So then, after a fairly dormant year of blogging, here's a sudden flurry of things. A panoramic view of 2023. Drawn from last year's journal of happy points. Not that they're all happy but they're memorable at least. And it's been fun to look back and laugh/cringe/sigh/be thankful for all that's occurred.....
January
Sun 1st Road trip with my favourite niece, Freya, to Illfracombe via Exmoor.
Mon 2nd Walk to Minehead seafront with Alec, Gav and Felix, one of my favourite nephews. Pub and pineapple cider. A revelation 😊
Chat with my other favourite nephew, Ferdy. About death metal bands, guitars and Bristol.
Fri 6th Back at work. Lynne’s masterful administering of meds to Sky the budgie.
Sun 8th The Quakers. Managed an hour of (almost) ungiggly silence.
Mine and Lucy’s kack-handed meds administrations to Sky the budgie.
Weds 11th The hyggeness of the caravan whilst it lashed down with rain outside.
Thurs 12th Zoom call with Bryony, Matt and Gail. Musing upon and celebrating our 30+ year friendship.
Sun 22nd Gav de-icing the car before I left for work early this morning.
February
Weds 1st Trip to see Ruth and the babies. Meeting Esther – giggles! Meeting Ezra – immediately threw up.
Walk into town, navigating the pavements on a bin day with a double buggy.
Coffee, chat and pray-up on the way back. Giggles from both Es as I said my goodbyes.
Sat 4th Woman in Banbury Tescos asking me if she smelt like cat pee.
Arriving at work to a situation: “This may need gloves.”
Weds 15th Belated Valentines meal with Gav in a beach hut in Leamington Spa. Eating Red Hot Mamma's pizza and imbibing a three shotted coffee to finish.
Thurs 16th Visit to see Mag in Rugby. Walk round Brownsover by the canal and past Nan’s old bungalow.
March
Sat 4th Tia’s 21st birthday celebratory carvery.
Trip to Mappleton to test-drive Tia’s new metal detector.
Launching said metal detector with a bottle of prosecco.
Tues 7th Theatre group at work. Me, E&T having a Lizzo moment.
Sat 25th Enjoying a quiet drink with cousin Claire outside a pub in Little Oddington when Boris Johnson walks out the door and ambles by.
Thurs 30th An up and about day. Quick flit to Hook Norton for loo roll, air freshener, wine gums and pegs.
April
Sun 2nd Quakers. Dr Oshwain’s sweep through the history of Quakerism at the end of the Silence. A preview of his lesson to Year 9s at the local Quaker school. Asking us if it sounded OK. All of us wowed. Could have listened all day.
Mon 3rd Quick road trip to get jam from the jam lady in Whichford. No jam to be had but saw a roe deer and a Patrick Stewart lookalike on the way back.
Tues 4th The arrival of Mum and Dad 😊
Lunch alfresco. Getting the kitchen table out for a roast lamb celebration of Dad’s 80th complete with epic view.
Sitting round a fire later whilst the sun set and the moon rose.
Sun 9th Setting the fire alarm off twice at work cooking T&G’s tea.
Thurs 13th Drive up to Fife in the van. Easily finding a place to park up for the night. Appreciating the freedom of Scotland and the right to roam.
Sat 15th Walk with John, Juliet and Gav from St Monan’s to Pittenweem with a tidal pool swim in between.
Drive through the Cairngorms en route to Grantown-on-Spey.
Gleeful arrival. Curry, wine and good chats with Mum, Dad and Alec.
Thurs 20th Early morning jaunt to the River Spey with Alec and Mum. Mum swimming and me and Alec in enthusiastic support.
Drive to Tomintoul and walk up to the “Still Art” sculpture.
Alfresco café lunch at Nethy Bridge. Mum and Alec’s delight over their goat’s cheese quiche and Gav over his ecclefechin.
May
Sat 6th Watching the King’s coronation at work on the big telly with L.
G having a Greggs coronation picnic in his flat.
