What are you all up to
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Lovely news moulesy. Keep us posted.😊
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Come on you lot, more of the Happy, Lovely News type of posts if you please ! It's bitter cold and still foggy here in the Residence in Cheshire, so I'm doing what I need to do but even the directional fan heater ain't cheering me up a lot so it's back to 'grafting' and I'll see your posts later
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Last day here before off to our second home again ,should have gone today then had a call from grand daughter saying can she bring my birthday pressie before we Buzz off again so we are still here,and went for a Sunday roast
And pressie is "adventures before dementia "sticker for caravan
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Even down here in de deeep south, the frost was hanging around at mid-day. First serious frost we've had all winter. Had planned to fabricate a little mod for the MH tomorrow so it looks like I shall have to wrap up warmly or be a wimp and run the fan heater in the garage.
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Had a poor nights sleep. Probably too much excitement yesterday!
After rising a bit later than normal we both adjusted to the day and decided to walk into Grange-over-Sands. After 1 and a half miles we came to an impasse. Flood! Too deep to navigate so we about turned and walked back to the caravan and ate our butties there.🍽️ Then got in the car and drove to the other side of the flood and continued our walk. Resourceful WNs. Bit cold when the sun finally gave up but it kept us moving.
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Heavy frost last night but fine this morning, and even some warmth in the sun when we were out for our walk. Did a few jobs around the van and house/garden in preparation for the off. Quite thick mist this afternoon which eventually went and we were left with a deep pink sky which augers well for tomorrow. Got our first 2 sites booked from Tuesday onwards.
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Been a few frosty nights/days here to, 2 days of gardening gathering up the remainder of the fallen leaves. Ground frozen so no real weeding done.
OH took the caravan for a bit of a run as its been sat in one place since the end of November. Everything fine with it, solar panel seems to be keeping the battery topped up well even though we haven't had much sun (prior to the last 2 days)
Solar panels on the house roof have had very little return either but at least the last 2 days has seen a fair bit, even my solar lights in the garden were on tonight
I've finished hand knitting the cricket top for our eldest son, just need to get it in the post to him tomorrow. He is going to Portugal beginning of Feb to play cricket, something to do with the Army but not sure what.
Just got a week now and then we are heading off to Rome for a few days then on the cruise, hope the weather in the Med behaves itself.
Great to hear NTH and the WN's have had a good meet up and that NTH is ready to head off on the road again, where to this time Nellie?
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Finally winterised our caravan yesterday. I know it's a bit late, but there's always something else to do! My husband commented that it's now 15 years old. We bought it secondhand in 2012. I vaguely looked online to see what we could buy a bit newer for the same price - what a shock! Have prices risen in the last few years? I think we'll be sticking with what we've got. Though I have bought a lottery ticket!
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Bought my Ducky as a two-year old in 2012, Goldie but it appeared to be pristine ! I think it had only been driven 'cos there was no sign of use at all, er er unlike now I'm ashamed to say
. I still keep looking at other 'vans but only when I've got green coloured hankies or tissues with me ! Indeed that's the best reason I can think of for going to the N E C and such like shows -- I can view all I want to then find a quiet corner and sit & sob my heart out till its time to hit the M6 for home .
Keep on buying those Lottery tickets !!
Weather News
Clear pale blue sky and sunny but cold again in South Cheshire today. The bird baths took some de-icing this morning but only a minimal amount of food required to top up the tubular feeders. There seems to be very little activity amongst the birds at the moment but I can detect signs of sparrowhawks doing what sparrowhawks do !! So that could be the reason for the little ones being very wary and not moving from cover if they can avoid it.
Keep warm and dry whether you are travelling or not and don't forget to check on any old or ailing folks roundabout, Bi for now
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Same ABM not so many small birds about the feeders and we had a male Sparrowhawk go over the top of the bird bath but no bird caught then.
Weather here in the Lot a very cold day 7C on our weather station and had a -5.5 overnight but getting warmer again from tomorrow.
Oh has done some wiring this morning connecting new sockets for me in the kitchen whilst I have been sorting new curtains as they will have to be turned up said 72" dro[p on sealed bag got them here and they are 90" drop as they came from UK hence the alterations keeps me busy.
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Just finished packing the car and van, ready for the off in the morning. Not going far - just to a lovely CS called Deerholme Farm near Thornton Le Dale - and the weather forecast is looking good
We were there last February in the mini-heatwave so looking forward to a repeat.
Struggling a bit at the moment, though - according to the Doc last week, I have torn a ligament or tendon in my knee and he reckons 8 weeks to heal. Putting the awning up is going to be a bit 'testing' and I don't anticipate doing too much walking on this trip. Still, it's good to be going away.
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Cold and sunny here today, fair bit of a breeze so feels even colder. Not bothering me though as I 'm tucked nice and warm sewing up yet another jumper I knitted this morning on the machine.
Cricket jumper already to be posted, OH will take it down to the PO
Bird feeders busy here, we've even had a gold finch on the seeds, haven't seen one in our garden for years, blue and great tits a plenty, finches, 2 robins, starlings, sparrows and of course black birds chasing each other around
We had a great sunset last night so will be checking the skies again tonight.
