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We started off the month by visiting friends in Montlucon. Alain and Suzanne collected us from Decize and with Ben settled in the boot of the car we had an easy journey We were made to feel very welcome and were looked after well by Yolande and Jean. The next day Jean kindly took Paul to a couple of big DIY shops which allowed Paul to get some materials that he had been hunting for in Decize. We were back to the boat in time to join in the Sunday afternoon carnival which started from the supermarket opposite the marina, very convenient. It was a fun afternoon and fortunately the morning snow disappeared rapidly. The theme for the carnival was water, earth, fire and air. There were 3 or 4 marching bands, friendly giants and several decorated floats. School children dressed as sunflowers proudly led the procession which we followed through the town and as far as the old River Loire. The next morning the confetti on the streets was the only evidence of the event.

The following afternoon we were visited by a journalist, Christian, from the local paper called Le Journal du Centre. We have got to know him over our time at Decize as he has regularly walked his dog around the basin. He wanted to write an article featuring our fellow Italian boaters Marco, Carmen, their dogs and us with Ben focussing on our winter hibernation on our boats at Crown Blue Line. He took a good photograph which was published as part of the article earlier this week. The photograph was taken at the beginning of March. Sadly our faithful friend Ben is no longer with us. It all happened quite quickly. Ben stopped eating his food and over a 24 hour period and his breathing became laboured. Arriving in the vets surgery he just lay down on his side and looked very tired. Ben made up his mind that the time had come and we had no hesitation in asking the vet to do the necessary. She was lovely with us all. We miss him a lot but know that we were lucky to have him into his 17th year, what a star! We know have Ben's ashes and when we return to our home in England during summer 2007 we will scatter them in the garden. The journalist handled the death of Ben in his article very sensitively.

On a brighter note we had a lovely week with our friend from Birmingham, Alan. As there were things that we needed to do that could be managed easier in a car rather than two small fold up bikes we hired a car to coincide with his visit. We were able to meet him at the airport in Lyon and have a couple of trips out during the week. On of the trips was to Nevers to seek out Saint-Gildard, a very well kept Convent built in the mid 1800's. The shrine of St. Bernadette is in the chapel , her body encased in a splendid looking coffin. Just opposite the chapel there is a lovely grotto as a reminder of the rock of Massabielle in Lourdes. Bernadette moved from Lourdes to Nevers in 1866. After the visit it was warm enough for us to sit in a garden area near by and be entertained by children having pony rides and also playing on their bikes. We were lucky to have warm sunshine all week which made the walks into the town and the trip around the market even more enjoyable. During the week whilst taking Ben for his evening walk I saw Christian the journalist. We were chatting when this older man approached us asking if we had seen his 'yorkie' named Tania. The poor man was distraught and so Christian with his dog and I went searching for her. By 7.30pm it was getting dark and we really could not do anymore. The story has a happy ending because the following day Tania's owner appeared on the pontoon with a huge smile. We just knew that Tania had been found. He was so appreciative of us trying to help him that he presented us with a nice bottle of Chablis to say thank you.

Now we are preparing for our departure Monday 3rd April heading at first for Nevers and on to the Canal Briare. The trip to Nevers will take a bit longer on the boat than in the car! We did have a concern with the engine earlier this week as the domestic batteries were not charging as they should from the alternator. Of course we have been on 'hooks up' all winter and therefore did not have to concern ourselves about such things. Fortunately, after a phone call to a company in England, Paul has solved the problem. So, we are more or less ready now to leave the familiar sights of Decize and we leave with very fond souvenirs of the place and the people around us. In particular we will miss Marco and Carmen but feel sure that we will keep in touch. We have flowers in wooden troughs to decorate the roof and the cherry tomato seeds have germinated. Spring is with us and we are ready to move off to pastures new with feelings of excitement, tinged with a little apprehension, what boating adventures are in store for our ongoing journey?