Today is the day I got my first state pension payment. I have no idea how I got this far in life. I have asked around and googled it and still no answer to the mystery. But I plan to stay around for a long time yet.

So what’s been happening. Nikki went down to Devon to see her mum and sister leaving me home alone. With instructions on how to operate the cooker and dish washer. Luckily the weather was hot and sunny so I cooked on the BBQ which i can manage.

A big VW camper show was on about an hour from here so I went off there for the day also while Nikki was away. I must admit it’s great having a VW van in my life again.

Some really nice vans there that I could have happily lived with. If ever them lotto numbers come up I am going to need a big garage.

Tony and Anita our friends from Leeds who now live in the Yorkshire dales came to visit us for the weekend three weeks ago. They arrived by train. Was so good to see them and we had the great weather so cold beer and BBQ’s were the order of the day. It’s always good to see them and we always have such a good laugh. They loved it here by the canal as they have a canal boat.

The day after Tony and Anita left there was a bike show on in Oswestry which was a shame they had to go as Tony is a biker and would have loved it. I went along to it on my own. It’s put in by a local guy who builds Custom Harleys. Bikers come from all over and it’s well supported. Some of my favourite bikes below which were there.

Vinny the van is happy here because he gets looked after. He had the snow foam treatment at the beginning of July and looked very nice in the sun.

This weather is so nice but the older I get the more I want to get out the sun. I like it warm but not having any rain is nice. So nice weather and a van parked up and me with itchy feet I had to get away for a couple of nights. So man and van went to Snowdonia.

Stayed on a campsite we used to work on in 2020/2021 so it was nice to go back. It’s a great area and some great walks from the site. And a bike park just half hour away although I left my bike at home this time. The plan was to chill, hike and beer and I managed to do all three.

While I was there chilling a Robin came to visit me often which was weird because when i worked there I had a pet Robin. Maybe he was a relation to him.

I walked up to the Dam on lake Trawsfynydd which was a nice walk of about 6 miles. Going one way and coming back a different way. Shower and then a Hop, skip, and jump to the pub. It’s really that close from the entrance to the campsite. Beer and food was as good as it used to be.

After three nights away I came home. It’s only an hour and half away so it will be one of our go to sights. Next time Nikki will come with me.

The weekend just gone we had Nikki’s little boy (37) with his family visit. The weather held out once again and we had a great time. A nice gentle walk so they could walk across Chirk aqueduct which means you walk from England into Wales. From there we had a small diversion to the pub for refreshments. And then home for a BBQ. The BBQ is certainly being used this year.

The next day we went to the ironworks centre on the edge of Oswestry. There is always so much to look at there and we never got to see it all as some of the crew were getting tired legs. So a rest was needed. Another small diversion on the way home to the Stonehouse brewery and distillery.

Car keys handed to Nikki, a bench in the orchard and beer and food ordered. Then homeward bound where we sat out in our own beer garden chilling. And all too soon it was Saturday and they went home. Everyone had a great time though while they were here.

So that’s us up to date. Nikki went back to work today while I have another day off and go back tomorrow. Coming up the rest of this month we have a classic and retro car show to go to, Jo, Nikki’s sister visiting, Oswestry balloon festival and bank holiday two local pubs have music on. We like to support local so will visit one each day.

What some great weather we are having at the moment with our second heatwave. But it’s too hot to work but the bills don’t get payed sitting in the shade.

Back on the bank holiday in May I decided I wanted to go for a good walk. The route along the canal to Ellesmere which I had cycled was calling me. So before it got hot I was up dressed and had a peanut butter sandwich and was leaving the house at 5 am

Aiming for Ellesmere ten miles away. It was a beautiful morning with the birds singing, the sun coming up and no one around. Along the way I stopped to take photos and got to Ellesmere at 7.52 am which was just under three hours.

I chilled out at the basin of the canal by Tesco and felt good. I messaged Nikki with a photo to show her where I was and could she come and get me sometime, as she had not even had her breakfast. Not a problem I walked up into the town and found a cafe open and had a rather large sausage and bacon roll which I took back to the bench by the canal and re fuelled my body. Nikki did turn up to take me home. Some photos below of the walk.

That evening we had another BBQ and I even had a full English breakfast I cooked on the BBQ the next morning. It’s certain y getting used this year. It will be on again today.

