What are you all up to

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  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,046 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 12 #58892

    Some great visits going on😁 I can never visit Kenilworth without pondering on all those huge historical figures from history who either called it home, or came on a visit. EH spent a small fortune on the Elizabethan gardens a few years ago as well.
    Dirleton is one of our favourite Scottish Castle’s Nellie. We sort of got to know the custodian around 40 years ago, when he was a student working at Tantallon. He’s a really good historical artist, and he gave us a photograph of one of his paintings, which we still have. We last said hello to him a few years ago, when he was in charge of Dirleton. The herbaceous borders there are absolutely stunning in Summer, but the whole castle is just so picturesque. We love the Yellowcraig area as well, one of our favourite Club Sites.

    So good to hear how well your MIL is doing WN, great news. 

    Thats a wonderful photo Goldie, so interesting when you have a lot of information, photos about your home. 

  • milliehull
    milliehull Forum Participant Posts: 4,760 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 12 #58893

    We love Kenilworth Deavid. We visited a few times some years ago. Such a lot of history there. Lovely photos. 

    Teaming with rain here again 😩

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,669 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 12 #58894

    We've driven past Kenilworth Castle many times (only about 20 miles from home), but never stopped to have a look around before.  It was quite busy on Saturday, but certainly worth a visit.  We'll certainly go again.. 👍

    David

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,046 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 12 #58895

    It’s bright and sunny here after some rain Millie, I will try and send it down to you😁 We had a lovely day at Southwell, and I was thinking of you at your Cathedral, as we were given some very interesting information by one of the really good guides at Southwell. We couldn’t help laughing when we were shown one particular carving…….

    Looks like a certain presidential hopeful (heaven help us if it happens), complete with realistic comb over……🤣🤣🤣

  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,023 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 12 #58896

    We are home after an excellent week at Donkey Creek caravan park near Blackpool. Weather was fine mostly sunny but cold but good weather for long coast walks. We love this area and visit often this time we visited Cleveleys Lytham Blackpool st Anne’s and Southport lots of nice walks and being out of season nothing was busy also had an enjoyable day at the British commercial museum in Leyland. Donkey creek is a good site for anyone in the area it’s a private site and much cheaper than the club site nearby and a far better site in my opinion. Good for those with motorhomes as there is a bus stop in the village that serves all the local towns. Easy 4 hour tow home today roads quiet even around Glasgow. The Volvo was filthy so got that cleaned when we got home caravan needs done to but that can wait until we come back from our planned weekend away in a couple of weeks.

    Good to read everyone else’s news. Glad MIL is improving WN

  • HelenandTrevor
    HelenandTrevor Forum Participant Posts: 3,221
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    edited March 12 #58897

    Been yet another damp day, getting a bit tedious now! 😬 roll on Summer. Been rather uneventful here, although I did update both payroll and accounts software at work without any hiccups today, hopefully I'm all ready for the new legislation and NI changes.🤞 

    OH was a taxi service today for our neighbour who has broken some bones in her foot. 

    Glad you had a lovely break away Millie and a good Mother's day. 

    Lovely photos DSB, I used to live in Kenilworth and often visited the castle, but haven't been back for a while, really must revisit.

    Lovely to read trips away have been good,  we have plans for a couple of days away locally. 

     

     

     

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 12 #58898

    Francis - good to hear of someone enjoying a weeks holiday, apart from Nellie that is. If you have the time then maybe you could put a post on the Sticky thread in UK touring section on non club camp sites. 

    It's not a full review, more a recommendation. Might help others.

    We actually both got out for a walk, albeit a brief one, today as Physio's visit wasn't until 1pm for an hour but she turned up early and agreed to let us escape whilst she was doing her thing. 

    Later on I had a short drive to our local Motorhome dealers as they had a small M/H just come in with automatic transmission. Bit too small for our liking.

    We really enjoyed Kenilworth Castle when we visited last year.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,860 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 12 #58899

    Francis

    You didn't mention that Donkey Creek Farm Caravan Park was at the end of a runway!!! Is the runway in use? Otherwise it looks like a very nice site and it seems to have several bus services which is good for us.

    David

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,669 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 12 #58900

    Tonight I've just got that 'it's almost time to clean the roof of the caravan' feeling.....  🤣🤣🤣

    David

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58901

    I had that for a few weeks, David - but have now cracked it using that wonderful electric rotating brush you recommended last year!  Feeling quite smug that it's now finally done.  Just waiting for some decent weather so that I can clean and polish the sides - don't know when that's going to happen having looked at the forecast.

    Car's in for service / MOT, today.  I know I'm going to be parting with a lot of money - two new tyres as well and I'm sure new brake pads will be required - they haven't been changed for nearly 50k miles.