Fri 12th Emergency First Aid Training Day in Didcot. 22% for my first attempt at CPR. 99% for my second.
Joyful drive to Littlehampton afterwards to see Ruth and the babies. Who are looking fab xx
Sat 13th Swimming in the sea at Climping Beach. 3x police cars turning up to inspect an unexploded bomb.
Thurs 18th Face-off with a short-legged skittish creature near the gate on the way to work. A muntjac deer as I found out later.
Sat 20th Day in London. Much walking and talking with Ree and Gaynor. Most steps of the year so far.
Spontaneous meet up with Lou, recently back for good from Cambodia.
Quaker-mode hour on the way back on a packed train, standing all the way.
Weds 24th Giddy Aldi shop getting goodies for Gav’s birthday jolly in the van.
Van breaking down not long after.
Managing to get back with the help of Wendy’s towbar and Gav’s mechanical magic.
Home-based van jolly for the next few days.
June
Mon 5th Day trip to Cheltenham.
Turkish café and Gav’s delight over his liver and bacon lunch.
Half-price pick and mix @ Wilkos.
Picking up new tent (to us) from lovely couple at Charlton Kings. Van out of action so a summer of camping beckons.
Tues 6th Putting up tent. Everything there and nothing ripped or manky. Plus extra bits like a tilly lamp and shoe rack. Fabulous.
Booking tickets for the Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival!
Fri 9th Happy afternoon at work with the Lads Group. Pool Hall and Wetherspoons.
Sat 10th BBQ with one and all. Sitting under the canopy in the rain.
Sun 11th Another deluged BBQ with one and all. Canopy not coping. Walking back to the house in rain-soaked solidarity.
Thurs 15th Sunny BBQ with Gav. Thankfully not coming a cropper when somehow the petrol can caught fire.
Fri 23rd Afternoon shift at work and the death of Sky the budgie. Jai and Jenny wrapping him well and asking me to say a prayer before his final departure, sadly, to the wheely bin outside.
Sat 24th The Red Arrows flying over en route to Glastonbury.
July
Sat 1st Homemade pizza and pineapple cider sitting with Gav by the caravan.
Sat 8th Sitting by the caravan with Freya, visiting en route to a Summer farm job.
Sun 9th Farewells after lunch followed by the arrival of Tia and Rhianna.
Mon 10th Driving down to Dorset.
Tues 11th Bingo at the Caravan Park Clubhouse. Gav v nearly getting a full house and winning £5000 (his last number: 72, last called number:73).
Weds 12th The Durdle Door steps! All just about made it. Celebrated our efforts courtesy of Mr Whippy.
Fri 14th Rain-soaked goodbyes. T&R back to Hull. Me and Gav onward to the Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival.
Afternoon nesting in the tent whilst it poured down.
Sat 15th Stewards coming round saying the festival’s cancelled! Weather so bad toilets can’t be serviced (trucks stuck getting here) and marquees collapsing.
Finding a shepherd’s hut online near Wincanton.
Sun 16th Wincanton Quakers. Left half-way through. Huge giggling fit. Too beyond it to contain the mirth.
Fri 21st Back at Follea Grange. Spontaneous visit from Felix.
Tues 25th Littlehampton with Ruth and Lou! Creative Heart café. Cooked breakfast, Codenames, Qwirkle, coffee, cake.
August
Weds 2nd Taking van in for its MOT. Failed on some welding needing doing but nothing else. Hallelu.
Thurs 3rd Day out to Oxford, meeting up with Phil and cousin Cath.
Mon 7th WhatsApp msg from Gav at work. “Heard back from the garage about the van. It’s bad.”
Came home expecting the worst but still hoping for the best.
It’s bad. Undercarriage shot with rust. £2000-£3000 worth of welding needs doing.
Long chat into the night. Joint decision to let go and buy a new van.
