What are you all up to
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Well that's us back home again after 7 weeks away in France, Spain and Portugal.
Campsites on the Costas were very busy and full of Germans, who all seemed to have very noisy dogs.
We changed our plans and went across to Portugal. Lovely, nice and peaceful sites, not busy, still the same weather, site prices are generally half the price of Spain or on some occasions a third of the price. The Portuguese people are lovely and friendly what's not to like. Much slower pace of life and simpler to.
We were down the south of Portugal (not the Algarve) planning on what to do next. Neither of us fancied going back to the Costas or to the crowded Algarve. The long range weather forecast didn't look good so we decided to cut our trip short and come back home. Looking at what has happened in Spain I think we made the right decision.
This year we discovered lots of interesting places to visit and are planning to go back and do more next Springtime.
Its good to be back home (didn't think I would say that) the garden is still looking good though some things have gone over. I can't believe I have a clematis coming into flower again. Various other plants have still got flowers and most of the bushes have still got leaves.
Had a bit of problem, finding a site on the way up that was still open, so many of the sites have closed early this year. We called one that we had used in the past to be told, sorry just closed this weekend. Then she relented and said you can come but you will be on your own. Bliss my kind of site.
Will need to do some searching out of sites still open over winter if we are to use the MH this year.
I haven't caught up with things on CT yet so hope I haven't missed anything. I look forward to reading all the threads and posts.
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Goodness me! To be honest, I've never counted, but I'd be surprised if we've been to 350 site, let alone 550!! Although we tend to go out and about in the caravan for little trips throughout the year, I guess we do tend to go back to our favourite sites quite often. One of these days I'll try and tot up the number of sites.
We haven't been across the channel now since 2015... before Brexit & Covid... Now that the dog is 13+ years old, I suspect we won't go back whilst we have her - I don't think she'd cope with the heat.
Before I retired, it was pretty near impossible to get away other than the main school holidays....
However, I now have a 'count the sites' mission - to do in the new year, after all the madness of Christmas Concerts have been put to bed for another year..
David
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Nice to hear from you again Tammy. I was wondering where you had disappeared to and said to OH over the weekend that I hoped you had avoided Valencia area.
I know what you mean about "Billy-no-mates" as we have just had our maximum allotted 2 nights on a CS in Shropshire that had no other visitors. Even the owner had gone away!
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DK, as we have a caravan, as you know, we tend to stay on a site for mainly 4 or 5 nights, touring from there each day. I think that we would have used a lot more sites, stopping for only a couple of nights before moving on and doing our touring en route from site to site, as tda does. We also tend to use quite a number of favourite sites on numerous occasions in a year, there only being a limited number of sites in certain regions that we would consider using.
DSB, it will be interesting to read what total you arrive at, the numbers soon tot up once one starts to go back through your trips.
The numbers on the CLs have varied a lot this last trip, with only us on the first one, the second one was full for 3 out of 4 nights we were there, roughly the same on the next one and there is only one other caravan on our present site.
It has been a rather dull and dank day, but thankfully without any rain. We visited Kirkby Lonsdale today where we had a walk up to High Casterton in the morning and then along by the R.Lune and up to Ruskin's View. Unfortunately the path beyond it has been closed off because of river erosion of the bank below. Had to take the photo but it certainly doesn't emulate the Turner painting of the view. I blame the weather!!
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We never kept a tally of our CL/Site usage, but it will be in the hundreds down the last forty years or so. When we were working, we tended to have most of our holidays in Cornwall, as we left our caravan on a couple of sites down there most years, a lovely small private site near Fowey, and then a smashing farm CL that had storage for horse boxes and caravans, near Marazion. Hence we would zip up and down sometimes four, five times a year, all seasons, with 28 days in the Summer. We had some other favourite CLs as well, ones to go back to with plenty of lovely and interesting places close by. We took to shorter stop offs with the MH, as we liked to move on. But we have also done a lot of cottages, B&Bs and hotels as well, as so many are very dog friendly in these past 20 years or so.
Good to hear from you TG👍
Busy day at Mum’s today😵💫 then zipped across to my SIL’s to drop of some special medical drinks for BIL. Only to find he was admitted to hospital middle of night and is now on a drip awaiting a biopsy🙁 Tomorrow up early to drop OH off at station for train to Leeds for his pre op tests, back home to cater for the demands of our elderly pooch, fit in Mum again, my own annual GP review, pick OH back up from station, sort the dog out, again😁, meal, bed and the Weds we both go to Leeds for OH to be admitted. Each day is a bit of a blur at the moment, but does have its funny moments😁
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Hope all goes well for your OH Ttda and you are busy at the moment.
