What are you all up to
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Arrived and set up at the River Breamish site and what a fantastic site. It only took an hour to get here which somehow didn't feel right. Lovely hot and sunny day. Just going to stay on site now and enjoy a glass of something.
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David
If you go on to the DVLA website you should be able to see a list or at least put in a condition and it should tell whether you have to notify them. Even a Google would provide that information. Could it be that you have caused some confusion with the DVLA and this could be taking time?
David
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Best of luck, it took 5 months to get mine. Applied early February, letter received beginning of April saying they would renew all but my PSV because my eye sight did not meet spec (not true). Rather than argue, I accept this because I am unlikely to want to drive PSVs anymore. Come June still nothing in spite of at least three unanswered emails and a phone call. It eventually came during the 2nd week of July after more unanswered emails and another phone call when I told them I needed my licence for a trip abroad!
peedee
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We stayed there a few years ago CS. I think it is one of the nicest sites we have ever stayed on. Lovely facilities, great wardens and full of wildlife. We used to sit outside of an evening watching the hares. Lots to do in the area as well, including some really good walks. Hope you have a wonderful time.
We did a 'tip run' this morning. We thought we had better get rid of some of the junk in our garage while we still have the big Mitsubishi. It was very busy there. Spent an hour or two in the garden this afternoon cutting back and tidying. It seems never ending! It now starting to rain.
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Interesting day here today in MK. A couple of weeks ago Anglian Water fitted a new "Smart Water Meter" for us. After a few days we noticed there was a slight leak from under the cover. Gave them a ring and quite quickly someone came out to inspect. He gave the impression it was not uncommon! He would arrange for the meter to be dug out and a new one fitting. As it was in the pavement they would need to get a permit from the Council. In fairness to Anglian Water they kept me updated. Today they arrived to do the repair. Before doing us I saw they working further into the estate so clearly the guy who did the initial inspection was not wrong! They got to us and started to dig but stopped after a while. Apparently they could smell gas! So the gas people had to be called. They did various tests and found the leaking and corrected it. The guys returned to change the meter but because of the gas issue they now have a bigger hole than they are equipped to deal with. So it could be another day or two before its finally finished. The hole is in the pavement outside the garden so doesn't really impact on us. Despite what I have said it did seem quite well co-ordinated between the different services. The new meter has a little lever that you can flick to the right to close the supply off to the house. If you are the sort of person who turns their water off when going away they suggested its better to use this lever than using the stopcock in the house!
David
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David, I applied on line for mine on the 16th July, and it was here at home when we got back a week later!! Funny the difference then.
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The new meter has a little lever that you can flick to the right to close the supply off to the house. If you are the sort of person who turns their water off when going away they suggested its better to use this lever than using the stopcock in the house!
David, that sounds like a sensible idea, provided of course that some scrupulous/malicious person doesn't switch it off when you out for the day and have left your washing machine running. I must admit that I never think of turning off the water at the mains when we are away, even in winter, although I suppose that I should.
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WN, the results from OH's blood sample won't be back for a while and she will only be concerned should they get in contact, but all else was fine.
Tda, you certainly have been busy at your mums, and deserved the relaxation of your pool this afternoon. Next short trip won't be to long in the coming, as we have the first few days booked already.
It was a warm although cloudy day today and we went for a walk on our local common, knowing that we would get some breeze up there, before dropping down to the bay for our picnic. On the way home we called in at the local caravan dealer's to purchase a gas refill, and were surprised with just how much stock he had for sale, all with quite hefty price reductions. We have had some light rain this evening, but hopefully it will have stopped before Flyte and I head out shortly for our last walk of the day.
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Nellie
You might need to check your house insurance policy as they sometime specify that water should be turned off at the mains if you are way any length of time especially in winter. Sometimes they are happy if you leave the heating on. All my life I have been and unplugger of plugs and turner offer of the water, sad really! It was only since we had a combi boiler I used to leave the heating on when we were away in winter but then we were never away as long as you, usually only a matter of days in the cold months. We never leave dishwashers/washing machines or tumble dryers on when we are out so it would only be a minor inconvenience if someone did turn the water off. The stopcock is in such an a difficult position I usually end up taking the skin off my knuckles!
