What are you all up to

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  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56972

    It's a strange sight when you feel you're in the east! I see we have a "blue moon" this month another unusual thing, two full moons in a month.

    We've had an epic two days changing our car, the bank payment failed 200 miles from home and OH had to return with a loan car and drive back today...all thanks to facial recognition and wobbly wi-fi, so much for "modern" technology!!

    edit Enjoy your trip Oneputt. smile

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56973

    The little legs were quite tired afterwards.

     Yours or Nathans Kj?smile

    A bit on the warm side for our drive down the dreaded A14.  Got to 27° which I suppose RK would quite happily accept.

    Pitched up on our next CL, where we have stopped on several occasions. After lunch we nipped to local Tesco for a few vittels.

    Just had a brief shower so feels much fresher now.

    Stay safe everyone.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56974

    We once bought a caravan from a dealer we had 2 previous ones from. His WiFi was down when we came to pay. No problem he said. Take the caravan home and come back next week and pay when WiFi should be fixed, which we did.

    Can't see that happening often these days.

    Currently have an item at home which needs returning to supplier. They inadvertently sent 2 lots of our order. I notified them. They don't have a system for returns!surprised Want me to pay first. Yeah, that's going to happen. Well "respected" supplier of caravan accessories.

     

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56976

    Yes, seeing the sun set out at sea in these east coast locations really goes against one’s logic.
    A blue moon! In certain parts of the world it is a tradition to for fill an ambition or wish as a ‘once in a blue moon’ event. I know what I’d wish for and what I would intend to treat myself to! What about you others? 👍😉

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56977

    Both!!   Mine are pretty little too as I have shrunk and am now only just over 160cm.

    Been to Ikea today to buy some free-standing shelving for storing our caravan stuff in the now bed-less back bedroom, plus a few items DD wanted.  Went to her house on the way home to drop off stuff and got invited to stay for lunch, and to look after Nathan while she picked up Callum from school at 14.30, so not home till 16.30.

    Some  VERY heavy showers off and on, which luckily she avoided.

    Brought home some second hand fence boards she had got from upstairs neighbour, so should be enough to make a new gate for up top in the back garden.

    Other things to do in the house first, so gate will have to wait, will need to buy hinges etc first anyway.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56978

    It got to 43.2C yesterday so the hottest day this year and today 26.9C much better and cooler even the little pool was cooler so a dip this afternoon, also got windows open to cool inside as the outside walls were very hot yesterday evening and it is getting cooler for the next week and some rain as well much needed as the field looks like a brown crispy desert and a lot of cracks in the ground, even the birds have been busier today at the feeder on the lounge window and even had a Jay drinking from the bird bath very unusual as it is close to the lounge window.

    Hope folks have a good weekend.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56979

    Beautiful photo Millie.

    Been to one of your old haunts today. Parked in Houghton and walked to St.Ives, passed the mill and fairly full campsite,. Lovely morning for it.

    Had a coffee and cake at Tom's coffee shop, did some browsing then had lunch at The White Hart in the High St. We also visited the small museum which was interesting.

    We passed a house which had been continously occupied by "Fellmongers and Woolstaplers" an unusual trade to come across. Leave you all to Google it. Wish I'd taken a photo of it.

  • milliehull
    milliehull Forum Participant Posts: 4,760 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56980

    How lovely that you went to Houghton WN. It was one of our very favourite places to stay and the one we miss most now that we dont have the caravan anymore. It is only a 40 minute tow from us so we went a few times each year. There are some lovely walks round there (and some great pubs too!) So glad you had an enjoyable time in St Ives. That is a nice walk from Houghton to St Ives. i will google 'Fellmongers and Woolstaplers'!

    Cooler here today and the humidity has gone so hopefully better for sleeping tonight.

  • milliehull
    milliehull Forum Participant Posts: 4,760 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56981

    We met this lovely fellow when we went to Elton Hall on Wednesday afternoon.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,860 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56982

    Had my new car for three months now and still getting used to the "technology". Had a survey come through asking my thoughts so duly completed it online which took ages! It got me thinking it would be good if caravan and motorhome manufacturers did the same?

    David

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56983

    Worn out now.  This morning we assembled the new Ikea shelf units, then after lunch we loaded them up with the caravan awning, outside tables, extra cushions, coolbox, spare parts etc etc.    

    We have all the heavy stuff on the 2 bottom shelves, some assorted non-caravan items temporarily higher up, then all the bulky but lightweight stuff  like sleeping bags and garden cushions in Dimpa bags lined up on the top shelf, reaching almost to the ceiling.

