I'm back I'm back as a matter of fact...

 Well Reader, 

It's been a while but here I am back from New Zealand where I decamped to in July to help our youngest daughter after the birth of their second baby.  People have said to me that they hoped I enjoyed my holiday there, it was lovely, but it wasn't a holiday.  

The baby arrived via C Section so Verity had three or four days in hospital.  I hadn't seen Xanthe for about 18 months and was a bit nervous that she would yell the place down in her parents absence but during the 24 hours I was there prior she and I got on well so everything in the garden was rosy.

This is the lovely Kay who came to meet me at the airport at dawn, way way before her getting up time, thank you again Kay.  I look upon Kay as my honourable sister now but technically she is Verity's mother-in-law.

Little Xanthe, here she is trying to press the button for this selfie.

New baby Naomi

The two views above are from Verity's hospital room.

So I have to say I did have a wonderful time there for six weeks, saw a little bit more of Auckland, Kay and her sister Carol took me out to a concert in the oldest church in Auckland (It wasn't terribly old of course) but the singing was a boys school choir and it was terrific.  They were going next to the national final competition after I returned to the UK in Wellington which I think they won.  

Coming to London next year if they can raise the funds.

Carol, her husband Gary and Kay also took me to see Odyssey at the IMAX cinema, that was quite an experience having never been to one before, the noise was terrific, better for me as I wore my noise cancelling headphones which made it much more tolerable.

The film was truly and amazing experience.

There's a lovely park in Auckland called Cornwall Park where I walked while Verity napped, I'd say it's more of a country park, but it was just beginning to bloom into spring flowers, most confusing to the British brain having spring flowers in mid summer....

Some pretty yellow one.

An New Zealand Kingfisher

A better shot of him, paler in colour than ours and no water to be had in this park.

Gorgeous Magnolias  

Mount Maungawhau or Mount Eden the crater of an extinct volcano in Auckland, one of many.  Later a settlement of Maori and now an amazing viewpoint of the city centre.

More Magnolias.

Now you might remember that back in May HERE  

I met a young woman, a "Rock Dropper" the idea being to publicise their cause which was Uni Learning Disability, they plant these highly decorated rocks and ask the finder to share it on Facebook, you can look on there and learn all about it.  Well back in May I happened to meet the painter as she was planting it.  The rock in question was a Q for Quilting, I do quilting (Or used to) and I absolutely loved it.  I told her I had a trip coming up to NZ and would "Drop" it there.  Well Reader I just loved carrying the rock in my hand bag, so smooth and so bright but I did drop in in Cornwall Park see below.   

So here it is and Reader I have to say I regretted it almost immediately, I went back to reclaim it after a coffee at the fabulous cafe but it had gone.  Moreover the finder hasn't put in FB either.....

Nonna and Naomi

All too soon it was time to leave.  The worst thing about going is the leaving, it does not get easier I can tell you.

So I'm back, there are the five family birthdays in August that are now done, (One of which my mother who was 96) and very shortly David and I will be reporting for duty on WaL.

Very shortly.

TTFN

A French Flit and a new baby

So then, a little French interlude.  

What could be nicer?  

I had joined an Art Club a few years ago now and to my surprise David wanted to join too after a year and him missing out on interesting speakers.  

The first trip we did was to Italy, I was nervous of course as I expected him to be bored silly by the churches, the paintings and the company.  (We were the youngest by far of the group travelling) but not a bit of it.  Him and Jean hit it off immediately (Jean was 87) and after that he made friends with all my friends.

So this trip was to Normandy, the highlight for David and myself was to Monet's Gardens at Giverny,  but after that were visits to Fontainebleau, Barbizon the village that hosted an artists collective Chateau Vaux-Le-Vicomte and another chateau that I can't remember the names of.  

Plus a visit to a cider making farm, that had been in the same family for over 400 years producing Calvados, an aperitif, cider and apple juice all were delicious, but I brought three bottles of the aperitif, one of which is in the fridge ready!

So here are a few photos for your pleasure, and annoyingly out of sequence.  I hate it when Blogger does this.

Firstly then Fontainebleau Palace.  Occupied but many kings of France as a summer palace, it was packed to the rafters of gold leaf, hangings, ornate furniture and frankly Reader it was all a bit much and gave me a headache.  

No wonder Queen Marie Antoinette wanted to escape and look after her geese on the streams, I couldn't wait to get out.  But the smaller by comparison were the apartments of Napoleon.  I had to wait ages for these photos Reader, a French Guide was taken the whole weekend to talk in this small ante room and his group took up all the space.  David had long gone but I waited so appreciate them.


t

Napoleon's tent when off in battle, I think anyway my French was a bit below the standard required.

His travelling washbag, (needed a polish)

His famous great coat and chapeau, the guide went on and on about how these two articles had FINALLY come back to France after he had died and they had been in Canada at one point.

Here is the chappie in happier times.

The incredible Palais is too big to get into one shot.  It was also very busy due to an Arts Festival being held here with speakers and classes and free entrance.

This is the back view.  Its absolutely VAST.

Chateau Beauregard.  Much more to my liking, comfy and homely.

Here is Giverny.  A rented farmhouse in which Monet lived with wife and children for well over 40 years.  He invited fellow artists to paint, he brought paintings from them that hung in his studio and painted the interior of the farmhouse in a very modern way which reminded me of Charleston Farmhouse in Sussex famous home of Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell lived,  they also painted freely on walls and doors.

The dining room, a gorgeous yellow.

Yellow dresser with blue and white china. 

I absolutely adored this

The kitchen.

Although copies today hang here, the originals are far too valuable.  Works that Monet brought form other painters of the times.

The gardens from the house.

The family in their very Sunday Best on the steps of Giverny.

Works of his and other artists on the walls of his studio.