  • Rufs
    Rufs Club Member Posts: 4,072 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58902

    Yes!!! i had this feeling on mothers day whilst the GK,s were here, they all said that i am not to climb a ladder anymore and that they would contribute towards having somebody come an do it for me....result cool but at £100 i do feel it is a bit expensive.

    weather not been great in Stubbers, but winds have been very light so all the magnolia trees are in full bloom and managing to hang on to the blooms. Just had a quick spin on the bike, much warmer today and no rain, i cut the grass again last week so that is not looking too bad, had daughters 2 x dogs over the weekend so they left their calling card on the back lawn yell

    Stroke club today, never been a social club person but we have both been pleasantly surprised with how the club is run and the information that is avaiable, however, i can feel a volunteer label being stuck on my back in the not too distant future especially as i am probably one of the fittest attending, zumba today i draw the line at that and go off to do an Asda shop while OH participatesundecided

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,669 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58903

    I usually do the sides bit by bit, by using a dry wash of some sort.  Used to use 'OneDryWash' but of late, I've used Dry Sparkle.  I often do it while were away in the 'van....  I tend to do one side one day and another side the next day etc.  As it's a dry wash, I don't think it breaks the 'don't wash your van on site' rule.

    Best of luck for the car service.  I've just done insurance for the Disco!  🥵🥵

    P..S. I think someone mentioned you have the E & P levelling system - I put a post under the 'Caravans' section which you may be able to help with... 🙂

    David

  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,023 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58904

    Hi David

    Yes the site is right across from RAF Warton runway there are no planes go out at weekends so weekends are quiet during the week you do get the Typhoon jets taking off maybe 3-4 times per day. We like that and can sit and watch them take off literally from the caravan window but they do make a loud noise but as I say it’s not constantly noisy just for a couple of minutes while they take off but they don’t operate at night so no issue over night. Good site though and a good pub in the village about 10 min walk away 

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58905

    Just written you an essay, David - hope it helps you make up your mindsmile

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,195 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58906

    Well, the rain stopped yesterday 😀. Naturally, after a very wet dog walk. It was still grey!

    Dry so far today 🤞quite windy, but it's warm. Dry dog walk, but I'd overdressed and was too warm 😂. Haven't said that in a while. Fields drying nicely 🤞just might get the spring sowing in - I would like to eat!

    Garden help tomorrow, so want to go and assess tge garden and priorities. I'm just waiting for the washing machine to finish and peg it out.

    I'm impressed with all the cleaning that's going on. It will be lovely to see the sun but I expect it will show up all the jobs that have been neglected over the winter.

    Time to shift...

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58907

    We've come for a short dog friendly hotel break at Rutland Water this week, a part of the country we haven't visited before. The weather's not bad and today we walked from the village of Hambleton around the "peninsula" which is quite a geographical oddity - if you look at the map you can see it's a large land area inside the lake itself, accessed by just a single road. (Ralph knows the walk like the back of his hand/paw, having completed the circuit twice!) wink

    Far reaching views across the water and the village itself has some interesting buildings including a 13th century Norman Church, an "Old Telegraph & Post Office" and several thatched cottages.

  • heddlo
    heddlo Forum Participant Posts: 872 ✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58908

    It’s an area we know fairly well moulesy having lived not far away, it’s a really large lake and can be heaving in summer weekends.  Keep an eye out for the Osprey ‘Maya’ apparently she is back in the area already.  We saw the Osprey’s and chicks when we visited the hide there last year.  Enjoy your break. 

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58909

    At last a sunny warm day 20C best day so far for the last few months of rain and more rain, Washing done and did managed to hard prune a field maple that has got a bit overgrown  very easy to cut and now got a full trailer of branches ready for a tip run in the next few days.

    A couple of things to do in Cahors tomorrow and may call on a friend who has had more tests and will see consultant next week but knows she will have to have her gall bladder removed, she said she is bored of not being able to do much and not sure when she will be able to get back to work as a home help.

    Enjoy your break  moulesy  a long time that I was in that area as went to the bird fair many years ago and very wet at the time.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,195 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58910

    Glad you had a lovely time. Not far from milliehull and myself. Sorry you've had wet weather! It's actually been dry all day today, but VERY grey. It did dry up yesterday afternoon.

    Read your post completely wrong! 🤣🤣 Left my reply to cheer you all up!

    Enjoy your stay it's a lovely area. Hopefully it'll stay dry whilst you're here. 

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58911

    Yes, just been reading that Maya returned yesterday and have been looking at the pictures on the webcam.

    We've only just realised that we're less than a mile down the road from the famous Gardener's World venue Barnsdale Gardens - should really have twigged given that the hotel shares the name! Sadly, they don't allow dogs at all so we'll have to give it a miss, probably not the best time of year anyway.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58912

    Too late to edit the above, but have just seen that Maya's partner (seems just to be named "33") has also returned today so all good news on the osprey front.  smile

  • milliehull
    milliehull Forum Participant Posts: 4,760 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58913

    Enjoy your stay at Rutland Water moulesy. It is indeed a lovely area. I have traced my ancestors to that area, particularly to the little village of Manton. I expect there is a lot of water in there at the moment! What a pity that Barnsdale Gardens dont allow dogs. They are a well worth visiting. One of my birthday treats is a visit with afternoon tea there for myself, our daughter and our eldest daughter which I am looking forward to when the weather is better.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58914

    Good day today weatherwise, we've had a few damp days but not heavy rain, I think we are to get that tomorrow.

