Hi all! Just a brief update because we are, after all this time, back on board Liberty! Yay! No...boo, because the boat is still propped up on dry land at Migennes, a couple of hours south of Paris, and we aren't going anywhere.

But that's OK; we have come to the boat to give it some long-overdue TLC. Since ending the adventure last September, Liberty has been on the hard in the boatyard here at Migennes. We were relieved to arrive and find that no, there wasn't a family of Gypsies living on board, and we hadn't been robbed. The bikes were still on deck, the TV was still down below, and - thank heavens - the toilet hadn't been used.

Since arriving, we've devoted our time to sanding, scraping, priming and painting... and doing all those 1001 jobs that needed doing after spending a whole year living on board. And while it might sound romantic that we are back in France, the temperatures are mid-to late 20s, even into the early 30s, but I have to tell you that wearing overalls, ear-defenders, goggles and gloves while angle grinding the hull is nothing to write home about. And yet, here I am, writing home about it. Go figure!

Anyway, it's nice to be back mangling the French language again, but also pleasing how much we still understand. The woman running the boulangerie this morning apologised that all the croissants were sold, and 'eaten.' We said we understood, and bought apple turnovers and pain au chocolate instead.

In other news, the book of our year afloat, called Against the Current, is currently undergoing gestation at Matador Publishers in Leicestershire. At the moment they're typesetting and working on the cover design, so we await the results in nervous anticipation. It's like giving birth.

The baby is due to arrive mid-to late September, at which point we will hold a 'suite' of regional book launches here in England, in the hope of favourable reviews and tapping in to the pre-Christmas market.

But, wait, there's more! I (meaning Mike) will be coming to New Zealand in November, for two reasons... one to catch up with the kids and friends, and nextly to hold book launches in at least Auckland and Wellington, also possibly Tauranga and Nelson. But, the downside is that, after investigations, the cost of printing the book in NZ is hugely prohibitive. So, I will likely have to air freight copies to New Zealand in advance of my arrival, but likely no more than about 60 copies or so. So if you come to one of the book launches you (hopefully!) will be able to buy one, otherwise it will have to be via Amazon, or as a download to your Kindle or other EBook reader.

Or you could wait for the film...

Anyway, thanks for following the adventure, we do appreciate it, and we hope you'll enjoy the book. Meanwhile, it's time to get back to sanding and priming, and drinking incredibly cheap wine... (sigh)

Mike and Liz