Happy birthday, C
First, a very happy birthday to C – today she is a ripe old age. We have been married for 36 years this year, which is a lot of years. And I have to say, and this is an absolutely honest appraisal, every year gets just a little bit better. Who else do you know would want to spend an extended time in motorhome we me?
We’re away in Doris at the moment (home again tomorrow to fix the van’s boiler/heater, among others) and I can’t see it being too much longer before we go away in her again. Let me explain …
[image error]sophisticated camping
… We had a (lovely) visit by ex-Army pals, Peter and Karen, a couple of nights ago. They live close by, decided to go for a cycle ride and used us as a sort of sausage and mash and cheap white wine stopover. They were discussing going away – they have a place in NI – but were umming and ahhing, mostly because of covid-19. We were able to help because, whilst my work is home-based and part-time, staying at home in not the same as being away. I know it’s an obvious statement, but if you’re at home on a staycation, unless you have a cast iron will, there will always be stuff to do at home which means you can’t fully relax. In Doris, in a field, away fromn everything, there is literally nothing you can do other than do nothing (walk, run etc … but these things are part of being on hols). And we have felt that. C hasn’t been happier for a very long while. She’s sleeping well (it is so quiet here) and feeling much better in herself. Me too. So, P&K, go away!
The thing is, it is exactly how we used to feel when we fulltimed in our van(s). I vividly remember living in the van like it was one extended holiday. OK, when I picked up some work things changed a little, but early on for over a year we just travelled, touristed, relaxed and slept. Of course, we could do that again. We could do it tomorrow … well, there’s a thought.
We had a lovely 7-mile walk along the Severn and inland across a deer park on Thursday. I went for a 6-mile run on Friday (the very hot day) and it’s taken me a couple of days to recover. And we have cycled into the local town, Berkeley. We’ve also taken to cider – as a replacement for red and white wine and that’s going down well. We’ll be driving tractors and chewing straw next.
[image error]a walk in the (deer) park
And, today I’m going to put the trike and the trailer on the market. We may need £1400 to pay for a new boiler/heater for Doris (actually quite excited by that … which I will explain to you next time) and we will buy a moped (can get a brand new Taiwanese 4-stroke for £1600) and a bike rack so that we can still get around, but feel safer with it. The trike and trailer would pay for all of this and a good deal leftover. So that’s a hurrah.
[image error]sweet peas from P&K for C’s birthday
We both hope you are keeping yourself safe. ’til mid-week.
