It seems like an eternity since the start of November when we had a mini disaster pulling out of The Thames Head, but given what's happening elsewhere on the continent I feel somewhat ashamed using the word disaster above.
Let's just say having the repairs done has been a somewhat tortuous process. The insurers paid up good as gold, but there was a significant delay in getting parts at first, and then we had a paint saga. First off they'd tried (and failed) to blend in the repair. It was sent back for a full front respray. When it came back the locker lid stood out like a sore thumb, so had to go back in again to have that sprayed as well.
I'm afraid to say that the dealer caught the blunt end of my frustration towards the end, for something that wasn't really their fault!
Still, we now have a sparkly clean van back (sans dents) and a functioning motor mover without any mangled bits. My thanks to Ennis Caravans for their service and AM Trust for a quibble free claims process.
We've a week away planned for the end of the month, I'm on call over the Easter weekend and we're in need of a local shakedown trip to kick the season off.
Friday 8 April
Surprise surprise! Herself is working today and can't possibly get out of it, but unlike Herself, nothing has been organised ready for today. I'm up early doors putting our doggy covers over the front benches (an art in itself) and putting stuff back in the van that we had taken out, as well as giving all the surfaces a wipe down with Bar Keepers Friend (white worktops and Caravan Service Engineer's hands are rarely a good mix).
By 12.30pm I've had the Captain to move his Jalopy out of the way, held up the traffic getting the van out and am hitched up ready to roll.
Bang on 1pm (the stipulated arrival time) I'm rocking up at the gates of the club's Pembrey site and join the back of a queue of 6 units, some of which are pacing and looking like they've been waiting a while.
Free pitches are plentiful, and strangely for me I opt for hard standing, only because I know that the grass ones would need a slight effort in side to side levelling. I've a flare up of gout in my ankle, so setting up was slow and methodical, however by 2.30pm I'm done.
Time now to head back up the A484 to return home and await Herself's return from work, before doubling back. We're only 11 miles from home this weekend due to other commitments, good job really.
Our evening meal is a selection of Chiquito's finest courtesy of Iceland, and I must confess it was rather good.
The dogs need a bloody good run though, so we head into the adjacent country park for that very purpose, with Korev providing mobile refreshments for me while we chuck a ball until Tali, Gwawr and Gwen are begging for mercy.
Content that they're now tired enough to sleep the night through we head back to the van where Herself had had the good sense to put the heating on, cranked up to blast furnace level.
Saturday 9 April
Had a great night's kip and wake fresh as a daisy. No time to lie in this morning though as I head out early doors to meet Ronnie somewhere along the A484 for him to hand over Beastie for the day.
Edit ......,Ronnie has changed occupation so a change of name is required, from here on in he shall be known as Nelson.
We passed each other in Burry Port, However Nelson didn't see me so after a sharp U turn I chased him back to Pembrey!! We've got Beastie for the day as Nelson and MBW have a lot to do today, but we've not much time to sit around first thing as Beastie has to be back in Llanelli (the other end of the A484) for her 10am Saturday morning gymnastics class.
We take the dogs for a brief walk up Penprys before collecting Beastie after an hour of star jumps and trampolines. She slept most of the way back to site, ignoring the coastal scenery from her side of the car on the A484.
We had a lovely day, we don't get Beastie to ourselves very often, so made the very most of it sitting in the sun, playing in the park and getting beat by her in various games (though I'm not entirely sure rules were adhered to at all times).
That fishing game is harder than it looks BTW. Funny though as she was testing us throughout the day. Twice she requested her favourite movies to watch that she knows are on Netflix. She also knows that Mims and Dats do not have Netflix. What Beastie doesn't know is that Dats has a fully loaded Android box which came to the rescue, so "Over The Moon" and "Paw Patrol Movie" got played for her to ignore on the screen!
She did allow Dats to watch the rugby though, and I watched the Scarlets smash Cardiff for the 2nd week running while Mims read a story.
All too soon it's time to head back up the A484 and drop Beastie off back home with Nelson, MBW and Bwmps. A brief chat is had before hurtling back down the A484 where we run the dogs in the country park, before settling down for the evening.
As the sun goes down on a very busy day we're on our chin straps. Love her to bits, but you forget how much energy and effort it takes to be with a 4 year old for a full day.
I sink into the benches and become acquainted with a new fiend, while Herself tests out her recent mother's day pressie off Nelson and Roids.
We really love the layout of this van (front lounge, midships washroom and rear bedroom) and the flexibility it affords. Herself immersed herself in the dramatics of Casualty up front while I retired early to watch the Dragons blow a great 1st half performance against Gloucester.
I rarely stay awake for long when horizontal, and true to form I was rattling the van long before the final whistle was blown.
Sunday 10 April
Another great night's kip, and I'm up fresh at 6.30am, much to Herself's dismay, as I don't really do being up very quietly.
We have a lazy morning, breakfast on bacon rolls washed down with a gallon of Glengettie before scrubbing up and heading back up the A484 once more for an engagement.
Beastie is turning 4, and Nelson and MBW have organised a party to mark the event. It's fairy themed, with fancy dress optional but encouraged, for the kids though I'm relieved to find out, so my Tutu and Tiara can stay tucked away for those private occasions!!
Come 2pm and "the turn" rocks up to entertain the kids. She looked the part and gave it a good go, but struggled to win Beastie over. It would be fair to say that Beastie had trust issues with a grown adult dressed as a fairy!!
All fairy partied out we once again hit the A484 back to site, where Roids had followed to spend the evening with us in the caravan. An Iceland's Chiquitos once again provided adequate sustenance washed down with a few beers until we waved him off and hit the sack, bushed
Monday 11 April
Slept well again last night, but no time to hang around this morning. Breaking camp was steady but took no time at all, and by 9.30am we're all set and pulling out of the gates towards the A484.
What is it about a caravan that irritates people so much?
Cars are parked frequently on the side of the road where we live. It's a wide road having been a trunk road in previous life prior to the bypass being built. No bother at all when cars are parked up there, but the very moment I pull up with the caravan every Clarkson wannabe within 5 miles comes out to honk horns, shout and flick the Vs at me!!
She gets inched back into her cwtch without too much trouble and the unloading and reloading process begins in readiness for the next trip out in a few weeks time.
So first trip of the year completed. We didn't go far, but then you don't always need to. Two goals accomplished though. Firstly, it was a shakedown trip after the winter layup, repairs and service. And secondly it rekindled out love of caravanning. We love spending time in her, near or far.
Until next time.
