We have to admit to sticky arse disease. We are still in Benodet, and will probably stay a while longer. I think it is the first time we have truly relaxed since being on the boat.

We have been doing lots of walking (I have no scales but I really hope the weight is falling off!!!) We have been sitting on beaches, paddling. (The water is very cold; there are others, strong Breton types, who swim every day!)

Our day starts quite late, we don’t get up until 9am, as it is dark until about 8.30am, so your body just says no, stay in bed, I sometimes wake at 7am, and feel like it’s the middle of the night!

We make coffee, and turn on our SSB radio, and listen to Radio 4 news.

We then decide on what sort of day it is going to be, i.e. a sort out day, with house/boat work, or laundry, and or shopping, or exploring but it must always involve long walks and exercise (carrying heavy bottles of water and beer) back to the boat!!

I cut my own hair the other day (sorry Anthony- my hairdresser!) and Geoff now calls me Tom (cabin boy Tom), it’s a bit short, and I cut most of the blond out of it, so it’s pretty brown now!!! I did ask Geoff to take a photo for you, but it makes me look fatter, so have decided not to show you!

Occasionally we have lunch out, found a great place for gallettes in Benodet, and then get back to the boat just after sun down, and I cook on board. Have been trying to eat French style (without the butter), last night I filleted some lemon sole and had with French beans(from Kenya-of course) and potatoes cooked with garlic and shallots, lots of lemon!!!

After dinner we try and do an hour of French TV, and are finding that we are getting the gist of things a lot better, when listening, the pictures help!! Then we get out our supply of DVD’s and set about watching a film, or other TV box set our friends and family have lent us!

It’s Geoff’s birthday on Sunday, and I have asked him what he would like, and he is opting for a car for a couple of days, so we may explore further afield, and, I suspect, not walk for a day or two – Geoff is a reluctant walker, I think he feels he is thin enough!!!!

We are still waiting for a date from the hospital, and I suppose that that is affecting our plans to push further south. Benodet is a great place to leave the boat, which could be for up to 2+ months. The rate for our boat for 3 months is crazy compared to Uk rates. (£6 per day, which includes electric) I can see why the area is favoured among Brits for leaving their boats. The problem is there are few Marinas which are sheltered enough at this time of year, with space available. We had thought that further south we would be able to do this, but all reports from other boaters is that a lot of Marinas are full, as they are still getting over the damage of a huge storm which took out Les Sables D’OLonne and  La Rochelle marinas in February this year.

More soon, Julie and Geoff.