What are you all up to
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We normally book our main summer holiday normally a 3 week break well in advance but other weekends etc and short breaks we usually wait until nearer the time especially now with this new deposit system which we are not fans off but I won’t get in to that lol
Hope everyone has a nice weekend
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Now that our starting point for Easter has been booked, we will need to get the rest of our 3 week trip sorted out very soon.
We will be starting from just south of Ayr, so planning the first stop somewhere in Dumfries and Galloway, then still undecided after that as we have been in the Borders many times already. Plan is to end up near the east side of Edinburgh to visit an old friend, probably at East Fortune CL.
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I'm supposed to be busy cooking and cleaning, but have taken a break. My husband is a twin and usually instead of buying each other birthday presents, we go out for a meal. But as he hasn't been anywhere (except the auction!) since his new hip nearly 4 weeks ago, I suggested I cooked. No one raised any objections, but because a clash of dates we're having it a week early.
So - onwards and upwards with my version of a 5 course celebration dinner.
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Talking of planning I had forgotten I had booked the Lakes and the Theatre by the Lake (wanted to see The 39 Steps) this is in the height of the summer holidays so not something we usually do but needed to be booked well in advance. Haven't sorted out how we'll travel there via a few stops. One waterside rally booked too and some possible THS on the cards, we like some of the venues and easy going set ups. Good luck with everyone's plans.
Edit I'm cooking for the family tomorrow Goldie ( I was hoping to have a meal out this time round...) but no doubt we'll enjoy it. Hope the birthday meal goes well. 🥂
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You are making me jealous yet again Brue, very doubtful that we will get to the Lakes this year, maybe next. While we were dithering our lovely B&B that we always go to are almost booked up, we don’t want to try anywhere else as we are sure that nothing would compare, not too bothered as we went last year.
Ive got a special calendar for our son & daughters bookings at our static, last year it got too confusing trying to write our appointments and everyone’s going away time on one calendar. Getting them to confirm and tie dates down is proving a problem, once that is done we can sort it out a bit better. We have given them a few dates that we will definitely be there though. Maybe we should follow this Clubs example and charge them deposits 😁, that might concentrate them.
Since I have been using the air fryer and the slow cooker more we have had less cooked puddings. Today I’m trying out cooking rice pudding in the slow cooker never done it before, it won’t have the lovely skin on the top but I’ll see how it does turn out.
Interested to know what you cook for your 5 course meal Goldie, let us know. Hope you enjoy it.
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My 5 course meal is proving a bit of a challenge as the Aga is having a off day! It’s an ancient solid fuel and blows hot and cold. Fortunately I got ahead yesterday.
Prawn Vol au Vents (cheated with Jus-rol pastry.
Asparagus Soup (froze the asparagus last year). Home made buns.
Roast duck. Potatoes Daupinois. Broad Beans. Blackcurrant & Brandy Sauce.
Christmas Pudding (why not?) and Rum Butter.
Cheeseboard, including our own St Sunday’s Cheese and other northern cheeses.
English Wines.
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Sounds lovely Goldie, except the duck, one of a very few things that I really don’t like. My OH would have Christmas pudding every day if he could. Not many can say they have their own cheese on the cheeseboard. Have a lovely evening.
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Slow start for us, no trips in the van this year yet as lots of trouble at mill. Christmas and new year postponed due to covid. Now brother, who lives in MH, been in hospital for over 3 weeks. Our hospital has been fantastic, no strikes by nurses and ambulance personnel. No staff shortage, about 15 ward staff for 24 patients and a bonus of very good food
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Sorry to hear that Oneputt, hope you brother gets well soon and your 'trouble at mill' gets resolved.
We haven't been away yet this year, we have done so in winters before Covid but I think we have just got out of the habit now.
We went to the Glasgow caravan show yesterday, waste of a day and money. Very poor show, not many dealers there, very little in the way of variety of vans, awnings and accessories. The best bit was we met up with our west coast friends that we went on holiday with last year. We decamped to the Costa coffee shop at the Premier Inn for a couple of hours for a catch up😊
Food shopping this morning, more fruit and veg. I have been advised to eat a high fibre diet, no problem with that it's healthy, so why has my weight gone up 🤔
This afternoon I've been out in the MH doing some sealent work around the bathroom sink. OH has fitted a new tap in there as the original one went rusty. To get the tap off you have to strip the folding sink, back plate and the shelf the sink is fitted to. I have now sealed most of the bits, will leave it a couple of days to cure then we can put the back board back in place and I will seal that.
Very chilly here today, the wind is from the wrong direction making it even colder. Rain this afternoon but no frost forecast for tonight thankfully.
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My Smart Meter is enjoying the slightly warmer weather! Yesterday was the first day for a while where we spent slightly more on electricity than gas. Even the electricity usage was modest as we had fish and chips last night so no cooking. Unfortunately I think it's going to get a bit colder next week so I expect we will use more gas.
Talk about things happening at the same time. The motorhome is due for service the same week as the fitter starts the bathroom makeover. I have already started to empty the van contents into the conservatory so I can judge the room I have left for when they deliver the items for the new bathroom.
David
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A very sad day. We knew that an old friend had died last weekend, but today the postman brought a letter from him. He knew he was dying and so while he could he wrote goodbye letters to his closest friends, asked us all not to grieve but remember the good times, sealed them and addressed them, and asked his daughter to post them when the time came that he was gone. Just so moving.
