What are you all up to
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That's awful news @Goldie146. There seems to a non layman like myself that there must be something wrong with the testing but I suppose that's already been suggested. Really hope they get to the bottom of it soon.
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MiL chose a visit to Stratford today. A bit surprising after her exertions yesterday but in view of the weather forecast getting warmer maybe it was for the best.
We parked the Campervan in Riverside Car Park by the Leisure centre as it has designated M/H spaces. The even better news is that we parked for free as MiL has a Blue Badge. We then walked down one side of the river, stopping for tea by the Bowls Green and we then caught the foot ferry across the Avon and walked back. A fair walk for her but plenty of benches to take a breather and enjoy the day.
It tickled me that the Bowls team are sponsored by SpecSavers. Reminds me of the sponsorship by SpecSavers of Referees in Rugby League.
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@Goldie146 - what devastating news for you all - I was hoping that there may be some good news this time - as I'm sure you were. Fingers crossed that the Ministry officials can get to the bottom of it.
Well done @Francis - I knew you'd get it this time😀. For those that don't know the area - we were at Dittisham - or 'Ditsum' - as it's known locally.
Today, it was back into Dartmouth on the bus and after being dragged into Cotton Traders to buy some more T-shirts (I got two for my Birthday - but apparently, I don't do clothes shopping and I needed more - why?) - off to Bayard's Cove, pasties in hand and with a pint from the DA - we just sat there and watched the world go by😁.
The best pasties in Dartmouth - from the Cornish Bakers - apologies for the bite taken out of it - just couldn't resist!
We've all seen amphibious caravans in the past - here's a couple of amphibious motorhomes!
Lower Ferry is absolutely fascinating to watch………
Here is the ferry about to leave - after that beautiful sailing barge clears the river……….
The tug boat pulls the ferry out backwards, then swings round at 90 degrees to the ferry and pulls it sideways before…….
swinging round in the opposite direction to set off across the river. Only two crew on board - the helmsman and the deck hand and it's the slickest operation to watch - whatever the state of the tide and the weather. There's no tying up at either end - the engine is simply left running on tickover to drive the ferry onto the ramp.
I have to say I was more than disappointed with the College boats. These are obviously the ones that replaced the ex-Picket boats from HMS Vanguard that we, as Cadets, learned how to handle twin engine vessels. They, with their blue hulls and gleaming white superstructure were magnificent to look at, and there was always a feeling of pride when out on the riiver in them. These things, were drab, ugly - not very clean - and the White Ensigns were a disgrace - tatty and dirty. How standards have dropped!!
But then I spied this beautiful wooden yacht - which cheered me up! Lot of hard work obviously gone into this. I bet she has some stories to tell🙂
Dartmouth really is a very special place😀
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Glad to read that both of your days went well @milliehull & @Bakers2
Sorry to hear your news @Goldie146 and I hope that the reason for the difference can soon be sorted out.
Grand photos of Dartmouth @richardandros and that pastie certainly looked like a meal by itself.
Your MIL picked a good place to visit today @Wherenext and both she and your OH are looking well. Fine photos too.
More Roman buildings for us today, but we firstly went to view Aydon Castle, which is actually a fortified Manor house. Unfortunately access is by booked tours and was not open today. This is the only view we could get of the external walls.
Then it was onto Corbridge Roman Town and we arrived just in time for a very informative guided tour, taken by Paul of EH.
Here he is explaining about one of the Garrison buildings.
These were the town's huge granaries
To fully appreciate the site one really requires photos taken from a drone.
Then it was restocking at Tesco and Aldi in Hexham, which was much less busy than on Saturday. It has been a very sunny day with a warm breeze, but thankfully it clouded up this evening and is a lot cooler so much better for sleeping.