Bertie the camper van has now been sold, he went on the last day of May to a loverly couple. I hope they get as much pleasure from driving around the country as we did in him. I did actually shed a little tear when he was driven away after owning him for 12 years and all the happy memories and miles we have had in him.

Money in the bank I was now upping my search for a VW T6. I had been looking since the beginning of the year but could not do anything until Bertie was sold. I missed a couple that would have been what I wanted but the timing was wrong.

I emailed a dealer about one which would have been a great base for me to start from and asking if any movement on the price. Short answer was NO. I was only asking for 2k off the price and it had been for sale since I was looking at the start of the year. It’s still for sale now.

Other ones I emailed asking the same, still there. I must have looked at hundreds on line and then I found one on EBay which ticked a lot of boxes and I was getting excited about. I messaged the seller.

To say it was a difficult exchange of messages is an understatement. I was beginning to think this is not going to happen, it was like getting blood out of a stone. it frustrated me to the point I was getting upset about the whole thing. But at the same time I really wanted this van as it ticked so many boxes.

Eventually the deal all come together and we drove up to the Peak District in the old Peugeot to view it. I knew I would buy it if it was as good as the advert said. It was. I had my new to me van. Was I smiling all the way home, OH yes and my face was still hurting the next day from grinning so much. Here’s a couple of photos of Vinny Van.

Don’t worry there will be plenty more photos as the months go by. There are a few things I want to change and add to but that will happen as the we go along. The main thing is I have a great base to start from and a lot cheaper than it would have cost me to do myself to get it to this stage.

Nikki’s job is going well, she has lots to learn and is busy but it’s a good job and only ten minutes drive away. And working for the NHS has a good pension etc. My job is still going well and I am picking up extra days here and there.

I have put my hammock down by the canal. Just chilling and swinging under the willow tree as the boats go by is nice.

We have booked some time off work because we have friends coming to stay and we are also going to a big VW van festival in September. It’s one we used to go to every year but working on campsites we were always working on weekends but not now. It will be really good to go again and catch up with so many friends again.

Nikki is away for a few days with her sister next week in Devon to see her mum. I will be home alone working out how to use the cooker or which takeaway I am going to have. And running the hoover around about an hour before she gets home. But I will put a bottle of wine in the fridge for her return.

So that’s us up to date. It’s back to work tomorrow until Thursday for both of us. A chilled day today with a BBQ and beer later to finish off the weekend.

Days off work are sometimes spent chilling and pottering about at home. And some are spent going out and about with Nikki and some are spent on my own. I got the bike out, not a motorbike but my mountain bike and decided to cycle to Ellesmere ten miles away.

My route would take me along the canal path and I set off at 6am on a frosty morning. Less people about at that time and I love early mornings with the sun coming up.

It was cold but so nice to be out. The canal was calm and I saw about six herons trying to catch their breakfast. The boats moored up looked all cozy, some with their wood burners going. You cross the canal at certain points and at one stage I went off down a different canal because I was on the wrong side at the junction. After thinking about it I turned around because I wanted to see where it went but realised I would go miles out of my way. As it was it took me three miles to make that decision.

I got to Ellesmere and I had biked 13 miles, it was still only 7.30 am so I took some photos of the old cranes and buildings, reset my trip computer for the ride home.

The ride home was warmer and luckily still only a couple of dog walkers around. And some good photo opportunities with the calm conditions and the sun being out. My favourite is the canal bridge with reflection and of course I had to get my bike in the shot.

The ride home was ten miles from Ellesmere. I plan to walk this route sometime and Nikki will pick me up at Ellesmere. She will shop at the Tesco and I will have a sleep.

Another thing I wanted to get done was give the car a good clean with some special shampoo but the conditions had to be right. It’s a three stage treatment and I was very pleased with the outcome. And yes of course it will get dirty again but if you knew me you would know I do like my cars and to keep them looking good.

I should have taken a photo of the finished car but forgot so I will save that for you next time. Be prepared to put your sun glasses on with the shine.

A local VW/ Audi car show was on at the cattle market in Oswestry so again off I went to that. As a lover of VW’s i really enjoyed it, especially the T6 vans which I want when Bertie is sold. Lots of ideas and lots of chats were had. Just don’t think my bank manager will chat about it.

