Wandering Snail's Wanderings

2012-01-03T14:57:00.002+01:00

And that was that. While still in dry dock, Skipper's health took a sudden and totally out-of-the-blue nose dive of life-threatening proportions leading to the 'gap year' decision.

Wanderings should resume its course in 2013.

Gap Year

2012-01-03T14:54:00.002+01:00

The year did not go as planned although we did manage to get Snail out of the water to look at her bottom. Shame the mussels weren't of the edible variety.

2010-11-18T13:00:00.004+01:00

Sadly we turn our backs on the French Ardennes for this year, hand our remote control in at the last French lock and make for the border.

Leaving aside the sad theft at Amiens,we have had a wonderful time in northern France and leave it already making plans to return next year when we are determined to reach Strasbourg and then Switzerland.

And I will tell that tale on the blog this time next year.

2010-11-18T12:49:00.003+01:00

All alone at Givet, the frontier town with Belgium. Where is everybody? We expected commercials here as well as perhaps a couple of hardy pleasureboaters. We liked this ancient place with its foreboding citadel high on the hills in front of us, it's little streets and stone houses.

The weather's turning cold and we've been very lucky with the lack of rainfall on the Meuse at this time of year. Time to push on and get off this unpredictable river while it's still behaving.

2010-11-18T12:42:00.003+01:00

Slate quarrying has scarred the Meuse valley for centuries. This working quarry was buzzing with trucks and machinery. When it's exhausted the trees will gradually get a tenuous hold again, softening the stark cliff face.

2010-11-18T12:35:00.004+01:00

Another walk takes us to the medieval hilltop village of Hierges, built solely to service the castle. Have a much appreciated beer in the cafe here that the owner opened specially for us and carry on into the woods. We did get lost that day and all three of us were relieved to eventually find Snail again.

2010-11-18T12:30:00.002+01:00

Ofcourse we had to climb a hill or two. Thankfully there are many signposted trails or we would still be trying to find our way out. This is the Meuse at the slate quarrying town of Fumay.

2010-11-18T12:16:00.003+01:00

The Ardennes scenery along this valley is stunningly beautiful. Villages are hemmed in by densely forested hillsides. Lovely to pass through but we both felt it too claustrophobic to consider living there.

2010-11-18T11:58:00.002+01:00

There is a wooded hillside behind the moorings at Charleville with this view of the town from the top. It wasn't a bad place to be stranded.

2010-11-18T11:45:00.003+01:00

Enforced stop here at Charleville-Mezieres when a scheduled stoppage on the next Meuse lock overran by a few days. This town has gorgeous golden sandstone coloured 17th century buildings and a famous puppet museum. The marionette built into the wall outside comes to life on the hour.

2010-11-18T11:41:00.001+01:00

A couple of 'misty' shots on the Meuse - this little camera does try hard. Skipper got a soaking going down in that lock.

2010-11-18T11:35:00.002+01:00

Sedan boasts the largest castle in Europe but what is more emotive for us are the shell marks in the walls of the 17th century Jesuit college and the memorial tablet to the thousands of civilians who were deported from here or shot by the Germans in WW2.

2010-11-18T11:26:00.002+01:00

Most of the moorings we come across now in early October are closed for the season with electricity and, more worringly, water turned off as here in Sedan. Not sure we would have felt safe on those wriggly finger moorings anyway. With all the space to ourselves (most other boats are already tucked up cosily in their beds for the winter) we moor up on the wall instead.

2010-11-18T11:09:00.008+01:00

A lot of locks in France are done automatically without lockkeepers, instead using a boater operated remote control.

First as you get nearer the lock you have to spot the 'target' on the bank, often cunningly hidden, to point the remote at. Then, if you're lucky, the lockgates will swing open in front of you and in you go. Next you have to grab the blue rod on the lockside and hoick it skywards. If you're lucky, the paddles will open, the water level change and the gates open to let you out again. If you're lucky.

2010-11-18T10:47:00.003+01:00

The Meuse can be a fast flowing river. Near every lock there's a correspondong weir that is used to control the height and flow of the water. The Meuse in Belgium is controlled hydraulically. In France they still use ancient 'needle' weirs, bits of 2"x2"wood that are manually put in or taken out across the river as needed. Dangerous work.