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Well, yet another disappointing day weather wise. It was damp with low cloud. Made our way to Fort William to catch the train to Mallaig. After a bit of a panic we managed to find somewhere to park. All the way to Mallaig there was nothing to see, it was that misty/cloudy. Got off the train at Mallaig and the heavens opened up, the wind got up and it was freezing, thoroughly miserable. What were we going to do for two hours if this goes on. Thankfully it subsided a bit, so it was just miserable 🙄 Apparently they do nice kippers there. Did they have any? No. Anyway, took this snap as a reminder…
We were glad when the time came for the return journey. Luckily, the weather did improve on the way back and managed to take a few pics. Apologies for the quality, not great due to the mucky windows and reflections…
A certain well-known viaduct…
But here’s the thing, given that it’s supposed to be one of the best (most scenic) train journeys in the world, why on earth do they leave all those trees in at the side of the track to spoil the views? I’ll get my coat…😁
BTW, great pics everyone 👍
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Oh @Freddy55 how disappointing. Do you usually get decent weather when away and holidaying? I ask because we've only ever had one holiday where the weather was awful. One of our friends had booked the same week as us one year, they were notorious for ALWAYS having rotten weather when away, as far as I know they aren't as bad now. I always avoided clashing dates with them, not so easy when you need school holidays 🫣! So could it be your friends attracting the weather? How is your foot? This will be one holiday that will stay in your memory and one day you'll look back and chuckle about it.......…..
Off to Papworth later, at least the hospital is cool, even if the journey is warm to hot. It's an absolutely beautifully glorious midsummer morning here.
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@Goldie146 devastating to happen but to then find that it may have been unnecessary is dreadful. I hope they find a solution quickly.
Loving all the photos, please keep them coming. Especially @Wherenext, my those photos look familiar. I have the exact same one as the photo of the theatre as my screensaver. We haven’t been for many weeks, our neighbours are keeping an eye on our caravan, which is just a mile away from your photos, down the Warwick or Tiddington road. I miss it so welcome the photos. MIL is doing really well that walk from the car park is no mean feat. Better go, have an appointment to keep.2 -
@Goldie146 devastating for you all especially as it seems unnecessary if the cows don’t have TB just a skin reaction. Such beautiful cows as well. So sad for you.
@richardandros glad to hear you are enjoying your time in Devon but that pastie - Phew, it’s enormous !! Did you really eat all that?!
@Bakers2 (no sorry it won’t go red!) so glad the Christening went well and chickenpox didn’t disrupt proceedings. Our grandson got chickenpox a couple of days after he had the jab so he must have been incubating it already. Good luck today at Papworth.
@DEBSC (and again!) do hope this week goes well for you. Is this the last week?
Really enjoying all the pictures even the sadly misty ones from you @Freddy55. I hope the rest of your break is better.2 -
@Goldie146 can only reiterate what others have said, it’s an ongoing nightmare for you, and you need some positive resolution somehow.
Wonderful photos from others, some of our favourite places. @richardandros (won’t work sorry) there’s always magic watching the comings and goings somewhere like Dartmouth. We spent 20 years holidaying in and around Fowey, stunningly beautiful, and so interesting, particularly the Bodinnick Ferry. Some right old shenanigans to be seen when Ferry took on yachts, they weren’t adverse to tackling the China Clay ships at times🫣
@nelliethehooker we have been inside Aydon Castle a few times, it’s well worth a visit. Not sure why it’s tour only now🤷♀️
Yorkshire is still bone dry where we are. 26c yesterday, and expected to get warmer later in the week. I spent a couple of hours pampering our pooch, a bath, a good furmination and claws clipped. Tired him out no end, so we had a peaceful day. Took to the pool for a dip later on, then we enjoyed a nice homemade anniversary meal.
Mr Shiny, post pampering. The socks protect his elbows from the gravel outside.
Our teatime therapy, it’s lovely and refreshing without the 🥶factor. Chair is for towels, and a cup of tea! We need a clip on tea tray😂
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Oh @Goldie146 ... I'm so sorry to hear your news... Hope things get better soon.
Great to see that many of you are still 'out and about' and taking lots of lovely photos. The weather sees great too. Just a bit frustrated we can't get out at the moment.... just too many concerts and practices... still waiting for news about Carol's hip replacement and still regularly visiting the MIL following her TIA and hospital visit. I reckon the moment we get out in the caravan, the rain will come!!! 🙂🙂 (Mind you, we could do with it!!)