David
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I changed my paper license for a photo ID one a couple of years ago, and it took around six months to get sorted. DVLA is second only to the Pensions Service in terms of inefficiency and difficult to contact.😡
Nice little day out for us today, into the Derbyshire Dales, a walk up to Slippery Stones at Ladybower. There’s a good wild swim pool up there, lots of folks walking back from a dip. It stayed lovely until we set off back towards Fairholmes, light rain.We had only gone a short way back when we came across a couple obviously struggling with the walk back, (gent looked in real pain from hips). They had badly underestimated the distance of the whole walk around. With a bit of re organising back of our car, we managed to get us all in, and dropped them off back by their car at Fairholmes. They were so glad we stopped, I think they would have been walking another hour and a half had we not taken them back. Nice to help someone out🙂
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Just about recovered from our journey home on Monday. We set out from my sister’s house just after 11.00, made good time to the airport, then found we would have a long wait as the plane was an hour delayed. Had our lunch sandwiches while waiting.
Flight was good, but had a bit of a rush to the international departures, only to find the plane to Edinburgh was even more delayed, so another long wait, and time to eat more sandwiches. Was after 21.00 before we got to Edinburgh. Then we got held up at passport control as I had not used this new passport before and did not have my “leave to remain in UK” stamp in it, and they could not find me in “the system”.
I was eventually allowed to enter UK, but by the time we got our luggage, the bus I should have taken to Glasgow had long gone (The young people had brought our Touareg, but only space for 5 plus most of the luggage, I had to take my 2 cases on the bus). I was however allowed on the next bus and was in Glasgow before the rest of them as they had a rather long wait for the shuttle bus to the car park.
SIL was supposed to fetch me at the bus station but it was now after 23.00 so I got a taxi to their house, arriving just ahead of them. The boys had fallen asleep so were carefully carried to bed still fully dressed, luggage was unloaded and sorted out and we set off home, arriving at midnight, and went straight to bed.
Nice to be in our own bed again, spent much of the day sleeping, only going out for some milk.
Unpacked today, then went out for shopping.
Lunch at DD’s to discuss plans for tomorrow as I will be starting to lay the new flooring in her flat.
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That’s sounds as close to a nightmare as is possible, K. Glad you’re now home s&s. Why is it so more problematic to travel these days, particularly with all the IT available. We have just returned and my passport would not read correctly in the automatic scanner no matter which way I tried. The officers had to resort to a manual check. Nothing like your experience but slightly worrying non the less. In those old days a rather dour glance at me by the officer and a cross check of the passport photo seemed to suffice. We live in different times.
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Well done TDA. I wonder how many people had driven past and not stopped to ask if they could help. I expect the couple were so grateful. As you say it is nice to help others when we can but not everyone does sadly.
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We always turn the water off at the stopcock inside our outside building and OH goes down the field and turns off the main stopcock as we have had a few issues in the past and we have to re house insurance here and we did when we lived in Somerset that was easier as was in a cupboard in the kitchen. Our water heater OH can turn that on before we come back after a break away.
Off to check on a friends place whilst they are away in Scotland so taking a picnic as it will be rather warm here today and could get upto 38C over the weekend.
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Planned to go to a NT property yesterday but sudden last minute change of plan due to grey sky’s and forecast of rain. OH suggested driving to Gloucester Quays outlet centre, he is one of those rare breed of men who likes shopping. Caught in big traffic jam on the way so diverted through Evesham, roadworks there and another long traffic jam, put an hour on our journey. However, we then enjoyed our day out, nice cheese and onion pasty for lunch, even though I am on a diet for nephews wedding in late August! I got a few bargains in M&S and Joules and OH got a new suit for said wedding, very smart, and very good price.