2010-11-17T18:58:00.002+01:00

There's also plenty of opportunities for glorious walks in the extensive forests here although we had been advised to avoid Sundays when the 'chasse', the hunt, was around. Lots of natural twisty sticks growing in the woods to choose from too and the excuse to stop for a glass - if we're quiet we may see wild boar!

2010-11-17T18:54:00.002+01:00

The Meuse was the site of many WW1 battles and we often passed bits of bridges.

2010-11-17T18:46:00.003+01:00

We arrange for the locky to take us on from Verdun and said "au revoir" to him where our guide book said there was a rural mooring after the lock near Sivry. Off he went for an unexpectedly early tea without thinking to tell us what we needed to know about the pontoon. It was too late to get him back when we saw it.

2010-11-17T16:14:00.002+01:00

There are plenty of reminders of WW1 in this area such as this German hide-out we stumbled upon in a woods and dismal, depressing Verdun which has not managed to shrug off its past. It looks a little better at night but was deserted and closed after 7pm even at the week-end.

2010-11-17T16:06:00.002+01:00

It's October and we are now on the Canal de la Meuse which will take us to the Ardennes and the border with Belgium. But there's plenty to see on the way first such as here in St.Mihiel, a town noted for its floral displays and beautiful sculptures by the 16th century artist Ligier Richiers.

2010-11-17T16:02:00.003+01:00

Throughout our trip we had enjoyed finding a local boulangerie and sampling the various styles of bread in each region. Some were more value for money than others....

2010-11-17T15:57:00.002+01:00

Many of the villages on this canal feature 19th century public wash houses. Normally they're simply large troughs under a timbered roof. This one at the end of the tunnel in the small town of Mauvages was an amazing Egyptian inspired edifice.

2010-11-17T15:51:00.002+01:00

The canal also has a long tunnel but this time as we are the only boat we are allowed to do the 4km run under our own steam, simply following the towboat through incase we get lost. The little train is a left over from how it used to be done

2010-11-17T15:41:00.002+01:00

The hilltop town is a Rennaisance period jewel, preserved largely intact from when the duke had it built in the 16th century for his courtiers and clerics to live in while he resided in the castle.

2010-11-17T15:31:00.002+01:00

Now on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin where we stop at Bar-le-Duc. The mooring is on the industrial edge with no hint of the wonders to come. We walk in and climb the hill to the historic part. There are panoramic views and a modern sculpture when you reach the top.

2010-11-17T15:25:00.003+01:00

Autumn mists greet us in the morning at our next stop by the ruins of an ancient chalk quarry. The pole and wire structure hanging over the waterway is the 'twisty stick' that sets the next lock. Fun positioning Snail for me to reach it when it's windy.

2010-11-17T15:21:00.001+01:00

This is what we found in one of the cathedrals. Answers on a postcard please.

2010-11-17T15:17:00.002+01:00

Not wanting to get a name for hogging the best moorings we move on to Chalons with its timbered houses and two cathedrals as well as yet more champagne houses.

2010-11-17T15:12:00.002+01:00

It's a beautiful mooring here at Cumieres and we are reluctant to leave. This trip boat passed us so often during the day that he incorporated us into his commentary.

2010-11-17T15:04:00.002+01:00

A lovely if steep climb through the vines brings us to the hilltop village of Hautvillers, famous as the home of Dom Perignon. It was here at the abbey he perfected the technique of champagne making that is still followed today although the English claim to have done it first! The village is also known for its old houses all adorned with wrought iron signs, 140 of them,advertising their trades.

2010-11-17T15:01:00.001+01:00

On one of the forest walks in this region, Skipper making good use of a stick he's carved.

2010-11-17T14:53:00.002+01:00

Moving on to yet more free moorings at the champagne village of Cumieres we stop near these delightful metal sculptures depicting the making and enjoying of champagne.

2010-11-16T18:59:00.004+01:00

This is Marc Rigolot, a grower and producer of champagne who took us out for the day, showed us his vineyards and cellars and gave very generous tastings of his product! His cellars hold about 10,000 bottles at a time. Just one of the famous producers in Epernay has 15,000,000 in theirs, so vast that there's an underground train to get around.

We are now just a little bit lower in the water.

2010-11-16T18:55:00.002+01:00

The camera's at it again but this mural was fun. A Belgian friend caught up with us here to stock up his cellars and took us to Epernay and the famous avenue where many of the 'grand cru' houses are based. Out of our price range....

