to look where he could have been fishing (hell knows why).

I would attempt in the two hours of wood cutting to make conversation with him, he would just look right through me not saying a word. Albert and Anita would laugh and shout “We see your gnome’s back”.

After moving out of the port I embarked on a major pickling project.  

L-R: Thai spiced pickled onions, Madras curry paste, Mediterranean chutney, lime pickle, Bengali mango chutney

The French, in general, don’t eat spicy food and getting hold of mango chutney or lime pickle was near impossible. Elbows deep in limes and mango I suddenly had the feeling that someone was watching me, I looked up and the gnome had his nose pressed against the porthole window.  After jumping out of my skin, I shouted Tracy.  Tracy tried to engage him in conversation and had better luck than I did, he eventually left after giving her the gift of a recipe for carp in white wine (er yum yum).

I have a feeling this strange man is going to appear on the rest of our journey like the shopkeeper out of Mr Ben from childhood TV.  

Just after Christmas, a little dog we named Dyson followed Tracy home. A tiny little thing with a spotted Dalmatian body and the face of a Doberman all shrunken down to the size of a Jack Russell.

He had one night of joy with us before we had to take him to the dog shelter so they could find his mum and dad. Four days later the shelter telephoned us, poor Dyson had contracted parvovirus and despite treatment had died. We were devastated.  The shelter invited us over to have a chat. The operation was run on a shoe string they had very little funding and admitted it was very difficult to keep on top of everything and with Christmas it looked like they were at breaking point. So to cut a harrowing trip short - meet Piglet.

Spot the ball

Oddjob plays air piano...

While Piglet plays air guitar

We didn’t have the heart to leave him. He was doubled up with kennel cough so the little soldier came home with us (big soft arses that we are). http://www.refuge-thiernay.com/.

Tracy is mortified that she is on the dog shelter's website wearing her dog walking jumper and woolly hat!

It was a joy to leave the port, not really our glass of Navy Rum but we will miss the lovely, kind, helpful and generous people we met and made good friends with while in there.

Thanks once again Karen & Paul for the home made chutneys, cakes and the trips out to the car boot. Sorry the leaves fell off the lemon tree we gave you, we’re sure they’ll grow back - maybe change the shampoo. Chris and Helen for the homemade fudge. Jean for sharing his knowledge of the local area and helping us find all the essential supplies we needed. Phillipe & Christine for being the best neighbours we have ever had and for the fantastic CD of Phillipe singing and playing his guitar (Phillipe Catinaud – La Vie a L’envers). 

Phillipe's wonderful music - what a lovely gift

Michel & Edith for their amazing hospitality in their beautiful home and in particular Edith’s Dutch apple pie that we will never forget and Albert & Anita who made the whole experience a lot more bearable and for introducing us to Grand Frais (like picking your own fruit and veg from an allotment) and for donating a hat which we converted into a jumper for Piglet.

Thanks Albert for the woolly hat/jumper

Grand Frais - the best shop in the world

The salad is misted to keep it fresh

And a huge thanks to Ivonne who has given us the gift of communication.  Tracy even had the confidence to telephone the VNF to make arrangements for our moving day and we were both amazed when they turned up at the appointed day and time and took us in the direction Tracy had asked for.

Albert and Anita came down to the automatic locks and waved us off into the distance.  Decize next stop.

Finally leaving Nevers

Contact us at: werubbedthelamp.gmail.com