Travels with Forty Roses

The air is warm and delightful today. We took a drive to Saverne to see some good people we met here who have moved on to begin their summer travels. They have lived aboard their boat for many years, travelled the Med and Europe far and wide and have not yet heard the call of home. Everyone has a different plan, and this is our fifth year between our home in Canada and our life in France. So today we simply enjoyed the beauty of the Alsace countryside, and soaked it in for future memories. The greens are greener and the yellow more golden than I have ever seen. The patchwork of fields unfurled as multicoloured carpets before us intersected by villages of timbered houses, and steepled churches. Wisteria hung lushly lavender over fences and arbors and the deep violet of lilacs gave punches of drama against the blue of the sky. After our visit with Bobby and David we drove to St-Louis d'Arzvillier to look at that marvel. It is an inclined plane boat lift which is part of the Marne-Rhine canal and allows the crossing of the Vosges. It lifts boats over 44 meters. We will miss not traversing it.

On Friday we enjoyed our last coffee and cake with Hansrudei and Matz who departed Saturday for their summer adventure. We waved them goodbye with bittersweet feelings. We are looking forward to home and especially family and dear friends but are torn by those adventures we will not encounter again on the canals. But there is always another plan!

We are heading for a little road trip on Wednesday before we fly home to hotel and home quarantines. Travel restrictions between regions have been lifted here and we are heading to a department with the fewest infections, to see Madame Luciano about a possible Chartreux kitten, sometime again in our future. After our experience with little Oscar, we want to meet her personally and talk about all our concerns. From our conversations and correspondence, we are feeling particularly good about our trip.

It is going to be difficult to lock the door and depart our ship. We plan to focus firmly on the future and our home projects that lie ahead and all the happy family reuniting after this difficult year. We are so happy with all the rich friendships and connections we have made during our sojourn. The experiences we have enjoyed will never leave us and have changed us forever.

The pictures this week relate to life in Strasbourg, our affection for Alsace, this beautiful area, and the joys of spring. We look forward with anticipation to seeing spring at home and count our blessing that we have two to enjoy!