We had another BBQ and the next morning I was cooking a breakfast on the BBQ at 7.30am. Nikki was too late for that one but I enjoyed it. The rest of that day was spent chilling in the sun with the hot spell we had. As everything is growing now it looks so nice I love the canal being right in our doorstep. I even jet washed the patio to get rid of all the winter grime.

We wanted a day out so we decided to go to Porthmadog on the coast. The weather was not looking too good but that was not going to stop us and I love the drive from here to there. The drive was dry and for the first 30 minutes it was nice but then the rain came in. Not enough to stop us walking around but it would have been nice to have some photos with sunshine.

I love the harbour area and the station where the steam trains run from. We missed the steam train going but the station is nice and the cafe did a lovely lunch.

Nikki’s sister visited us for a weekend and we had lunch out at a brewery in Oswestry. Sat outside in an apple orchard it was very pleasant and the food was very good as was the beer I had. Nikki was the driver for going home.

The ducks and geese on the canal are now having young which is always nice to see. The ducklings make me laugh because they look like they are powered by batteries darting about on the water.

I have put a bird box up in one of the apple trees in our garden. It’s too late for this year but will be well established by next year so hopefully someone will use it.

I got all my pension info through because in a weeks time I will officially be a pensioner. Where have all those years gone and how the hell did I survive them. Probably because I met Nikki.

The weather is supposed to be warming up this next week so the BBQ will be fired up and Nikki has been busy potting plants and very nice they look. All the pots are different and came from the tip so have been recycled.

So that’s us up to date and I will leave you with some photos of Nikki’s hard work in making the plants look good. Oh I nearly forgot. Nikki has a start date for her job which is on the 26th of this month so that’s good and she is looking forward to starting work and I am sure the bank manager will be happy.

The sun has had his hat off, the big orange circle in the sky has made an appearance. Not for long but we had a couple of nice days and got us thinking spring is here at last.

So what to do when the sun is out. Sit on the patio with a cold beer and think about getting the BBQ fired up. Simple question simple answer in my books.

The patio area was a bit drab and I had a vision of how I wanted it. That was before I had a beer. God only knows how it would turn out if I had a vision of our patio after beer. So the idea needed putting into practice.

I love my cars and beer but always short of funds, so I had to have a name for my Bar area. Problem solved by getting a sign made for the patio.

Next up I like grass but if it’s wet you get covered in mud etc, so bring on the fake grass. Not a cheap looking plastic one but a nice one that looks like real grass but contains no mud. Need somewhere to sit. We already had some garden furniture on the patio but wanted more. I had some old wooden chairs so I painted them so they can stay outside all year round. Nikki wanted cushions on them so that was her department. A few more signs, Guinness, beach and chilling related and some tiki statues finished off the area.

The BBQ area is on the other patio so if you’re sitting down chilling you don’t get covered in smoke etc. It’s also nearer the fridge full of beer. We had our first BBQ and it was all a success. The food was good and the cold beers and wine on the patio/ beer garden was good. We will be having more.

My job at the local re cycle centre is going great, the biggest problem is trying not to bring stuff home. It’s surprising what people throw out because they are too lazy to fix it etc. I have even done a couple of five day weeks including a bank holiday at Easter. But three days a week is my normal week which suits me fine.

Nikki has also got a job now at the local hospital which she is very happy about. She doesn’t start for six weeks I did suggest she got a part time job for six weeks but was met with one of those looks. She said she will continue to look after me for six weeks. I am sure on the day I said I DO that looking after me for the rest of my life was in the contract. Maybe I should have read the small print.

Bertie Burstner the motorhome has been put up for sale but not sold yet. I have had some time wasters ringing up and one viewing yesterday but the guy was so picky and wanted a new motorhome for the price Bertie was up for even after speaking to him in the phone and explaining the things that need doing and don’t forget Bertie is fifteen years old.

I had a message from a guy that was visiting the campsite up in Scotland that we had managed for the last two years and he said it was looking really sad, not cared for at all and there was also a review saying the same sort of thing.

I know I should not be bothered but we put a lot of time and effort into that site and had great reviews and feedback from customers when we were there and loved it there.

Spring is here now and the trees are all leafing up around us, the blossom has come and gone on some trees and more is appearing on the fruit trees which means lots of apple and plum pies will be following. Not on the trees but in the kitchen.

The spring flowers are pushing up and I have seen a few bees about and ladybirds. The grass around us is springing up but not my grass, that stays looking the same all year.

