What are you all up to
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I saw a programme about pharmacies very recently and it stated that some of them are running at a loss because as some meds are in such short supply that in order to get them for their patients they are sometimes having to pay more for them than the NHS pays them. Quite a few pharmacies are closing for this reason. It is all very worrying.
Glad that both tda and Helen had good trips away with their vans. Good to hear of people getting out and about. So sorry to hear that DEBSC's latest trip wasn't a success. Glad you are feeling better now.
Nothing much to report from here. OH has done a lot of work in the garden. Looking at the weather forecast I think that will be the last gardening for a while as it is going to be very wet! A friend treated me to breakfast at a very nice garden centre (Bosworths) this morning - another birthday treat. The weather was good as well, no rain and some sun. We are off to N Ireland next week so I had better start thinking about what clothes to take. I think wet weather gear and warm jumpers will be the order of the day.
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Can't say we have had particular problems getting medications but before Margaret started using the Libre2 sensors in conjunction with her mobile phone she often had problems getting needles and test strips to take blood sugar levels. We changed pharmacies because the one we started using was a bit chaotic so we moved to a different one only for that to be taken over by the chaotic one!!!!
David
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My goodness Millie you certainly do know how to make a birthday last!
OH's main problem stemmed from a med, the only one she has, that Pharmacist couldn't get hold of but took a few days to tell us this. They then wanted to change to a different one but needed a new prescription so that took longer. OH picked it up but didn't like the look of it when she got home, went back the following day and found her original item being sold over the counter and in stock on the shelves. Obviously pharmacist then couldn't change it back without a new/original prescription hence tonights visit. So she will have to take it in tomorrow but to a different, but more inconvenient to us, pharmacy. Receptionist did let slip that she has less trouble with our prospective new one.
Ironically when MiL was in hospital their own pharmacy couldn't get hold of the Nutritional Drinks that they wanted her to take. Neither could our own pharmacy but this "new" one could so we ended up with a favourable impression of them straightaway.
Edit - that's awful DEBSC about the scarcity of epi-pens. Scandalous.
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The pharmacy that we use for OH's medication is part of a local group so I guess they can access the required tablets from others if they don't have them in store. We get a text when they care ready for collection after having ordered the prescription on line from the doctors. We have not had any problems so far, fingers crossed.
Sorry to read that you had to shorten your stay at your caravan, Debs. Glad to read that you are getting over your malady, and that you were able to get to the RSC. David you and the family certainly lead an exhausting life. Hope that that the car is fixed for the return journey north.
It has been a rather damp day here, although the rain did stop for a while this afternoon. I had a visit to "see" the audiologist at the hospital this morning and ended up with a pair of hearing aids. Having only tried them for a few hours but they certainly seem to make a big difference, once I had adjusted their volume. They are Bluetooth so grand for listening to podcasts while out walking!!
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Our local pharmacy was Lloyds, but is now independent.... actually it's much better as an independent. The trouble with large companies is that they get their stock from 'one scorce', whereas an independent has a bit more freedom. At one point when we were having problems in getting one particular medication, Lloyds and Boots told us to ask a small independent chemist, who managed to get the tablets for us. Our 'new' pharmacy is also really efficient.
Well, Nellie.... Daughter Ruth and Son-in-Law Wayne sucessully managed to hand over their old campervan to it's new owners this evening while I was out at Brewood taking my regular Thursday night practice. Tomorrow, we have to get Wayne to Manchester to catch a plane to Switzerland. It looks like Ruth will have to borrow the old 'rust bucket' to drive him... I have my regular Friday commitments, so I'm sure they'll manage it on their own.
