Friday 17th St Jean De Losne

After cheese mushrooms and tomato omelette for breakfast, Collette set about a bit of spring cleaning whilst it was still workable conditions. Not a cloud in the sky, by 8 am it was already up to 75 and was heading towards 100 later. I vacuumed the saloon doing my modern millennium man bit.

A hoot of a horn, a look up and we see the waving nick and Pam on Avalon passing. They are off to fuel and not stopping here.

20 minutes later, now fuelled, they come alongside for a brief chat. Off to Seurre 20kms down the river for a huge antiques fair. We say we may come on down tomorrow despite our plans to turn right up the Burgoyne. What's a couple of days and apparently this fair is something spectacular and not just for antique enthusiasts.

My Swiss neighbour leaves and is replaced by an English barge. I offer him to split on my electric and lend him my new splitter. He is most grateful and tells me that there is a huge fete here starting tonight and lasting til Tuesday. I had not seen any posters but another chap confirms and I then notice the stage set up at the end of the quay and gendarmes closing off the quay road to traffic. There are signs saying plaisanciers can only stay 3 days. Harry lime ( the third man) tells me he has been here two weeks! Ok in which case with free electric and mooring, I will do the same. we have an hour on the poop and our first glass of wine of the day. Naughty but soo nice!

We head off to Blanqaurt to get some bulbs for the heads and we have a look at a couple of steelers for sale. I am struggling to contain the crew. The temperature is now getting silly and via the boulangerie, we get back to Doucette, shade and water.

Pam has texted to say Seurre is full but some are leaving tomorrow. We reply to say sorry but we have decided to stay for the fete and will catch up with them whenever but will stay in touch. Very nice couple.

The heat pretty much rules out any activity so it's a shower and chill out trying to stay cool for the rest of the day and indeed evening. It's a lovely sunset and the quay gets busy despite tonight's dj offerings. What is it about Boney M and the French.

I am very excited about dinner, we have temperatures topping 100 and I am drinking anything that is wet. Tonight Mathew, I am cooking rabbit on my magma. Fraught with worry over previous magma disasters, I take heed of smeds advice and load the magma with heavy new charcoal. I have four portions and cook a sirloin steak for the crew who had cooked broccoli and a poivre sauce.

The rabbit and steak cooked fab and the magma at last showed its worth. I used it as a normal BBQ and not with the lid on. Lessons now learnt as to the strengths of magma and cob.

The sauce was great with the broccoli which was something of a surprise and all said and done, a blinding meal. I just love attacking a plate of crispy skinned succulent moist fleshed rabbit. Marvellous. Washed down with bubbles and a burgundy red? Very nice sir!

Retired stuffed and very content.

 

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