Glad you are enjoying your break Nth and great photos.
OH is still busy with carport and will have a local friend help him on Thursday, he had a delivery yesterday new roof bars for the Toyota Rav as the ones for the Landcruiser did not fit heyho so he will see how the new ones fit and even put the roof boot on.
I did some painting yesterday around the door frame 3rd coat to do today, did manage to prune some shrubs yesterday and hope to do some more gardening today but it has gone a bit cloudy here after lovely blue skies of the last 10 days.
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Welcome home,TG.
Hope all goes well with your OH's op, tda, and that your BIL's biopsy is clear.
You have been a lot more fortunate with the weather than us, RK, as we have had a few dull, dreary days of late. Fingers crossed that the erection work is soon completed.
The weather was even more drear than yesterday so we didn't do a lot. Took a drive up onto the Moors above Bentham, part of the Forest of Bowland, for a walk and to view the Great Stone of Fourstones, a giant erratic boulder, although by legend it was thrown there, across the Irish Sea, by the giant Finn McColl in a fit of anger!!
Off home tomorrow for the next round of appointments before we head away on our Xmas trip.2 -
Got around to finish cleaning the soffits at the back and the drainpipes. They were definitely needing it.
Don't know why but it feels like a weekend to me.
Had to book our van back into the dealers as the cooker isn't getting to the correct heat. That'll be at the end of the month. Hope to still get away early next week.
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3 weeks of moving the bird table around the garden, buying caged bird feeders and strategically placing more and more bamboo canes in order that they can’t jump to the bird table from the birdbath, the rhododendron or our bank. Finally today I think I am cleverer than a squirrel.
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Good to hear from you TG. Pleased to hear that you had a good time 'over there'
I hope all goes well for your OH tda. Best wishes to you both.
Nothing much happening here. The weather is still, misty, grey and depressing. We haven't seen the sun for quite a while. Perhaps it is on it's holidays. We booked our flights to go over to N. Ireland for a few days mid December. I have also been in touch with our friends who live in Spain and luckily they live 100k from Valencia so are not affected but are obviously very upset over what has happened and also very angry at the way that the authorities are dealing with it (or not!)
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Hope you haven't underestimated the wee beggers, Debs, and they find a route you missed!😁
We heard very few bangs last night thankfully, perhaps most people had their firework parties last weekend. It was a bit brighter this morning so we got away in the dry and another easy drive home. It wasn't as fine at home but we did manage to get unloaded without getting wet. Three rounds of washing done but no chance of it drying outside. A blood test for me in the morning, but as the appointment isn't until around 11:00 we might just get a lie-in!😄
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It can become quite a competitive challenge to beat a squirrel. We had one persistent and ingenious grey whose behaviours appeared quite combative towards me and my efforts to banish it from the bird feeders. I’m not really sure who won in the end. I think it only moved on when it was ready to do so and had became bored with me.
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Just starting a quick pack of the Motorhome, ready for a trip to the Brighton site for the weekend. Great site to use a base to see Faithless on Saturday.
Also, looking forward to breakfast at the East Brighton cafe which nearby.
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Had quite a poor week this week... a really bad sore throat developed last Thursday, just in time for a concert I did at Perton Church (just outside Wolverhampton) last Saturday.... unusually I even had to get someone to do the announcements (I usually do them myself!!). Fortunately, I've made fairly good progress since, though, so hopefully will be able to cope with practices today and tomorrow + a concert on Saturday at Elford Church, just outside Tamworth.
Meanwhile, on the Caravan front, it's looking like it'll be a couple of weeks before we can get out in the caravan. I have this sneaking desire to go to Hawes CAMC site. We've never been, and a few folk have said to me that they quite like the site. I have to say, we just tend to book up a couple of days before we go. I usually take a look at the weather forcast and choose the best weather. A couple of weeks ago, we ended up at Bearsted CAMC. (weather related). Mind you I think I still have some sort of 'free night offer' to use at one of the Morris Leisure sites, unless I've already missed the sell by date!! 😀
David
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OH had an early hospital appointment this morning. Some blue sky today and a slight breeze, we haven’t seen either for well over a week, just grey skies. I’ve spent the morning raking up more leaves, nice crisp and dry ones, which is unusual in our garden. Another green bin full. I started off in a thick jumper and a jacket, the jacket was soon removed, followed by the jumper, so working in a T-shirt. I think that most of the older generation can really notice global warming. I remember as a kid being wrapped up like an Eskimo for bonfire night and it being freezing with heavy frosts. This year we have barely turned our heating on.. bonus. I can’t wait any longer for real winter to start to have our winter menu though. Chicken casserole and I’m also making a treacle pudding for tonight.
