She
05/24/2012, kitchen

Quickly updating position on my 3G. Dying to see where they are on map!! Housework!!! Dust dust dust:-))) wishy washy etc so McDo later!!!:-))

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moi
05/23/2012, McDo

so... Back again Clearly, some person had knocked the little dog and just driven off. I was stunned. There he was, hopefully somebody's beloved, little dog but "mort" never to go home again. And just lying there. All alone. Nobody to hold nor comfort him, as he left!! Merde. Apparently, the mairie would send somebody to see to him. I've still not been brave enough to go back home yet, but I must. The cementing must hopefully commence soon. Then I went across to zone technique, to confirm chez patricks arrival. It still feels unreal. Cape to Canet. What an amazing yacht. Having just chatted to Paddy, he says she is as cool as a cucumber. Taking it all in her stride. A true Cape Town built yacht. Prepared for the rough and the smooth. Currently, they are experiencing champagne conditions. Smooth seas, blue skies, calm, good current. So what does Gary do?? Make pancakes;-))!!! Funny boy:-))!! So, the father and son team will now sail into Canet on about Monday I think. Si Dieu le veut. I will have the champagne on ice. And the camera at the ready. Whether I'll be able to do anything, remains to be seen. Too much stuff happening, usually renders me "robotic" and tearful and speechless!! Well, it's either order McDo now or head home, cause I haven't even had breakfast yet. So, it's home. M. Roger gave me a fresh lettuce from his field on Sunday just as we were leaving for the airport and it's waiting to become a tuna salad:-)) my favourite(B always teases me about my hectic ally gourmet taste buds) ! She did confess to making one herself the other evening though. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree:-)) le cordon bleu, grande diplome student and all:-))!!! Well, lots of love, thanks for reading my rumblings, and A la prochaine Xxx

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Sherryl
05/23/2012, McDo

what a day! Luckily, I had a good talk to myself, before I went to sleep last night and decided that today was a day that I was going to get things done!! No more sitting in bed in my pj's reading and writing and listening to the Tramontane bash our little house left and right!! I made a list. Ok, I would get up, make tea, allow myself a few pages in my bed with a second cup of tea, but then, up!! Shower, dress and start the day. Draw money. Fill my trusty little stead with gazoile and then head off to zone technique and check that all is well with chez patricks berth. Then of course, head here to McDo for a double latte and catch up with my comms, using the wonderful wifi here. I was fresh out of the shower, hair dripping wet when I heard severe bashing coming from our courtyard gate side!! Feigning avoidanosa seriousa, I dressed, only to hear the bashing escalating in volume..without T here, I had to go and investigate myself. Yes, you've guessed it. I operate very well, behind somebody else's back!! Well, I went downstairs only to find to very red faced men, chopping away at the cement, next to my water meter. The day we arrived from Paris (30/4) we discovered that the icy February weather, had exploded our water meter and so we had no running water in the house!! If we turned the outside water on, to get water inside the house, a fountain shot up, hitting you square in the head and then proceeded to flood the courtyard and then create a mini river down Rue de Paris. Much to my neighbours non-amusement. Here, every Madame sweeps her house front proudly, each day. Not even tolerating a stray leaf. I like that though, so.... We switched the water off. Consulted our neighbours husband, M. JJ and trusted he would arrange a plumber for the next morning. That was almost a month ago. The plumber duly arrived, only to tell us, it was a job for the mairie. Kindly arranging this for us, a service provider arrived that afternoon. He fixed the fountain and changed the meter but a leak still existed. Water here, is more expensive than wine, and so he assured me 1: that the leak existed, before the meter, and so we wouldn't be paying for it and 2: that a colleague would be along "shortly" to chop up the cement, replace the faulty pipe and repair the hole:-))!! Well, this happened this morning. Part three, repairing the hole, is scheduled for 14:30 this afternoon. On verra:-)) Plus, as the taller of the two laid eyes on me, he immediately asked for "un petit cafe" s'il vous plait:-)) two nespressos later, he was chopping up a storm. I fled upstairs, to finish my toilette and then head to the ATM to draw money. Wondering while I was walking up the street, whether there would be any money in the machine. You know with the eurozone crise and all and us being very close to the Spanish border. Well, I got to the ATM, only to be told by a lady, that " il est mort" what?? I looked left, only to see an exquisite little dog, still with his gorgeous little harness on, lying dead!!!:-((( she showed me where the blood was still fresh, red on the tar!!! With that, I turned away and ran home. Shoot!!! People who are cruel to animals are destined to a seriously bad time in the here after!!!! I know that for sure!!! Shocked and saddened, I grabbed my bag and headed to St Marie, to put in gazoile. Ok, sorry!!! Just got Paddy on Skype. So will continue soon A la prochaine Xx

