St. Jean sur Richleau – July 6, 2013

(Been out of touch from all but smoke signals for the last two days, Just found a public wharf with a half decent cell phone signal, catching up from here)

 Short trip today, stopped before Lock 9 to get locking pass and mooring pass for the Chambly, Ottawa and Rideau systems in preparation for continuation of our downward steps to the St. Lawrence and Montreal.

Docked on a free wall in St. Jean sur Richleau, very pleasant little town with a French flavor.  Quite a few good restaurants (a review tomorrow perhaps).

A pleasant enough waterfront..

front s

Continue reading “St. Jean sur Richleau – July 6, 2013”

Ladies

She’s the most unlikely athlete to look at. None of the usual wasp waist and slender limb. But she oozes determination with her shadow-shots – all double-handed and as ungainly as her play. But she wins – and might just spring a surprise today. And then she’ll do this again, I’m sure. Wimbledon, 2 pm BST.

France's Marion Bartoli overpowered Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 6-1, 6-2 to reach her second Wimbledon final. She faces Germany's Sabine Lisicki in the final.

A Spaghetti Westcentric

You could tell it was going to end in trouble. Let’s have a Mexican night, said one of the gang. So there we were- sombreros, ponchos and Zapata moustaches sitting in the back garden swigging tequila from the bottle waiting for the senoritas to bring us our grub. It was just as the jalapeno poppers stuffed with cheese and crab was placed on the table that this dangerous specimen crawled out of the woodwork.

Continue reading “A Spaghetti Westcentric”

Back in Plattsburg, NY July 3, 2013

Got back last night around five.  About a five hundred mile drive each way, good country for the first half then into metro NYC and Philly.   About eight hours driving each way.  Rented a little Kia Forte from Enterprise, duly impressed, large trunk (boot) and good mileage, comfortable seats and plenty of pep for the hills.  Seven days for $250.  

 Plan now is to take off tomorrow (July 4) and head for Rouses Point (Canadian Crossing) then into the Chambly Canal/Richleau River system. Next major destination, Montreal about five days by boat.

 Still raining here on and off,  and our first choice route (Erie Canal) has still not reopened.  We are trusting it will by the time we arrive at the Western end (about August 10).

 Cleaned ship all day today, mostly mold of various kinds due to all the damp.

 Fueling and watering in the morning, next stop Canada.

A toast to the Laughing Cavalier

There have been many men of words that have written essays on how to brew a nice cup of tea. Amongst them have been celebrated literates such as George Orwell and Christopher Hitchens. It seems futile to follow in their foootsteps so I’ll leave the tea bags to the experts and concentrate on a more stronger brew.

McEwans Export has been my poison for all my adult life. Naturally, I do drink other beers when the occasion arises due to supply issues but given the choice I’d swallow ME firstly and foremostly. If I ever won the lottery and I was luxuriating in the Ritz, Bali, Indonesia I’d demand a McEwans Export from the proprietors. Demand. Because I’m filthy rich. Cue a Milk Tray Ritz Lady (role reversal time) storming the Seven Seas to Scotland to bring me back some brews. Continue reading “A toast to the Laughing Cavalier”

Pome: Girl in a dream

It’s alright for you lot just ‘avin’ a larf!
But that’s me in the picture wot ‘Enri ‘as done.
And it’s my dream ‘e painted; you don’t know the ‘alf!
And my name is Angelica Cinnamon Bunn.

You’ll be askin’ me ‘ow all them animals came
To be sniffin’ around in my jungle that night.
Well I’d ‘ad quite a day, as you do in my game,
With a saunter round fur shops in town – my delight!

Then in the arcade stood old ‘Enri. ‘E’d stopped
To admire my sleek outlines, ‘e said with such charm.
When I told ‘im I’d show ‘im some more if ‘e dropped
A few quid in me purse, ‘e just gave me ‘is arm.

It takes a few hours to ‘do justice’, ‘e said,
While I lay in the buff and just studied ‘is cat;
It was stuffed and lay, looking surprised, on the bed –
But ‘e wouldn’t let on ‘ow it ended like that.

That evening ‘e took me to dinner, you see.
And ‘e asked me to sit again soon, s’il vous plait.
Then I told ‘im my dream while ‘e painted; the fee
For the nightmare was double ‘e’d paid for the day.