On the road.......

Well 23rd August was a momentous day, about 1.30 got the call to say that the house had completed.........and I read today that house prices are starting to rise but hey ho!! The emptying of the house went according to plan but it was pretty exhausting as I was also trying to fit in other things.

 We left the North East in Ruby the Roadstar on Wednesday 21st August and headed for our first stop , Chester. We had 3 nights in the Delamere forest which was very nice. The train station was minutes away and we had a lovely day in Chester. I know I visited years ago but don't really remember it. Our second day was much less exciting-I was too tired to do anything so just pottered about and read and cooked.

We decided that we would try and buy local produce where we had the chance and base our meals around what we could find. Next to the site in Delamere was a little farm shed , with an honesty system, and we got beautiful green and yellow courgettes, carrots and potatoes. They were all delicious. 

Our next stop was Llanystumdwy,( Lloyd George lived there till he was 16 and his grave is there.) which is on the Lleyn peninsula in North Wales. A good little site with good walking and cycling. We had a cycle to Criccieth , a lovely little seaside town. I have a new bike, which Chris found on Gumtree, and it is much easier, it is lighter, the gears are better and the saddle is comfy!! The next day we did a longer cycle but the village pub sold excellent local beer, certainly needed but you had to wait till 6pm to get a drink.  Everyone was very friendly and we had some lovely bara brith in the local village hall. The local farmer came to the site evry day at 5 pm and we bought gorgeous beetroot and the tastiest black pudding I have eaten for years-wrapped in bacon mmmmm.

From there we made the long trip to St David's on the Pembrokeshire coast , for a stay of only two nights. We were near Abereidy an old slate quarry, and the hedgerows were full of blackberries. On our one full day we walked on the Pembrokeshire coastal path from Abereiddy to St David's, a beautiful walk with not many people till we got closer to St David's. The walk was about 9 miles but quite a lot of ups and downs. St David’s is the UK's smallest city but the cathedral is huge and magnificent and well worth a visit. We used the local bus back and as there are only 3 a day we had plenty of time and I used it wisely getting my hair cut-all of £7. We left Pembrokeshire with some local potatoes, 10lb for only £2 and they are delicious.

From there we left Wales , and part of me was glad to be coming back to civilised England as despite its stunning scenery and friendly people it is devoid of mobile signal!! So Thursday saw us in the van on the slog from Pembrokeshire to Devizes in Wiltshire. We are here 3 days in all and the site is on the banks of the Avon and Kennett canal. Yesterday we cycled into Devizes, only 4 miles........and I thought it would be flat for cycling. Ha, not when there are 29 locks in sequence !! It was hard work but very enjoyable, we spent a bit of time in Devizes and had a bit of lunch and enjoyed the downhill return. In the morning we found a local farm shop and bought 2 sirloin steaks and last night Chris cooked them and they were to die for-praise indeed from someone who does not eat loads of meat.

Today we cycled about 16 miles in total to Bradford on Avon (BOA) and back, a beautiful journey along the canal side. We talked to a few people who live permanently on the canals and it is certainly a simple and easy way of life. Even spotted Timothy West and Prunella Scale yesterday. BOA is beautiful, fabulous houses, full of lovies and the BOA fringe started today so we bought sandwiches and listened to music in the park. A pint at the Barge pub on the way home was very welcome. So our first few days in ruby and it is working out fine. As we go we find little bits and pieces to help make life easier. We have an awning for this van and putting it up the first time at Delamere was a disaster-90 minutes and very fraught but we have got it sussed now. It does give us much more flexible space -and some shade from the wind when outside.

Tomorrow we pack up are off to Stonehenge first thing then to Chris' sister's house for a few days. Chris will visit his mum in the home she is in and catch up with his sister Tricia. From there we will head over to Colchester before leaving for France on 9th September........but more of that another time.

Sorry no photos-internet too slow!!

Till next time

Norma xx

After 25 years, time to move out

Hope this finds you enjoying the season, wherever you are.

I am sitting on the floor of my study at a makeshift "desk" as my desk left yesterday for Amy's flat, together with her bedroom furniture. The garden furniture went to Imogen's yardin. I only really have two rooms left, the living room and bedroom and as the kitchen is all packed away now I am cooking at my neighbour’s house. My stuff for storage goes on Monday and 3 piece suite and dining table to Keith on Tuesday and that is that. I have free cycled some items and am hoping someone is coming to collect my washer and tumble dryer this morning. 

The house sale appears to be progressing and expecting completion on Friday 23rd (crossed fingers and toes as I wrote that!!). Of course it is all tinged with sadness after such a long time (25years)but I have some wonderful memories of this house and my lovely neighbours. This is my favourite photo of sisterly love...........

My girls about age 4 and 8 

I have a little North East bolthole with my good friend Vicki, in Jarrow and will leave clothes etc with her and I will be back for the wedding and staying till after Christmas. Although can't really think beyond Tuesday, when it will be Marigold time as I clean the house. 

It is not all grind though, I am meeting friends for a picnic lunch on the beach tomorrow and then Monday I am going to the new Carluccio's in Newcastle. It has just opened and the menu looks good.  Also hoping to get to see a band on Sunday evening-a plug for Big Red and the Grinners-check them out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG_url2-VxU. The lead singer is my neighbour and I have known him since he was a bairn!!

Wednesday it is off in the camper van and as we have no real concrete plans we have got our first taste of the new life. A house sit was on offer in Portugal, for two dogs and a cat and a four bed villa with pool. We are just negotiating dates but have a ferry to France booked for 8th September. We plan to see Paris for a few days and then make our way down although haven't got a route planned yet. The house sit is in Olalhas, Cepos, Portugal near the old city of Tomar. We will then get to Chris' house about 16th October to get it ready for our visitors coming.