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Sherryl
05/22/2012, my warm bed

Finally. Chez patrick is in the same time zone as I am!! Just had a position update from captain paddy and all is well on the good ship chez pat:-)) not knowing the wind position in the straits, they might stop in Cadiz after all. Still bumpy on board. Simply cannot wait for them to finally tie up here. Hope this latest map position update holds. Much nicer being able to see their position accurately on that little map. A la prochaine xx

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05/21/2012,

I've fixed chez patricks position three times today and each time I check it, it's back to the sample position. Good old sailblogs!!! Supposed to be 35 52 N. 8 58W. Can you imagine sending out a mayday and a rescue boat looks at sailblogs for the boats last position. Nice

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Sherryl
05/21/2012, McDo

I had to try and think about a title to this blog, as there wasn't any one particular thing that stood out, but rather a group of random bits of news..thus, the title "news". I took Theresa to Perpignan Airport yesterday morning, in pouring rain and a raging Tramontane. Driving home alone, my little C3 did a sterling job against the wind and the rain. It was my very first night alone in chateau villelongue. This tiny little village house, over 600 years old, started out as a place where they used to brew very strong alcohol..it was then changed from a distilling shed to a living space, with ground floors!! After a mild renovation, it's where I live now. Tiled floors, hot water but not too many other mod cons. I do wish that we had bedroom doors that lock now though. I think I managed very well for my first night alone. Not being used to all the creaking and groaning of the shutters, due to the rain and Tramontane, I read a lot!! I switched my 3G on this morning to see if there was any news from chez patrick. I updated their new position on my map and was excited to see them slowly getting closer to Cadiz and the Straits of Gibraltor. They might make Marbella their first stop, if the winds continue to be favourable and drop Rob off there, to catch a flight to Sweden where he needs to attend Judys film premiere. Gary and Paddy will sail the last leg from there to Canet, double handed. Paddy says the wind is at a good angle but that the sea swells are huge and they are all rather tired of the bumping!! I bet! I then happened to check whether Scolamanzi had blogged. They are also a leopard 46. Also en route from the Caribbean to the Med. I read her update with horror. They are crossing with the ARC and one of the yachts had been hit by a whale. The hull was damaged and started asking water. A mayday was issued. A nearby cargo ship diverted to take the husband and wife aboard their ship, leaving their entire yacht behind, probably to sink shortly afterwards. Not long after that, another yacht was abandoned. Two yachts. On the same route that cp had just sailed, abandoned and sunk!!! Not happy, I hopped on the blower to check whether our crew was all fine. No whales spotted they reassured me. But still. It's an area where many unlit fishing boats fish. Also where many pieces of cargo, lost from cargo ships, float in the water. Plus unlit boats, manned by illegals, trying to make a new life elsewhere, sail under the cover of darkness. I pray for their safe and speedy arrival in Canet port with all my heart. It's interesting to be on your own in a vaguely uncomfortable place. I see that I'm a thinker and a worrier. The free spirit with the five year plan. I amuse even myself!! I see how intensely close Pat and I are. Sensing the others mood many miles away. How change affects me. Each time I behave in exactly the same manner. So now, I see it, and say, ok. I give myself these first days of withdrawal and know that suddenly I will wake up one morning and be completely comfortable in my new situation. Develop a new routine. I still pray that cp sails speedily and safely into Canet though!!:-)) the meteo this morning warned of the Tramontane blowing 75 kilometres an hour and of a low of 7'C. Glad that they are still far enough away not to be affected by it. I miss my housemate. Chores were fun and entertaining. We have a beautiful tree in our little cour, Tallulahbelle, a meurier platane and she needs to be trained into a parasol, so we did this with strong cord. The wind blew many cords into shreds last night and so this needs to be repaired but it's a job for two sets of hands. Now, she looks like an umbrella that's been stripped by a wayward wind. Some spokes spiking up and some spokes spiking down. I know that sometimes one has to repair a roof in the middle of a downpour but this is going to have to wait. I'm not going to risk an injury with nobody here to help sooth me afterwards:-))!!! So, there was a lot of news. All random bits of information. As I sit typing in McDo, the wind is howling outside and my feet are frozen. How I miss my ugg boots that I left behind in B's flat in Paris. Thought I was only going to be wearing ballerinas and havaianas. O well. I see the little children skipping to school early every morning as they pass my kitchen window and guess that they must be used to all kinds of hot and cold, living in this region of France. I will adjust too. I'm too scared to try and post a picture as I'm sure the last one is still jammed in the system, So...a la prochaine Xxx

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