I am getting a reputation for my offerings around here.

Oh the joy of a wet and windy day, soup for lunch and roast for supper, real indoor winter stuff. We came home from the boat early this morning as a trip today was well off the cards. We took HOSS on his first sail yesterday and he took to it like a duck to the dessert, not sure why he was there, or what his purpose was, but he stayed calm and trusting. He wore his life jacket like a true matelot and was only asked once in strong terms to sit and stay when I was leaning over the side of the boat preparing my jump onto the pontoon to moor up. There is no TV or radio on the boat but we do have a video player and are going through our collection of good and not so good movies we are dumping the not so good, there is a shelf at the capitanerie where people leave books and videos for lend and we are recycling and clearing out all at the same time. We played cards last night and I had forgotten how much I like a good card game, it may be a little hobby to collect a few good games for those stuck indoor days.

My plan to get weeding tomorrow is off the list now as we expect this rain to hold out but my time is well spent on other projects instead of watering, there is still a load of house work to tackle every day and we are still battling the dust but I am pleased to say that things look more houseworked everyday.

I am having a battle with the local government money collecting office, tresor public. The marina in Cherbourg is council run and all the turnover goes to the public purse so the mooring fees need to be paid through this department. The problem is that the Marina have set me up with a standing order but have not told the Tresor so we are now on our final demand for full payment. I called the Tresor and had to explain the situation, but the immediate solution, as always, is to fax all the documentation so it can be sorted. FAX, who ever heard of that these days but in France it is still the first call for finding a solution. I have learnt my lesson in being a grumpy old foreigner and went through the story over and over and suggested that perhaps they needed to contact the Marina themselves but the return suggestion is, send me your document by fax and I will sort it. I had to then gently explain that faxing was not an option, and going to a neighbour, was also not an option, so finally we agreed that they would contact the Marina, phew.... it is so exhausting having a small and obviously minor error but I now have to keep tabs on this until it is truly and finally resolved.

I have started to harvest lavender, it is so fresh and clean at the beginning of the season and I am planning to dry into bouquets this year. Saddly it is illegal to send dried flowers to Australia but I did manage to get a bag over to Canada, It is a great gift solution and I am getting a reputation for my offerings around here.