Project Van: 'Sound' Stage

Time to get started . . .  although planning is ongoing, and boxes of this and that are arriving everyday.

First job - applying sound deadening 'mats' to various bits of the van to dampen some of the noise generated by driving around in what is, after all, just a tin box!

Martin even took it as an opportunity to leave his mark for posterity . . .

Family Time

Back to East Anglia for a family birthday, and the usual mix of time together, trips out, and helping where we can.

This visit included the purchase of a wheelchair - and the jigsaw puzzle of getting it in the car with the walking wheels, so both parents could be fully mobile.

Then the wheelchair's first outing round Manea Gala:

Of course, there was also a family dinner, plus a meeting with my aunt and uncle who were over to visit too on the day we arrived, and as ever, one small dog curled up with some footwear!

Project Van

Yes, your eyes do not deceive you, there is, finally, a van on the drive.  

After months (or maybe years) of discussions, we headed down to Swansea last Saturday to check out a panel van, and took the plunge and bought it - and today it is on our drive, ready to convert into a camper.

It's a former rental, 2020 medium wheel base Peugeot Boxer - so 5.4m in length, which means it should be a bit easier to park than the bigger vans, but that we have a little less room for fitting out inside.

The van even came with a hidden free bottle of drink, stuffed inside one of the interior pillars - although since it went out of date in 2022, probably best not drunk 😝

Anyway, lots to plan, and lots to do . . .  it may take us a while, but watch for updates!

Day Out and Dinefwr

A not so sunny Saturday saw us on the road to Swansea - for reasons that will become clear in the next post - but on the way back we decided to revisit Dinefwr (hard to believe it was 2011 when we were there last!).

Parked up and made our way up the drive past a new, and rather charming, 'fairy village' Tref Tylwyth Teg 'feature' - the door in the tree was particularly effective.

Did the usual tour of the house, indulged in tea and cake, and then walked it off with a very pleasant wander through the deer park and up to the old castle:

It all made for a rather nice day out - especially as the weather was distinctly better than at home - we even saw some sunshine!

Will try not to leave it another 12 years before we visit again though 😀

Happy Father's Day!

Visit to family over Father's Day weekend  . . .

Brother-in-law on barbecue duty (again) - with Marci watching on, as ever, just in case . . . you know!

The sun shone, some lovely food, and good to be together as a family.

Time for a walk later, taking in Manea Pit with all its attendant wildlife (which includes lots of geese).

Good job Marci was on a lead otherwise she'd have been in there!

Great family weekend . . .

Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder?

 I think not . . .

Project: Compost It

As noted in our Garden Project Update we've also been busy rebuilding the compost bins.  The pallets we used way back when to construct the original bins had long rotted away, and it had become more of a breeding ground for weeds than anything else.

So Martin has again been doing sterling work digging out the old weedy compost and creating a flat base to re-build on.

Then it was back to the old metal Folly roofing and some spare wood we had around and about, to construct three new solid bays.

Bay 1 is already in use for grass and hedge clippings etc. 

Hopefully this one will stand the test of time, and save us a few trips to the tip!