What are you all up to
Comments
-
Quite amazed you know the exact date @Goldie146. Congrats to you all, past and present.
Shopping this morning. Surprised, pleasantly so, by the warmth in the air, although there is a fair old wind literally whistling through the sealed windows at the front of the house. First time I've heard that.
Had long chats with various companies as our annual travel insurance is due for renewal. Having to go through the various ailments and medication hasn't been conducive to a happy mind frame! More disappointing and down heartening was the number of refusal to cover received. Our existing arrangements through the bank will fortunately carry on at an exorbitant amount should we wish but it does make a decision as to whether to still include European cover a valid one bearing in mind we might not get there again. Wouldn't really need it in the UK as the cost of a cottage cancellation would probably be not be that much greater than the insurance cover. More decisions to make.
0 -
All bookings for our Easter trip now completed, we have even added 2 nights to the trip and invited DD and the boys to join us in Kendal for 4 nights as there is a long weekend school holiday.
Spital Caravans site in Kendal has now re-opened after a short closure, so we have booked one of their serviced pitches. Also booked our usual CL near Chester to visit my Danish friend. Caravan to be serviced before we go, just hope there will not be any nasty shocks!
Wet and windy earlier when we were out shopping, but sunny now. Certainly warmer than earlier in the week.
0 -
That's fine set of photos, @Goldie146 and a great achievement, congratulations to your family past and present.
Hope you are able to sort out an insurance that suits your requirements, @Wherenext and that it does not turn out too expensive.
Good to see that you have your next trip booked @KjellNN and that Spittal are taking bookings again. We expect to call in there sometime, but probably on a THS at the end our post Easter trip to Scotland.
Glad you got home safe and sound @DSB even if the weather held you back somewhat.
We have rain on and off through the earlier part of the day but it brighten up in the late afternoon and we managed to fit Flyte's walks in without getting wet so far. Completed the bookings this evening so all sorted for the next trip, with 10 CLs half of which are new to us.
0 -
@Wherenext We have not been abroad since 2016. It was our intention to go again in 2017 but we run into difficulties with insurance cover, even with Red Pennant because Margaret uses insulin. We obviously weren't that keen as we gave up after that! Most of these companies usually don't mind how many tablets you take providing the dose is the same and has been for at least a period before travel. The trouble with insulin its a moveable feast so to speak depending on current sugar levels. I stupidly said the dose changes all the time rather than saying that it is taken as laid down by her diabetic nurse. I have also heard that people taking blood thinners, those that need regular testing, also have difficulty with insurance?
David
0 -
Coincidentally, @DavidKlyne 2016 was our last trip abroad too. We missed a few years and then we felt uncomfortable taking the dog because of the heat... then Covid and now the extra paperwork etc. We probably won't go while we've got the dog, and then we'll see!!
David
0 -
@DSB It's all a bit academic now for us as we no longer have the motorhome but we can look back to many years (1987 - 2016) travelling abroad most years. Hopefully, once we get Margaret sorted, we can still have the odd cruise. I noticed on my newsfeed today that Eurostar are introducing a direct service from London to Milan which stops at Cologne which might open the way to a Rhine Cruise. Never done a river cruise before so not quite sure what to expect although I understand they are very different from sea cruises.
David
0 -
Thank you everyone for your kind anniversary wishes. We didn't do a lot as the weather wasn't brilliant and we have had quite a few birthday celebrations in the last couple of weeks - mine, our NI son when they were over here and our DIL's so we just ordered a chinese takeaway and had a relaxing evening in.
We haven't been abroad since the beginning of covid. The horrendous cost of the insurance with OH's medical problems have meant we won't be going 'over there' again sadly.
A better, warmer and brighter day here.
0 -
"Never done a river cruise before so not quite sure what to expect although I understand they are very different from sea cruises."
@DavidKlyne - our friends in Old Malton went on a Viking one last year and were seriously impressed. Tony's nearly 90 and Philomena is 85 and very slight in build. Sadly, Tony can't walk very far now and if he concedes to having to go in a wheelchair (which is extremely rare!), Phil has trouble pushing him. The staff on the cruise ship were absolutely marvellous and couldn't have looked after them better - took care of their every need - plus the food was outstanding. They were a bit sceptical before they went but came back with nothing but praise for the way in which they had been treated. Pity about the train journey home - where the opposite was the case! I think they enjoyed the fact that the ships are much smaller than sea cruise ships and consequently more intimate and friendly.
0 -
@DavidKlyne and others. Thought some people might find the attached useful.
0 -
I have also heard that people taking blood thinners, those that need regular testing, also have difficulty with insurance?
