Return from Holiday

Hi all,

First up on  returning to my blog I have discovered that I now have 21 Followers so welcome to Carys, Pat and Sharron who have decided to keep up with my ramblings, I hope I continue to amuse. This has to be one of the 'perks' of blogging, linking up with fellow crafters from across the world, tho I do already know Carys as she belongs to all 3 quilt groups that I am a member of and we go to Knit & Knatter on Monday Eves twice a month.
Well how were the Hols? I hear you ask, eventful I think would describe it but restful all the same. As we had not used 'the van' for over a year, before we set off DH checked everything that could possibly need checking i.e. charging battery, tyre pressures, water pump, toilet etc etc. By Saturday evening there was nothing left to check so on Sunday bright and early (well around 11am actually) off we go, M5 motorway busy but moving, bright sunshine and really warm.
We arrive on site and get all set up, which means unfolding the caravan, connecting the electric and water supply then decide its time for a cuppa and a sandwich. I go inside to fill the kettle and WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT!!!! the water pump fails to work, now we often have a few 'hiccups' with this so I gently suggest having our lunch and sorting it out later. Much later after going out for dinner, and just as it begins to get dark, we remember we have not sorted the problem, I gently suggest leaving it till morning when it will be easier to see, DH agrees...later when it is dark we turn on the lights...... NOTHING!!!! DH checks ALL the connections and all seems in order, quick text to Electrician friend who suggests the battery may have shorted out the system, but he's in the pub so best telephone him tomorrow! By now its after 9pm and completely dark so we go to bed.
Monday AM after telephone consultation with Electrician friend (thanks Jim) we discover the transformer is dead so no 12volt power at all, this means no internal lights, water pump or working toilet . Now I deem the latter to be most important.. comes a time in a gals life when it's nothing short of an inconvenience to get up in the night and trot off across a camp site for the loo! (sometimes twice!!! :-()
However what we did have was mains electric so we buy a cheap desk lamp and manage for the rest of the week with a few laughs along the way and with us two 'oldies' going to bed each night at 9pm we must have done something for the amusement of the rest of the 'Happy Campers' on the site. The rest of the week was great we had good weather, good food and dare I say it good excellent cream cakes. On Thursday we took the ferry across the River Exe to Exmouth for the day which was lovely, we strolled around the shops in shirt sleeves, because it was sunny and warm, re-discovered the delights of the indoor market & had a picnic lunch in the park before getting the boat back again. Here are a few pictures to give you an idea of our holiday heaven.

Our Holiday Home from Home

A view from the site

One of the neighbours

Dawlish Warren - sea wall looking toward Exmouth

Sea wall - looking towards The Red Rock

High Tide at 'the Warren'

 

Starcross - High tide on the Exe at dusk

While I was 'lounging around' at the van I did lots of knitting, completing a cardigan for little H for the weekend (they were off to her first 'official' function and she needed to look her best!

Pattern detail and buttons.

The cute buttons which and are little wooden Butterflies were purchased at The Knitting Stop in Thornbury, unfortunately they were very difficult to get through the button holes so I cheated, I knitted the borders without buttonholes and put poppers behind the buttons, this seems to work very well according to DD.

On our return home I found this little beauty waiting for me in the conservatory, and there was me thinking that my Orchid had finished flowering for this year!!!

Well it's time to go, I have to get tea then.. off to Knit & Knatter. Yaaay!

See you all soon.

L