    All looks very tidy, but there is still a lot to be  cleared out in the front bedroom .  We have some empty cupboards in there that we have not been able to access because of the caravan stuff, so we should be able to get to them soon.   And some other cupboards that are probably full of stuff that should be got rid of.

    OH was commenting that having to use open shelves in a spare room to store stuff makes it look like there are insufficient cupboards in the house.  In reality we just have far too much "stuff". 

    Don't mention the loft please!!!

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56984

    Caravan stuff does rather accumulate Kj. We have that problem.

    A lovely morning so we made haste to Fen Drayton Nature Reserve and had a good few hours walking. Lots of Dragonflies and Damselflies about.

    Stayed until just after lunch, then called in to get a few bits from Tesco. Got home in time to welcome a few claps of thunder and some rain which didn't actually last long.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56985

    I think we have been fortunate today with the weather. Although we did have a shower when out with Flyte after lunch it didn't last long, and our other walks have been under sunny skies. I completed the cleaning of the inside of the caravan, so only  a little bedding, food and clothes to go in just before we head off again.

    Those that are away or have been out and about appear to be having a good time, visiting interesting places.

     

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56986

    I think my problem is more with other stuff than caravan stuff WN, though the caravan stuff is bulky and takes up a fair bit of space.   We will need to dispense with some stuff we have on the new shelves as there is a fair amount of stuff still in the caravan that we always bring in for winter.......mainly bedding and loose cushions......as we do not go away between October and  March these days.  

    That will use another 3 of those big Ikea Dimpa bags, we already have 6 along the top of the new shelves, I think the ones with the garden chair cushions in them will have to go elsewhere.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56987

    Quiet on here today.

    Had a relatively quiet day ourselves. Trying to deliberately have a low key day at each stopover. Had a short walk around some local lakes at Godmanchester before coming back to the caravan for lunch.

    Supposed to have heavy rain, even a thunderstorm this afternoon. Nothing. Met Office not very reliable when they get it so wrong so often. 

  • milliehull
    milliehull Forum Participant Posts: 4,760 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56988

    No rain here either WN although it was forecast. Reasonably quiet day here as well although I decided to clean the inside of the conservatory windows this afternoon and one thing led to another as these things tend to do and I ended up having to blitz the conservarory. So many spiders and cobwebs at the moment. Cobweb season has arrived🕷🕸

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56989

    Supposed to have heavy rain, even a thunderstorm this afternoon. Nothing. Met Office not very reliable when they get it so wrong so often. 

    I know for a fact that there was a thunderstorm at Mildenhall this lunchtime, with heavy rain, but that only lasted a short while before the sun came out again. They appear to have been very isolated, as we haven't had any at home but up in the Lakes and over towards Bowland the skies have been very dark for most of the day and we could see rain passing across.

    Nothing much happening here, just a bit of weeding in the garden while waiting to get the services done on the central heating system and then the car.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,860 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56990

    Millie

    I think cobweb season has been here for months, never known so many. Not so much indoors, although we do get them in the conservatory as well, but outside. Especially the car mirrors!

    Cleaned the motorhome today. Just don't understand how the roof gets so dirty? I now wish that I had, had the van roof and side paint sealed when we purchased it as I think it would make life easier.

    David

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56991

    DD and the children came up here for lunch and to help us with lifting/moving some heavy stuff.  We got the empty cupboard from the granny kitchen back downstairs, and even into place in the back bedroom, now need to re-fit shelves and hand over to OH to fill it up with whatever is necessary.  That will let us get that room all in order.

    Next we can tackle the big front bedroom.......that will take a while!

    DD also helped me take some spare plumbing stuff up into the loft, and while up there we found a few things she could take away........some toys, and her first bicycle......which is exactly the right size for Callum now.  Needs new tyres though.

    The cot bed we have here that she got off Freecycle is to be put back on Freecycle, and Callum's old one will come here instead, for Nathan to use, as it is a better one.  We can also give away the old small cot we have in the loft.

     

     

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56992

    We also have a teak veneered dining table to give away, I wonder if anyone will want it?    Teak is not fashionable these days as far as I can make out.  We brought this table with us from Norway in 1970, but it is still in reasonable condition, and very sturdy.  We used it until 1988, then our son and DIL had it from 1993 till 2019, when they bought a lovely solid oak table, and handed back our old one.

    They had already got the kitchen table from the granny kitchen, which they  are still using,  so the old table went in there, though it is really too big for the space.    Last year we acquired a better sized oak table, so once the new boiler is fitted the oak table will go in that kitchen and we can dispose of the 53 year old teak one.