So that’s up to date. As I type this the sun is out and we are going out for a short walk later, tomorrow I plan to go out on my bike and then it’s back to work for me while Nikki stays at home to look after me.

The snowdrops have been and gone, the daffodils are looking good and we have even had some dry days. Not many I admit but every dry day is a bonus at the moment and if the sun shines even better

The Oswestry show ground is not far from us so we are always looking to see what is on down there. First off in the season was an antique and collector fair. So off we went to have a look around. Not that we wanted anything but love looking around things like that.

A lot of things were really expensive and we saw things that we have already but would never think of selling them for that price. The most bizarre thing we saw was a false leg. Can’t remember if it was a left one or a right one but I expect the buyer would know. The price for this leg was £120. So who goes to a boot sale or antique and collector fair to buy a false leg and how do they get there with one leg.

On our way back to the car I spotted a couple of wicker cases, one at £5 and one at £7.50. I got them both for £10, look nice under the sofa to store things in. Also saw a loverly classic car in the car park which was not for sale.

Henlle hall is not far from us so we walked off down the canal to have a coffee and hot chocolate. It’s only a half hour walk but Nikki’s sister was coming to stay so we were checking it out to see if it was as good as we remember. They have a lot of luxury lodges in the grounds and a field with fallow deer in. I would have liked to work down there but there are no jobs at the moment. The bar restaurant is nice and we plan to walk down there one sunny day for a meal and drinks and wobble back along the canal without falling in.

We went down there again for lunch with Jo, Nikkis sister and the food was very nice and my Guinness was good. They have an outside decking area with a big fire pit which would be nice when lit.

The walk back was nice along the canal and it’s always nice to see some boats. The lion quays resort has moorings outside for guests that come by boat which is nice. Must be really strange going from a canal boat which are narrow and long into a huge big hotel.

All the trees and bushes are leaving up now and we have a loverly tree covered in blossom outside our house although at the moment the wind is trying its hardest to blow all the blossom away.

We also have a pheasant that visits the garden and likes the patio. We have named him Freddie. I have this vision of him coming around when we are sat out there having a beer looking for bits of food.

Good news on the job front for me. I have a job working at the local recycling centre just three days a week which is just what I wanted. There will be other days available to cover for sickness and holidays. The lads are great I work with and it’s chilled out and only 15 minutes drive away. Nikki is till applying for jobs every week so hopefully something will come up for her soon.

Because we only have one car I bought a little runaround car for work. Just a small Peugeot 208 which is cheap to run and tax and insure. It will only be used for work and back. Because the price of fuel is going up everyday this car will do me well doing 60+ to the gallon. It was on empty when I picked it up so I went straight to the garage and filled it up. It cost £67 to fill so will be interesting to see how long that lasts. When I sell Bertie I will get my VW T6 and sell the Peugeot on. We need two vehicles though.

As I speak the sun is out but it’s windy and it’s a cold wind The last weekend of the six nations rugby is on tomorrow which means whatever the weather I will be sat in front the tele and shouting at the players while drinking some Guinness. I also have a few jobs to do on my days off when the weather turns nicer. Jobs include cleaning patio, spraying garden furniture, laying artificial grass, painting a couple of old chairs, valeting Nikki’s car I just need some nice weather. There is no peace for the workers. Take care out there.

Has the sun disappeared, it certainly feels like it. Rain, drizzle, cold overcast days are never ending at the moment.

But life goes on, we are heading in the right direction of spring. The snowdrops are out, I have even seen some daffodils out on the canal bank so we’re getting there.

We went out for the morning the other week to Erddig national trust. We have been there before but not at this time of year when the gardens are totally different and less people. Always a bonus.

The naked trees and flower beds with just a glimpse of things to come made it interesting. I loved the lines of trees and the way the fruit trees have been trained to grow in a certain way against the wall. Easier to pick the fruits than off a tree. Below are some photos of the morning.

As we’re looking forward to the summer our thoughts turn to BBQ times and cold beers, sitting outside on the patio area and chilling in the sun.

We are trying to get our patio area sorted so I have some old chairs I am going to paint, I have already bought some Tiki statues, some pictures will hang on the wall, a potted plant here and there. My BBQ is just off this area with a table beside it to put all my cooked goods on. It’s all coming together ready for the grand opening. There is no set date just when it’s a bit warmer and dry.

