Nelson's birthday was fast approaching and was keen to fit in a caravan weekend for the celebrations, that and he didn't think Bwmps could wait until August for his caravanning fix!
We were late booking due to us having some warrantee work done on our van, so were unable to join Nursey and Mike at Rivendell this weekend, so opted for a local trip to the club site at Pembrey.
Friday 17 July
We've half day booked in work, well we did but Herself cancelled hers and I'm left to tow the van to Pembrey and set up on me todd.
I arrived early but am keen not to incur the wrath of the wardens so tow the van inside and park up for a while until I won't get a bollocking for driving through the gate.
As with much of the rest of the country we're enjoying an extended dry spell this summer and the grasslands of Pembrey Country Park are suffering somewhat. A ban on any type of BBQ has been imposed to reduce the risks of a fire in the tinder dry forestry. I'd posted a picture on "The Book" tagging the location as Pembrey, but Rugby Ref asked "Are you in Kenya?"
1pm comes so myself and Nelson head back out to the site and join the back of the queue - it would appear that some new arrivals have treated the "No Arrivals Before 1pm" rule as only a rough guide.
Pitch choice is limited as we obviously want two together, but settle on a spot and get unhitched. It's a tight entry so I'm not even attempting a reverse, so jockey wheel down, handbrake on, wind off hitch, engage movers, turn isolator key, fire up remote and press go.
And we're off ...... for about two feet anyway. Bugger, forgot to release handbrake. Try again and we're off ...... 6 inches this time. The wheels are lifting and the rollers slipping. Shit, breakaway cable wrapped round hitch and has tightened thereby engaging breaks. With that freed up we try again ..... no movement at all now, and I've gathered an audience.
Handbrake back on and movers released. Fire them up again and only 3 are moving. I try backwards and forwards as the van sits diagonally across the access road with other new arrivals tutting impatiently. Then some stones drop out, forwards and backwards I press as well as side to side until all 4 rollers are running freely. Our storage yard is surfaced with chippings, and although the main roadway is compacted the parking plots are not, and the tyres pick up stones and jam between the roller and the housing!
Leaving behind my little rockery on the site road the van is edged back into its spot, before Nelson gets his into place, with somewhat less fuss than me!
Setting up was a chore, and we didn't quite get it all done before having to dash off to get Herself and Teacher after they'd finished work.
Herself had ordered a click and collect from Morrisons. We pulled into the space, she lets them know we've arrived and I head inside as they's substituted the Sauve she'd ordered for a Rose. How is that even a substitute?
Coming out after having found a full shelf of Sauve the picker couldn't find I can see all is not well. The click and collect still hasn't come out. On half and hour of waiting there's steam, coming out of Herself's ears and she's storming into the store to have it out with the Manager. It was another 20 mins before a rather apologetic young boy was following her out with our crates ... followed on by the store manager waving a £20 voucher by way of an apology!
Herself was still seething as we pull in onto site to complete the set up and I give her a wide berth until we're done and she's 2 glasses deep into her evening.
A pleasant evening was had as the sun dropped and it was a little cooler. Tea came from Bowen's Chippy and both Beastie and Bwmps made the most of the wide open space.
I love caravanning any time of the year, but there is something really special about balmy summer evenings on a caravan site, some would even say "they hit different" and I particularly enjoy watching children out playing for long after they're usually tucked up in bed at home (I didn't mean that to sound like it does)
9.40pm and both Beastie and Bwmps are still out riding their bikes, long after a knackered Teacher has taken herself off to bed for the night.
Saturday 18 July
We wake to a sunny day. I didn't exactly have time to come around gently though, Herself is prodding me "Your grandchildren are here mind!" Like it's going to be some sort of strange occurrence this weekend.
A morning is had around the vans. We slurped on coffee, played with Beastie and Bwmps, and tried to keep the dogs cool with frequent dousings from watering cans.