2010-11-16T18:50:00.001+01:00

Just to confirm the previous entry! Can you feel how hot it was although it's now September and we are still only east of Paris.

2010-11-16T18:45:00.002+01:00

We turn a corner on the Marne and suddenly we're in champagne country. There are vineyards as far as you can see so we moor as soon as we can and go off to explore. Soon it will be harvest time but first the vines are pruned. This is one of the ridiculously narrow machines they use to get along the vines without squashing the grapes.

2010-11-16T18:41:00.002+01:00

This cheapy camera sometimes achieves some weird effects. This is another free mooring on the Marne at La Ferte sous Jouarre.

2010-11-16T18:32:00.002+01:00

Now on the River Marne. This is the free municipal mooring with water and electricity provided in the ancient town of Meaux. We'd already had a sneak preview of the place from the Canal d'Ourcq which runs parellel with the Marne for much of its course.

Highlight for me was when the Meaux library took us on request to their subterranean archives where I was allowed to 'thumb through' 13th century illuminated manuscripts.

2010-11-16T18:25:00.003+01:00

At last to one of the highlights of the trip - a cruise in Snail on the Seine through Paris. It wasn't the brightest of days so our cheapy phone camera wasn't really up to the job of capturing it. We had been warned that the traffic would be heavy and fast but it was very quiet this Monday with only the odd trip boat rushing past.

2010-11-16T18:19:00.002+01:00

We had seen many coypu on our travels in France - they're extinct in UK as far as we know after a thorough cull back in the 70's.

They are great fun to watch with much identifiable family inter-action and they're wonderful swimmers.

This is on the way through Paris and there's one on the lockgate (you may have to squint closely!) showing they can adapt to suburban life too.

2010-11-15T12:43:00.005+01:00

Paris moorings are around 70 euros a night for our length of boat so we moor in the Parc de la Villette for free. There is round the clock security in this amazing science and culture park that helps to make us feel safe here in such a public place. It was all converted from the old Paris meat market in the 1980's. The canal that runs through the middle of it still carries a little commercial traffic and there are many Paris trip boats going past us for which we provide an unusual spectacle.

The giant silvery dome of the Geode dominates the park and houses a 'wrap around' cinema. Behind it is the science museum on three enormous floors. Then there's the music conservatoire and museum, open air cinema and the park gardens which contain art museums. Every day and evening in the summer there's free music suiting all tastes going on somewhere in the park. A stay of a month would probably be enough to see it all, our three days just gave us a flavour.

2010-11-15T12:35:00.003+01:00

The lack of dredging resulting in such shallow water that even our 80cm draught was too much and thick carpets of weed defeated us before we had got half way up the Ourcq. We eventually found somewhere wide enough to turn and headed back towards Paris. Perhaps we'll have another go next spring when at least the weed will be less.

2010-11-15T12:29:00.001+01:00

There were some pretty towns and villages along the Ourcq once we had left the Paris suburbs. We particularly enjoyed this 'trompe l'oeil' decoration on a shed in the grounds of a library.

2010-11-15T12:23:00.002+01:00

Before taking Snail to Paris we want to try to navigate the Ourcq, a narrow canal that supplies water to the city. So narrow, only our type of boat can attempt it and consequently it is hardly used by boaters with all the implications for non-maintenance that that implies.

2010-11-15T12:13:00.003+01:00

The approach to Paris on the city's canals is not pretty. Miles of shanty towns line the banks with people 'living' in transit vans and wooden sheds. This level of poverty we have only seen before in films about India. To find it in the Paris suburbs was quite disturbing.

2010-11-15T12:03:00.002+01:00

Conflans St Honorine is at the junction of the Oise and the Seine. As with most waterway junctions it is full of commercial boats, many of whom have decided to retire and stay here on their barges. Six abreast for a mile down the river, these ex-bargees are a sad testament to the steady decline of commercial boating in France.

2010-11-15T11:55:00.002+01:00

Like drowned rats we returned to the boat moored at Creil and hoped for the rain to stop for the evening's firework display in the town.