I have been on a couple of good walks on the days when the rain was away, one was 7 miles, the other about 6 plus other walks in between the showers although one was wet after about a mile. But to be honest I don’t mind if it rains once I am out and about, it’s just no fun setting out in the rain. I would prefer it not to rain and the sun to be out but as in life we can’t have everything we want all the time.

We are both still looking for jobs but with no success yet. We have a stock of beans in the cupboard and some bread in the freezer ready for when the bank manager says no more money.

Nikki did start a job on a campsite just down the road but after three days left because she found out the company was in administration, some thing they conveniently forgot to tell her.

I continue to visit Bertie in his compound, but it upsets me seeing him there when he should be out on the road with someone enjoying him instead of stood there all cold. I will advertise him soon and hopefully someone nice will buy him and enjoy him.

The ironworks centre down the road have a Breakfast car meet every other month so I went off to the first one this year. The weather was not good so the turn out was poor but there was a couple of interesting cars there and as the weather improves so will the amount of cars going there.

I have applied for three jobs down there and actually spoke to one of the guys who hires the staff at the car meet but again no one has got back to me. It does annoy me when you go to the effort of trying to get a job, filling in endless forms etc and the employer can’t be bothered to just to email you back and say come and see me or sorry not this time.

Yesterday we actually sat out on the patio in the sun for an hour, Honest I am not lying. And the sky was blue. There had been a frost and on the small table I have a Guinness bar mat, it’s made of rubber and has dimples etc. The sort you see on any bar in town. When it rains it has water on it and because it had frozen I carefully removed the ice from the mat and like magic I had Iced Guinness. Simple things please simple minds.

The six nations rugby has started now so weekends are taken up drinking cool Guinness and shouting at the telly. England did well in their first game but not so good yesterday.

So that’s us up to date. Hopefully next time I post on here the sun will have been out more than once, the BBQ will have been fired up, we will have jobs and life will be great.

I had to go into town, a rare occasion I know but it had to be done and on my own. Oswestry is a lovely old town with a market hall which on certain days spills out into the square so you get a good selection of traders.

I like old towns and the old buildings and Oswestry has a few of these and a lot of little alley ways to discover. Who knows where you might end up.

Like a lot of towns it has it’s not so nice bits, generally it’s a nice old town though. It even had a castle but sadly now the castle is just a couple of stone walls on top of a mound.

The view from the castle mound was nice and you could see why castles were built high up to see the enemy coming. But was the mound built first or did they just find a piece of high ground to build on.

I had a walk around in the market hall which has a good selection of different stores including a guy that sells vinyl records so I had a look through them because I have a good old collection of vinyl. Looking at the prices I have a few quids worth as a lot of them are from the seventies and eighties. And the funny thing is I still love the music now as I did then.

Not far from where we live is the British ironworks centre. It’s a great place to spend some time looking at all the sculptures, it has a nice cafe and a shop which if I had the money and space I could spend a fortune in. When we worked in the area we used to go there often as it is always changing with new stuff. The grounds are huge and they have a great ethos.

One of the sculptures I always wanted to see was the knife angel which was actually made there but it goes all over the country touring. If it’s near you please go and see it.

It’s an angel made out of over 100,000 knifes which have been surrendered to the police or the police have confiscated from all over the country. it symbolises the devastating impact of knife crime.

It stands 27 feet all and weighs 3.5 tons and took two years to build. It’s been touring since 2018 but now it’s back at he ironworks centre so we just had to go and see it.

It was certainly moving to see it. They also did a bumble bee with guns which had been handed in which serves the same message. That was on tour but I have seen it down there before. Again it’s very impressive and makes you think.

As I said there is so much to see there. I would love to get a job there and have applied for two jobs there but with so many people after a couple of jobs it’s difficult. We have a season ticket for there so we can go in anytime for free now. They have a breakfast car meeting every other month so I am hoping to get to some of those. Below are a few photos of some of the sculptures there.

All the sculptures are made from all sorts of stuff from car bits to golf clubs etc. They have collections going all the time to make different things. A good day out.

I had a nice 6 mile canal walk last week. It’s great having the canal right on our doorstep. I aim to walk to Ellesmere from here along the canal path which is about 9/10 miles. The walk last week was only 3 miles each way so about an hours walking each way. When I do the Ellesmere walk I will only walk one way and Nikki will pick me up in Ellesmere where she will do some shopping while I sleep.

