Songs, sales, sails & sausages

Sunny afternoon for Marans modest celebration  The French seem to do modest quite well.

See that bit of blue sky?

Eating, drinking and music.  Sausages NOT vegetarian so had coffee and cake.

I feel as though I have arrived now, with a quick trip into La Rochelle this morning for supplies - BLOC almanac (an essential compendium of times, tides and harbours), firing cartridges for lifejackets and a can of yacht cleaner.  Pretty quiet at Minimes despite the presence of several hundred - maybe thousand - boats.  I got back in time to catch the market - a pathetic 3 stalls in a space that was designed for many more - 2 veg and 1 fish.  I bought from the same old geezer who I've been buying from since 2008 when we arrived here for the first time.  I spent 22 € on veg. so well stocked for a while - early broad beans, artichoke, beautiful leeks - and much much more -mostly from the geezer's garden.
    I was also in time for the Fete at Marans - bought a can of paint for 2€ - nice to get a bargain after a 3 figure spend in La Rochelle chandlery.  It was a typique French celebration - quite a few familiar faces, including my neighbour (Applecart) and M. Julien from the Charron boatyard.  There were a couple of traditional craft - heavy tan sails and a sculling oar that makes a very distinctive clunking sound as the boats pass by.  So pleased that the sun shone for this little town today.
    I am hoping that my video uploads - I'd like you to hear the little band - accordions (little and large) 2 guitars and all singing.
     Today's boat work - putting on the spray hood, just in case the weather doesn't hold. 

Songs, sales, sails & sausages

Sunny afternoon for Marans modest celebration  The French seem to do modest quite well.

See that bit of blue sky?

Eating, drinking and music.  Sausages NOT vegetarian so had coffee and cake.

I feel as though I have arrived now, with a quick trip into La Rochelle this morning for supplies - BLOC almanac (an essential compendium of times, tides and harbours), firing cartridges for lifejackets and a can of yacht cleaner.  Pretty quiet at Minimes despite the presence of several hundred - maybe thousand - boats.  I got back in time to catch the market - a pathetic 3 stalls in a space that was designed for many more - 2 veg and 1 fish.  I bought from the same old geezer who I've been buying from since 2008 when we arrived here for the first time.  I spent 22 € on veg. so well stocked for a while - early broad beans, artichoke, beautiful leeks - and much much more -mostly from the geezer's garden.
    I was also in time for the Fete at Marans - bought a can of paint for 2€ - nice to get a bargain after a 3 figure spend in La Rochelle chandlery.  It was a typique French celebration - quite a few familiar faces, including my neighbour (Applecart) and M. Julien from the Charron boatyard.  There were a couple of traditional craft - heavy tan sails and a sculling oar that makes a very distinctive clunking sound as the boats pass by.  So pleased that the sun shone for this little town today.
    I am hoping that my video uploads - I'd like you to hear the little band - accordions (little and large) 2 guitars and all singing.
     Today's boat work - putting on the spray hood, just in case the weather doesn't hold. 

Where's AL?

AL on Nantjizel Beach May 2013

As you may have guessed,  Jenny has taken off for France in her capacity as maintenance crew while Al labours away in Bristol, producing tracks for what we used to call 'the man'.  Just now he's finishing up his Celtic collection and moving on to guitar tracks largely composed in Cornwall, earlier this month - or was it last month - at Sally's house on the Lizard.  Travel is always inspirational for Al and he and his guitar will be joining me, my oily rags and a clean, shiny, re-rigged Snork Maiden sometime in June. I am looking forward to it.  Although Snork Maiden is great company and doesn't talk back, I miss him.

Where's AL?

AL on Nantjizel Beach May 2013

As you may have guessed,  Jenny has taken off for France in her capacity as maintenance crew while Al labours away in Bristol, producing tracks for what we used to call 'the man'.  Just now he's finishing up his Celtic collection and moving on to guitar tracks largely composed in Cornwall, earlier this month - or was it last month - at Sally's house on the Lizard.  Travel is always inspirational for Al and he and his guitar will be joining me, my oily rags and a clean, shiny, re-rigged Snork Maiden sometime in June. I am looking forward to it.  Although Snork Maiden is great company and doesn't talk back, I miss him.

Endless Winter

 

Snork Maiden and her sisters on her pontoon at Marans

Slow start to this year's blog, I'm afraid.  Facebook partly to blame - I feel as though I have already said it all - but I'm aware that it is a different medium.  This b(log) acts as a diary and record of where we go and what we do, although it fell into a black hole of Internet paranoia last year - maybe year before.