2010-11-15T11:46:00.002+01:00

My daughter came to stay in July at the time of Bastille Day when all France celebrates. In bright sunshine we took the train in to Paris to watch the parades and wondered why there was no-one else around. Then the heavens opened and within minutes Paris roads became rivers. The parade had been cancelled after the organisers had seen the forecast. Unfortunately we hadn't.

2010-11-15T11:21:00.002+01:00

Using photos taken by visitors to the boat and some very poor quality pics of our own taken with a cheap mobile that we resurrected, the blog can continue after all.

This is Chantilly, a few miles away from the River Oise (we had visitors with a car) and still famous in France for its horse racing. One chateau was built purely to be used as a stables.

2010-11-13T13:09:00.003+01:00

Unfortunately the bishop's anointing didn't extend to mobile phones. The next day I drowned ours in the deep, deep Oise. We not only lost our cheapest contact with the UK but also its brilliant camera had provided this blog with all its pictures. Until we returned to England in November to sort something out with a supremely un-cooperative Vodafone, that was that. And so, this is it.

2010-11-13T13:00:00.002+01:00

We have arrived in Longueil at the time of their annual Pardon de la Batellerie festival and are invited to take part. Many commercial barges have stopped for the weekend and are busily draping large flags all over their boats. We find every pennant we've got on board and hoist them from our two masts just in time for the bishop to come by on a highly decorated peniche and give us his blessing for a safe year to come. Every boat taking part gets his fleeting attention and when all have been blessed, the festival really gets under way with much singing, eating and drinking. All very French.

2010-11-13T12:45:00.004+01:00

The River Oise will take us nearer to the Seine and Paris. We stop at the little town of Longueil-Annel and take a walk along the towpath. Very pleased we had moored in time before meeting this overloaded barge carrying large and heavy pieces of scrap metal. Their load has presumably moved en route making the vessel take on water and become almost unsteerable. We'll never know if it reached it's destination before it hit another boat and/or capsized!

2010-11-13T12:34:00.004+01:00

There is some glorious craftsmanship in the churches in northern France. The two wars gave an opportunity to replace the smashed stained glass with some vibrant modern designs. Some work of past centuries has still survived. This 18th century woodcarving was part of a musical theme around the choirstalls in the church at Noyon.

2010-11-13T12:23:00.003+01:00

The bargees are a superstitious lot and often name their boats after disasters both natural and manmade in the hope that it won't happen again, ever. We've seen Titanic, Hiroshima, Vesuvius, Armagedon......

2010-11-13T12:19:00.002+01:00

We were advised by a bargee to take a photo of the traffic lights to show we had a green before we go into tunnels. Apparently it's not unknown for accidents with boats who have jumped the lights. Seemed a good idea here on the Canal du Nord.

2010-11-13T12:17:00.002+01:00

We say a sad farewell to the River Somme and arrive again at Peronne and that bumpy mooring. The town displays much evidence of its past with buildings still bearing the shell marks from WW1.

2010-11-13T11:50:00.002+01:00

Many walks followed tributaries and lakes which we could often see from the boat. They were fully exploited by the locals who built hides and wildfowl decoys. Hunting and trapping is still alive and well in France.

2010-11-13T11:45:00.002+01:00

There were many beautiful walks from the lock moorings, this stretch reminding us of the area's dreadful history.

2010-11-13T11:31:00.003+01:00

The 'ecluse' here at Cappy is typical of locks on the Somme. Often remote with peaceful moorings either side, the lockkeepers respond in their bright orange vehicles to a phone call when you're ready to move on.

2010-11-13T11:16:00.002+01:00

Out with the mop twice a day. This mooring at Pont Remy had become very dusty with the dry, hot weather.

2010-11-12T16:14:00.001+01:00

The Somme is just beautiful.

2010-11-12T16:08:00.002+01:00

We moored up for the evening near a cemetery. The French go to town with their gravestones. This one made us look twice. The second name on the left is awaiting events.

2010-11-12T16:03:00.002+01:00

Half way to Abbeville and we spot a sign for a cafe on the bank. It's lunchtime so why not? The enterprising owner had turned a corner of her kitchen into a bar. Typically French.

2010-11-12T15:59:00.001+01:00

Sadly it's time to leave this lovely place so we turn around to head all the way back again. This swing bridge looked like hard work as we follow the trip boat back to Abbeville.

2010-11-12T15:57:00.000+01:00

The French often find reading signs difficult as here in StValery.