We are now waiting for our son and family to arrive, we are off for a big day for our eldest grandson, it’s his graduation from Warwick Uni. A 2.1 in Astrophysics, so no mean feat.
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I changed my paper license for a photo ID one a couple of years ago, and it took around six months to get sorted. DVLA is second only to the Pensions Service in terms of inefficiency and difficult to contact.😡
TDA
As I mentioned up thread I have nothing but praise for the DVLA in the numerous times I have had to deal with them over the years. This includes downgrading my licence from C1 to B1, navigating Margaret's medical licence when she started taking insulin. The transfer of numerous cars trouble free over the years and the main thing I will be ever grateful for was faxing an authority to drive to a campsite in Italy, on the eve of a 4 day BH in the UK, hours before they closed, when I had my wallet stolen. Obviously sometimes things do go wrong, its a massive organisation but I must just have been lucky?
David
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I was surprised that there seemed to be no record of me in whatever system the nice young lady was accessing. When working I was a frequent traveller and at Glasgow airport they had an “aliens book” with a record of those with foreign passports who had the right to live in UK, so they just looked you up. As a frequent traveller they soon started recognising me and did not even consult the book. Looks like the old records were not transferred over when it was all computerised.
Having a name which is unique in UK you would think they could easily trace me, it just never crossed my mind to dig out my old passport to take with me. If we go abroad again I will do that and request that my current passport has the correct stamp put in it.
The rest of the family were sent onward to look for our luggage while I was detained, afterwards OH said “ did you not show them your bus pass and your EHIC as proof you live here?” I think the nice young lady was at a loss as to what to do with me as she eventually said “ I can hear you have a good Scottish accent, and you have lived here longer than I have, so that will be OK, just bring your old passport too next time”.
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Of course this is very noble and probably what most of us writing on hear would expect, but in todays world it is fraught with danger.
In the last 2 months i have gone to the rescue of 2 teenage girls 18 & 15, 1 was a medical emergency that took the paramedic triage unit in Truro almost 3 hrs to resolve, i wont go into detail but it was very embarrasing for myself and the 18 year old girl involved, thankfully she was ok, and she called me sometime later to say thank you, but am not sure i could go thru that trauma again, and as a friend pointed out afterwards, what would i have done if something more sinister had transpired later.
second was local whilst out on my bike with my spanish daughter just 2 weeks ago, i saw a young girl on the grass verge obviously in some sort of trouble, it was on a quiet cycle path and she was perfectly safe on the grass verge but i stopped to see if i could be of assistance. I dont think i am a fearsome looking bloke, i do have a beard am of average build 77 years old, but clearly she was very apprensive when i approached her and i backed off, fortunately my daughter arrived quite quickly and assured the young girl that all would be ok, the chain had come off the coggs and was jammed against the forks. i managed to fix this and the young girl was very appreciative, but i wonder how the girl and myself would have reacted if my daughter had not been present.
for me 2 very tricky situations and the first 1 still haunts me, unfortunately our world today is very different from say 60 years ago
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2 different types of days.
Yesterday we took MiL to hospital as it was for a 6 monthly review (a bit overdue) following her Stroke. Its held in a quiet part of the hospital and she actually saw the Head Honcho. She enjoyed telling him off as he forgot to prescribe Statins for her. His punishment is to see her again in 6 months.
The drive seemed to have upset her, causing the ribs to jolt. Feel sorry for her. She went to bed early whilst OH and self mo Ed furniture around in our living room as painter here today. Might be his last visit. You don't realise how much stuff you've accumulated until you have to shift it. Anyway, quite a bit of stuff going off to charity shops.
Moving everything back in place tonight.
Well done Ttda. If you'd passed them you wouldn't have forgiven yourselves.