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Many folk around us have these symptoms at present, David. We had our double vaccination about a month ago but we succumbed to a heavy cold like virus last week. Still have that throat and fatigued feeling now. We are away next midweek so hope to be fighting fit again, I trust you will be too. I hope you get to Hawes, we like it a lot but prefer Lower Wensleydale when both are open. Hawes is more like a real rural setting what with the sounds, smells and farm animal antics to experience if you are on the adjacent pitches. Choose wisely if you prefer a more quiet life.🐂
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I have this sneaking desire to go to Hawes CAMC site.
Hawes was always one of our favourite places, we usually got there at least once a year. We usually stayed in the serviced area but anywhere near the ‘top’ (away from the farm) end was fine, although some pitches can be a bit small so ask wardens perhaps?
I hope you are feeling better soon DSB, and others who are under the weather. I’m sure it’s this Autumn gloom we are experiencing, so depressing!
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Finally today I think I am cleverer than a squirrel.
You think????😂😂😂 Where food is concerned they make Labradors look like amateurs.
Wish we had some sun but it's another grey overcast day but a bit colder and breezier.
Finally finished sorting out the household insurance. Had to move companies. Not many reward loyalty these days.
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A definite win today, washed the car yesterday and my little Kracher was spurting water from all over, I took it to the Kracher dealer/workshop in Lowestoft. Guy told me it would cost £50 to inspect and £60/hrs for any work. I brought a new one of the same model for £80.00 with a 6 year warranty.
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DEBSC against the squirel 😁. Let us know how it goes.
When I was driving home earlier I saw a hint of blue and thought the sun might put in an appearance - but no it was just teasing us, soon back to dull and grey and now dark.
Hawes was always a favourite of ours especially when we had the motorhome. There is a lovely walk across the fields to The Green Dragon pub and the falls. Also Hawes itself is a nice town and of course there is the Wensleydale Creamery. We went for New Year for a few years.
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That sounds like a great weekend trip MiĺlValleyMotorhome. I hope you have a lovely time.
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Hawes is a very nice site DSB. Fantastic dog walk, big field next to the site, owned by the Club, my tip is to park down that long side looking over this field if you can, although it’s not so close to the facility block. Must see places in Hawes (all within a short stroll) are the Dales Countryside Museum, the famous Ropeworks (good for dog leads🤣) and of course the Wensleydale Creamery. Nice shops, nice eateries. Don’t forget to check if you get discounts with your CAMC Membership card. Unless I am mistaken, I think you have a LR 4x4? In which case, consider doing some of the minor road routes to places like Sedburgh, Ingleton, Settle. Countryside is amazing, the Three Peaks and of course the huge famous viaduct. There’s a tiny local church nearby, which commemorates those who died building it. There’s a Dales Visitor Centre at Aysgarth as well, fabulous if river is in full spate. You won’t be short of things to do from the Site, either on foot, or in the car.
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No, unless I was looking at the wrong video, it’s not us. We’ve no flat fields like that, and no arable. We are out there somewhere - usually odd clips when BBC or ITV want a sound bite. If you have Instagram you can catch up by following @JRfromStrickley. Or find a really old Countryfile, which has probably been wiped by now.
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Visit to the doctor's clinic this morning to have blood taken for testing and BP taken, which was fine, along with height and weight measured. Did a search on NHS website for my BMI and that came out at 21.3, so midpoint in the healthy section. Just hope the blood test doesn't show up anything untoward. Although it has been another dampish, dull day I was able to get our rather mucky car cleaned this afternoon. Now have the van to start on, probably over the weekend.
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At last the Car port is finished and looks good and my car is parked under it and OH said even the Landcruiser would fit.
Last day of 21.1C today as it is getting much cooler in the next week and rain on the way but we have managed to get some chores done outside still got more to do, but good to have had some warm weather after last year was so wet at this time.
Have a good weekend folks and await the new forum next week,
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Oh that is sad🙁 We always found it very interesting. We have a lovely staircase rope banister up our stairs from there, and of course plenty of dog leads. Thanks for the heads up. I wonder of COVID sealed it’s fate, it must have relied on visitor numbers.
I’ve had quite a day in the big city of Leeds. OH is doing astonishingly well considering what he had done yesterday, in fact they were a gnats whisker away from letting hime come home today. But a blood enzyme level tipped the balance, and he’s having another night with the hospital. So, it was home for me, and it’s repeat again tomorrow, but no trains or taxis this time, BIL is driving me across and hopefully OH will come home with me.
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