What are you all up to

Options
1212821292131213321342139

Comments

  • vbfg
    vbfg Club Member Posts: 550
    500 Comments 100 Likes Name Dropper

    Reading your post reminds me why I have not been abroad for many years!

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 11,225
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited July 5 #63903

    We took MiL to our local Country Park, Loggerheads, this morning. OH walks around with her whilst i go off and do a longer loop climbing up to the top of the park.. Both walks are circular but the lower one doesn't have steps so she is able to push her Rollator around. She met a friend on the way, Victor, a 6 year old rehired Newfoundland who is a gentle giant. He doesn't like getting his hair wet but loves finding a shallow bit of the river and lying down in it.

    Victor and Elma.jpg

    Had an afternoon in the garden doing the strimming that was put off earlier in the week. Then had to cook evening meal, Coq au Riesling, which I was astounded to see that MiL finished her portion so I must have done something right. Her appetite is quite small and limited these days and she doesn't take to chicken much either but portion size was key this time.

    I checked the gas and it fired first time so we've booked 3 nights away at the CS that we cancelled last week. We've arranged for MiLs favourite carer to pop in on 1 morning and 2 evenings so she should be fine.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 17,826
    10,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic

    @richardandros cheeky🤣 Some of us have been around since 2012😁

  • milliehull
    milliehull Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 4,985
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper

    Such a lovely photo @Wherenext Your MIL is obviously having a really good time with that enormous dog. Hope your planned trip goes well.

    I had a sort out of my summer clothes yesterday afternoon so this morning we paid a visit to the Sue Ryder charity shop with a couple of bags of clothes. We then paid a visit to the caravan dealers as OH wanted to replace a gas connection for our old gas BBQ as our daughter and SIL would like it. After that we went to our local garden centre to buy a couple of rose bushes as OH has plans to turn an area at the bottom of our garden into a rose bed. Our daughter bought him a rose bush for his birthday last month so we have made a good start. We treated ourselves to a spot of lunch whilst there. I wonder whether we will get the forecast thunderstorms and rain. The garden could certainly do with some rain. We are off out to lunch with some friends tomorrow. One of them is celebrating her retirement from teaching children with special needs at the end of this term. She will be 84 next month.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 14,666
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper

    It has been a busy day for you @DEBSC and for you too @Francis

    Good to read that you got home safe and sound @KjellNN even if it was a tiring and rather harrowing journey. No doubt you will be busy over the next few weeks before you head off in the caravan again.

    Lovely photo of your MIL and her friend, although it is a good job he is a gentle beast @Wherenext and pleased to read that The Van's gas problem appears to be resolved. Hope it does not re-occur during your trip away.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 14,666
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper

    We had a busy morning with a visit to Tesco's in Leyland for essentials, a walk through Worden Park where unfortunately the walled garden was closed. Drove over to Lostock Hall to get a pack of Propane hose rubber grommets only to be stopped by a road closure due to the town's parade, so had to park up and walk there! This afternoon our daughter came round to the van for lunch and a good old chat, and she dropped of our latest supply of chocolate from foreign climes. We have had a few short showers and it has been cloudy but it is still warm. The nights do seem to be drawing in very quickly this last week!

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 14,666
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper

    One of them is celebrating her retirement from teaching children with special needs at the end of this term. She will be 84 next month

    My goodness millie that is a grand age to finish, especially from teaching special needs, our son who also teaches PMSD special need children will certainly be finishing teaching before he reaches that age I am sure. Well done to her, she will certainly deserved retirement.

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member, Member Moderator Posts: 6,086
    1,500 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic

    Just back from my last concert before the holiday.... a really lovely evening. I've just had a really good chuckle when I opened the packet of one of the bottles of wine given to me as a gift......

    17517597872073905593859925571174.jpg

    David

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,857
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper

    I can only agree. After we made the same trip last summer, OH said she never wanted to have to do it again, but unfortunately we had to.

    We rarely fly, our previous flight had been back in 2015, to Oslo, but we have been abroad with the caravan multiple times in the past. However our last trip was summer 2017, insurance having become too expensive, and having taken on helping to look after our 2 younger grandchildren.