    The decorating is finished for now. The living room is back as it should be. Just the carpet to shampoo but it will have to wait until a dry day. 

    With a bit of luck we should be able to start on the MH next, was hoping for a few days away before Easter but that looks as if it might not happen now.

    No grass cutting going on here, will be another couple of weeks at least before that happens.

    Just heard on the news tonight that the female Osprey at the Loch of the Lowes has returned and is busy tidying up the nest, male not arrived yet.

    Good to hear some are getting away in their vans and that MIL is making good progress.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58915

    Bl**dy Essential Maintenance!! Here is my unedited post from last night, just a day late. I will be back later, hopefully.

    Our last day here in Scotland before we head further south. It was dry but full for most of the day but warmer than recent days. We had to story up before our so called in at both Lidl and Aldi and managed a couple of walks inbetween. After getting done what I could for an earlyish leave in the morning, we have to be off for 10:00, I managed to fit in a swim in the site's pool. It has been quite a time since I took to the water and might feel the effects tomorrow. 

    This has been our first experience of a large commercial site and on the whole a favourable one. The touring area is no where as regimented as the majority of CC sites, and although the toilet block is not up to the standard of both clubs it was adequate, at least for me. The price at this time of the for a fully serviced pitch was about half that of a club site, and just as quiet. Would we come back? Perhaps, midweek around the same time, or at the end of a season. We did anticipate that there would be few tourers on site, however there have been at least 60% of the 40 pitches taken, with as many tonight as at the weekend.

  • milliehull
    milliehull Forum Participant Posts: 4,760 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58916

    I needed an appointment at our GP surgery today so rang dead on 8.00am - I was already 23rd in the queue! I reserved my place in the queue, got a phone call 10 minutes later and was offered an appt for 10.00am and was all done and dusted by 10.30am. Such great service. Most impressed.

    We got our Council Tax bill today and yes it has gone up but not by as much as we feared. It has gone up by about 4%.

    It has been a grey, cloudy day today but no rain and quite warm.

     

  • HelenandTrevor
    HelenandTrevor Forum Participant Posts: 3,221
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    edited March 13 #58917

    Excellent service from your GP surgery Millie, I wish ours was as good.

    Like others no rain but no sunshine either today,so an improvement 🤔sort of,  managed a lovely walk round our park with Polly this morning before work.

    Hope you enjoy Rutland Moulesy, we have ventured around the area when staying at Top Lodge.

     

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58918

    Well that was a bit of a too eventful day for us.

    MiL had a tumble at 4.30 this morning on a loo visit and banged her head on the wall. Long story a bit shorter, we were in A&E at 5.10. I dropped both ladies off. They were dealt with quite quickly by A&E standards and after a CT scan and examination MiL allowed home and was,  just after 9.00. She went to bed and slept. She seems OK and none the worse except for pride. Wall might not recover though.smile

    OH reports that there was over 70 waiting on arrival, some from 7pm the previous evening. Also reported that 2 nearby waiters were regular weekly visitors whose conditions hadn't deteriorated but still wanted seeing to.

    Town for me later on.

    Received a BT telephone directory for first time in ages. Now a slimline version.  Full of Jones' Davies' and Williams' mostly seeing as we're in Wales.😃

     

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58919

    Good service from your surgery Millie.

    Our council tax gone up by 9%. Looks like we will be paying for a £1millio fine for not hitting recycling targets. Feel annoyed as we are quite enthusiastic about making sure we do our bit and looks like we'll be lumped in with others that can't be bothered.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58920

    Perhaps this will help to explain why they are known as Maya and 33. The number in brackets indicate the year that each was born.

    Brief history: The nest was first occupied by White 08(97) and Green 5N(04) in 2007 who raised 2 chicks. In 2008 they paired again but the nest failed and in 2009 it was unused. In 2010 a new pair, Green 5R(04) and an unringed female nicknamed Mrs 5R, took up residence and over the next four years raised 11 chicks. Green 5R(04) failed to return in 2014 and Mrs 5R paired with a new mate, Blue 28(10) and laid 3 eggs. Blue 33(11) arrived determined to claim this nest and ousted Blue 28(10). Blue 33(11) kicked out the eggs and spent the remainder of the season bonding with Mrs 5R who was then officially named “Maya”. Since 2015, Maya and Blue 33(11) have paired up each year and to date have successfully raised 26 chicks

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 13 #58921

    That was some service millie, and the same at A&E for your MIL,WN. Good to hear that she appears none the worse for wear following her fall.

    Good to read of all those out cleaning their units, that will be my first main job after we get back from this trip. Looking at the state of some of the units on the sites we have been on recently it would appear that they are lucky to get a wash once a year!!

    We moved down to another Haven site today, Haggerston Castle, South of Berwick. We had to stop for a while en route, having to leave by 10:00 and not allowed on until 13:00. The touring section of the site is about 1/4 full. The pitches are not as good as on a club site but fine for us, and a bargain at under £15 pn. We are far enough away from the entertainment complex so should no be bother with noise. Had a wander around some of the static site,  parts of which are very well laid out. Weather has been a bit mixed but mainly dry and we had a red sky tonight so hopefully tomorrow will be fine.