    We also still have MILs teak veneer G Plan coffee table and TV trolley lurking downstairs, so they too should really be re-homed as we have no space or need for them in our sitting room.

    When DD was up in the loft she was looking disapprovingly  at all the stuff up there, so that will be another project to be tackled!    

  • milliehull
    milliehull Forum Participant Posts: 4,760 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56993

    David I now keep a duster in the door pocket of my car to specifically wipe the cobwebs off the wing mirrors of my car everytime I set off! Also most times that I open our front door I seem to walk through a cobweb. They seem to be much worse this year than other years.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56994

    We have had a lot of small spiders inside this year little ones ok but bigger ones not good I get the small had held vac suck them up and then release them outside unharmed also had a few crickets inside they go the same way and we have flynets on the windows and do not leave the door open not keen on too many insects inside at all as some bite and we also have the odd single wasp nest behind the car mirrors and even around where the car boot tailgate they get around the openings.

    Weather much cooler and some light rain about but could do with more and very cool at night now down to 11C  after last week when it was 24C at night.

    Both got eye tests tomorrow in Villefranche gosh that 6 month wait has gone quick, cover coming off the caravan this week and start getting things sorted and checked for our holiday to UK.

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,669 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56995

    Safely back home after our car breakdown on the Outer Hebrides.  Green Flag/ Mayday have been good - the recovery was never going to be straightforward (I'll post the details elsewhere) - but how much more difficult it would have been without Mayday/ Green Flag assistance...

    David

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56996

    Lovely day yesterday with all the family at Cromer.  Crabbing on the pier, cricket and sandcastle building on the beach, interspersed with fish n chips and ice cream, perfick.  Got back to Barleywood just in time for bucketing down and some thunder and lightning 

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,860 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56997

    Kj

    This might be of interest? https://www.andersbrowne.co.uk/blogs/the-andersbrowne-blog/whats-the-g-plan-a-brief-history We still have a G-Plan dining room extending table although we had to replace the original G-Plan chairs some years ago. I am not sure how old it is but our extension was built in 1989 and I am sure we had it before then. There is nothing wrong with it although its probably a bit bigger than needed, at least width wise.

    David

  • milliehull
    milliehull Forum Participant Posts: 4,760 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56998

    David Green Flag/Mayday were wonderful to us when we had an accident with our motorhome in France many years ago. They arranged everything for us, even an interpreter. I dread to think how we would have coped without them. I am glad you are now back home safely.

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,669 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #56999

    Thanks Millie....  Green Flag/ Mayday are delivering our car to the garage tomorrow.  They provided a hire car for us, from the Isle of Skye to get us home, and have recovered the Discovery seperately.  Rather a complicated do, but don't know what we would have done without them..

    David

  • DEBSC
    DEBSC Forum Participant Posts: 1,362
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    edited August 2023 #57000

    I have a ‘pet’ spider on my wing mirror, he hides behind it when I travel and is back when I park at home, can’t bring myself to clear him off, he’s been there ages.

    Very busy here, granddaughter has been staying for a few weeks but has now gone to her friends as our Son and family are now staying - not room for them all now the kids are grown. We went out with them yesterday to Torquay and Teinmouth, which was very nice.

    We bought oak furniture for out dining room, wish we hadn’t, it’s so heavy we struggle to move it, big, very expensive mistake. My cousin bought hers at the same time and says exactly the same. 

     

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2023 #57001

    That is interesting........those G plan chairs they are selling at £395 for 4 chairs, are the same ones we have!  

    We bought 6 when we came over  from Norway in 1970, they were £12 each, then we got the 4 that MIL had which are about the same age.   I recovered all the seats to match the fabric on our Ercol sofa back in 1994, all chairs still in perfect condition.  They get very little use these days as we pretty much always eat in the kitchen.

    OH did some research on line a while back and found that the "Retro" G plan cabinet stuff is being revamped with hairpin legs and sold for amazing prices, so has warned the children not to just dump it when we are gone!

    We have 2 different styles of cabinets, 3 units from the mid 70s and 8 from  the 80s, all purchased in various sales, plus 2 nests of 3 tables...one was MIL's......2 TV units, again one was MIL's, and a large and a small coffee table which were also MIL's..........all G Plan.

    We also have her big Macintosh teak unit which is about 6 feet long, it is now in what was her bedroom.  It is a very nice looking piece and would look good in our dining area, but unfortunately does not offer anything like as much storage space for our " best china and cutlery" as the 3 older G Plan units do.