2010-11-12T15:52:00.000+01:00

The original medieval fishing village has spread with the arrival of tourism.

2010-11-12T15:45:00.004+01:00

St.Valery and end of the Somme for us. There can't be many canals that end on the coast. The steam train goes around the bay which is a favourite with artists.

The tide timings are a bit difficult so we stay the canal side of the maritime lock but would have loved to have taken Snail through and into the harbour!

2010-11-12T15:41:00.001+01:00

Dead straight, the canal takes us to the sea so it's worth the slog. The only other boat on the move is this very splendid trip boat.

2010-11-12T15:34:00.002+01:00

Abbeville is at the end of the river Somme at the junction with the canal that ends at the sea. It wasn't spared in the two wars but has made a cheerful effort at rebuilding with this colourful train station and water features.

2010-11-12T15:31:00.001+01:00

This village used to be self sufficient for power with its own hydro-electric station. How things have changed. I did eventually manage to get a light bulb to come on.

2010-11-12T13:10:00.002+01:00

The next village of Long is also built to serve a chateau and provides a splendid mooring surrounded by gorgeous buildings and the longest greenhouse we've ever seen. Hence the name praps?

2010-11-12T12:56:00.003+01:00

Next stop Picquigny, an ancient village built around an 11th century chateau the ruins of which are a short climb away to the top of the hill here. While we were away we had been joined by a group of eccentric, very friendly boaters whose varied craft are all powered solely by solar panels. They are on their way to Amiens so we warn them to be watchful of their boats there and wave goodbye.

2010-11-12T12:46:00.002+01:00

We were pleased to leave Amiens after that.

On the edges of the city are the Hortillonages - waterside allotments each with their own little bridge over the many small tributaries here. The produce from them is transported along the Somme by small wooden boats every Saturday to be sold at a market in the city.

2010-11-12T12:40:00.002+01:00

The mooring at Amiens was on a high wall which made our roof level with the road but the view from the waterside made up for it.
This was to be the last photo of Skipper's much admired dragon. It was stolen that night.

2010-11-12T12:31:00.002+01:00

Our next stop on the Somme is at the ancient and beautiful city of Amiens with it's famous cathedral and medieval library built of wood. Strange choice of building material for a collection of books?

2010-11-12T12:25:00.002+01:00

We take a night-time walk in the riverside town of Corbie with its Disney inspired townhall. Wot's this? Our terrier is disturbed to read that France is not so welcoming to his kind these days.

2010-11-12T12:21:00.001+01:00

A sign on an arm of the Somme directs us to the Port of Bray. Sounds good so off we go. Er, this is it.

2010-11-12T12:10:00.004+01:00

We turn off onto the canalised River Somme and into peaceful boating. A team of cheerful lockies follow along the towpath and once again we can use pins for mooring on this little used waterway.
At Froissy we stop and take the little steam train that follows the canal, through a tunnel and across roads and fields. Newly restored by volunteers it was first built by the Brits in WW1 to take troops and supplies to the trenches.

2010-11-11T18:17:00.002+01:00

Peronne and the only free mooring (we're on a budget) is by the industrial estate. It's none too comfortable so we'll visit the town another time.

2010-11-11T18:04:00.003+01:00

The St Quentin canal has a 5,670m. tunnel at Riqueval. An electric tug pulls boats through as there is a danger of asphyxiation if many boats and barges go through at once under their own steam all with their engines on. Not much chance of that this time - we and a little cruiser are the only boats to make the 2 hour trip.

2010-11-11T18:00:00.003+01:00

We move on and find a quiet, rural mooring near Vaucelles lock. It's a bank holiday and the lockkeepers are having the day off too so we pack a picnic and head for the woods.

We've never seen so many wild flowers. We sit down among bluebells, helebores, cowslips and wood anemones and have a perfumed picnic.

2010-11-11T17:41:00.004+01:00

Cambrai is celebrating 200 years since this canal was opened by Napoleon with a re-enactment. Strangely they don't want the boats to participate in any way - very French apparently - so this time we just watch.

2010-11-11T17:33:00.003+01:00

On to Cambrai and the St.Quentin canal. Here we find another narrowboat that stays here year round and also Tam & Di, famous in boating circles for their barge handling courses. We hope we don't make any mistakes mooring up under their gaze and walk into what is another lovely northern French town.