DK - Speaking to various companies I found that the majority were using the same system as question and answers required were very similar. All of the companies weren't bothered about blood thinners if they were Aspirin or Clopodegrel, the 2 main thinners. I'm on Clopodegrel and nobody wanted further information about it.
@Oneputt - Enjoy your regular trip to Barleywood. Are the Ospreys early this year as you seem to get them on migration on the east coast earlier than we do.
1 -
Congratulations to Goldie and family.
Very warm here yesterday 21.2C so some gardening done and today about 8 degrees cooler and more cloud about and a bit more gardening done. Friends coming around tomorrow morning as they need OH's expert advice for applying for French driving license and how to bring a fairly new car over here due to a family member passing away 2 weeks ago and they have been busy sorting paperwork out where he lived in Yorkshire.
Have a good weekend folks.
0 -
I've always fancied a river cruise @DavidKlyne . Hope they get Margaret sorted soon, especially to be rid of the pain, and that you can both get away on one of those cruises...
David
0 -
Sorry some folk are having health problems etc and hope you all get sorted before the weather picks up and we are more able to get out and about.
All good in Stubbers, weather very mixed, some nice sunny days and some aweful days, not planning to get the caravan out untill May, Spanish daughter home for Easter and we are not great fans of caravanning in the cold and wet
Re Travel insurance, Take some advise from someone who has had first hand experience…when my wife had her episode just over 2 years ago (stroke whilst we were travelling with caravan in Spain)on informing the insurance company Barclays bank/Aviva, the nice young lady told me we were insured based on the information i had given them, however, they would now have to check my wifes medical records to satisfy themselves that i had told the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and that if they found any discrepancies they would have to review the insurance cover provided, at this stage my wife is in bed partially paralyzed waiting for an air ambulance and a bed to become available in the UK. It took them 48 hrs to confirm we were covered, longest 48 hrs of my life, total bill £50k - £60k, somewhat different to the deposit on a holiday cottage in the UK. Insurance company i have to say were brilliant once we were whiter than white.
We still have the same insurance and as it is now over 2 years since we claimed we should be ok, cover will end when i hit 80, although i doubt we will venture overseas again, but the insurance covers RAC breakdown within the EU and UK so it is worth keeping for now.
Sorry for the bold print, all was good until the last paragraph and then it just sprung into bold and it does not want to return to normal print, highlighting and hitting "B" achieves nothing, now i know why i dont post much on here now 🙄😏
we are currently paying £14.50 per month for travel insurance
0 -
Not going over into Europe has also opened up other possibilities @milliehull, and especially since our daughter moved to the Outer Hebrides. It's given us the time to go to the Western Isles and other parts of Scotland, which otherwise, we probably wouldn't have done.
I can really recommend a visit to Lewis with Harris. We haven't taken the caravan over there (the sites aren't brilliant, and the roads are 'small in places') - we've always either stopped with our daughter or have rented a cottage. I couldn't live there - too remote for me..... I like to be able to pop up to the Co-Op for a pizza, should the fancy take us.... popping up to the shops for Ruth is an hours drive (each way!!).
David
0 -
@Wherenext the Ospreys I’m talking about are the American aircraft 😜
3 -
@milliehull Glad you had a nice anniversary, time to start planning the big one now😉
@Wherenext I know what you mean about the medical questionnaires, almost like Ground Hog Day! There was someone on here a few years ago who mentioned that because they were on Warfarin, which does usually need regular testing, RP wouldn't accept them. @Rufs is right that it makes no sense to be anything other than completely honest with the insurers. The only trouble is whether the questions are such that they leave no doubt. I have always thought a better system would be to type in a list of all the medications you take and then let them ask questions? I am sure you can get insurance for most conditions, but some probably at a cost?
@richardandros Glad your friends enjoyed their River Cruise. It is something we have been thinking of for some time. Because we don't fly, getting to these places has always been difficult but as I mentioned the possibility of going direct by train has its attractions. I just wonder, having been on a couple of sea cruises whether we would find river cruising a bit restrictive. On a large ship you have so many facilities and should you wish you can eat at anytime of day. But, unless we try we won't know!
David
0 -
@DavidKlyne we've never been on a sea cruise and they never appealed to us either, OH isn't a good sailor at the best of times. But last year we went on a river cruise for our golden wedding and thoroughly enjoyed it. We went on the Danube, from Budapest to Linz and back, took a week. We went with Riviera travel, and they also do Rhine cruises where you can travel with Eurostar/train, instead of flying, so that could be an option.
One thing I would say is that it was quite an active cruise, with tours every day, which we enjoyed, but of course you can choose not to go on every one. A few were walking tours, others on a coach.
We want to do another river cruise this year, was looking at April, but of course now my hip replacement has got in the way of that, so it's looking like later in the year, all being well.