    Still caravanning in UK, but winding down on that too.

  • Goldie146
    Goldie146 Club Member Posts: 2,554
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic

    Caravan washed. Just now. Loads of food and drink loaded. Plus clothes of course. And an ever growing bag of chargers for the ever increasing bits of technology. Almost ready to leave, but not just yet. We mustn't get there before 1pm!

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 8,501
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper

    We are having gentle steady rain since about 0900. Everything is perking up in the garden. Dora hasn't asked to go out yet!

    It's nice pottering indoors without a dog walk first. Wasn't sure I'd get away with it.... texted son and family in the South Lakes as its a novelty here. She replied saying they're fully hydrated where they are 🤐. Some around here are already harvesting barley, not her, obviously.

    Happy holidays @Goldie146 - definitely deserved.

    Glad you're home safely @KjellNN I agree about flying. Don't think we'll ever be do the NZ one again, relief and sadness. I doubt OH even be allowed short haul. He's had enough disappointment about not driving so we've not asked.....

    @DavidKlyne good to hear from you. Keep up the good work, slow steady progress. Improvements can still happen after 6 or more years apparently. Don't give up. BUT do ensure things are in place before you head home - experience has taught me, 3 times, promises do not materialise without a lot of chasing.......

    Good to read folks news, sorry not commented to each, but I've finished my cuppa so back to pottering. Gardening may even be possible this week 🤔😮🥰

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 17,826
    10,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic

    @Goldie146 have a good time.

    @Wherenext lovely photo, good to see the confidence returning.

    @milliehull do share what roses you choose👍

    We have had a terrific downpour for around 20 minutes, first proper rain in months. I might even have to do some indoor chores today🥴

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 8,501
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper

    Rain stopped, clouds clearing, sun's out temperature climbing.....

    Took Dora out at 1415 cos she still hadn't asked! So, just a road walk. Still wasn't in a hurry, must have a cast iron bladder and bowel 😮.

    Called at the veg patch on our way in. It's in the front garden behind the garage. And harvested my first veg for dinner. Cut another gherkin, neighbour gave me the plant, and planted it for me as my back was iffy 😘, believing it to be a cucumber. Only realised a couple of weeks later. So far, I missed them gherkin size, but they're good as a cucumber. But not for dinner later.

    20250706_143715.jpg
  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 11,225
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper

    @milliehull - we too have someone similar to your recent retiree. A friend of MiL she still spends time at the local primary school taking reading lessons to 5&6 year olds and is part of the teaching group that looks after them when there is a school trip. She is in her 80s and still going strong. I think such people keep certain institutions going as staffing levels diminish.

    Thought I'd pop into town to Boots Pharmacy to collect the balance of my prescription from Thursday. It was only a small bottle of tablets but the Pharmacist handed me not only those but a further months supply of half of my regular meds. "I've had this latest lot on Thursday" I said. "Well you must have ordered more" No, I didn't because I wouldn't just order half would I?" and so it went on until I gave in and accepted them as spares after making sure that the prescription that they're responsible for ordering was correct for next time. Why do some people find it hard to just say they, or someone in their company, has made a mistake? We all make mistakes from time to time. It's like admitting a weakness as opposed to a strength.

    Washed the Van this afternoon. OH fed up with the weather not making its mind up. Sheets out on the line, then in, etc. Mixed bag of weather today.