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The saga of our water leak has concluded. A very big grab lorry appeared today and deposited fresh gravel in the hole and took away the heap of old stuff that had been dug out. Then another lorry turned up and they set about replacing the tarmac and a very neat job they did. I have to say that I was quite impressed with the co-ordination of the whole job which involved two different utility companies.
As an aside a neighbour had parked opposite our house for the last two days and was basically in the way of everything. Now they weren't to know what was going on but given they were only two houses away and all the lorries would have gone by their house you would have thought they might have realised that perhaps their car was not in the the most convenient place. They have now moved the car but only after everything was completed!!!
David
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A warm but cloudy day which didn't help to make great pictures. This is Alnmouth where you can park right by the beach, small MHs too, larger ones have another area. Spent the afternoon just sitting outside with a picnic, reading and drinking (I was driving). The village itself is worth a look round too.
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Following a telephone conversation last night OH was inspired to get the paint brushes out, and I spent the morning painting the woodwork in out bathroom and then re-vanishing the stairs!! The day has been similar to that experienced by CS, but we have just had a short shower of rain.
Well done, tda, you definitely have done your good deed for the day. I'm sure that the couple were very much appreciative of the lift that you have them. I guess it made your day too, as it would have made mine.
Hope that the ceremony went without hitch, Debs, and you must be very proud of your grandson's achievements.
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Made reasonable progress yesterday with DD’s flooring. Took a while to work out where and how to start laying the LVT planks to avoid any silly cuts at the other side, but managed to do half of the lounge floor, result looks good so far, and hardly any wastage meantime.
It will be continuous out into the hallway to the top of the stairs ( it’s a duplex flat), and into the small WC opposite, but the kitchen will be different, more a slate tile effect. The doorframes and surrounds will be undercut to give a good finish, so 5 doorways to do, which will take a while.
The small WC will also be time consuming as lots of accurate measuring and cutting will be needed. Then there is a large vestibule to do, not actually an area she owns, but which accesses only her flat, so she has been given permission to treat that as her own as long as she looks after the flooring and walls etc.
The flat is quite “compact”, so that adds a handy storage area for coats, shoes, and recycling, and also houses the gas and electricity meters.
I still have some repairs/replacements to do in the kitchen, a new handrail to fit in the staircase, new scotia beading to fit round the floors in the 3 downstairs bedrooms, some bits and pieces in the bathroom to finish off, and finally the stair carpet has to be shampooed, so it will be quite a while yet till the flat is ready to go on the market. DD will be helping me over the weekend, will be good to have an assistant!
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Couldn’t have left them, the gent was obviously struggling with painful hips. I had said hello when sat with dog and they passed me previously earlier in the day. We were right up at the furthest point vehicles can get to round the reservoirs, but once away from this area, there are few people around walking, as it’s such a long way back to Fairholmes, which is the main parking area. We did pass them, but pulled up around 100 metres later, once we had sorted out how we could get everyone in. OH was prepared to do a shuttle to get everyone back safe. I got out, walked back to them and asked if they would like a lift, made it plain it was no trouble for us, and we would see how we could get everyone in, which we managed. It wasn’t a walk they had done before, it’s well marked, but it is around 7-8 miles, with a bit of climbing. No phone signals. Anyway, it was nice to help someone out. If it looks safe, we tend to ask, and in a way that doesn’t embarrass anyone. I agree about males helping females out, no matter the age, it’s a difficult one. No way would I get into a vehicle alone with a male. OH did drop an elderly lady home from hospital a few weeks ago after her taxi had failed to materialise, but it was arranged that she would phone her friend once she got home. We seem to be prone to rescuing folks, and stray dogs, horses, cattle, sheep😁
Glad you eventually got home safe K, a long day for you all.
