Welcome to the latest blog on June 23rd 2021. I have some great news to share. We are heading back to our boat, Olivia Rose, tomorrow and hope to spend July and August cruising through France. At the moment she is moored as far away as she could possibly be, on the Moselle near Metz in the north east of France, and we intend to bring her back closer to us here in Le Shack. More details on our route and plans over the coming weeks, but for now we are tying up all the loose ends here.
The last ten days have been dominated by administration. Michael went for his second jab which means we are now both fully vaccinated. After months of silence the administrative procedures for obtaining our residency cards have suddenly kicked into gear and we were invited to our préfecture to supply photos and have our fingerprints taken so that the card can be printed. It will arrive while we are away but all post has been diverted to a neighbour for safe keeping. And then there were numerous trips to the social security office, to our insurance broker to arrange the necessary top-up health cover, and to meet our doctor as we have finally been accepted at a practice. I feel like I need a holiday!! Which is fortunate as I am about to get one – hopefully we can forget all about admin while we are on Olivia.
The garden is tidy and there is much we shall miss whilst we are away. The wildflower area we cleared and planted is just beginning to show the first flowers and the grapes on our vines are swelling and promise a good harvest. By the time we come back, it will be a wilderness again, but we always knew that would be the case.
Below are two pictures of it looking tidy and lush with growth. I’ll try to remember to send you pictures of what it looks like when we come back!
And below are some pictures to give you a flavour of how our views are going to change over the next few months. The first two are from our previous cruises, plus a picture of our wheelhouse on Olivia and finally me on the boat in Châlons-en-Champagne where we spent our first winter in 2017.
We have a long road journey ahead of us but I don’t mind. It’s all part of the adventure and I am so happy at the prospect of being back on our beautiful boat that I almost don’t know what to do with myself!
I hope that this summer is also a better one for all of you and that you can get out and about. And I hope you’ll enjoy following this blog as The Olivia Rose Diaries finally lives up to it’s name again!
Take care.
MJ
The Olivia Rose Diaries 
Great and happy news – I certainly need some! The garden looks great – I look forward to your plants flowering on Olivia Rose!
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Hi Antony. Yes, I can’t wait to get some boxes planted up!!
MJ
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So glad to hear you are finally going on the water again, shall look forward to the next instalments of your travels. Garden looks lovely,pity to leave it . Good luck with your next journey
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Great news MJ and Michael, it will feel like a real release… and all the admin done too!
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Hi Mike.
I am definitely in holiday mode – as long as I don’t look at emails!!
MJ
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What great work you have accomplished in your home ! It looks wonderful !
Have a safe trip north-east, and then, « bon vent !”
We’re enjoying a week’s work in the house.
Hope to see you on the water !
Cheers, CharTed
Le mer. 23 juin 2021 à 17:18, The Olivia Rose Diaries a écrit :
> > > > > > > maryjane678 posted: ” > Welcome to the latest blog on June 23rd 2021. I have some great news to > share. We are heading back to our boat, Olivia Rose, tomorrow and hope to > spend July and August cruising through France. At the moment she is moored > as far away as she could possibly” > > > >
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Hi both. Bit of a wrench to leave garden and cats (neighbours have been supplied with food for them) but soon replaced by impatience to get cruising again. Hope our paths cross! Good luck with house.
MJ
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Hello both,
we are so glad for you! We wish you a good journey !
We have been controlled by the police today because â you will never gess! â We had so many fenders out! We do not range them on the boat once we have untied the lines each time. We are used to needing them all the time in locks, nobody gets them on the boat while moving down there in France. But here they do well! Few fenders and each time you leave you get them on the boat, never leave them outside!! Only the rental boats leave them all the time outsideâ¦. As we did not seem to be a rental boat we seemed a little strange tot hem, so they came to check us!! But everything went well, all of our papers were all right and we could go onâ¦.
So have a good getting back to Olivia and no bad surprises!
Take care
Melanie and Matthias
Von: The Olivia Rose Diaries Gesendet: Mittwoch, 23. Juni 2021 17:18 An: henrichdrome@gmail.com Betreff: [New post] Back to Olivia Rose!!!!!
maryjane678 posted: ” Welcome to the latest blog on June 23rd 2021. I have some great news to share. We are heading back to our boat, Olivia Rose, tomorrow and hope to spend July and August cruising through France. At the moment she is moored as far away as she could possibly”
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Wow – who knew that? Glad you survived the encounter and had paperwork. I’m not sure we do!!
MJ
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Great news and gives me one more blog where I can cruise vicariously. Safe and enjoyable travels you two.
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Hi Ian. We’ll do our best!
MJ
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Perhaps see you on the water. We are in Pont a Mousson this evening, heading for Metz tomorrow and Basse Ham or Schwebsange on Saturday or Sunday.
Rob,
MY Moonshadow
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Hi Rob
Should be back in Basse-Ham Saturday. Hope our paths will cross.
MJ
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Oh, happy day! May the trip be kindly adventurous, with only happy surprises.
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Indeed. Fingers crossed!!
MJ
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Enjoy the next couple of months. I’m sure you’re looking forward to getting away from the admin for a while!
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That’s an understatement!! Hope it doesn’t follow me.
MJ
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Happy days again….. enjoy the next couple of months back on the water. So very pleased for you both. The Shack and gardens look lovely, but alas, plenty of grass cutting, weeding etc when you return….. but hey ho, back to Olivia, glorious. Enjoy both, stay safe and good luck. Our best wishes
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Hi Ann. Immersed in cleaning for a few days but hope to be off soon. Dry bilges!!
MJ
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Nice to meet you today. Read most of your blog now. Makes great reading.
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And lovely to meet you as well! I wonder if you’ll be the only other Brits we come across. Going to be a strange year on the waterways.
Bon voyage!
MJ
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