  • DEBSC
    DEBSC Forum Participant Posts: 1,478 Participant
    1,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited July 6 #63916
    The lobby painting is finished. It is rather yellow, not what we really wanted but it does look clean and bright. I ended up painting the doors as well, just to freshen them up. Every door in our house is white and I have, at some stage, painted them all, quite frequently. If we were starting again I’d definitely have the modern wood ones that never need painting. We decided today that in the future however small the room we won’t be the ones redecorating it.The groans from me as I struggled up from painting the skirting boards and the same from OH as he stepped down off the step ladder really gave our age away.
    A rather wet weekend here but it’s brightening up now. @Bakers2 that looks like a good haul, well done. I do miss my allotment, I haven’t got room for a veg patch but the yellow courgettes, grown in a tub, have been very prolific this year. I also have miniature runner beans in another 2 tubs. The plants are miniature but the beans are full size and there are loads of them.
  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,182
    500 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper

    Busy day here today mostly spent packing the caravan ready for our upcoming trip had to empty it for the service last week but it did give us a chance to have a sort out of things we don’t need any more and do a general clean and tidy up. Couldn’t be bothered making dinner so I was dispatched to the chippy

    Hope everyone else has had a nice weekend

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 14,666
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited July 6 #63918

    Quite mixed weather today with short periods of rain interspersed with even shorter ones of sunshine but all our walks have been dry except for the first one. As it looked so uncertain we did our walks from the site and we didn't bother heading out in the car, as hopefully next week we will have lots more places to visit that we haven't been to for quite a while. We had a phone call from our next site warning us of a road closure along the recommended route so have had to find an alternative one, but think we are sorted....only time will tell. Thank goodness for mobile phones!

    Hope all that are away or are doing so in the near future have enjoyable trips.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 1,840
    500 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic

    Well we had a some rain overnight and some yesterday not much as much as I would like but at least enough to wet the ground and it is much cooler hooray 17.3C outide at the moment and yesterday got to 25C but from end of week it will warm up again so making use of cooler weather to do some chores outside me gardening and OH wash the caravan although not using until beginning of September at a local site before we come to UK.

    Take care with that painting @DEBSC.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 17,826
    10,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic

    We had a proper day of rain here yesterday. I even had to stop in and do some dusting, plus other cleaning jobs, which I loathe. Swimming pool and ponds topped up. I did a harvest at Mums on Saturday, four big bowls of cherries and cut some more rhubarb. OH’s tomatoes are giving him little cherry toms, larger ones taking longer to ripen. Got flowers on my Pumpkin, and three peppers doing well on our solo pepper plant. Plum and apple trees are loaded this year, but our Conference pear is a but sparse.

  • Goldie146
    Goldie146 Club Member Posts: 2,554
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited July 7 #63921

    We’re on site doing nothing. An easy journey yesterday and initial setup. Then a few issues- first with power. I’m not sure what the problem/resolution was as OH sorted it. Much chuntering and fuse checking. Meanwhile I checked the various bottles were arranged artistically in the cupboard - whisky to the left and gin to the right . And wine chilling in the fridge.

    The site is fairly full, but plenty of choice of pitches.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 11,225
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper

    I see you have your priorities in order @Goldie146.

    A day of preparation for us, both for getting the Van stocked and for shopping for MiL, who decided to accompany OH today, which always adds an hour onto the shopping.😁 Quite wet during the night but from mid morning it's become warm and sunny.

    We won't be off early as I have to go back to hospital for the missed inoculation jab. Not going that far, about an hour away into Cheshire. A new CS for us.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 17,826
    10,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic

    @Wherenext its not the CS at Mow Cop is it? If so, it’s a lovely place, either way, enjoy😁

  • heddlo
    heddlo Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 956
    500 Likes 500 Comments Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited July 7 #63924

    @Wherenext lovely picture of MIL with the Newfie. My sister had a black Newfoundland, Jess, she was huge and a gentle giant, all the children in the area always loved Jess and she loved the attention. She lived to about 11 so she did well for a big dog. The worst thing was the drool, yuk, the thrice weekly grooming job!!

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 11,225
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper

    No it's not that one TTda. It's Northwich area. Off to Dunham Massey first though.

    @heddlo - The Newfie was rehomed and is used at a lot of charity events to help raise funds for disabled children. How could you resist a £1 a pat and photo?😁 OH was a bit worried he might move and pull her mother over but he's very obedient and stayed still for the photo. Mind you nobody asked his opinion on whether he wanted one taken in the first place.😁

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 14,666
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited July 7 #63926

    Have a relaxing time time now that you are on site @Goldie146

    It should be a dry trip this time @Wherenext and possibly a rather warm one too. Have an enjoyable time.

