What are you all up to

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  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176
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    edited August 2017 #8912

    The roadworks have been ongoing with various upgrades. You could check out the Cheshire bit on line it is very slow through there. It slows up again at the M6/M5 junction going through Smethwick etc. North Worcs is clear now. Good luck, we will meet the same problems going north but as I said will allow ourselves more time.

     We are staying at a CL in Cheshire on the way back. If things are bad we'll travel south west of Brum.

  • Talktourer
    Talktourer Forum Participant Posts: 30
    edited August 2017 #8913
    Well we would have been away in the van but we had a spot of bother with the tow car....due for a change anyway.
    We've just bought a sorento and pick it up mid week!
  • redface
    redface Forum Participant Posts: 1,701
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    edited August 2017 #8914

    Sorry KjellNN, we are going from the south to the Midlands on Tues. and hope to take the good weather with us.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,729
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    edited August 2017 #8915

    Caravan now cleaned inside, even shampooed the loose carpets, so will be able to start packing  on Tuesday.

    Got a call from DD re a bathroom fan and lights misbehaving, sorted meantime, but they found water in the fan, so I am to investigate tomorrow as she will be at home.

    Tow car goes for first service tomorrow too.

  • milliehull
    milliehull Forum Participant, Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 4,830
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    edited August 2017 #8916

    What a great photo OP.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited August 2017 #8917

    Same here K. Outside Friday and tow car. Inside Saturday. We are off on Thursday

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 14,009
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    edited August 2017 #8918

    You could use the M6 Toll to join into the M42 as K suggests. Don't for get that you get a discount on the toll road by presenting your CC card. 

    Edit I see that others have suggested the same.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 14,009
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    edited August 2017 #8919

    K, you could turnoff onto the M54 towards Telford then exit at Junct.4 onto the A442 to Kidderminster and then the A449 back onto the M5 at Junct.6 north of Worcester.

  • milliehull
    milliehull Forum Participant, Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 4,830
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    edited August 2017 #8920

    It was just as you said Bakers2 - picnic, comfy chair and good company.  The grandsons were playing in different teams (they are cousins and different ages) but we managed to see both of them play and cheer them on.  Our son was coach for his son's team so it was great to see him in action toolaughing After we got home we spent an hour in the garden enjoying the peace and quiet. Such glorious weather today and on a Bank Holidaycool

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 14,009
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    edited August 2017 #8921

    Kjell, if you are staying overnight at Uttoxeter why don't you head East on the A50 and then pickup the A38 South , then the A5 east to the M42 Junct.10 and follwow that all the way round the south of Brum to pick up the M5 at Junct.4A. It may well be good bit further but you should avoid most of the roadworks.

    You are correct in thinking the the congestion has got worse in the last few weeks. Our son took 7.5 hrs from Stourbridge to Warrington and back, going up the M5/M6 and returning down the A49 about 3 weeks ago!!

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 14,009
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    edited August 2017 #8922

    Belated Happy Birthday, Kjell. sounds as if you had a great time.

  • milliehull
    milliehull Forum Participant, Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 4,830
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    edited August 2017 #8923

    Happy birthday from me too Kjell. 

  • robsail
    robsail Forum Participant Posts: 1,441
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    edited August 2017 #8924

    Happy birthday Kjell from another birthday boy, mine was yesterday! Not as busy as yours though!laughing

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant, Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 8,302
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    edited August 2017 #8925

    Belated happy birthday Robsail.  Hope you had a lovely day and had some fuss. KjellNN has done well for fuss, both on the day and again this weekend. 😉 nice work if you can get it 😃.

    Milliehull glad you had a good day.

    Been beautiful here. Went for walk and discovered miniature train rides happen every Sunday April through to October.  Its a model railway club and they've quite a large area for tracks and whilst we were there three trains running. Only bought to my attention as council want to build houses on the land so there's a petition 😲😲. Only lived her 32 years so still getting to know the area!

    This website is awful tonight pages not found, interval server errors but when it does work it seems quite speedy. Oh the quirks of CT and this website generally 😂😤😢

  • milliehull
    milliehull Forum Participant, Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 4,830
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    edited August 2017 #8926

    Happy birthday robsail. Hope it was a good one.

  • milliehull
    milliehull Forum Participant, Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 4,830
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    edited August 2017 #8927

    Not just me the then Bakers2. I keep getting 'server error'.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,960
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    edited August 2017 #8928

    Me too, just come back on before going to bed, server error on most pages, so having to go back and forth to get to a page yell

    Thanks for the suggestions NTH and others smile looks like we will be off after lunch on Tuesday. No point in sitting around if we are all ready which we should be.