I like Alnmouth Corners, interesting village. When I used to commute up to meet OH we used Alnmouth station a lot, and it’s a very nice area. Some lovely beaches up there. We haven’t managed to get to see Howick House and Gardens yet, but it’s on our list. We have stayed in Warkworth quite a bit, and Amble is very nice round the Harbour area. We were watching a Vera set in Alnmouth a couple of nights ago😁👍
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Hope the graduation ceremony went well👍
Poor MIL WN, ribs can be so painful. Hope she mends up soon. I am currently sat with Mum (who is asleep). She’s done well today, managed a couple of hours out in her chair. Sis is off having a couple of hours to herself. Still dry and warm here, nice sunny morning, but it has clouded over a bit now. Expecting a warm week next week, although nothing like your 38c Redkite. I do hope everything goes well for Paris Olympics.
Two things sorted. Finally ditched O2 network after using up my credits, good bye and good riddance, I have had nothing but scam calls since VM moved existing customers over. And we have consigned our awful Sony TV to the attic, purely for cycling duties. Never been easy to use, and was being a real nightmare this last two weeks. Got a good deal from John Lewis.
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Well done T. We tda for helping other folk.
Well not so hot today so far but could be very hot on Sunday which is my birthday and OH's on Monday and still hot that day but we are off to local hotel on Monday we like next to the river Lot and small river Ver which runs into the Lot and probably packed with holidaymakers, Ttda there is a swimming area in the small river which you would like and very clear and which is about 2 metres deep at the one end next to the lovely old road bridge which goes over it and will try and get some photos to put on here.
Just been in the spa now all set up and new filters arrived today for it and it was lovely and cool and the pool is being emptied as we have filled all water butts up.
Had my car insurance renewal the other day and thought hmm that has gone up a bit so OH got onto the one he uses and they came back with the price exactly the same cover as I had with the old one and wow nearly 200 euros cheaper so will be going with them and the little surprise was a small tax rebate from UK it was small but grateful for a refund all before our birthdays and now looking forward to our meal now.
OH busy with new outside cameras glad he is doing it I would not have a clue.
Hope you are not too tired with all this flooring KJ and the holiday feels like a long time ago now and I did look up the island you went too wow what scenery would like to go there as I have been to the island of Oland off Sweden many years ago to look at butterflies and other wildlife an enjoyable holiday then.
Have a good weekend folks.
Not envious of all the folks coming on holiday from the north of France as roads are expected to be very busy and it is going to be very hot as well for the next two weekends.
All go in Paris at the moment and have set tv to record the opening of the Olympics tonight.
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Had there not been so much going on it would have been nice to have nipped over to Paris to see some of the Games. We saw the rowing in Barcelona and London and Paris would have been easy to get to. Next Summer Olympics in Europe will be a minimum of 12 years away.
David
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Graduation ceremony went very well, only his parents could attend so we watched it online with his siblings. All very well organised but I expect they do it all the time. We arrived just afterwards, great difficulty paying for the car park as OH couldn’t get that particular parking app to load and no other way of paying, why are some things so difficult lately, finally managed it and arrived for all the family photos. It was very busy with many families outside taking their photos. Afterwards we all went for a celebration meal. Then he and his parents packed up the last of his things from his digs. He might be an intelligent lad but he still has his moments. He put aside a couple of small items that mean a lot to him so he could pick them up last and they wouldn’t get broken, then he forgot them! So we are driving over there tonight to pick them up for him as his flat mate has been out at work all day. Kids! Even the grown up ones.
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Started early with a routine visit to see a GP. Surgery was empty at 9 a.m.
Back home to start moving the non heavy stuff back into our living room, ornaments, lamps, books etc. OH still dressing her mothers elbow every morning. Seems to be healing nicely.
Off for lunch with my cousin and her husband and nice 3 hour break from the mayhem that seems to have encompassed us recently. Always have a good laugh with them.
We made a mistake making the lunch date on a Friday in July. It's always chaos coming into North Wales on a Friday or Saturday, today even more so as it's one of the heaviest traffic days of the Summer. We used back roads when we could see jams. Just like our working days.
Hope you have trouble free birthdays RKx2.
Glad graduation day went well DEBSC
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