David
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Not great news @Goldie146 again just hope you soon will some answers, on the farming news here there is a lot of tractors on the road to different fields for grass cutting , turning the cut grass and baling some very old tractors and then a very large modern John Deere with kit on the back.
Great to see more photos folks.
1 large shrub near the house had a haircut early today then a bit of striiming before it got to hot, upto 32C and could be 36C by Friday. Have got my last breast screening early Thursday morning in Cahors so hope to home for it gets too hot.
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Sitting in the restaurant at Papworth, lovely food. Boarded the dog with son who's working from home today. By doing so managed to take a detour to miss the delay on the A1M, 2 lanes closed apparently because of a van fire. Are we hearing of more fires, vehicle, buildings etc or are there more happening? Usual confusion at the P&R as to which bus stop. Seems to be different each time! Only Addenbrookes marked, OK if you know both Papworth and The Rosie are on the same VAST site. Guided bus took about 7 minutes but parking spaces hard to find at 1100....
@redkite, not going red, I had my last breast screen recently, and was told to ask again in 3 years. I was given contact number to call. Could you be the same over in France?
tomorrow's looking a little less busy,builder delayed on current job so arriving Thursday..
@Takethedogalong Yorkshire sounds as dry as Huntingdonshire! The pool looks inviting.
@DSB hope you get a chance to get away soon. And that your MIL is doing ok.
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@Goldie146 sorry to hear the news hopefully things can sort themselves out soon
Envious of all you lot with nice weather it’s been dry here but not particularly warm. It’s supposed to nudge on to the 20s nearer the end of the week and in to the weekend. Been a bit busy here at the moment as we are getting ready for our family party we are hosting on Friday night hope the forecast is right as we are having a BBQ
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@Bakers2 Our Breast screening it every 2 years upto 74 years of age so got in before my 75th birthday and OH said ours is state sorted but if I wanted to get another possibly through the doctor prescribing for me as a friend of ours lost her mother to breast cancer she said she would like one every year but as she is younger than me by 11 years she make go down the doctor route, hope all goes well at Papworth for your OH.
@Francis Hope your family party goes well and hope the rain keeps off, a couple of times a year we get a local classic car drive go past us usually about 40 to 60 cars mostly French but a few British cars ie Jaguar,MG even had 1 Rolls Royce one year they usually do about a 20 to 30 mile round trip but only in the good weather.
@nelliethehooker taken a copy of the recipe but wonder what temperature for the air fryer and how long does it take to cook? off for a bit of shopping tomorrow after a skip run garden waste so will get a few ingredients I have not got in the cupboard.
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I’m back early today, my brother took me, he doesn’t hang about, earlier appointment and I went almost straight in. It’s 55 miles away and it was very much warmer there than here, which is strange but not unusual. Sat with two other people in the small waiting room, only to realise that they come from villages either side of ours! If we had known possibly we could have travelled together. One of them had done what we did and hired a caravan closer for this week, said they just couldn’t keep doing the journey. @Bakers2 and @RedKite I think that it is wrong to have a cut off date, it's ageism in my opinion. Especially as a lot of the ladies I have seen recently have been older, make sure that you make that phone call when the time comes.2
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@DEBSC I can only agree with your comments re cutoff dates for breast screening. Luckily my sister had her last one about 18 months ago and they found a small tumour. Had she been a year older it wouldn’t have been spotted as she was unable to feel anything herself. I self referred myself after her diagnosis it was very easy to do, just a phone call, so yes, I agree, make sure you make the call.
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Back home. @DEBSC I think the journey time was similar to yours. That must add so much stress on top of what you've already got. Glad you were swifter 😉 today.
