Where indeed!
What a few weeks it has been, we worked out that we have driven over 3000 miles in just over two weeks and spent the equivalent of 3 whole days behind the wheel of a car – no wonder the thought of another long drive was filling me with dread – particularly the trips with several small excitable puppies in the back of the car, although in fairness they actually travel quite well now, no signs of henry’s travel sickness reappearing. On one trip Basil consistently sat up in the rear of the car and we got lots of smiles as people passed, with Basil gazing out at his adoring subjects.
Last Blog was written from Penrith Library. We had just returned to Garrigill after a weekend seeing Dad. We were making our plans as planning had been thrown somewhat by the fact that we had found a house before we started to travel around looking, and that Dad had been taken into hospital quite quickly and we wanted to ensure that we were able to spend time with him and Mum. We considered hiring a van, but decided in the end to get a tow bar put on the Volvo and bring the caravan down. This meant getting it fixed, so Ian took the car into the Garrigill garage and left it there whilst we headed down to Swanage. We arrived on the Friday night and went straight to see Dad, picking Mum up to take her home as Roy and Annie had been there earlier. Dad was much better than he had been the week before and asked where Ian was (no confusion this time). We left shortly after though as Dad was tired and I went back on the Saturday with Mum and Ian went to see Basil who was enjoying a short break (which was a bit longer than first planned, in Keynsham), Ian arrived back on the Sunday and we went to see Dad again. Ian and I went for a wander around Poole and Ian pointed out a war ship which had a whopping great big gun on the front of it. The Health and Safety people had been around, as there was a sign on this gun saying ‘this gun could be dangerous’.
Dad was well and on the Sunday we were there, had earlier foxed the nursing staff by heading out of the ward for a little sight seeing trip in his wheel chair. This was the first time he had been in a wheel chair so not bad going. How did he know how to make it go round corners…?
We headed straight back up to Garrigill on the Monday and the Volvo hadn’t been repaired as Alan couldn’t find a fault, but he was putting a tow bar on. So another few days around Garrigill, sleeping on a concrete floor with a small (very small) camping mattress between us. Oh the fun of it. We had our sleeping bags and a combination of a hard floor, unfamiliar surroundings, sleepless nights when we were staying in other people houses to ensure that the dogs don’t bark and a loudly snoring husband resulted in a case of sleep deprivation. One morning when Ian bounced out of bed telling me how well he slept, after another sleepless night for me trying to fight for my share of the tiny matress and feeling the concrete everywhere else. He was lucky really to escape alive.
So the next problem was finding that the car with new tow bar was not man enough to tow the caravan. We got it from Farmer Mikes to Garrigill, but Ian was concerned about taking it any further. So we comptemplated what to do next. Not a dark moment as such, but we did feel that we were doomed to be spending life as travellers (my enthusiasm of the ‘freedom’ of the road waned after about day 1).
Eventually we decided to get a trailor – we had a quick look round but didn’t get one, deciding to get one nearer to when we need it ie when we go to Spain.
So on the Thursday of last week (8th?) we packed both cars up and both headed down to Swanage. I had the little dogs and Ian had Davy, who meowed all the way!.
We didn’t go to the hospital on the Thursday, and saw Mum at home. I and I were going to sit with Dad on the Friday as mum was magistrating. Dad was well and had been having physio before we arrived. This meant that he was tired but seemed to be well. Susan and Andy came down to Poole after work so Ian and I headed up to Keynsham arriving about 10 ish. We missed a bit of a party in Swanage on Saturday to celebrate Susans birthday, but with all of us and the dogs (and Davy) it was felt that we’d be too much! We spent a couple of days in Keynsham and all the dogs were getting to know each other. Tinkerbelle was horrible and snapped at the big dogs so we need to watch her. Basil was in his element, combining a bit of wandering with some barking. Jim and Vivs labradors looked a bit phased at all these horrible little dogs and if dogs could give a sigh of relief I think they would have done when we packed them all up to head to Saltford!!
It was quite apparent that we were going to be too much for Swanage, Dad looks as though he is going to be in hospital for a little longer (this is at the time of writing and the situation does change quickly) and therefore we needed somewhere more permanent than a floor to base ourselves. We were going to take over Mum & Dads garage, which would have been fine, but might not have been suitable longer term and we needed to think of the practicality of Basil being there in particular. Ian had a word with Kay about his nans house, and kindly we have been allowed to base ourselves here for a while. It is great! I cannot say how nice it is to have woken up in the same place for four days in a row! To think we were going to be leading the life of travellers for a couple of months – how would we have coped.
We both went to Swanage on Monday to pick up the Volvo and I went to see Dad who had walked to the bathroom on his own – against nurses orders! Whilst I was there different therapists arrived which again made Dad tired, but it was nice to meet the people working with him.
I came back up to Saltford Monday night, and heading down to Poole again Friday to sit with Dad whilst mum is magistrating.
Well – in a nutshell that is our last two weeks, plenty that I have missed out, but we will get back into our BLOG habit soon!