The weather hasn't been too bad here today. Cloudy with some brighter spells, but no rain (thank goodness). Didn't get chance to get the extra gardening done today, but there will be other days. Ruth did mention the 'B' word today (barbecue), but I'm not sure it's quite warm enough yet.... 😀
David
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Just got back from three nights at Ferry Meadows. The site was very busy, no doubt members making use, as we did, of the free night voucher. Clearly a great success giving members a free night, will they do it again? They will probably be crunching the numbers to see if it genuinely got more people on sites at what most would think of as a quiet time of year? An added bonus was that it hasn't been cold and despite the forecast a lot less rain than predicted. Got home about midday and got the motorhome put away in the back garden and then off to Waitrose for the weekly shop, decided to treat ourselves to lunch in the cafe. Just as well they had an offer for a toasty and drink which made it more reasonable. Fourth day running we have had coffee out, if you include Peterborough Services on the way there!
David
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All 4 seasons today here, thankfully the sun shone more than others. Still bitterly cold wind though.
More jobs done sorting out the van.
Re pharmacies our village one is part of a group but we do very well with them. We did have a period where there was a shortage of something's but they were very good at keeping us in the loop.
Good to hear your caravan is ok Debs, hope the cold clears up soon. Such a shame for your Granddaughter but good her friends family were helpful.
We didn't take up the clubs offer of a free night, so few sites open up here at this time of year and didn't think it worth going south just for a free night.
Have a good weekend all.
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We are away in the van for the weekend just local but great to be away. Arrived here early afternoon but mix of weather howling gale and rain one minute and sunny the next. No cooking tonight we had dinner from the chippy. Not much planned tonight just drinks and telly in the van.
Hope everyone else has a nice weekend
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Glad to read that your daughter and SIL were able to pass on their old M/H as arranged, David. Hope all your trips work out fine.
Enjoy your weekend away, Francis. Fingers crossed for more settled weather for your stay.
It was a fine day here, well for much of it. I was able to get both the outside of the caravan and car cleaned by 2:00, plus two walks with the dog. Then coming back from our post dinner walk this evening Flyte and I got caught, and rather wet, in a shower of rain and hail!!
Just goes to show how cold it was and how unpredictable the weather is at the moment.0 -
It has been a busy week, between looking after our Guide Hall and dealing with the caravan and the grandchildren.
We have been having internal wall insulation installed at the Guide Hall, using up most of the reserve funds, and now floor insulation, for which we are getting a 75% grant and a 25% interest free loan.
The wall insulation is complete, just a few finishing touches to complete, the floor will take another week, and then there is all the red tape and paperwork for OH to deal with. It is a big responsibility looking after spending so much money, but it was work that badly needed to be done.
The transformation is amazing, the whole place is cosy and heats up quickly now. As the guy in charge said, it was just a "huge wooden shed" with no insulation in the walls at all.
On Tuesday we took the caravan for its annual service, and today we fetched it home. Very heavy traffic on both days. Mostly the van, now 16, is pretty good, a few highish damp readings, but that should improve over the summer months.
The main problem is that there is a gas leak somewhere on our Gaslow pipework, so that will keep me busy finding and fixing the problem. Plus we are going away soon, so need to get the van cleaned and packed.
Need some decent weather for that, got soaked and frozen getting the van back onto the driveway this afternoon.
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Have been catching up, Gosh you lot have certainly been busy, 🤣
Nellie, you put me to shame, I've only just managed to empty the caravan and give it a quick hoover after last weekend's trip. As for the outside well....that might not get done as we have a few days over Easter booked.
I've been lucky with our pharmacy and I've only once been given half of one set of tablets, which just meant I had to go back a few days later.
My week hasn't been very exciting, just work, although we did venture down to our newly opened B&M store in what was our Homebase, huge shop with large garden centre too, only problem it's 2 floors and at the moment there's no lift! Knitting project has slowed somewhat, must get on with it.
We have sunshine 🌞 this morning but it's a very cold wind, have pegged some washing out just keeping fingers crossed the showers stay away.
Have just booked us a few days in South Wales in May, something to look forward too now.
