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I can only agree. After we made the same trip last summer, OH said she never wanted to have to do it again, but unfortunately we had to.

We rarely fly, our previous flight had been back in 2015, to Oslo, but we have been abroad with the caravan multiple times in the past. However our last trip was summer 2017, insurance having become too expensive, and having taken on helping to look after our 2 younger grandchildren.

Still caravanning in UK, but winding down on that too.

We had a busy morning with a visit to Tesco's in Leyland for essentials, a walk through Worden Park where unfortunately the walled garden was closed. Drove over to Lostock Hall to get a pack of Propane hose rubber grommets only to be stopped by a road closure due to the town's parade, so had to park up and walk there! This afternoon our daughter came round to the van for lunch and a good old chat, and she dropped of our latest supply of chocolate from foreign climes. We have had a few short showers and it has been cloudy but it is still warm. The nights do seem to be drawing in very quickly this last week!

It has been a busy day for you @DEBSC and for you too @Francis

Good to read that you got home safe and sound @KjellNN even if it was a tiring and rather harrowing journey. No doubt you will be busy over the next few weeks before you head off in the caravan again.

Lovely photo of your MIL and her friend, although it is a good job he is a gentle beast @Wherenext and pleased to read that The Van's gas problem appears to be resolved. Hope it does not re-occur during your trip away.

One of them is celebrating her retirement from teaching children with special needs at the end of this term. She will be 84 next month

My goodness millie that is a grand age to finish, especially from teaching special needs, our son who also teaches PMSD special need children will certainly be finishing teaching before he reaches that age I am sure. Well done to her, she will certainly deserved retirement.

Just back from my last concert before the holiday.... a really lovely evening. I've just had a really good chuckle when I opened the packet of one of the bottles of wine given to me as a gift......

David

@DavidKlyne good to hear from you hopefully won’t be long until your home

Picked up the caravan from the dealers today after it’s annual service went well no damp chassis everything passed so much for leaky Lunars we’ve had it eight years never had bother with damp. @richardandros after your experience I asked them to check over the spare wheel carrier but when I collected it today they said it was seized and they didn’t have time to look at it which I wasn’t too happy about. Anyway guess what I’ve been doing all afternoon. Rolling around under the van (too old for it) managed to get it off with the help of son but the wheel is jammed on to the carrier the bolts completely rusted tried for an hour to get wheel off no luck. Van has been serviced every year and we’ve never had the carrier out so I suspect it’s not been off since the van was neW and to be honest I always thought that was part of the annual service. Will get it off I’m sure but we’ve decided that we are not putting the cradle back on will just keep the wheel under the fixed bed we have space under there anyway and in the event that we need it it will be so much easier to get out. Anyway overall happy all we need to do now is put everything back in and get ready for the off on our main summer trip at the end of next week

Such a lovely photo @Wherenext Your MIL is obviously having a really good time with that enormous dog. Hope your planned trip goes well.

I had a sort out of my summer clothes yesterday afternoon so this morning we paid a visit to the Sue Ryder charity shop with a couple of bags of clothes. We then paid a visit to the caravan dealers as OH wanted to replace a gas connection for our old gas BBQ as our daughter and SIL would like it. After that we went to our local garden centre to buy a couple of rose bushes as OH has plans to turn an area at the bottom of our garden into a rose bed. Our daughter bought him a rose bush for his birthday last month so we have made a good start. We treated ourselves to a spot of lunch whilst there. I wonder whether we will get the forecast thunderstorms and rain. The garden could certainly do with some rain. We are off out to lunch with some friends tomorrow. One of them is celebrating her retirement from teaching children with special needs at the end of this term. She will be 84 next month.

We took MiL to our local Country Park, Loggerheads, this morning. OH walks around with her whilst i go off and do a longer loop climbing up to the top of the park.. Both walks are circular but the lower one doesn't have steps so she is able to push her Rollator around. She met a friend on the way, Victor, a 6 year old rehired Newfoundland who is a gentle giant. He doesn't like getting his hair wet but loves finding a shallow bit of the river and lying down in it.

Had an afternoon in the garden doing the strimming that was put off earlier in the week. Then had to cook evening meal, Coq au Riesling, which I was astounded to see that MiL finished her portion so I must have done something right. Her appetite is quite small and limited these days and she doesn't take to chicken much either but portion size was key this time.

I checked the gas and it fired first time so we've booked 3 nights away at the CS that we cancelled last week. We've arranged for MiLs favourite carer to pop in on 1 morning and 2 evenings so she should be fine.

"Edit - just realised - hit the 3k mark (still a long way to go to catch up with @Takethedogalong !"

🤣Mmm 🤣🤣🤣

@nelliethehooker you would enjoy Cannon Hall. Some nice walks, lovely Walled Garden area, Hall to visit, there’s Cannon Hall Farm, with its farm shop, farm animals adjacent, and a big Garden Centre as well, plus numerous eatery options. It’s managed by Barnsley MBC in the main, so it’s just a car park fee to visit most of the things of interest. We paid £5 for over 4 hours, up to 2 hours s just £1. It’s rural, not close to Barnsley town, not far from Wentworth Castle (NT) and Pot Hamlet, another little gem.

I am on Mum duties today, she’s fast asleep at the moment, so I am busy watering and putting in more plants. It’s very warm here, despite a stiff breeze. First stage of TdeF on catch up tonight👍