All the device checks done, a few tech bits ?? needed a 2nd opinion but it's all good. It's an older device, 6 years, and fitted and previously set to the other hospital protocols. Battery life at the start was 10 years and life left calculated at 4.5 years as its not often required 🤞
It's been rather hot, car said 29c when we got back to it and only dropped to 28c. Collected the dog and said hello to family. Now in the shade in the garden, the house was lovely and cool as I'd closed blinds and curtains.
Its a garden visit about 30 minutes away with the garden club tonight, but sadly I'll give it a miss, should have left by now. Tomorrow I have no alarm and no call on my time until about 1530. Result!
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Good to hear results @Bakers2. My ex business partner is on his second 10 year battery so hope OH joins him in having one.
Definitely having a quite day tomorrow after todays exertions. Drove to Packwood House, about half an hour away, mainly so that MiL could see the Tapestries. Well worth it. She was able to access the ground floor and I have to give a big thank you to the Guides who were exceptionally kind, friendly, patient and informative. They went beyond what I was expecting and she really enjoyed it. Shows the value of a good guide as I'm sure @milliehull would agree.😁 The borders were lovely and the Yew Garden a real show stopper.
We went on from there to Baddelsey Clinton NT just 2 miles from Packwood. A more compact garden. We didn't stay too long, not wishing to see the Moated Manor house as MiL was flagging by that time.
Even MiL was too big for these.
I believe this might be Turkish Sage but willing to be proved wrong if someone knows different.
The moated Manor House at Baddelsey Clinton.
The gardens at Baddesley really were lovely. MiL waiting, forlornly, under the Mistletoe. Strumpet!😂
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@Wherenext great photos have been to both properties many years ago when we lived in Malvern and Redditch, enjoy the rest of your holiday and yes to Turkish Sage know as Phlomis Russeliana I have a Phlomis but do not think it is that one it started off growing very slowly but now about 3 to 4 feet across and about 3 feet tall and nearly finished flowering now. No day off tomorrow as more gardening to do early and the off to dechetterie pm and some shopping.
Hope to get away next week for a few days on local site and will check the site Thursday afternoon as I hope the pool is open as it was being cleaned out when we went pass it last week and looks a bit cooler next week.
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@Wherenext great pics look like you are all having a great time and getting decent weather. We had to go to Glasgow today to pick up a few bits and pieces but when we got home this afternoon the weather had picked up so got some more work done in the garden got the trailer loaded up with rubbish so will need to do a trip to the tip this week at some point. Got the Mercedes out the garage and gave it a clean as we have another show coming up in a couple of weeks and may not have a chance to got it out again before then. Looking promising weather wise for the weekend. Going to be busy gdaughter arrived yesterday from New Zealand her new boyfriend seems nice even helped loading some of the stuff in to the trailer for us. For those interested in classics the fruits of my cleaning and polishing efforts today are below heheh
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I am having problems editing my posts again so this mainly a trial.
Sorry that the weather was not very good for your train ride but grand photos again @Freddy55, also those posted by@Takethedogalong, @Francis and @Wherenext
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Those journey times make me glad that our hospital is within walking distance @DEBSC and @Bakers2 but very pleased to read that the treatments have been going well.
Mixed weather today, as it started off fine but quite windy, so we were able to get away without any problems, but it started to rain just after we got underway. We soon ran out of the rain and the wind eventually died down. However not long after we got to Shap it started to rain and blow again and we had a wet arrival at the THS, which is in the fields adjacent to the Spital Farm site favoured by Kjell. The site is only about 1/3rd full but there are over 60 units on the THS! It is still rather cloudy, although the rain has stopped for the time being, and it is much darker at this time of night than it has been for weeks it feel like!
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@nelliethehooker taken a copy of the recipe but wonder what temperature for the air fryer and how long does it take to cook?
