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.