After much discussion about options for a winter trip, to avoid the cold, we have decided to take advantage of the van and travel in Southern Spain, Portugal and possibly Morocco and come home late March and then head off to China in April and May next year. We will look for either house sitting options or helpx (work for food and accommodation)as we go.

So it is all systems go as the next chapter unfurls, I must admit it will be good to be away without the worries of a house. 

As one of my neighbours said Western Terrace won’t be the same without us but a new family are moving in and I hope they get great pleasure from the house and garden.

Take care

Norma xx

Getting ready for the off

Getting sorted and I am now planning my wandering new life........with the added advantage of no house to worry about in the UK!! I have missed blogging so thought I would do a bit of an update before we set off around 21st August.

After getting back home from South America I had a lovely couple of weeks catching up with friends, went to the theatre-I'd forgotten how much I had missed a bit of culture. 

I had a great break in France, stayed in the Loire in an old manor House with the girls,  their boyfriends Carl and Phill and their dad Keith and his girlfriend Anne. We had a fabulous time together, if a little rowdy at times. It would be churlish not to mention the 10-1 thrashing that Carl and I gave Keith and Phill at boule. 

At the end of the week I set off by train to Bourges, making my way to the Auvergne to do some house sitting for a friend. In Bourges I stayed in an apartment with Jean-Pierre I booked this with airbnb.com-very reasonable way to either stay in people's homes or you can book whole flats or apartments. Bourges is a beautiful old Medieval town and it was a nice peaceful break. I then had one night in Clermont Ferrand (home of Michelin) and then headed for Issoire where I was met by Christine. The french train system is efficient and reasonably priced and for the most part punctual.

Bounty 

Christine and Geoff are old friends from home and they live and work in a beautiful part of France. They have a gite and B&B and Geoff does English classes and translation etc. Their son was getting married in the UK and they needed someone to look after their dog Bounty. The setting is stunning and both the gite and the B&B are lovely, typical french places. The Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/pages/Les-Hirondelles-Chabanol/20014892550?fref=ts and the website is http://www.hirondelles-chabanol.fr/ if you are looking for somewhere a bit off the beaten track, stunning scenery and lovely old villages and good walking...

I had  a lovely few days just mooching with the dog and enjoying the blissful setting, wandered to the local market and on my last night had dinner with friends of Christine -he is French and she is from Jarrow and I transpired that I knew her sister ( from Christmas parties in East Boldon and she was also Imogen's German teacher and also her cousin a practice nurse from my clinical days!!) SMALL WORLD

I got the train to Paris and had an overnight stay and came home on Eurostar. I'd forgotten how lovely Paris can be ,the trip back was effortless, Eurostar to St Pancras and across the road to Kings Cross and home and all for £57.

Chris is celebrating his 60th birthday this year and my treat to him was a surprise visit to the Victoria tunnel http://ouseburntrust.org.uk/index.php?page=victoria-tunnel , two hours spent underground with a hard hat and a torch............I know how to show someone a good time. 

We have travelled halfway round the world and sometimes know very little about our own doorstep.

On the actual day ( 29th April) we climbed Blencathra, in the Lake District, with his son Adam. As we left Threkeld it was clear , although the forecast was for showers. As we started to climb it got very windy and then cloudy, about 40 minutes from the top we had horizontal snow. I had taken a cake, imagining sitting at the summit enjoying the views and blowing out candles!! No way , 2 minutes for some photos and then we were off!! Sadly no photos as the SD card on my camera corrupted!

In May I had a lovely time in Spain with my best friend Vicki, we did a DIY city tour. We flew to Malaga, had 2 nights in Seville then off by bus to Granada and the fabulous Alhambra. We had a great time and the weather was lovely and the Alhambra was in all its glory in the sunlight. Next time it will be Cordoba, Jaen and Jerez. We travelled using bus and train which was great as you don't need the hassle of a car in a city.

Chris' house

I got back on 9th May with just enough time to wash clothes and re-pack to go to Chris' house, in Casas Nuevas, Murcia on 15th May. We had 8 days away and had work to do on the house  painting door frames and cleaning. I love the village and the people, on our last day the flight back was 8pm, so once we had done the final clean I popped to the shop to get some bleach and asked Theresa if her bar did food midweek lunchtime and she said yes and told me what was on offer. When we got there we shared in the lunch that is made every day for the family!! Boquerones, crispy salad then fried fish , beautiful tomato and pepper dish and potatoes  tiramisu and wine-we paid 10 euros but it was good of her to share the food.

Chris and I  are the proud owners of a camper van a ruby red tranny conversion-Ruby the Roadstar. Like the last one -it is nothing posh but we will have great fun. We have had a couple of test nights, first at Haltwhistle , and then one night on Hadrian's wall. 

We are currently house sitting in Brampton, Cumbria.......it is the same people who used to live in Bewcastle -chocolate labradors, cats, chickens and ducks.

I head home on Sunday as it is Fringe time again, three days of fun in Edinburgh. Then back for some serious packing of the house to get it empty for 21st August when we set off in the van for 2 weeks of UK travel. We plan to set off on 11th September to drive through France and Spain to Chris' house, possibly looking for a bit of helpx on the way.

Imogen is living in Basel, Switzerland for 8 weeks being trained for her new job. Amy is counting down the days to 30th September when she leaves work and of course to 7th December when she gets married. 

Oh nearly forgot I witnessed an epic Lions victory in Australia.........

So once we start travelling I will go back to weekly blogging to keep you up to date with our adventures.......
Take care and best wishes to you all

Norma xx