Friday May 10th Lift in Day

Lift in day dawned with a grey heavy sky set in stubborn looking. Simon was over at 9 with the dewalt and within ten minutes, the shaft was beaten and I had finally completed the job. A casual breakfast followed and with lift in scheduled for late afternoon following Aussie Dave in anjde, bill and genevieve in River Pipit and our swedish friends in their fiord sailing ketch, we set off to the shops. Its fish friday baby!
A tour of Lidles, aldi`s for saumer sparkling, intermarche and it was nearly 2pm. We needed to sort out the internet so it was into Orange.
Now a visit to orange always takes a minimum of 45mins. It is possibly the worst customer service experience one could ever endure. The staff have no idea of the complexity of their website and will tell you whatever comes into their heads to get you out of the store. Normally for us it is the routine line "that is no longer available". This translates into English as "I cannot find it and cannot be arsed to look for it any longer because this website is a bloody nightmare and I wake up every day wondering why in gods name I work for this bloody stupid company with a very silly name now please leave"
Today would surely not be a problem. We have the Domino, we had already purchased the recharge but due to the fact that we cannot of course access the orange phone system to process the recharge from an english phone, we must visit the store from hell to arrange.
only 6 in the queue is a reasonable bamber gascoigne. (starter for 10 for the uninitiated). We make direct contact with an assistant within 15mins. Not bad.
he recharges within 3 minutes and we are ushered away.
Time to check the connection.
"we are unable to connect you to the internet"
Francoise has of course already moved onto the next customers. A couple of deaf pensioners buying their first mobile phone. 30 minutes later, Francoise has sold them an android with unlimited texts 4gigs internet use and an Ateam ringtone which sees our happy couple dance out of the shop doing an impression of morecambe and wise doing bring me sunshine. At least we are back in. 10 more frustrating minutes before, "you need to leave now and try it with the mains lead plugged in" translated as I haven`t got a clue why it is not working, you are english, I do not speak english and your french is rubbish so please leave now!
we got back to the car just over an hour after arrival and within seconds the internet started working.
Do I not Like Orange!!!
Off to Leclercs for some Fish and prawns before heading back to the yard. River Pippit is just leaving the building and we make final preperations for our big moment.

Fenders out and checked, handling lines attached. The yacht is soon craned in and big chief Si and his not so glamerous assistant Roger arrive with the riglooking like a couple of worzels groupies.

 

 They smile and generally take the p out of me as I frantically touch up the antifoul as the stands drop away. I find it helps calm my shredded nerves.

 

I cannot look as Doucette is hauled away with half her stern hanging over the back of the trailer it seems.

Alongside, the strops are on and Doucette is finally headed for the river at last.

 

 

 

Mum takes refuge in one of the workshops impatient to get back to Homeland series one episode 7.

 

 I am in heaven as she nestles into the fast flowing current.

 

 I lift the engine covers and find a steady flow of water coming through the stuffing boxes. With houdini like powers of contortion I am down there in a jiffy,

 

10 minutes later, adjusted stuffing stops the flow and all bilge checks show a sound hull. Bloody Brilliant! It is so good to be finally wet.
Fish curry and lots of wine to celebrate the dunking before the heavenly feeling of laying in bed feeling the tug on the lines and drifting off to sleep to the sound of water running past the hull.
Bugger I need a p bob!