What are you all up to

Glad that you got the ladies to the cottage ok, WN, hope the weather stays fair for your break, and the same goes for Francis too with regards to the weather.

Reading all the posts with regards to the amount of rain many have had, we have been extremely fortunate it seems on this trip so far. We had just the odd spits and spots of rain today but mainly sunshine and a temperature of up to 15C. We had a rather slow trip across country to New Galloway, avoiding the motorways, but as we were in no rush it didn't matter. There are 3 other units on here, all motorhomes, together. 

An overcast but dry day so we eventually stirred ourselves and popped into Thornybridge Hall just on the outskirts of Ashford-in-the-Water (which it will be if we get much more rain or water coming down from the hills, see photo of bridge). 

'Twas very pleasant. Spent a few hours here including having lunch. They make a lot of their own stuff on site and use their own pigs, Gloucester Old Spots for pork and Dexters for beef. If Moulesy running short of Jaipur then they sell this in bottles.

Bit of food shopping in afternoon before we called it a day.

Have you found the cafe and gift shop at the old Hassop Station WN?

Yep, we have known it since it was just the bookshop on the roundabout. We generally find some road parking outside Bakewell station and then stop for a coffee at Hassop if we are on the bikes or else walk down from Monsal Head through Little Longstone and join it there and then stop at Hassop.

Had a lovely morning/early afternoon by parking at Chatsworth and walking across to Edensor. Sun was out albeit the breeze was cool. Stopped for a coffee at the Tea Rooms in Edensor (apparently voted best Tea Rooms in Derbyshire)  then I was abandoned as the ladies disappeared into the shop back at Chatsworth. Also called in at the Farm shop on the way back to the cottage.

Had a lovely time Friday evening/night and Saturday morning with our Yorkshire gKids and their parents. Teenagers can be sociable, who new that 🤣🤣 they then went off to the wedding visiting the Kelpies on the way. 

I had a visit to the opticians to, no change for me so purse is not crying. Another visit in 2 years time. ☺️

Dentist and hygienist also during the week and all clear there as well. ☺️

Did a bit of work in the front garden this afternoon while OH did a bit of checking over of the caravan.

Once he'd done his 'thing' I went in and tested all the gas appliances to make sure they worked OK, fridge took a bit to ignite but got there in the end. We'll run a power cable out tomorrow and test everything on electric.

Time to start 'finding' all the bits and pieces we put away in the attic room prior to winter. 

Good to hear all the news. 

Not a bad weekend here, though not without incident.......again!

Some sun, not too cold, and mainly dry.

We had a good run down to The Ranch near Maybole, just over 75 minutes as quite a bit of traffic.  Only 25  minutes later in leaving than planned as we could not find the second set of caravan keys.  The holidaymakers will have to make do with one set.  (We have now found the missing ones)

Found a good pitch and got the van in position, and were just wondering where DD &  Co had got too when she rang.  They were in a car park in   Maybole, just a mile or so away, and had car trouble.  Problem persisted, lack of engine power, so RAC were called.   DD rang again to ask if I could come and fetch the boys while they waited with the car, and ate the sandwiches they had just bought from the Co-op store.

After a hurried unloading of the car so the back seat could be used, we were soon back at the van, and they drove up not long afterwards.  RAC had arrived quickly, poked around under bonnet,  could not find anything obvious, drove the car around for a while, then followed them to the campsite just in case.

We were then able to have lunch, bring in their stuff, and put up the awning.

After some discussion it was decided that they did not want to risk being stranded there with a possibly unreliable vehicle, so SIL would come back with us to fetch his car.

DD then started feeling unwell......a bit dizzy and nauseous, and very tired, so she had a rest while OH and I made dinner for us all.  She did not feel like eating and decided to have an early night once the children were in bed, so after SIL had washed the dishes we and he left just after 7.

We dropped him off by 8, it had been decided he would not drive back down until the morning, so we were soon home, and I was able to have a couple of hours snooze in my chair before bedtime.  I think they had worn me out!!

DD says she is feeling a bit better today, so they have been out down the coast to Girvan, where there is apparently a "fantastic playpark"  according to a very happy Callum.   And it was sunny with nice blue skies......better than the grey clouds here.

Today I installed a "solar diverter" to send any unused power our panels are producing, to heat our water, which should hopefully cut a bit off our gas bill.

Need some sun to test it now.