Tues 8th Devotional email first thing this morning: “All Things New - You wouldn’t put new insoles into shoes that are worn out, with holes that will only leak and spoil the new…”
Thurs 10th Gav putting the van on Facebook Marketplace. 20+ interested already.
Fri 11th Ben and Chris from Clacton coming to get the van.
Sat 19th Day out to Coventry. Visiting the cathedral, old and new. Chatting with Ken who was 5 when the original cathedral was bombed.
Sun 20th Last sleepover shift at work and the alarm goes off at midnight. A first.
Mon 21st Last day at work. Low-key farewells. Apart from S who wouldn’t let me go.
Sat 26th Last lunch together at Follea Grange.
Sun 27th Last trip to the tip.
Mon 28th Last coffee altogether and then the Off. Almost a year since we first arrived.
Meandering drive to Wales.
Arriving at the youth hostel in Manorbier and putting up the tent, our new home. JOY and peace. The beginning of a new chapter.
Tues 29th Clifftop walk as the sun went down.
Weds 30th Trip to Caldey Island. Picnic lunch overlooking a wide open sea.
September
Sun 3rd Early hours drive to the Isle of Wight. Hazy day of sleeps and catch ups with Mum and Dad later on.
Mon 4th Thorness Bay. Here for the next week or so.
Swim in the sea and sherries after.
Aunty Pat popping in to say hello.
Tues 5th Mum getting so excited seeing “The Waverley” sail by she sat on her sandwiches.
Weds 6th Researching new van online. Gav’s inspired thought of getting a cross between Lucille the Caravan and Willoughby Wendy. Comfort and Joy. So, looking for a motorhome now and letting go of my love for a sliding door.
Tues 19th West Wight meander. Lunch at the Pearl Centre. Me and Gav the youngsters in the café.
Fri 29th News from Wend. Follea Grange finally sold.
Sat 30th Swimming with Mum and Shrape Swimmer friends round The Groin off East Cowes seafront.
October
Sun 1st Packing up, ready for the Off.
Mon 2nd Gradual drive to Burnham-on-Sea Caravan Park. Home for the next 4 days.
Tues 3rd Double rainbow this morning.
Trip to Weston-Super-Mare to have a look at Ruby – a Talbot Express Highwayman motorhome. Lovely well-loved van. Both of us in agreement to buy her. Huge relief after hours of researching and a few near misses.
Thurs 5th Evening with Alec and Ferdy in Minehead. Tea at Wetherspoons, coffee at the Hairy Dog, pudding from the Coop on the way home.
Fri 6th The buying of the new motorHOME!! Lovely hour or so with Paul and Sam.
Happy dance when Paul handed me Ruby’s logbook.
Ruby’s first trip - to the Asda round the corner then on to Stonehenge for the night.
Sat 7th Cleaning the van and sorting stuff. Big relief after a v muddled night last night.
Mon 9th Banbury Dunelm – new cushions!
Putting pictures up in the van.
Tues 10th Drive to Hull.
Our first guest! Ben who we met the day the Queen died and raised a beer with.
Fri 13th Tea at the Sailmakers with Tia and Rhianna. Pineapple ciders and easy company.
Sat 14th Belonging House retreat day at Andy and Liz’s.
The blessing of the van!
Mon 16th Withernsea Sands Caravan Park – Ruby being pulled out the mud by a tractor.
Fri 20th Cleethorpes Beach Caravan Park. A refuge whilst Stom Babet raged.
Family across from us putting up a bell tent!
Sun 22nd Walk along Cleethorpes beach. Hundreds of starfish and razorclams washed up after the storm.
Fri 27th Sylvia and Mike putting on a birthday tea for me 😊
Wine, Irish coffees and much giddiness.
Sat 28th Booking a ferry to Ireland in the early hours.
November
Weds 1st Ferry to Dublin.
Thurs 2nd Birthday celebrations in Dublin.
Fri 3rd Anniversary recovering in the van.
Thurs 4th Setting off to the Wicklow mountains.
Stopping off at a town en route and falling on the handbrake getting out the van. A near calamity, thankfully stopped in time by a panicky Gav.