It usually takes me a couple of days to acclimatise, to settle into boat life, live in a space of around 4 square metres, speak French and hone my DIY and engineering skills.  This year I am also having to get used to the temperature and the unforgiving NW/West wind.  It's rare to have to turn on the fan heater between April and September - but this year is pretty strange, weather-wise.  For anyone who's interested, Meteo France have a detailed 10-day forecast on the Internet.
Marans Weather

The plan for today, after a second cuppa, is to major on the engine, and give the outside of the boat a first, rough clean up.  Lots of winter debris - dust from the grain silos, dead leaves, green tint to woodwork and lines.  The engine... will she start?  First check will be batteries, once I can find somewhere to put the self-steering gear that is occupying the aft berth.  Oh yes, on MY bed.  The boat becomes like one of those old plastic puzzles where you had to move from one corner to another by sliding tiles one at a time.  In fact the whole business of becoming seaworthy again is a kind of mental and physical Rubic's cube.  Eventually it all falls into place and away you go!

The wide big sky landscape that surrounds us - if you enlarge this pic you can see the line of trees that marks the Marans Canal.

I just want to tell you a bit about the landscape here - the photo gives a clue but can't capture the huge sky, flat land leading to an expanse of shallow bay.  It can be bleak under a grey sky, with an icy wind blowing from the west.  There's a desolate feel to the small coastal villages, shuttered against the weather.  Here and there are fabulous banks of wild flowers and clumps of irises in all shades of mauve-to-purple. The sun is shining today - but it's still fan heater weather.

Nothing stays the same!  Our favourite lunchtime cafe has turned into a betting shop with soft porn beach babes on the TV.  The old boys sit around with glasses of wine while the (new) proprietor operates some sort of instant lottery machine.  Maybe horses come into the picture somewhere.  They still serve lunches and coffee is OK but another bit of 'old' France has slipped away.

Endless Winter

 

Snork Maiden and her sisters on her pontoon at Marans

Slow start to this year's blog, I'm afraid.  Facebook partly to blame - I feel as though I have already said it all - but I'm aware that it is a different medium.  This b(log) acts as a diary and record of where we go and what we do, although it fell into a black hole of Internet paranoia last year - maybe year before.

It usually takes me a couple of days to acclimatise, to settle into boat life, live in a space of around 4 square metres, speak French and hone my DIY and engineering skills.  This year I am also having to get used to the temperature and the unforgiving NW/West wind.  It's rare to have to turn on the fan heater between April and September - but this year is pretty strange, weather-wise.  For anyone who's interested, Meteo France have a detailed 10-day forecast on the Internet.
Marans Weather

The plan for today, after a second cuppa, is to major on the engine, and give the outside of the boat a first, rough clean up.  Lots of winter debris - dust from the grain silos, dead leaves, green tint to woodwork and lines.  The engine... will she start?  First check will be batteries, once I can find somewhere to put the self-steering gear that is occupying the aft berth.  Oh yes, on MY bed.  The boat becomes like one of those old plastic puzzles where you had to move from one corner to another by sliding tiles one at a time.  In fact the whole business of becoming seaworthy again is a kind of mental and physical Rubic's cube.  Eventually it all falls into place and away you go!

The wide big sky landscape that surrounds us - if you enlarge this pic you can see the line of trees that marks the Marans Canal.

I just want to tell you a bit about the landscape here - the photo gives a clue but can't capture the huge sky, flat land leading to an expanse of shallow bay.  It can be bleak under a grey sky, with an icy wind blowing from the west.  There's a desolate feel to the small coastal villages, shuttered against the weather.  Here and there are fabulous banks of wild flowers and clumps of irises in all shades of mauve-to-purple. The sun is shining today - but it's still fan heater weather.

Nothing stays the same!  Our favourite lunchtime cafe has turned into a betting shop with soft porn beach babes on the TV.  The old boys sit around with glasses of wine while the (new) proprietor operates some sort of instant lottery machine.  Maybe horses come into the picture somewhere.  They still serve lunches and coffee is OK but another bit of 'old' France has slipped away.

Sanding and varnishing! It's a bit like living in a garden shed just now - I am using the forepeak as a bed / office / tv room - all in a space of around 2 square metres. Galley is still operational so supper of pasta with carrots and fresh peas. Strawberries picked this morning from fruit farm down the road, with soya dream, yum.
Apologies to all those following on Facebook.  Unfortunately some like FB., some like Google - but not as much as they did,  and some just want to be emailed.  Maybe go back to postcards.  Weather today - Cornish 'mizzle'.

Have to get brave and start with the varnish today - time to put brush to can.  (For anyone interested in the detail,  I an trying a new (to me) Epifanes - a rapid drying clear one-pot varnish, re-coat time 6 hours, no sanding required.  Can finish with 'rubbed effect' Epifanes for a slightly less high gloss finish.