@RedKite OH says it was a bit of trial and error, but suggest that you preheat the AF and cook the loaf at 180C for about 30 mins, and then check that a needle come out clean. If not give it a bit longer. Hope it turns out a success!!😆
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Hiya @Bakers2 . As we’re both retired, we’ll usually set off for a few days when the weather look fair. But of course, some have to be planned in advance, like this trip was, almost a month away in total. I guess one has to expect some bad weather, especially in the highlands. After an overnight soaking, Sod’s Law dictated that this morning was almost glorious, just as we were setting off for Keswick. It was the first time we got to see the peaks, with the sun glinting against the greenery. Just outside Glencoe there are the ‘Three Sisters’, absolutely stunning, a real feast for the eyes. The pain in my feet has now abated, just a bit uncomfortable, thanks for asking 🙂👍
A couple of pics en-route….
Well, after the best part of 5 1/2 hours driving, we arrived at Keswick, one of my favourite sites, C&CC. Yes @nelliethehooker, it’s not a journey i would normally undertake, I think it was something like 240 miles, quite a drag. Traffic was fairly light though. A little rain when we arrived but soon the sun came out, hurrah!🥳 Forecast is looking good too. We have 3 nights here, before moving on to Kendal for 2 nights.
Sorry @DSB , I meant to reply sooner. Thanks for your suggestion regarding Lewis. Not sure though I’m in a hurry to travel to the highlands any time soon, a bit too bleak during bad weather. Yes, I’m a wuss 😁 Stanley is mighty handsome 👍
Proper pasty @richardandros 👍
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What a stunning car @Francis . At first glance, I thought it was scratched - until I realised it was a reflection in the gleaming bodywork🙄 I can see how much work you have put into getting it into that condition. I bet you're really proud of it - and justifiably so😀.
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@richardandros thanks yes that one is my show car I can’t take all the credit as it was in excellent condition when I bought it 3 years ago always had a classic Mercedes’ but always wanted that particular model so only have the 1 show car now. Not a cheap hobby though to keep it like that ha
How is Devon going hope your still enjoying
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@Francis - Devon is wonderful, thank you - lovely hot sunshine again and it looks as if it will stay like this until we leave next week. Having a lazy day, today - doing nothing much and a BBQ later - perfect😀
Had a bit of a mystery, this morning. Was in the bathroom and flushed the loo and just as I did so, there was this sound of dripping water - coming somewhere, it seemed, close to the cassette compartment. "Oh no", thought I - "we've got a leak." Since our loo flush comes from the inboard tank, I switched the pump off and opened a couple of taps to take the water pressure away - but it had no effect. Indeed, the dripping got faster.
This went on for a few minutes and then it suddenly stopped. Put the pump back on and it had still stopped.
After breakfast, I went outside to investigate - armed with a pair of rubber gloves just in case the drip wasn't one of fresh water!! It was then that I noticed that there had been a really heavy dew last night - in fact it look as if the caravan had been rained on (but I knew it hadn't).
Opened cassette compartment, fearing the worst - only to find (much to my relief!!) that it was bone dry😀
After much contemplation, it dawned on me what the most likely explanation. This pitch is on a bit of a slope - and it was impossible to achieve perfect fore and aft level. The hitch is almost on the ground as it is. Consequently there is a very slight slope towards the back. There's a horizontal ABS trim piece across the full width of the back of the van - just above the number plate and I reckon it was water (dew) on the roof dripping down and hitting this trim - in the offside corner next to the cassette compartment. That would explain why it mysteriously stopped on its own.
I shall file that away amongst all the other bits of useless information in my head - just in case someone else poses a similar question on here🙄.
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@richardandros we get that a lot due to the design of the rear of our caravan there a a bit of the panel that sticks out so when it rains water drips from the roof on to this part and makes a loud noise
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Sadly not bee on here much recently.on 12th of May I sufferer a Stroke and spent some time in the MK Hospital Stroke Unit before being transferred to a private Stroke e rehabilitation Centre just north of MK.It has impacted my left side,particularly the arm which seems to have a mind of it's own! I am able to walk,under supervision and I am receiving lots of physio and other therapies Everyone seems pleased with my progress but what the new normal is I don't know. Cognitively I seem pretty sound fortunately next aim is to spend some time at home ,even for a weekend but not sure how far off that is. Margaret seems to be well recovered from her hip replacement, we just didn't need this as well?
David
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