Sun 5th A leisurely saunter round Glendalough which turned into a 10 mile graunch and the most steps this year.
Mon 6th Soda bread and butter pudding made in Ruby’s oven.
Tues 7th Catching up with Deidre in Wexford.
Joining her for an Irish class and live rebel music in the pub after.
Mon 13th Mooch round Skibbereen. Chat with lady in charity shop who used to live in Withernsea.
Tues 14th Mooch round Baltimore. Story of Algerian pirates kidnapping villagers in their sleep and taking them to work as slaves in Algeria.
Thurs 16th Spectacular drive round the Ring of Kerry/Killarney National Park.
Sat 18th Parking up by a castle for the night. Fairly protected from the full-on winds.
Mon 20th Nearly getting stuck going up a v steep hill. Sudden zen moment after nearly properly panicking. Realised there was no point. Sense of dying to fear.
Tues 21st Sobering walk round Letterfrack Industrial School graveyard.
Coffee in the café where the school used to be. Now a renowned Technological University. Brief wander round trying to find a loo. Heartened by the positive atmosphere and the sense of students being nurtured and thriving.
Sat 25th Return to Wexford for the Civil Rights Festival.
Writers workshop and Celebration night. Fantastic musicians, actors and singers.
Mon 27th Mooch round Wexford spending the last of our Euros.
Tues 28th Popping in to Deidre’s to say cheerio. Her pertinent question: “How has Ireland changed you?”
Unexpectedly fabulous meal at pub just outside Rosslare. Decided it was our anniversary meal seeing as we did naff all on the day.
A steady, unremarkable sailing to Fishguard.
Weds 29th Overnight stay at an old airfield.
Thurs 30th The beauty and craftsmanship of St Davids Cathedral.
Arriving at Hillfort Campsite. Home for a fortnight. Acres of land near the coast. Stunning.
December
Fri 1st Walk and explore. Panoramic view of the coastline. Wow.
Sun 3rd Ruby getting stuck in the mud and John (site owner) towing her out.
Meeting fellow van dwellers who came over to help.
Tea and ginger nuts with Steve and Karen in their multicoloured converted minibus.
Mon 4th A deluge of wind and rain. All day.
Baking fest in the van.
Thurs 7th Another windy dreaky day. Too wild to go anywhere. John giving us bread, beef and cheese from his freezer as we’re running out of supplies.
Mon 11th Sun!! Day out in Cardigan.
Tues 12th Farewells to John with a tentative plan of returning later in January.
Parking up at Strumble Head for the night.
Weds 13th A wild, rocky night. Both gave up trying to sleep so drove to Fishguard in the early hours. Woke later feeling seasick and jetlagged.
Drive to Burry Port. Arriving in the sun and all being calm. Hallelu.
Fri 15th Oxwich Bay on the Gower. Walk at dusk along the beach and up to a festive lit St Illiad’s church.
Tues 19th Train to London from Banbury. First stop, Trafalgar Square. Then to cousin Claire’s for pressies and bubbles. A good night had by all.
Weds 20th William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow.
Meeting up with Lou in the church where she works now and where William Morris was baptised.
Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park with Tia and Rhianna. Skating, Big Wheel, Ice Sculptures and cocktails in the Ice Bar.
A joyous day!!
Sun 24th New Ellerby carpark. Bake fest using up the last of the gas. Tea loaf and an appalling lemon drizzle.
Mon 25th Christmas dinner at Sylvia and Mike’s. Gav in full festive flow.
Tues 26th Boxing Day eve at Andy and Liz’s. Port, eggnog and conviviality.
Fri 29th Serendipitous moment seeing Louis, Lilly and girls in the Paull Nature Reserve carpark. Tea and catchup in the van.
Sat 30th Bumping into Gill Kennett in Morrisons and literally jumping for joy.
Sun 31st Dancing with Gav in the rain by the Humber in the last few moments of the year.
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