Some lovely boats along the way and the locks always look nice.

Well it’s nearly the end of January so thoughts of are spring is not far away. The BBQ area is getting planned and we’re looking forward to using it. I have got some Tiki statues out there and have a couple of old wooden chairs which I am going to paint up so I can leave them outside. A couple of pot plants and some old tin signs will go up and then all we need is some nice sunny days to enjoy it. Grill and chill.

Happy new year to you all.

I needed to take Bertie the camper out from his compound. Xmas Eve was a nice day so I went to visit him. Just as I thought the battery was flat. Luckily I had a jumpstart pack so connected up and he fired into life. A drive out for 45 minutes to get everything warmed up and turning as it should and back in the compound.

I knew the battery would go flat again and especially with this cold spell we’re having and no sun for the solar panels. So I looked through his history folder and found out the last time he had a new battery was in 2016 so that battery has done very well. He will have a new one when he goes off to a new owner.

The Xmas BBQ never happened. The weather was dry but the north wind was cold so Nikki decided to cook inside. which was nice as we had roast beef, roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings washed down with some Guinness and wine it all went down very nicely.

No photos last time I checked in so this time you’re getting a good number of photos. Starting with a walk along the canal on a frosty morning with no wind. That’s the weather not me. The canal was so still and the reflections were great.

Our neighbours invited us around for a Xmas drink. I did point out we don’t do Xmas but we do drinks so that would be nice. We went there after Xmas day and in before New Year’s Day. She had done some nibbles also so that was nice. Nice to talk to them for a while rather than a passing moment. They are a nice couple which is good when you live in such a small place.

New Year’s Eve came around and did we party……NO. If I am up and hearing the Big Ben chimes it’s because I have got up for my second wee. I went to bed early as normal but Nikki set her alarm for 11.15 so we could get up and watch Jools Holland Hootenanny which I do like and he had some good guests on this year.

So we got up and it was good but I only managed to watch half of it and then went off back to bed. Watched the rest the next morning on catch up or You Tube. And also watched the fireworks in You Tube. So that was 2025 gone.

A couple of days ago we had snow forecast and they were right. Not as much as they said but a good covering, enough to close the schools and stop people getting to work.

When the snow started we walked up to the local shop at the end of the village. Just to get some fresh air and some eggs for our tea. We didn’t get the fresh air in the shop just the eggs. It’s a proper little village shop that’s open every day for those things that you have run out of at the most important time. You pay a bit more for stuff but it supports them and it’s cheaper than taking the car out and going into town.

The snow kept coming and going and it was forecast for more overnight. So when I woke the next morning we had a good covering of snow. So the car was staying where it was and I was off out for a walk and photo time.

The walk was just under five miles but got some nice photos as the conditions were just right. Sunny, and the canal was still and some snow to top it off. Not many people about so that was nice but the ones that were around were very polite with a happy new year.

On my walk I stopped off at the campsite in Chirk where we worked a while ago and said happy new year to the staff there as I knew them. They were out clearing snow from the reception area. I then walked on to the local shops in Chirk to get a couple of bits.

I came back a different way across the fields which was nice and only saw one person walking his dog. And some sheep and two pigs all of which had escaped Xmas dinner. So that was good for them. I saved my two favourite photos of the day to last. It was so picture perfect and I spent ages just staring at the reflections. Hope you like them.

So that’s us up to speed and I wish you a happy new year for 2026 and let’s see what this year brings. I hope Bertie goes off to a nice couple who can enjoy him as much as we have. And when he has gone I will be on the look out for a small VW camper so watch this space. I already have my wish list for it just not the bank balance so it will be a compromise. Enjoy.

We have now been living in the house for a month. How quickly that has gone. We are still finding our feet in the house with trying to get the heating right so we are comfortable and it’s not costing us a fortune.

Nikki has had two interviews already but sadly didn’t get the jobs, she has also applied for others but not heard anything from them. It’s their loss.

We went to visit friends near Dudley. We normally catch up with them once a year but it’s only for a couple of hours but now we’re about an hour and a half away we could spend the night at their place and they can do the same when they come over this way. That way we get longer for a proper catch up.

About four doors down the road from them is a nice ol pub, proper local pub. Just does drinks and crisps and peanuts, no food. But out the back of the pub is a Thai restaurant which we had booked.