Have fun everyone, stay warm werever you are.
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Clear pale blue sky and sunny but cold again in South Cheshire today. The bird baths took some de-icing this morning but only a minimal amount of food required to top up the tubular feeders. There seems to be very little activity amongst the birds at the moment but I can detect signs of sparrowhawks doing what sparrowhawks do !! So that could be the reason for the little ones being very wary and not moving from cover if they can avoid it.
I seem to have a lot of birds visiting my feeder but only at certain times of day. Only get Goldfinches when I put out sunflower hearts and they go pretty quickly. Interesting to watch the habits of different birds. The Goldfinches will feast on the sunflower hearts but the Blue Tits will take one and fly off to a bush or tree to consume and then return for another. The Sparrows congregate in the Fuchsia bushes and seem to take it in turns to have a nibble at the fat balls. The Starlings are quite brash as they attack both the fat balls and peanuts. Occasionally see a Great Tit but not many. The Pigeons and Black Birds have an easy life as they stay on the ground picking up all the bits released by the other birds.
David
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Hi folks, I'm back online after an enforced absence due to a lack of computer. Hope you have been chatting nicely.
Looks like I have quite a bit to catch up with.
We have almost completed the decorating downstairs just a few finishing touches to complete. Getting itching feet now as not been away in the van since November. Have a family get together at the weekend in Manchester to celebrate a couple of birthdays, and then will hopefully get away in the caravan for a few days, in February.
Tammygirl, your post about knitting cricket jumpers made me smile, my Mum knitted both my boys their cricket jumpers and I still have them, they were going to throw them out but I couldn't let them do it.
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Wall to wall....cloud today. Except for those lucky enough to be up the Fairfield Horseshoe above Ambleside. We could see the sunny areas as we were walking north along the ridge of Whitbarrow Scar, having climbed up to it from Mill End, about 2 miles from Meathop Fell site.
Had a lovely walk. Not quite in the same shape as a year ago but trying to get there. A good 7 miles covered today with a bit of a climb thrown in. Need a few more days like this.
Not happy with Campbells in Preston. We picked the caravan up on Thursday from them after they had it in for some warranty work. Nothing big but they didn't do a couple of jobs as they didn't have the parts. No problem we said, we'll pop in on our return on Tuesday. Rang them today. They haven't even ordered them!
. More messing about. Must admit the service centre admin has been pretty useless. Losing emails, not knowing what work is to be done, who agreed what etc. Not impressed. Will calm down and ring them tomorrow when we get home and "discuss" matters.
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Good to hear you're out on the hills again.
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Great to hear NTH and the WN's have had a good meet up and that NTH is ready to head off on the road again, where to this time Nellie?
Thanks TG. We are going to Hall Croft CL at Ilkley first, just for a few nights before heading down to Old Brampton to a favourite CL of ours. Then we'll decided where after depending on the weather, probably towards East Anglia, as It should be dryer down there during February & March. As R&R says it will be good to get away again after my injury.
Sorry to hear of the ongoing problems with Campbells, WN. Hope it won't upset your plans too much.
Glad to see that you're back on-line again, H&T. Enjoy your weekend away at Manchester.
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Well we were in Keswick this weekend just gone but we had a big family celebration of my 'significant' birthday. We had an apartment on Lake road above the art gallery/Cumbria water offices but no real walking apart from tea room to pub. I should get some in middle February.
If you (or anyone) is going to keswick it was surprising to find not only the Skiddaw hotel totally closed for refurbishment (not a big loss for me) but so was Bryson's and, even worse, the Old Keswickian chip shop was closed.
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I know what you mean about itchy feet Helen we are the same not been away in the van since we returned from the Lakes at the end of November hoping to get away end of Feb/beginning of March.
WN we bought our van new from Campbell’s and have found them good so far however I do agree their service centre isn’t very organised. When we took the van for its first service last year there was a problem with the fridge so they ordered the part and we arranged to take the van back down a couple of months later. As it is a 3 hour drive we decided to make a holiday of it and have a week in Southport two days before we were due to go we had a call from them to change the date of our appointment with them eventually got a date for a couple of days later but it was very short notice especially as we travel a fair distance to use them. Luckily we were able to re arrange our dates at the Southport club site but it would have been a different story if we were staying on a commercial site and paid the site fees up front.
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We did the Fairfield Horseshoe quite a few years ago. Absolutely fantastic views as we turned the corner towards Rydal Mount. Unfortunately, the final decent down to Rydal Mount did my knees in, something I still suffer with from time to time when descending
I now have to be selective when it comes to fell walking. The Fairfield Horseshoe though is brilliant walk 👍
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Francis, I emailed them in November about the problems, admittedly small ones, which they say that they never received, even though I had an automated reply. I then sent copies which someone in service centre actually replied to yet this last week tried to deny receiving. Pity for them that I took copies.
So they had at least 10 weeks notice to order parts but didn't. Then when we picked it up on Thursday they said the parts would be there on Tuesday. Not even ordered them yet they expect me to take caravan back to them. They'll be picking it up at my convenience. Not very impressed.
Once warranty expires we'll be finding an alternative.
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