Monday 26.09.11

We are now back in our home town of Auxerre. We have reversed our trip since the last blog entry and done Mailly-le-Chateau, Mailly-la-Ville, Vincelles, and now Auxerre.
We've had a leisurely time and really enjoyed our time staying 2-3 nights in each place. We've had problems with our electricity banks not charging, and found that the belt had gone on the alternator so we had to hitail back to Auxerre to replace it today!! We'd also completely run out of food so had some really strange meals from our tinned supplies, however we are topped up now.

 Patrice made friends with these donkeys..

 Patrice tried walking on water- it didnt work!!

Strange rock formations at le sassoirs.

Sunday 18.09.11

We have been ubable to add to our blog as the internet connections have been so poor it has not been possible but heres a quick resume of where we have been!!
We left Auxerre on the 5th September and headed up the Nivernais canal again, but gently this time!! We spent a night at Champs sur Yonne where Patrice got stuck up a tree and we had to beg a long ladder so John could get him.... really he's worse than a child sometimes!!! We then moved to Vincelles for a couple of nights, on to Vermonton canal where we stayed one night in Vermonton and one in Accolay. Then on to Mailly la ville for 2 nights and we met up with old friends on'Wietske', Joseph and Madeleine. We spent a lovely evening putting the world to rights in a really summery evening, but we havent had any of those since, having been told that this is now Autumn!! We moved on to Mailly-le-Chateau for 2 nights (unintentionally but I wasnt feeling too good) before we returned to Chatel-Censoir for another 2 nights. We had wanted to explore Coulanges as we thought that it had looked interesting before so we went there for a night but it was very disappointing.... except we went scrumping and got wonderful peaches and walnuts! Ive never scrumped anything but apples before!! Coulanges having been very disappointing we returned to Chatel-Censoir yesterday, and spent a lovely day today exploring this beautiful old town.

 vermonton canal - unusual to see me in a photo!!

 Scrumping peaches and walnuts!

 You buy your petrol at the restaurant......

an impressive view of Mailly-le-Chateau from the canal..

Saturday 03.09.11

We are still in Auxerre, the weather has been sweltering the last couple of days but we have been sorting out a cattery and Patrice's injections, ready for our next visit to the UK in October.  Today we drove in the car over to see our good friends, the Two Terry's on 'Rennaissance' in Clamecy. We had arranged a rendezvous with them there in our boats but as we are still moored in Auxerre we thought it only fair to drive to them! We had a lovely afternoon with them, putting the world to rights and taking Terry to get his deisel in our car. Gladys and Patrice had met before and didnt think much of each other, but today they were very good with each other with no spitting or snarling (from either Terry....hahaha). Patrice has taken driving in the car with his usual attitude that if he is with us he doesn't mind what he is doing and sat quite happily on our laps, without having to be restrained in a box! He really thinks he's human and even sat happily on the floor whilst we had our first ever meal out in a french restaurant!! Everyone laughs when we say his name is 'Patrice', I dont think they go in for 'human' names for pets here but hey we are crazy enough to carry this off!!! We visited the fabulous church and greatly admired the beautiful stained glass windows.
We said goodbye to the two terrys and returned to our berth, but think we are going to get a thunder storm tonight, it is really hot and sticky......

 Patrice and me at the lovely restaurant in Clamecy

 Lovely stained glass windows at Clemecy

Saying goodbye to Terry