I needed to move my car from where it was parked and Tony said put it in the pub carpark. Good plan and of course he had to come with me and of course while putting the car in the pub carpark we had to nip in for a pint and then another. You have to have a balanced diet.

Tony gets a call from his wife about coming back to take his tablet. I asked him what’s the point in us walking back to the house just for him to take a tablet when Nikki and Jo are coming down the pub anyway. So he called back and put the suggestion across. Sorted. We stayed in the pub and Nikki and Jo walked down to meet us.

As I said it’s a real ol proper pub with log fire and locals coming and going and the beer is only £4 a pint and wine is only £4 a glass. I don’t know if it’s this price because the staff can only count in fours so makes it easy for adding up the bill or it’s just great value. The pub nearest to us is £7.50 a pint. If one pub can do it and survive why can’t the others?

After having a few drinks we went out the back of the pub into the Thai restaurant and had a lovely meal. I must say it’s one of the best Thai meals I have had apart from when we were in Thailand.

My garage was looking a mess with stuff from the camper in it but not sorted so I bought some racking and started sorting it out ready for the next lot of stuff to come onto the garage which was down in Devon in a store. I love having a garage and have probably spent more time in the garage than in the house.

A trip to Devon was needed to empty our store there which we have had since selling our cottage 16 years ago. We hired a van for two days as it was too much to do in a day being a 500 mile round trip plus loading the van up and emptying it to get the van back.

A brand new VW Crafter fitted the bill perfectly. We picked it up at 4pm just as it was getting dark. It has one of these touch screens with all the controls on for the heating etc. what’s wrong with dials on the dash. They tell you to keep your eyes on the road and then put these touch screens in modern vehicles.

We were going to leave the next morning at 7am. I will add at this point I hate driving in the dark and if it’s raining and dark I struggle because of the lights coming the other way etc. so what was it doing at 7am that morning. Yes it was dark which we knew but I thought it will only be an hour then it will be light but it was also raining. But needs must we have things to do.

The journey was ok only hitting traffic on the M6 which was expected and having a couple of stops. We got to the store at 12.45pm nearly five hours after leaving home and started loading up the van straight away. Nikki had strict instructions to just put stuff in the van and not keep looking and saying oh do you remember this and that. Van loaded up in just over an hour. The first time that store had been empty in 16 years and the first time we had seen some of the stuff in there.

An hours drive back to the motorway where we stopping for the night in a travel lodge. All booked in and Burger King next door provided us with our tea. Needs must. We planned to get up again the next morning and get on the road for 7am and stop at the service area just north of Bristol for breakfast.

Now I get up early so my body clock was awake at just after 5am so I was wriggling and wanted to get going. I asked Nikki if she was awake, the reply was I am now. Come on then let’s go now, are you serious, yes, so we got on the road for 6 am. Got to the services, had a bacon roll and got back on the road.

Got back to the house at 10.30am unloaded the van into the garage and took the van back. Job done. Another pile to sort out in garage.

I had a plan for my sorting.

Pile one….into house

Pile two….to the tip

Pile three….boot sale

Pile four….stay in garage

Hour after hour, day after day I sorted all the stuff out. But to be honest I enjoyed it although it would have been nice to have some heating in the garage as it was only 7. 5 degrees in there with a high of 9 degrees.

Nikki went away for four days to see her sister and boys so I was left alone to feed myself so it was basic food and more garage time. But it’s all done now, well it will never be done because there is always something to tinker with in the garage. We went to the tip with a car full yesterday, I have a boot sale pile, some stuff has come in the house and the rest is put away so my plan worked out ok.

The guy who lives next door on his own and runs his own business said about going for a pint to a pub he uses. Of course I said yes. Nikki was away so it saved me cooking. A real nice old pub with good beer at very good prices and good food. Guinness was only £4.20 a pint. So I had a chicken curry with a pint of Guinness for £10. Bargain.

He has apple trees in his garden and has said if we want any apples just help ourselves. There are some on the floor so Nikki sorted a few out and made a crumble. The other neighbour has given us some damsons from her trees and apples so it looks like next year we will be eating a lot of crumbles and pies.

I have also set my new BBQ up on the patio so it’s all ready to go on a nice day. And that means not just summer but anytime of year if the weather is kind to us. Maybe Xmas day?

So that is us up to speed with house living, or garage living depending which one of us you speak to. No pictures this time, I don’t want to bore you with pictures of a full garage and then a sorted garage.