    So off to Englethwaite Hall for the night then lazy start Wednesday down to Chapel lane. Lazy start again on Thursday down to Plymouth. I know we could do it with 1 overnighter but why rush, we will be on holiday. This way when we get to Roscoff we will already be rested and ready to have fun and explore the area. Just need the weather to behave and we should have a good time.

    Went up to see Mum this morning she was on good form today so I;m feeling a bit happier. Gave her a hair trim and did her nails, she was chatting away all the time but nice and relaxed not anxious like she sometimes gets.

    More stuff out to the m/h after lunch and then a bit more tidying in the garden, just a few roses dead headed and some off the summer flowering plants tidied up, its all looking nice again.

    Not seen the next door neighbors today, probably nursing hangovers laughing the gazebos are gone though so they must have come out while we were visiting Mum. 

    MillieH, sounds like you had a very' English' BH day today, sadly we didn't share your lovely weather. It was mild but the sun was a bit shy.

    Bakers, isn't it funny you can live some place for years and then 'discover' something new, sounds as if its worth the petition.

    Kj thanks for the warning about the Museum, I'll look it up to see if it will be open.

  • triky auto
    triky auto Forum Participant Posts: 8,690
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    edited August 2017 #8929

    cool Sunny bright and warm already here on the Kent coast.Off to B/yd shortly,more tidying up jobs etc.Have to sort out some old nets and pots for someone that wants to 'have a go'.Have a good day you'all. wink.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant, Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 8,302
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    edited August 2017 #8930

    Got up to mist this morning and so cobwebs extra pretty. Autumn feels eels a couple of weeks early to me this year. Sun breaking through now so fingers crossed.

    Slow start to the day here, this site seems to be much better behaved this morning 😉.

    Happy holidays Tammygirl,  good idea to take it slow if you have the time.

    Tricky sorry can't offer any assistant ancestors but watch the air you breathe! I know it's a away from you but sounds nasty.

    Off to mum today I expect to be pottering whilst we're there. She shows no inclination to go out to see places. Happy in her own place and people popping in. Takes herself to and from church in the next village, where she grew up and dad is buried, despite our village church being visible from the lounge and just a few steps away 😃. Even the undertaker remarked on it! Still it's been her church for almost 87 years.......

    Good Skype with nz Saturday evening. Youngest still not sleeping well. Doctors today another double ear infection - that's 4 in 3 months! Daughter asked about grommets and doctor readily agreed,  at least they have insurance this time didn't for eldest granddaughter. Funny how ear problems run in family my mum, me and my two suffered and it seems my granddaughters too.

    Oneputt lovely photo,  didn't realise you had a pigeon pair of twins. They seem to be enjoying themselves.  Enjoy your trip, wherever you start from!

    Enjoy your day folks

  • milliehull
    milliehull Forum Participant, Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 4,830
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    edited August 2017 #8931

    Have  good trip Tammygirl.  How long are you away for this time?  Safe journey.

    Hope you have a good time with your Mum Bakers2.  I am sure she will be pleased to see you.  Sorry to hear about youngest grand-daughter's ear problems.  Very difficult for your daughter and SIL if she is not sleeping.

  • HelenandTrevor
    HelenandTrevor Forum Participant Posts: 3,221
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    edited August 2017 #8932

    Enjoyed a great day yesterday travelled over the moor to Marsden to meet up with youngest son and his girlfriend, weather brill so did one of the NT circular walks taking in some of the towpath up to the tunnel and then up onto the moor,great views. Had a pint of Butterley Bitter brewed on the premises at the Riverhead Brewery Tap, with our sunday lunch.smile 

    Hope everyone has had a great bank holiday weekend.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176
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    edited August 2017 #8933

    Another lovely morning here. Yesterday lunchtime we were on a hotel terrace enjoying Sunday lunch overlooking the river Frome in Wareham, watching the boats go by, really nice way to spend Sunday! There is a camp site along the Frome with a riverside footpath to town, very pretty spot. see here for the boat trips, must try one another time. smile

    Belated birthday wishes from me to all the birthday people and bon voyage to those setting off on their trips. We leave early next week, would you mind ordering some good weather in the north?! wink

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,729
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    edited August 2017 #8934

    Another miserable, wet and windy day here, just as well we did the caravan yesterday. Lashing rain right now.

    Turned out it is daughter's old Volvo V40 that is off for service and MOT today, picked up by 08.30.  Now the nervous wait to hear whether it will pass the MOT, and how much needs spent on it.  At 15 years old it is not worth much, so there may be a difficult decision to be made.

    It is going very well, but you never know what hidden defects may come to light.

    Our VW goes on Wednesday apparently.  OH had made a note of what was happening when, then I went and lost it.  embarassed

    Just as well I had made both cars ready yesterday.  Amazing how much stuff needs to be removed from an empty looking car!