I hope Margaret gets her operation done soon, after all the setbacks.
0 -
@DSB The Western Isles sound wonderful but unfortunately would be bit far to drive for us these days. My goodness your daughter must be very well organised with her shopping if the nearest shop is an hours drive away! We do of course go over to N.Ireland to stay with our son and his family which is also a wonderful place to visit and the village where they live (Strangford) is beautiful and everyone so warm and friendly. We love it there. We fly over there these days but we used to drive and take the ferry. So many lovely places to visit in the British Isles. We are off to Devon in May with our local son and DIL where we will visit our 'old haunts' as we had lots of holidays there when our children were little.
0 -
Last night we had a small but wonderful gathering to celebrate our family’s 150th year at Strickley.
The family has always been a hoarder - photographs, diaries, scrapbooks and any and every piece of paper. In 1975 my late father-in-law started researching the family tree - staring with original Henry and searching left, right and centre. At the same time he wrote a history of the family and the farm. He started in time to get real recollections of family long gone.
Meanwhile we are moving on with our new project with much discussion about the placing of things etc.
And just to keep on the topic of caravanning, we have very vague plans to get away in early Spring. Maybe.
0 -
After a very windy and rainy drive we're at our frequent flyer site at Melrose and a healthy three course supper of deep fried haggis, chips and curry sauce. Actually four courses with smarties for afters. Should be sunnier tomorrow. Site looks full.
0 -
@InaD Thanks for the tip about Riviera travel, I will have a look. There are companies that do coach travel but I think the train would be better as I can get up and walk around! We have been on two sea cruises and I don't think your other half would have enjoyed the first one which went across the Bay of Biscay which was pretty uncomfortable! The second one to Norway it was calm everyday. It could have been the time of year as the Bay of Biscay was in October and Norway was in June/July which might explain?
BTW have you a date for your Hip yet?
David
0 -
I guessed that was what you meant, @Oneputt but as we are there from around middle of next month those that are about at the moment will have been replaced by the feathered variety.
@richardandros we will be over your way from next Saturday, on the second site of our next trip, so please ensure that we have a long period of sunshine and little wind if you can.
Enjoy your stay at Melrose, @Cornersteady and I hope the sun shines for you. I must say that Haggis does not look the least appealing, much prefer mine with tatties and neeps accompanied by a tumbler of malt.
We have had more rain today, but again it cleared up late in the afternoon, so only had one wet walk. Have spent part of the day sorting out where we might go on our post-Easter trip to Scotland, and have a couple of sites booked already and am now waiting for a reply from another.
1 -
@nelliethehooker - weather forecast not looking too bad for then - but I've had a word with Paul Hudson (Look North) to see if he can improve on the sunshine a bit😀. Where are you staying?
0 -
Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts, it means a lot. I completed my goal yesterday of going downstairs to watch Father Browne on tv. I’ve a tv in the bedroom but haven’t felt much like watching it. The stairs have been a small issue, maybe the kids were right and we should have considered a bungalow. I do have everything I needed upstairs though. Intend to go down to eat today. District nurse due later to ‘do something’ (I won’t go there)and then sign me off. Apart from the first day though their visits have been by phone. Everyone at hospital was really lovely, anaesthetists were a comedy trio. Next visit to surgeon and test results in March. There were a couple of issues around surgery as a marker was ‘lost’ but Im just hoping it doesn’t mean that I need to go back for more. OH has been lovely looking after me, as have the kids and grandkids, ringing or texting each day and the bedroom looks like a florists, I’m so fortunate.
It probably wouldn’t have helped me as I last went the required 4 years ago but I’m on a mission now to tell all ladies over 70 that, although you won’t be called for a regular mammogram any more you can contact them and request one, please make sure that you do.@ corners, sorry that haggis does not look appealing, but glad that you enjoyed it.😁
4 -
@DavidKlyne Just a word of warning: Riviera's website is rather slow, so patience needed! As for sea cruises: friends who also crossed the Bay of Biscay had a similar experience some years ago, apparently hardly anyone showed up for dinner that evening or breakfast the next morning! Confirming Roger's opinion of sea cruises for ever!
As for my op: I went for my pre-op assessment last Tuesday and surgery is scheduled for the 3rd of April. Can't believe how quick it's all been, I'm still in shock! From seeing the GP on the 18th of December, having another x-ray, seen in the Ortho clinic, then the pre-op on the 18th of February, exactly 2 months after first seeing the GP. I know this is completely the opposite of Margaret's experience, and whilst obviously I'm very grateful, I'm also very aware of the unfairness of it all, to the point of almost feeling guilty about it in some way. As I said before, it really is a lottery, depending on where you live. I do really hope Margaret will have her operation soon.
0 -
