With that there was a knock on the window and a jolly faced retired chap babbled some rapid French at me. I picked out Le president association and de l'eau and realised he was the water man. Fantastique, I introduced myself formally to "serge" who had come down on his Sunday morning to sort me out some water. I was delighted. Good old president de l'association!
The well was unlocked and we filled my tanks. We had to move the boat slightly to reach which serge helped me with. We chatted he rapidly me slowly. It worked. Water replenished, I went to turn the lever tap off and remove the hose. The gusher exploded into my groin and I was a dripping soggy limp drowned dishcloth in a flash. The water was ice cold. My groin ached from the ferocity of the impact. Serge had escaped by the skin of his teeth but was overcome by a fit of the giggles. Collette laughed and laughed and laughed some more.
Get me dry clothes I ordered grumpily. Serge was offering aurevoirs as he drifted away desperately trying to control his giggling. I finally started to laugh and called him back to accept a bottle of wine for his Sunday trouble. He did not want to accept saying he did not drink and that it should be for Le president. I forced him to take it and I think he just felt he should do as he was told save this wet lunatic rear up angrily again.
Back to work!
Luckily the bolt completely unthreaded from its seating releasing the solenoieed, but I was left with the arduous task of gripping the bolt whilst trying to remove the nut to remove and clear the hole for the replacement. Took ages but finally got it off although the bolt was a right off at the end.
Replacement fitted I crossed fingers and hoped for that magic sound.
Clunk! Double buggeration! Still it was a different noise but I suspected that this was just an even duffer solenoid or as they say in France, solenoieed!
I ate Greek yoghurt melon and bananas and bread for sustenance. It was a stinking hot day out there!
I called the guru smeds who was trying his best to finally, in this wet summer at home, enjoy some boating on the Lymington rally. He had taken the Evans crew grandchildren. I was much more trouble! Sage advice as usual. Confirm the starter is problem now by attaching battery directly to the starter to confirm its not a dodgy connection somewhere breaking down the power. Then order a new starter. Steve suspects the solenoieed which is about £40. A new starter including solenoieed is £185 so on balance I am opting for the whole shooting match.
The open golf final round is now well under way so I decide to take a break and watch thie conclusion of this whilst Collette catches up on some sewing. The golf got exciting so I would try the battery in the morning. I could not order any parts til then so it was an easy decision.
We sat on the poop for Pre dinner drinks and were surprised by a huge hot air balloon lifting above the trees just behind Doucette. It made for a stunning sight and Collette dashed off to get a picture before it disappeared off too far.
After dinner we went for a late stroll round the town. It was lovely in the cool of the dark night but a bit scary walking along the dark D road when racing headlights and roar ing engines hurtled toward us. We survived!
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