Enjoy the weekend 🙂
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Putting me to shame too.... Nellie and H&T... 🙂 I always keep the inside of the car and caravan clean, so that's not a problem. I take the car to the local 'hand' car wash. However, the outside of the caravan is another matter. Cleaning the sides are not a major problem, but the roof is another matter... I really need to get this done. Might try for the week after Easter if we get a really nice day...
David
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Caught in a hailstorm on my morning walk but the wind and sun that followed it dried me off.
We did buy an extendable pole/brush for doing the roof of the caravan but it's lost somewhere in the mess that is the garage. OH and self have promised ourselves to clear it out soon and tidy it up so hopefully the brush will reappear and I'll get the caravan cleaned.
Hope those away have a good weekend.
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I agree OP. In the latter years of owning the caravan we always paid to have the roof cleaned when it was serviced. As you say better than risking a tumble.
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Very sunny here.....off and on. Inbetween sun we have had heavy showers, so not conducive to looking at the gas installation in the caravan.
OH has put on washing, I am in the garage making 2 oak window sills for DD, her study and Callum's bedroom, out of a long, wide oak bench she got on Freecycle. Big enough for 2 sills and plenty over for some wood-turning projects too.
The study previously had a white uPVC sill, that was removed a couple of years back, and Callum's room only had painted plaster......most odd! That just leaves the main bedroom and one en-suite bathroom with uPVC ones, other bathrooms have tiled sills.
The bedroom has a huge bay window, not sure if she has plans for me to replace that one eventually. Then there is a large, deep, hanging-out bay in the living room (what are those style of windows called?) where the sill needs replaced as it got ruined when she had all the roof leaks. It is not solid oak, just a veneered board, but to get a piece you need to buy a whole 1200x2400 sheet, which we do not have the means to transport, so need to figure out what to do. Possibly cut it in half and use the roof bars. Will need to be a guaranteed dry day for that as the only place that has the correct boards is way over on the other side of Glasgow.
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Have been busy here this last week picked up a new door on Monday from local diy store and then spent two days getting old one out all solid hard wood that was fun not for OH and then installing new one pvc in white with a tiny window at top of door and I did all the cleaning up of dust and chunks of plaster everywhere and now installed just a few bits of trim to get and fit around inside and outside it certainly looks brighter in the area.
As weather was sunny and warm yesterday we had a trip around doing a few things and then stopped for a picnic at a local lake and there were some local council workers doing the sides of the road well when we got there 2 already at the bbq point and getting charcoal going then the rest arrived 2 vans plus two smaller lorries 6 workers all with picnic cool boxes or bags and plenty of baguettes bewteen them and got all food cooked and had an enjoyable lunch not seen anything like that in UK but it was a 2 hour lunch break, did have a walk around the lake which is now full for the first time in about 12 months and frogs croaking away and plenty of Damelsflies about and 2 swallows flew over, got to 27C yesterday a bit cooler today 13.5C with a strong north westerly wind.
Have a good weekend folks.
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having the whole caravan done on the 16th April ready for the off on the 2nd May, 3 weeks in Cornwall.
Never known the roof to be so green before, have always used Bobby Dazzler and this in the past seems to have kept the algi at bay, this year, probably as a result of mucho rain, not so, the guys at the car wash would do the sides but will not touch the roof. elf and safety,
very expensive so it is going to be my fathers day present, much better than falling off the ladder.0 -
Just wish our dealership offered this service. They do have a team of cleaners but their duties seem restricted to the "for sale" vans. I can still get up and wash the roof but its not something I enjoy and as each year passes I probably make a poorer job of it. Not that it's likely to happen but if I were buying a new unit I think I would pay for a ceramic coating to be applied in the hope that it makes cleaning the roof easier. It seems to work with recent cars although we are probably inclined to clean those more often?
David
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The roof of our caravan gets cleaned twice a year once in December and once in July before our main summer trip. This seems to stop it getting two dirty our second youngest son Does it for me now so my duty is now steadying the ladder I do go up to inspect though ha. The rest of the time the side and back and front get done after every couple of trips this is easy enough to keep on top of.
