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Having the hull finished at the welding shop is a major step.  Chinook now looks (mostly) like a real sailing yacht.  Super, super exciting. Welding done, the hull is put onboard a dolly to be removed from the shop. From the dolly, Chinook is lifted onto a truck bed for transport. This is the fastest it will ever go! A la prochaine! The hull is on in its way to Cherbourg to be given a coat of paint, then fitted out with electrical, plumbing, cabinets, furniture, standing and running rigging and all sorts of other expensive bits and pieces.

While in France, we get to help with the renovation of a 300+ year old house in a 1200+ year old village. Does that make it a ‘newer’ neighborhood? We are so impressed by the work Florence is doing and her courage to take on this job. This is Florence's new place in Obernai.  It was originally part of Fauburg. Fauburg (light brown) was annexed by Obernai (dark brown) somewhere between 741 and 1216 BCE This is how it started out.  Pretty plain. Open the walls and voila!  Beautiful beams!  Those are staying. A big mess, but the results are going to be worth it. The ceiling is coming down, too.  More timber beams! A picture from the attic, looking down at the carnage. One room mostly clean. Sandblasting the timber beams. New and old wall coverings, new and old timber beams Framed walls to hold the insulation, new windows and electrical conduit. Framing around the timber beams. Starting to take shape! Lunch at the hopefully-soon renovated farmhouse across the lane....

It's our last night in Canmore. Tomorrow, we head to Calgary then a Paris-bound plane on Tuesday.  It is both incredibly exciting but also a little odd. It has been a bigger challenge than we had anticipated, packing up our perfect life.  We love living in Canmore with all the fun activities and a marvellous circle of friends.  Leaving now, as the snow has melted and the trees have leaves with the anticipation of summer, is particularly tough.  And weird that our bikes have been sold.  We rode the tandem for the last time.  We have loved that bike.  It is a great way to get around town and you can chat as you go. Many non-cycling friends and even Mum have been ridden round on the tandem.  So many great memories. It was a tough one to part with.  Best way to get around town - and now, she is sold. Paring down on things that we will no longer need has been frightfully difficult. The spare ski jackets, the extra bike helmets, ice skates, xc ski ...