Boats on the water, famous paintings of them in the house with his daughters.

His famous waterlilies.

The water garden with the famous Japanese bridge in the distance.

We got home late on the Monday evening.  Early to bed, at 02:20 I got a phone call from my son-in-law to say that our eldest daughter had started labour, I dressed once I had remembered which country I was in and drove over to care for the boys and baby Camille arrived a few hours later.

Meeting big brother Theo.

And bigger brother Luca.

She was home after five days and I really enjoyed having the boys, although they were in school.

Happy days and not that many more days until I pop over to New Zealand to help welcome our youngest daughter's new baby in July.

Bye for now.

A catch up.

This is a catch, but you may need a cuppa before you start!

Now Reader I bet you thought I'd given up blogging but no, I'm still here.  Home of course now (It's been a good three weeks).  I truly meant to have continued writing but.... Well you know..... Stuff happens and in this case we've been to France on an Art Club trip and yes one baby has arrived consequently  no blogging happened.

So under the circumstances I feel an update is required.

So briefly then, we continued along the Middlewich Arm, WaL was attacked by a cob...  This went on for some hundred metres or so... 

Then we saw why

The Hen on eggs no doubt.  I love ducks but my love does not extend to swans sadly.

  

We moored up here, rather nice to be away from it all.  I seem to remember the weather being grey and cold, I certainly remember the heating being on most days.  

From here we walked along a mile or so to the village of Church Minshull and visited The Badger pub for an extremely good late lunch.  We did go here last year and moored directly up from the village on the worst mooring ever, bumping and clumping every time a boat passed by.  We weren't making that mistake again.

Nice mooring just about a mile from The Badger.

Finally, a dairy herd, a big one too, we thought far too many cows in this field from what we could see.

A passing boat told us there was a boat across the canal....  They must have pushed past it from their side, we couldn't from our side so stopped and retrieved it.  Rotten ropes, a pin that had come out of soft ground and the help of another neighbouring boater who was stronger than me and it was retied.  

Pretties as WaL passed me.

Heading south for Nantwich the sky blackened, David insisted that we'd miss it and amazingly we did, but I was ready in full wet weather kit.

This was our mooring in Nantwich and the shower had gone slightly to the south of us, then it was a warm afternoon.

Having dodged another hefty shower on our was south from Nantwich we arrived at Audlem.   We had supper in this oh so famous pub with George and Carol, long time boating friends of ours, they live in this area and although had offered to help lock us up the Audlem Flight on the day they had commitments and appointments.

So David and I did our usual trick of getting up early and doing the locks that had partly drained overnight, as we passed by another moored boat they were getting ready to leave...

"You snooze, you lose" the advantage of doing half the work.  They would have to empty all the locks.  No other boats coming down to meet us until we reached the last lock and would you believe it, it was the hireboat of four Australians, the guys had been in the Australian navy previously and we had met them at the top of Heartbreak Hill.  They had very much enjoyed their holiday despite the weather.  But there again they are Aussies and don't need sunshine.

David this am had been out cycling already and met a walker who was a boater in Overwater Marina, he'd walked down from there and as he walked back to his boat he emptied all the locks for us!!  

How kind was that?  

Oh I meant to say, he carries a windlass with him.

Great chums and ex Boaters George and Carol who with us enjoyed and very good supper in the newly taken over Shroppie Fly pub.  Our third supper out in only a few days but we were on holiday.

David talking with walking Boater who carries a windlass and likes to help and likes long walks.

Halfway up the flight

Oh so sadly the farmers wife stall at the top lock of the Audlem flight wasn't open, either we were too early of she was away.  But there's an honesty box so I brought two ice-creams.

Slightly disturbing to see as we went over a high embankment between the Adderley locks and the top of the Audlem locks after several breaches  in these last few years.....

So that was that and we proceeded along the oh so deadly dull section of the Shropshire Union canal.  David pointed out that time was against us and that as the varnish was peeling off in chunks from the front cratch windows I should really make a start on the dreaded rubbing down and re-varnishing.   

Now this task does fall to me on account of my hips.  

Yes hips.

I can still move mine, David cannot move his nearly enough owing in part to his accident some twenty years ago and a fractured pelvis and now its full of metalwork.  I on the other hand  can climb onto the nose and sit somewhat comfortably on the dolly (thing we tie the ropes to, its red and just insight).

I should have done a before as well as an after.  I am now fairly judgemental about other boats  varnish.

David tackling the inner doors.  That is a work in progress!

Any of you remember this boat?  It formally belonged to "Sue on NB No Problem" as she was known amongst Boaters.  

Here   

Sue is now retired from blogging but I started reading here blog daily from about 2011 just before we started boating.  We were lucky enough to have met her very early on and she shared her in depth knowledge of the Thames and its (Then) free mooring places.  A lovely lady. 

David taking the opportunity to wash the back decks.

Much further along the Staffs to Worcester canal we came to this lock past Gailey.  The lock beam is rotted and has a supporting metal frame on it but yes you can see my arm through it.

Much after at Tixel Lock, our last lock before Great Haywood Marina, we met a CART Surveyor looking at Tixel lock gates, which are being replaced next year but looking in so much better conditition than these gates.  I told him to come and look.

I treated these gate with kid gloves I can tell you.

We were a bit early for the yellow flag Irises but here are a few.

Out of sequence but this is the bridge repairs to Penkridge road bridge which earlier in the year collasped.  Nice job and looks to have used the original bricks.

Dawn at Acton Trussell as we departed.

Sunrise at Deptford Lock, all was delightful and calm until exiting this lock something went around the prop and David couldn't get the weed hatch off! 

 


So that is us done for summer boating but all being well we will have an autumn trip out in September.

There are two babies due this summer just six weeks apart that I can't wait for.