Changes

It's Saturday, 06:00 and I am just sat here in the cab watching and thinking, while my wife gently snores. Funny how things can change, I used to like Saturdays, no school or work, a day or two to do as I please, meet up with people maybe. And Sunday afternoons, always an anticlimax as Monday morning rapidly approached, the dread of the return to reality. But now, weekends brings intrusion to our space, we go all week and see next to no-one, quiet, calm and relaxing. There are now people about, caravans, cars and barking dogs etc. So.........now I look forward to Monday. It's not that I am antisocial, I'm just not too fond of people.

When I was small, I wanted to be older, I wanted to drive a motorbike or car and maybe swear without getting told off, like some adults did. But now I am older, I miss the energy of youth, the thought of driving disturbs me, and I don't like swearing. Is it just me, I wonder?

Wild at heart

Wild at heart, a photo by keithytaylor on Flickr.

This is a favourite place of mine for taking sunset photographs. The treeline I find very interesting. I took this photo with my phone, as a keen photographer I have to say that these phones are capable of some really good pictures, they are much lighter to carry around than a DSLR too.

Our winter activity.

So, how is every one? Christmas and New Year activity a rapidly fading memory? It is for me too. To be truthful, it is no longer a time that I engage with enthusiasm, dark evenings, cold weather, unnecessary expense, in fact I think that I can safely say that I am glad to see the back of it. I am desperate for some warm spring days, so that I can get outside in relative comfort and breathe fresh air all day long, but of course there is still some way to go. We have spent the last few months fairly static, moving only when there is good reason. On the plus side, we have seen a good deal of the family (our girls and grandchildren, that is.) I am however, not so sure that they would agree, they probably feel like they have been invaded sometimes. We also have the pleasure of an additional grandson, Jack. Who, now two weeks old and at the time of writing this should still be in the warmth of his mothers womb for another two weeks, so he was only 4lb 8oz (2.2kg) at birth. He caused a bit of commotion for a day or two but things have settled somewhat now. Pat's parents are both sadly suffering age related health issues, which have been both worrying and time consuming. Fortunately, time is the one thing that we are able give, but it has had it's toll on Pat. She has had little in the way of respite, continually doing battle with care organisations that don't actually seem to care for the elderly and making frequent hospital visits.

So, that is briefly, an idea of what we have been up to for some weeks. We have lengthening days and warmer weather to look forward to, can't wait.

Keeping myself amused

I have been told, on occasions that I am childish, I do like a laugh I admit, and some might say that my sense of humour is a little sick, neither of which are true, of course. It's just that sometimes I see things a little differently to some people. On a recent journey from point A to B I noticed the amount of "road kill". The crows and magpies have a banquet first thing in the morning, don't they. The next time that I sat down to give my guitar a good beating a few light hearted lyrics kept popping up in my mind. Before long, I had the makings of a little song, so while things were quiet I thought that I'd record it in a video. Have you ever done that, as soon as you press the record button, your mind, hands and brain seem to lose all coordination. Any way, eventually I had something that I thought was worth saving, so if you click on this link http://youtu.be/13fZEz8zesU you can have a look. Hope you like it.

We are not alone

Are we the only people that this happens to? Arriving at a new location, (bearing in mind that we never use commercial or club sites) and given the choice, I take into account many things, some of which are.................

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  The points of the compass, because I like the sun to shine on the door.


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  Wind direction, because I don't like the wind on the door.


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  The landscape, we like to have a pleasant view.


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  The proximity of trees, we don't want heavy rain water or branches drumming on the roof.


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  The location of other trucks or caravans. I like to have some space, nor do I want to disturb other people.

So with all of these things in our thoughts, we choose our preferred pitch. I don't care about the proximity of hook ups, water supplies or waste disposal points etc. We settle in, take in the surroundings and relax to enjoy our new view. I could almost bet a months pension on it, that soon after we are sorted, another outfit arrives and no matter if the site is huge, comes and parks either right next to us or right in front of our view. What are they doing? Why do they do that?.........Invading our newly found haven! Yes; I know that we are on a touring site and all have the same right to use it. It is funny though, how we become somewhat possessive of our temporary space or am I getting grumpy? Sorry.

Close encounter

Today we have left behind the damp grey weather of North Wales and headed back to the midlands. Our route took us along a few miles of the A5 which is in places a little on the narrow side for modern traffic. We had a close encounter with a tractor on a bend, that pulled out in front of us while we were moving at about 50 mph, happily we were able to stop in time. A little further on and a truck, that was coming towards us, was barely able to keep to his lane, due to the width of the road. One of its mirrors struck our off side mirror with a bang, our truck being left hand drive, poor Pat nearly needed a change of underclothes. Fortunately the damage was minimal but it was a little too close for comfort.

My new 12 string acoustic guitar.

For more years than I care to remember, I have attempted to play the guitar, had I been left to my own devices I would now own many. Pat has never understood the attraction, to me, they are instruments of beauty, made to be caressed with affection and feeling. Because space is at a premium I have never carried one in the truck, but I have missed my guitars and earlier in the summer I made some space by removing a few non essential items and installed my 12 string, which is now a little more than forty years old. A couple of weeks back I decided to treat myself to a new one, we travelled 145 miles to buy it and Oh how I love it! Maybe one day I will be able to play it as well as I would like.