contentedsouls

and are now on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin. We joined the Meuse at Namur on 4th June and travelled 46km and 9 locks to the French Border (which we crossed on 11th June) and 272.5km and 60 locks from the border to the summit today, the 4th September. Not exactly rapid travel but we have had plenty of time to ‘stop and smell the roses’ during those 3 months.

G couldn’t get an osteopath appointment until 6pm Wednesday night and it was back at St.Mihiel, so we stayed put at Commercy. On Tuesday I started trying to paint the side hatches – I say ‘trying’ as G decided to tick a job off of his list and do a ‘permanent’ fit on the VHF cabling. His job involved jumping on and off of the roof to drill holes and things. A wobbling boat and a wobbling pontoon are not massively conducive to painting delicate birds eyes and feathers!!! Finally he broke the drill bit so, I thought, I’d get some respite from my moving target whilst he went off to buy another one; but it was not to be. Another boat turned up which necessitated jumping onto the bouncy pontoon, plugging in electric and getting bicycles down! It was time to admit defeat and give up for the day!  The crew of the new arrival were soon forgiven though when they introduced themselves as Jutta and Reinhold and invited us around for evening drinks to try some of their German wine and beer. A bit too good a time was had by all and there were a few headaches about in the morning!

When I walk the dogs now I never go anywhere without carrier bags – Wednesday I came back with pears and Mirabelles – the blackberries aren’t quite ready yet and there’s going to be a lot of sloes this winter.

Does anyone have a clue what this grey construction is? It sits next door to the re-cycling shed/bins but is made of metal with a pay to enter lock on the door and the fish are cut outs in the metal, as are the holes front left and right, and the top half of the door is mesh – it’s not a pissoir (unless you are extremely extroverted as you can see in). I’m completely baffled.

So we left on Thursday morning and had a lovely run down to the pretty village of Pagny –sur – Meuse. 5 locks from Commercy to Pagny – one on it’s own and then 4 together. Great views from the second lock of the day looking back down through the bridges as the gates closed behind me.

It was late when we arrived and, by the time I’d walked the dogs and made a skinny day dinner, the light was fading and I didn’t get to look round much, but it seems to have all the facilities (village shop, baker, butcher, hairdresser and bar/restaurant) so we’ll probably stay there for a few nights on our way back after Toul, Metz and Nancy. We probably lost another hour chatting to the delightful Aussies and their friends – as you do – who had moored up just before us.

We left Pagny at 9.30 this morning (Friday) as we had 13 locks and 14.5 km to do to catch up with Kevin and Debbie on WB Avalon in Toul.