So here we go into 2024, another year which will mean another year older and for us another location. Scotland here we come, well not just yet but soon.

Before we talk about dry January and next year, I will tell you about the last bit of 2023. We visited our friends in Malvern on the way back from Devon. Kevin and Sheryl. It’s always good to see them for a catch up and a good time was had by all over a beer or two and some food.

We visited a couple of pubs and had an Indian takeaway which got delivered. It took an hour and half to get to us and they could not find us but when we eventually got it the wait was worth it.

Malvern is a stunning area with the hills as a backdrop but a very expensive area. We have visited the area so many times over the years to go to VW shows and motorhome shows at the Malvern show ground.

While out for a walk looking for photo opportunity’s I felt I was being watched. I looked around and all I could see was a squirrel, a jay, some pigeons, rooks all the usual suspects but they were all too busy to be watching me. I spotted some fungi near a tree which looked nice and as I crouched down to take the photo the feeling I was being watched got stronger.

And as I looked up I saw it. A face on the tree, a big old oak tree with a real old knarly face made from fungi watching my every move. I know most people won’t see the face and I promise at that stage I had not had a drink. Maybe it’s me that’s weird. Don’t answer that.

After a couple of days it was time to say good bye to our friends and head back to Chirk so I could continue getting my physio regularly at the same place. That way they can see my progress and adjust to suit. The arm is getting more movement and the pain although still there is getting less, but some days I do have a real bad day with it.

From where I sit in the camper I can see the sun come up because I get up early. To be honest the last few days/ weeks there hasn’t been much sun coming up to see. More like looking at the rain on the window.

But one morning I got a real surprise because as the sun was coming up the sky was turning a funny colour and the clouds were pearl effect in colour. This as it turns out is quite rare and they are called rainbow clouds. This happens with the highest clouds at 70,000 -100,000 feet and at a temperature of -80, now that’s cold. Then as the sun comes up it lights them up from below and the ice crystals that are on the clouds turn into these amazing colours.

I saw on the news that they had been spotted in different parts of the country and was so pleased to have seen them. Most people would have missed them by the time they got up.

Out for a walk on a non rainy day last week, well I think it was two weeks ago actually. The viaduct arches were lit up in the morning sun and as we walked along the canal towards a canal side pub one of the small bridges over the canal looked so nice, but that’s where the pub is so the walk stopped there and we headed into the pub to quench our thirst. It’s thirsty work this walking and we had forgot our water bottles. While in the pub we realised we were hungry as well so had a snack. To be honest we could have stayed in there all night but the light was fading and we like to walk back by the canal rather than the road.

The next day was also nice so never look a gift horse in the mouth. We were out for another walk and up in the tree was a squirrel collecting a bunch of berries for his winter stash. He just looked at us as if to say move on nothing to see here and you ain’t getting none of my stash.

So Xmas has come and gone which is great news for us as we don’t do Xmas. New year was a quiet affair but I was awake when Big Ben struck his chimes. I had actually gone to bed then had to get up and thought while I am up I will watch Jools Holland with his hootenanny show. So I watched that for two hours and went back to bed at 1.30am on New Year’s Day.

So that’s another year gone. Going back to the title of this thread, Dry January, you didn’t honestly think that I was going to do that did you. Well so far I have lasted one day January 1st Last year I managed 3 days.

At the beginning of March we leave here to go to the Lake District for a few days and then onwards and upwards into Scotland to start work in the middle of March. We are both looking forward to getting into Scotland.

Happy new year to all that follow our travels and adventures on here.