2010-11-11T17:27:00.002+01:00

We leave Arras and find a quiet spot to do some smartening up painting. Out comes Origami from her box on the roof to reach those hard to get at bits and in jumps Woody. Its his favourite boat.

2010-11-11T16:30:00.000+01:00

There was a more personal reason for wanting to visit Arras with our boat. My grandfather had been one of the 36,000 killed here in WW1 and whose remains could not be retrieved. We found his name on the memorial inside.

2010-11-11T16:16:00.002+01:00

Arras looks like a film set from its belfry. It was flattened in WW1 and rebuilt to look as it did before the devastation complete with Flemish gable frontages and gothic townhall.

2010-11-11T15:57:00.004+01:00

Moorings in Arras are unreachable as the canal is silted up so we stop at St.Laurent and will have to bus in to the city. We are invited alongside another narrowboat, the first we've seen in France. Our terrior embarks upon the first of several holiday romances with their beautiful lurcher and we enjoy the entertainment provided by the slalem course just the other side of the mooring.

2010-11-11T15:50:00.002+01:00

This may seem like a very ordinary photo but now we have reached the rural Canal d'Arras with no commercial traffic surging by, we could use mooring pins for the first time in two years with no fear of them being pulled out!

2010-11-11T15:42:00.002+01:00

Douai is full of architectural interest. We enjoyed the way the door of this shop was part of the design and wished we'd had the money to put in an offer. The registry office would certainly add class to your wedding pics.

2010-11-11T15:37:00.001+01:00

Northern France has belfries too and as ever we have to climb this one in Douai.

2010-11-11T15:24:00.002+01:00

Up the Scarpe to Douai where we moor alongside some live-aboards on their barges in a disused arm of the river. There used to be much commercial shipping here and the bargees created this dog cemetery which is still used. Woody was unusually quiet.

2010-11-11T15:17:00.002+01:00

Aire-sur-Lys is a lovely town and we are pleased we stopped to explore. Nearly didn't as the moorings are in a desolate, run-down arm of the river.

2010-11-11T15:11:00.002+01:00

The boating season hasn't started yet and getting water is tricky. We find the tap in this crowded yachthaven is still turned on but reaching it without hitting someone's pride and joy on this windy day took all Skipper's skill. Then there was getting out again......

2010-11-11T15:05:00.002+01:00

It's mid-March and at last the ice melts enough to head for France. The town of Menen is on the border. One half of the main street is in France, the other in Belgium.

2010-03-14T20:05:00.004+01:00

Tomorrow we leave Lokeren for Gent and then on the river Leie into France. Please bear with me, followers all, because I may have to blog retrospectively as usual because of probable lack of internet on our travels.

2010-03-03T22:00:00.003+01:00

Just

Just had to include this photo of our terrier in the aftermath of his snowplough impression. He's certainly had plenty of opportunity this winter.

Just as we are planning to leave in a couple of weeks, the forecast is for yet more snow.

As long as the ice stays away from the river, Snail will be away again.

2009-12-20T17:09:00.002+01:00

Here we go again, two weeks earlier than last year. Minus 10 last night, minus 18 predicted for tonight. Feel sorry for the heron and kingfisher that hang around here as already the river is frozen for much of its length.

2009-11-17T20:12:00.005+01:00

The last post. This is the River Moervaart back to Lokeren to moor Snail for the winter, following our friends from England that we welcomed to Belgium back in May.

It's been a varied year full of memorable experiences. And next year?

We are hearing rumours from boating associations as well as commercial ships that the French waterways authority (the VNF) are seriously threatening to close for good 1300km of canals to save money. They will do this over the next two years with the loss of more than 400 jobs. It seems sensible to head for these while they are still there to be explored.

Paris in the springtime, here we come.

2009-11-17T20:08:00.002+01:00

Daylight again thank God and on familiar waterways, the Ringvaart around Gent. Those little orange blips on the stern of this ship are people, painting.

2009-11-17T20:02:00.002+01:00

This is no ordinary sunset shot. This is Snail getting caught out on the tidal river by lack of daylight in November. It was very dark by the time we got to Merelbeke lock on the outskirts of Gent. Commercials had already stopped for the weekend taking up all available wall space and leaving us no choice but to moor up in the dark to an ancient tug which we hoped would not need to be working in the morning!