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We are just home from Glasgow we went to the caravan show not a bad day out but not anywhere near as good as it used to be there used to be some of the big National dealers attending such as Campbells, Brownhills etc but not anymore. Also very expensive we did buy some things from the farmers market type food stalls but that was all. There wasn’t even that many accessories for sale. Weather not great it’s now raining here. Hoping to get the caravan washed tomorrow and cleaned out inside ready for the new season ahead
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Had a trip to Bicester today, went to the caravan dealers, not to look at caravans just the accessories shop this time. 😉The dealers are diversifying and are building a caravan site next door, which they hope will be open by the summer. I suppose it will be handy for shopping at Bicester Village or trips into Oxford but with a scrap yard at the end of the lane, the A41 running past and only views are industrial units not the best of positions 🤔
Afterwards we had a look round Avenue garden centre and retail park, stopped of at the pub on the way home too.
Been watching the Rugby our neighbours opposite have VIP tickets to the England/Scotland match, her brother is the referee today.🙂
Goldie, your meal sounds lovely, hope you enjoy your evening, and sorry to read your news Oneputt, hope things sort themselves out soon.
We haven't been out in the caravan since October, due to my hosptal trips and radiotherapy, and don't normally book more than a month in advance, but we have wanted to visit Mull for a long time, we were determined to do it this year.
Sorry that the caravan show was a bit of a let down Tammygirl, but at least you had a good catch up with your friends.
Enjoy the weekend everyone. 🙂
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My condolences Eurotraveller. How thoughtful of your friend to write those letters to remember all the good times, very moving.
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We moved last September and after a month to settle in I started on the woodwork bits I wanted to make. I've now just got a couple of bookcases to make having finished the wardrobes today. Looking forward to warmer dry weather so caravanning and bowls can start.
Colin
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You have been busy Colin, very impressive! Hope you are settling into your new neighbourhood.
Very sorry to hear about your friend Euror, so touching to have the letter.
Just read Goldie's menu, sounds good, I would have to pass on the duck but could make up for it with all the extras!
Hope things start to improve for you Oneputt.
Don't know where the extra layers come from TG, maybe it's winter padding and will vanish in the Spring?
Debsc I often make rice pudding in our slow cooker, I don't like it myself so it's solely for OH, last time I made it with gold top milk and it looked good!
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So sorry to hear about your brother Oneputt. I do hope he recovers soon. However the hospital sounds wonderful. Wouldn't it be wonderful if they were all the same. Lovely to hear from you Helen. So glad that all is well (and that you are remembering to take the tablets). Your trip to Mull sounds wonderful. Looking forward to hearing all about it. Our DIL loves Bicester village but I went a few years ago with our daughter and decided that even the 'outlet' prices were well out of our price range! What a beautiful letter from your friend Eurotraveller. He must have thought such a lot of those of you who he wrote to. It is a letter for you to treasure. Who is a clever boy EribaMotters! That all looks great. I hope you are feeling better heddlo and that you enjoy your trip to see your grandchildren. Wishing a wonderful evening to all those who are having meals either in a restaurant or cooking for friends and family at home.
Thank you all for the birthday wishes. I had a really good day. Daughter popped over in the morning with our great-grandson as she looks after him on Fridays. Then OH and I had lunch out at Cote which was excellent as always. In the evening OH and I went to see the Dire Straights (I was always a massive fan!) tribute band 'Money for Nothing' at our local Key Theatre. Such a brilliant evening. They were excellent and the sell out audience were magnificent. A quiet day today catching up with myself and a few jobs around the house as the local family are all coming round in the afternoon for tea and cake.
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H&T said
Had a trip to Bicester today, went to the caravan dealers, not to look at caravans just the accessories shop this time. 😉The dealers are diversifying and are building a caravan site next door, which they hope will be open by the summer. I suppose it will be handy for shopping at Bicester Village or trips into Oxford but with a scrap yard at the end of the lane, the A41 running past and only views are industrial units not the best of positions 🤔
Afterwards we had a look round Avenue garden centre and retail park, stopped of at the pub on the way home too.
Is that the dealer with Peacocks roaming around? Rather interesting they are opening a campsite. Probably not the most idyllic place but handy for the P&R and lots to do in the immediate area.
David
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Interesting to hear your take on the show TG. DD and the boys went along yesterday and were disappointed that the vans they wanted to see, with bunk beds for children, were few and far between.
Pretty much all on display had fixed beds apparently. And many were the wider vans. Not so practical for touring.
She had a good look at MHs too, apparently several "teeny" ones, but also one costing £157000!!
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So sorry to hear of your friend, ET. It was very thoughtful of him to write that letter and certainly a memory to cherish.
Francis and TG, perhaps the big dealers realise that this year will be a tough one for them and thought that the cost of exhibiting an expense they could do without.
OP, Hope that your brother's condition improves greatly, and that you are able to get away soon.
Debs, the two sites that we booked yesterday, for a fortnight's time are both in the northern Lakes, one near Penrith, which we have used before and the other, near Cockermouth, is new to us.
Goldie, your menu has my juices running. Hope it all turns out well and you have a lovely birthday celebration.
Millie, glad that you had a really good birthday, and a brilliant evening.
Finished loading up the van today as it was full but dry, although it did rain during our walk out just before dinner this evening. The forecast is for a dry day tomorrow, so fingers crossed that is the case.
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Our dealer, Duncans of Wishaw, was there, as they usually are, DD spoke with them, also some dealers from south of the border, she looked at Adria vans from a dealer in Chesterfield, Kimberly Caravans.
I think there are very few Adria dealers up here, one I know of in Aberdeen.
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