Travels with Forty Roses

Sunday, 18 February 2018

Recent Events

These last 2 weeks have been eventful ones for us. First our drive to Netherlands, through the first snow we have seen here this winter, was a beautiful trip. We awoke early on the morning of departure to the trees beside the boat frosted with white and a few scatterings of snow on the ground. But when we drove east and north we discovered a winter wonderland. As the secondary roads to meet the first A road access are twisting and turning and very narrow it was my job to urge caution. Rounding one corner we came upon a small car standing directly on its nose, a seemingly impossible result of non-caution. I renewed my cautionary messages to the driver who naturally preferred to drive alone in these conditions. We maneuvered through the Ardennes in Belgium and the city of Liège on the Meuse River. Liège is a major Walloon city and municipality and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse River, in the east of Belgium, not far from borders with the Netherlands; Maastricht is about 33 km to the north and with German, Aachen is about 53 km north-east. The drive through was spectacular as the river dominates and we will come back to take in

Once through Maastricht we met sunshine, the snow disappeared and we were met with Dutch spring, as closer to the sea and away from the mountains the temperate sea prevails this time of year. It was good to see Hans and Joke again in Macharen and meet enter the Oude Pastorie with a bittersweet feeling as they have sold their historic and beautiful house and plan to build a brand-new home in the coming year.

Good friend Hans accompanied us to Dutch Court on Friday. It was so comforting to know he was sitting directly behind us in the public gallery while we joined Joris at the table beside our opponent and in front of the Judge and court recorder. So, as we have explained in past all proceedings are naturally in Dutch so we are pretty much in the dark unless Joris is able to quickly translate during a pause. He listens intently and is our strong advocate who we sincerely trust. We all adjourned to see if a settlement on one aspect, ballasting was possible however that meant that we would need to return to the yard of Euroship and we simply will not. Even his other victims were adamant with us that we should not and some of them will not even take excursions on his portion of the Maas. So, no settlement on that aspect and we await the verdict by the Judge late March. As for the rest of the Euroship charge we understand that is going in our favour. But we want to see that this confirmed in writing before celebrating.

It was good to be back in Netherlands and to spend time with those we have met and care about including Ramon and Uge who were so helpful to us. Departing Macharen we knew we are unlikely to be back but will see Hans and joke in their new place where there is a canal near their back yard. We are trying to convince them to come to Canada this summer to ease the pain of a building project and the long wait for the result.

Back to Auxerre to prepare for a whirlwind visit from our dear friends Julian and Loraine from Salt Spring Island. If we only could have had them for a few more days. But despite the necessary brevity of their visit we could catch up on news and enjoy time together and they could see the life we are living. . .the boulangerie a few metres down the street and the old cathedral and Abbaye our view.

To top a wonderful week, we enjoyed dinner with friends Virginie, Jean François and daughter Élisa. And what a wonderful meal it was in a comfortable and cozy home just down the canal with the same wonderful view we enjoy. Virginie and Jean François have a boat in this Port de Plaisance and are working on it to be ready for April weekends on the Nivernais. We are so fortunate to have met them and we enjoy their company very much. It is certainly helping me in my language, although it is difficult to tell, for those who are French fluent. The more we are swept into only French the sooner we learn. Today Virginie and Élisa walked with me and we maintained a conversation despite the barriers. Although we were uncertain of exactly what each of us said we got the general idea. Oh, how patient they are with me! Virginie is such a gifted woman I am delighted to share her blog and show off her wonderful paintings on wood and tiles and porcelain. They are beautiful and exceptional and it is such a delight to know her. Please have a look by clicking on this site and scroll through Virginie's work: http://fouinc.blogspot.com/2012/01/peinture-sur-tole-emaillee.html

Is the Road Slippery?

Frosty Wonderland

Last Year Between Land and BootService Barely Any Water.

Flooding all along the Meuse through Ardennes and here on the Maas

High Water on the Maas

The Expert Ramon Advising the Captain

Ready for Carnival; Jacket a bit tight but Hat Fits!

Our Good Friends

Enough Photos for Pluto

Pluto in the Garden: the Best Doberman !

Very Fortunate Guests of the Oude Pastorie Took This Photo

Carnival Girls in 'Denbosch

St Valentine Pastry from Oliver Vidal

Always on the Lookout for a Cat: Monsieur Whiskers Has a Home

Sampling of Fromage

Élisa is the Expert on Selfies

The Beautiful Table Before I Spilled my Wine

Sacher Torte by Virginie

Fellow Walkers on a Beautiful Sunday

Chemin de Haulage on a Busy Sunday

Our View Tonight with a tiny sliver of New Moon

Monday, 5 February 2018

Tribunal

Nous nous préparons pour le tribunal. Il y a beaucoup de papier. Nous partons pour Le Pays Bas mercredi, voir notre avocat jeudi. Vendredi nous comparaissons à la cour d’Arnhem. Gardez vos doigts croisés, s’il vous plait. Jusqu’á la semaine prochaine. . .

Easier to write in French than it will be to sit through court proceedings determining ones’ fate, conducted entirely in Dutch, while understanding only the words please, thank you and goodbye!

Some of the Paper

Organized

Hope Springs Eternal

Monday, 29 January 2018

January Days

Today our good friends left for Nevada and home so we were up bright and early to go over all they would like checked on their boat while away. They have a little dog and he was looking rather apprehensive about the whole thing. That carry-cage sitting out for several days did not look too inviting. We used to travel with cats so we know the drill. They don’t have an easy day ahead, especially with a train trip ahead of the plane.

We have had a lot of rain and we suspect you have heard of the flooding in Paris. When we flood here the water crests and eventually recedes and flows onward to the Seine and Paris. Other rivers, flooding due to heavy rains, also join the Seine, the result being high water in the city of light. They have had a difficult time with the water reaching a maximum height of 5.84 meters according to Vigicrues the national flood monitoring agency. Waters should recede in Paris Tuesday but towns all along the Seine to Normandy and the English Channel will feel the crest. In the paper, today we see where 242 towns have been affected.

Walking along the tow path today, upstream from Auxerre by about 10 KM, the river is still fast and full of much debris, filling the locks and caught in the river weirs. The VNF, who manage the French waterways, are out in full force removing debris and repairing damage. We expect more flooding to come as rain is forecast this week. Temperatures are mild the ground waterlogged and rain in the forecast. It may be a good time to catch up on reading a good book!

Despite the rain and floods, I was walking home on Sunday from my daily trek and the Cathedral bells were tolling for mass, forsythia was in golden bloom high on a stone wall in a little winding street I was traversing, and the tiny little robins were singing of spring. I hear those bells every morning and the sound is always somewhat stirring to me. The twisting streets never fail to interest me as there always seems to be something I see that I’ve missed before. I love this place and we both feel at home here. We could be in a warmer more southern town but we prefer Auxerre with its mighty Cathedral and Abbey and multiple churches and towers, our wonderful view from the boat, its bridges and walking trails, the pool where John swims and the picturesque, historic city centre. We enjoy the people we have met and those who have befriended us, our language lessons and all those friends who helpfully and patiently correct us. There are many little slices of joy here each day. Too many to list.