Site here quite busy considering it’s only the second weekend it’s been open this year. Weather been a mix of heavy showers and bright sunshine. Not much planned tonight just a few drinks in the van.
Hope everyone else is having a nice weekend
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A bright but very windy walk at Roker with one very dertimed looking dog trying to run away from its owners!
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We had pleasant weather yesterday. We went to a tea gathering at a friend's house yesterday afternoon and had a very pleasant 20 minute walk round there in lovely sunshine. OH managed very well but slowed down towards the end. Another friend who was there offered us a lift home which we was grateful for! It was a very good afternoon catching up with friends we hadn't seen for a while. Change in the wind direction today and the wind is bitterly cold. OH cleared and cleaned the greenhouse this morning and kept out of the wind. We had a couple of really heavy downpours with hail. Typical our magnolia has just come into bloom and we get high winds and frosts😡
We have new neighbours. They moved in yesterday. The house was sold over 9 months ago but the 'chain' broke. Luckily it eventually all got back on track and the original purchasers were delighted. They are friends of some friends - 2 widowed sisters who decided to sell both their properties and move in together. I have asked our friends to let them know that we are here if they want anything and we will pop round and introduce ourselves properly when we get back from N. Ireland.
Hope everyone is keeping warm.
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I try and clean the outside of our caravan, including the roof, on the first fine day after we get home from each trip, so this year that's 4 times up to now! Today I cleaned the inside so not much else to do to prepare it for our next trip, whenever that might be. We have again had mixed weather but it has been mainly sunny, but with a very chill wind.
It seems as if most areas are having similar sort of weather to us, apart from RK, where the temperatures make me jealous.
Sounds like you had a fine day out yesterday, Millie. Hope your trip to NI goes well.
Some hardy souls in the front at Roker, CS.
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Same here David our local dealer doesn't appear to offer this service . I've often thought of getting a professional caravan cleaning company to do it, but I'm always a bit cautious of how they would do the job. Don't like the idea of a jet wash blowing away all the sealant! One hears stories of water ingress being caused by 'harsh cleaning methods'.... it' who to trust.... 🙁
David
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I did speak too soon yesterday, we did have some short sharp showers, we did manage a nice walk across the fields by the canal with Polly and stayed dry. Unlike the washing I pegged out. 🙁
Glad you enjoyed your day Millie, hope you have a lovely time in NI with the family.
Second morning of sunshine today, no plans as yet, although I have a few bits to put back in the caravan.
I'm impressed Nellie our caravan is lucky to get cleaned twice a year! OH's motto is why clean it when it'll only get dirty again, I did point out he expects the inside to be cleaned.🤣
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David
There is a company called Tourer Shine who seem to have a good reputation. Its not just a clean they also seal the surface. I am sure they would be happy to answer any questions. I don't think its cheap though?
David
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Glorious morning here, but a chill wind. OH at NEC, so it’s just me and the hound, who has gone back to sleep. Day in garden for me, then a bit of craft work. I have thinned a hedge, just need to lower it now, but banned from anything like a ladder🤣 Long handled loppers it is then…….
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We are home after a nice weekend at Ayr Craigie Gardens Club site. Weather hit and miss but glorious sunshine this morning. Easy half hour tow home van back in it’s space as we won’t be away now until the second week of April as we have things on over the next couple of weekends. Still sunny here contemplating getting the BBQ out the garage and cooking on that later first one of the season will see if this sun stays. Might give the car a wash as well
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David - Tourershine is the company that did mine last year and Paul (the owner) did a fantastic job - I did post some pictures on here of his handiwork. Thoroughly professional, although, as you say, not cheap - but well worth it in my opinion. He's been in the business for 30 years - caravans and auto re-finishing and certainly knows his stuff and gave me some useful tips for maintaining the van in pristine condition. He's based in Leicester but travels all over the country.
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