After a couple of days at Cirencester I came down with a bug. Nikki already had a cold so the clues are there who I got it from. Apart from mine was worse, it was man flu.

I very rarely get ill but this bug really knocked me for six. So the two weeks we were at Cirencester I was really ill and then we left there and went to Devon where I continued to be ill for another week.

Bertie the camper had its MOT while we were down in Devon and it passed so that was good. We cancelled plans to see people because of not feeling good. Nikki was a lot better so she went to see her mum along with her sister who was down for a couple of days.

Our next port of call from Devon was to a campsite on the edge of Shrewsbury which we had booked a long time ago and brought the stay earlier so we could use it before moving into the house and putting Bertie into storage.

The day we left Devon the weather was horrible, rain and wind and so much surface water on the motorway I was down to 40 mph in a lot of places so it took a lot longer than it should have. Got to the campsite which was number 102 in Bertie, not bad for 12 years ownership.

A couple of days at that site and then less than an hour to Chirk which is where we would stay until we move into our house.

So while at Chirk we started to pack up the contents of Bertie. We have moved house a few times in our life and even moved from one camper van to the next but I was so surprised how much stuff we had in Bertie. The suspension has lifted since emptying the camper.

Living in a small space is great but when you try and pack everything up and get it all out the cupboards etc and then have to put it somewhere ready to take out of the small space you were living in suddenly gets a lot smaller.

So with the contracts signed and money paid for the house on the 17th we moved. We have an estate car which has a very good load space with the back seats down but it still took four very well packed loads to get all the stuff from Bertie to the house.

We were in by lunchtime on the 17th November 2025. Back into a property after 16 years on the road. Nikki had a big grin on her face, I was happy but a little bit bemused by it all. I have a garage to hide in though and that will be sorted as and when.

All our stuff unloaded and spread around the house and the garage all ready to sort out. There was also a lot of stuff in the house because it was an air B&B before so was set up with everything so all that stuff had to be sorted into what we were going to keep and what we were going to put away.

By yesterday it was mostly all sorted but ongoing. At least we can enjoy the space and I can wander around the house asking myself. How did I get here what’s happened. I almost feel like a grown up living in a house.

We have a huge big bedroom. Bertie’s bedroom you could lay in bed and touch every side of the bed without moving and that included the roof. In the house we have to walk from the bed to the sofa at the other end of the room and we have cupboards and drawers to put stuff in. For once I can spread all my mountain bike and hiking clothes out instead of having to get a storage box out and find the stuff I want.

I have to go to bed earlier now because from the dining room, sitting room or kitchen I have to walk and then climb up twelve stairs and that’s just to get on the landing then I have to choose between three bedrooms. Two have Juliet balconies .We will certainly be getting our daily steps in.

When the nice weather comes around we have three seating areas to enjoy, two which overlook the canal so we are looking forward to having a beer in the garden and having a cheers to the canal boats as they go by.

The house in the last photo is our neighbours, not too close. The other side of the canal is where the footpath is and where we have walked along in the past and said how nice would it be to live there. It’s a ten minute walk from the house to the nearest pub on the canal which is nice for a change. We don’t go out much really and now we have this space we will probably stay at home for a beer.

And of course we have bills to pay so both need jobs. Nikki has already applied for three jobs and has an interview next week. I also have to hire a van and go down to Barnstaple to empty our store down there. A store which we had for 16 years after moving from our cottage. So that will be interesting because we can’t remember everything that’s in there. When I bring that back to the cottage it will go in four piles. Garage, house, tip, and for sale.

Bertie is in storage now which was really weird taking him to a storage compound and leaving him there all in the cold. It was like putting him in jail as we walked away and locked the gates after 12 year of living in him and him being warm and cozy etc. I know most people just treat cars etc as objects but with my love for vehicles I do get attached to them and I was really sad leaving him there and it will be another sad day when I actually sell him. At least then he will be out of jail and back on the road with someone.

I will go down to the storage and make sure he is ok and take him out for a drive now and then.

So that’s us up to date. This blog will slow down now as we’re not on the road and I don’t want to bore you with our everyday living. But I will keep it going because we’re not just going to sit in the house and stare out the windows. When Bertie goes the plan is to buy a small VW camper so we can get away for weekends etc. Having owned camper vans since 1977 I am not likely to stop now. I am just off to wander around the house to find Nikki.