Early afternoon and Roids rocks up with Genie and their two dogs to stay the night and help Nelson celebrate his birthday. A lovely family afternoon was had, didn't do much except sit around and chat, have a slurp and take it in turns to play with Beastie and Bwmps.
Teatime approaching so the Webber and Charbroil get fired up for a BBQ birthday tea before Bwmps' favourite part of any birthday, the cake. He'll even join in when we're having a meal in the pub and another table has a celebration.
With the heat of the day dwindling we decide to make tracks inside the country park to give the dogs a bit of a stretch - all six of them! People were taking alternative routes through the forest to avoid us.
Back on site it's more of the same. Enjoying spending time together as the heat of the day subsides and having very late showers before turning in for the night.
Sunday 19 July
Breakfast comes off the Ninja as we watch this morning's departures pack up from the comfort of the shade on Nelson's pitch, with the dogs also having a treat as they get all the left over sausages, burgers and chicken that we've accumulated in the fridge.
Grumbles rocks up for the day after his breakfast at the Pavillion and immediately starts bothering people to fetch him a coffee and cans of coke from the fridge, making the most of having his two grandsons in attendance at the same time.
Roids and Genie make tracks early afternoon just as today's new arrivals come through the gate and start racing round the site roads in search of that perfect pitch.
There's nothing quite like people watching as new arrivals set up, and this one was special. We also think he's a control freak as his wife and 3 kids are instructed to sit down out of the way while he "expertly" sets up the van.
Apparently the pitch they'd chosen wasn't quite right, so he decided to park the caravan where he wanted it to be and move the pitch marker posts to where he would like them, some 8ft away. It's at this point I was hoping the site wardens would show up, but they didn't, and they didn't notice the van pitched in the wrong place on their evening rounds either!
They wouldn't have got away with it if the best wardens on the circuit were on this site!
Anyway, Mr Perfectionist isn't happy as the van isn't level side to side. I watch on aghast as he uses his very noisy impact driver hammering away at the corner steadies in an attempt to lift the lower side.
I would usually attempt to advise in a friendly manner if I see less experienced vanners making potentially costly mistakes, but this tube has pissed me off by moving the marker posts to steal room for his tribe, so I don't, and hope he's stripped the threads or something!
For the last couple of weeks Grumbles has stopped going to play bowls, offering Herself excuses that he's too tired or he's too hot. herself if buying none of it and knows something has happened, but he won't fess up as to what.
Anyway, Beastie has taken to Badminton, and is getting quite good at it too. Grumbles put his puzzle book down, got up from his chair with just a few creaks and groans, picked up a racket and enjoyed a good old long match with Beastie.
86 years old mind! Fair play to him, and it was heart warming to see them having fun together despite the 3 generation and nearly 80 years gap.
He'll be aching tonight.
The Webber and Charbroil are put into action once more to feed us all, and Herself produced a surprise treat of jam and cream scones to finish it all off.
Monday 20 July
I woke at 3am with that unpleasant burning in the pit of my stomach. The feeling got worse as I clocked a red glow coming from the shower room that could only mean one thing ..... bog full. I was faced with a dilemma, the long walk over to the block and messing around with the entry keypad in the dark (I can't see the numbers in daylight let alone the dark), or the shorter walk to the toilet emptying point, a dark empty and waddle back.
I went for the empty, and I'd estimate I was at least 3cm dilated by the time I was able to shuffle round the bed and slide the door of the shower room. Herself slept straight though it.
Nelson and myself were up and out early this morning, wanting to drop the awnings before the sun got too high, and camp is broken, we're loaded and hitched and pulling out through the gates by 10.30am.
Lovely weekend away, we didn't do much and there's not too much to write about sorry, but when I started to write this blog it was only ever as a holiday diary for us, it just turned out that others started to read it too.
One of those weekends that leaves you as a parent and grandparent with that warm fuzzy feeling inside as 4 generations enjoy spending quality time together..