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,960
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    edited August 2017 #8935

    Dull and windy day no rain so far but its going to happen.

    Sorry Brue can't seem to get any decent weather up here, we've had enough hence the trip to France. Knowing our luck Scotland will now get good weather and France rain. frown

    MillieH, thanks for the good wishes we are away for 4 - 5 weeks this time. Was planning to go for 3 months but big sister and family are off to Australia to see her son for 3 weeks, right in the middle of our intended trip. I don't want to leave Mum without anyone to keep an eye on things so we've cut it short. On return we are going to see our son in Malta.

    Van just about finished packing up, can't help but think I've missed things but everything has been checked of the lists undecided I still have loads of room. Meals for the journey made and frozen, curry, bolognase, chilli, lasagne. Some fresh items still to go in fridge but that will happen tomorrow once the fridge has been on for a few hours.

    Might change our minds now for stopovers, first still Carlisle but think maybe Warwick racecourse for the second night, bit nicer to go and have a walk around Warwick after the drive, as Kj was right the museum at Chapel Lane won't be open. Not much in it as distance goes just a nicer stopover site/area.

    Council grass cutters just turned up to do the 'green' out front of the house, for once its being done before the rain, still a flipping mess they leave though.

    OH gone out to help one of the elderly in the village with a problem she has, its all part of the time bank he belongs to. He gives a fair bit of time to it when we are around, haven't used any of our 'banked' time yet so must have a fair bit in the bank.

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited August 2017 #8936

    It was very hot and sunny when I went to work yesterday after resting in the afternoon in the caravan with the aircon. Luckily, there were plenty of deliveries to do so that I didn't have to spend too much time in the hot kitchen!

    It's hot and sunny again today so we're about to have lunch in the caravan with the aircon.

    We went shopping at Tesco, filled up fuel for the Smart Car as well.

    The Shogun aircon is not working so will need to get it fixed. No reply yet about a date for the call out to fix the fridge.

    Working again this evening from 17:00 to 22:00 then 3 days off, one day on and then another day off.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,729
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    edited August 2017 #8937

    Well, news on the old car was good, so it lives another year!

    Rear brake pipes to be replaced, but we knew about that, otherwise only some indicator bulbs and the service, which is a big one so quite expensive.

    May not be brought back till tomorrow as the brake pipes are a lengthy job and they have several cars in today. Not a problem as we have the other car should we need to go out, which I doubt.

    If the rain goes off I plan to clean the van water system this afternoon.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176
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    edited August 2017 #8938

    Enjoyed lunch outside today, nice warm weather, a bit hot now but very pleasant. Giving some of our cider apples for a local open day demonstration of cider making....hope we get some bottles in return! Discussing what can go and what isn't ready yet, glad I don't have to pick them off the tree or from the ground. smile

     

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited August 2017 #8939

    Tammyg,  Brue  et al

    I've  just  this  very  hour  got  home  from  Dorset  Steam  Rally.

    I  followed  the  same  advice  coming  home  as  I  used  going  down and  that  is,  as  some  may  well  have  already  said,  use  the  M6  (or  M6 Toll  if  you  must )  south  to  the  M42,  follow  that  round  until  you  can  join  the  M5.  It  may  be  a  little  longer  in  miles  but  tons  less  frazzling  of  the  nerve  endings.

    Brian  A B M 

    {  feeling  ultra  (Deleted User !)  after  a  superb,  warm,  dry  G D S F  now  I'll  cool  my  toesies  in  some  gentle  warm  water,  while  the  rest  of  me  enjoys  a  couple  of  pots  of  well  brewed tea  !!}

    P.S.  I  always  allow  at  least  three ( 3)  hours  extra  for  such  journeys,  then  when  I  only  use  half  hour  extra  I'm  chuffed  at  being about  2 1/2  hours  early --  Glass  half  full  syndrome  and  even  thats  refillable  !winkkiss

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,729
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    edited August 2017 #8940

    Thanks to all that suggested alternatives, as the delays are now reported to be much worse, I will certainly be looking at all the possibilities.  No fun sitting in heavy traffic not moving.  Moving slowly I can  cope with, but not long stand-stills.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176
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    edited August 2017 #8941

    Thanks from me too for the update ABM. The M42 is too big a detour for us coming from the M5 southwest and we could try heading west of Brum if needed. It's the Cheshire bit that might cause us delays too. 

    I am hoping the end of the school holidays will reduce a lot of the traffic, just now it is pretty awful all the way up! Will be speaking to my daughter tonight after her journey down from the lakes late Saturday.

    She has just been to the GDSF too ABM, boyfriend was playing with a band, hope you've enjoyed it, fantastic weather this year.

    Hoping we can hand her dog back tonight, his long holiday has been with us! wink