    It looks as if all your hard work in the garden is paying dividends tda

    After steady rain through the night it was dry when we got up. We had a trouble-free drive around Manchester and all was well until we turned down towards the site. The road is just wide enough for a single vehicle to get past the parked cars and we met a waste water tanker coming up with a line of cars behind him. I managed to pull into a house drive to let them all past but needed assistance from a couple, who were staying on the site, to reverse out with only an inch or so to spare. The site is rather quiet, with only around 30 units on it, so had good choice of pitch. It has been sunny for most of the afternoon, but blowy, however we did manage to get the canopy up without too much of a problem.

    A view of part of the site, looking down towards our caravan.

    20250707_162634.jpg
  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 3,019
    1,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic

    Hope you are enjoying what must be a much needed break @Goldie146 and the views on your site, David, @DSB are most impressive - hope you have a great time.

    Had a good day today. After admitting their fault, ALV have done more than I would have expected. Faulty /rusty / seized carrier was collected last week and today, Jon, their Chief Technician arrived here with a brand new carrier, and new wheel - indeed the only bit that's original - is my tyre. Fitted in five minutes and everything was blathered in grease - so hopefully there won't be any problems in the future. He also fixed the door blind which someone (not me!) had managed to pull off its mountings - so everything is back to normal😁

    I'm now wresting with my conscience as to whether or not I should clean the car and van which are both pretty filthy after our 3 weeks away. Yorkshire Water have announced today that they are imposing a hosepipe ban from Friday because of seriously low reservoir levels and I can't see it improving anytime soon. There's no rainfall at all, forecast here for the next two weeks and I suspect it will go on longer than that.

    I will have to top the pond up though - as that's now starting to suffer.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 1,840
    500 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic

    OH managed cleaning the caravan I will do windows tomorrow before it starts to warm up again in the next few days, no hose ban here yet but we use water butts not tap water as we are on a water meter, did managed to get some gardening done quite a bit of pruning done and looks better,

    Off to skip tomorrow they are on summer times until end of August 4 mornings a week only from 7am and 1pm think a few folk will turn without checking times.

    Glad folks are enjoying their holidays and the weather is warming up in parts of UK.

    Once OH had finished outside he had to have a IT afternoon our system decided to play up so a lot of grr's whilst he sorted it out and now all ok but he does like a challenge.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 11,225
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper

    Had an early visit to see the Kidney Nurse for my inoculation jab then home to finish loading the Van with last minute things. Had an easy drive to the NT house and grounds at Dunham Massey near Altrincham. Bit of a nippy wind first thing but the day and warmth improved as it went on. Couple of photos. Unfortunately the Roses had gone over but we concentrated on flying insects today. Enjoyed the day including some first class ice-cream.

    6eb397d7-7b2f-4d5f-9a2d-e8e8b5f91d60-1_all_1638.jpg 1000002887.jpg

    After leaving we headed off to our CS, a lovely rural site but only 5 minute walk to a smashing pub, so on a hot afternoon it would have been rude not to make it's acquaintance. Nothing quite quenches the thirst like Cider. Sat out wondering if someone would miraculously conjure up dinner for us but to no avail. Lovely day.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 14,666
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper

    Pleased to read that your dealer has come up trumps, @richardandros perhaps you could clean your car, at least, using a bucket and sponge. Have you made any plans for your next trip yet?

    Grand photos of both of your current trips @DSB and @Wherenext good to hear that you have got away without any problems.

    We had a short rain shower last night just as I got back after our last walk but today has been fine and sunny, not too warm with a gentle breeze blowing. OH did the weekly wash before we headed out for a walk from the Site, down Bradford Dale to Youlgreave, and back up the land to the site. We passed at least 7 parties of young adults on the second day of their D of E expeditions. All the washing was dry by the time we got back. I did another walk, by myself, over to Middleton and along part of the Limestone trail. A few more units turned up today but the site is not half full.

Welcome!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.