MIA, sorry

 Sorry for being missing in action, we've been at the caravan this week, and the difficulties I experience trying to blog on my phone, when the signal keeps disappearing, meant I didn't even try.  That should soon be solved though, I'm getting a MiFi on the advice of my lovely friend who knows all about these things.  I didn't even know what one was, but apparently it's a sort of mini wireless router that will work anywhere, you put a SIM in it like you do in your phone.  I can then take my laptop and, hey presto, the laptop should pretty much automatically introduce itself to the MiFi and then it should all work together!  Or so my techie friend says.....I have my doubts 😂😂 (nothing is ever uncomplicated when it comes to me and tech related stuff).  He came over with his MiFi to test it works in the van, it's a tiny thing, smaller than a mobile phone, it worked just fine.  He sent me the link for buying one, along with a SIM card preloaded with 24 G of data, which should last for 2 years - dependent on usage.  They're arriving tomorrow, so I'll be taking them with me and trying them out the next time we go back to the caravan.

It's been a funny old week.....we did manage to make a start on the van garden, but rain stopped play yet again, the weather has been a right mixture of sunshine, clouds and very sharp showers.  As well as my lovely friend, we had 2 sets of visitors come for afternoon tea on Wednesday and Friday - well, to have a look at the caravan and park really, which was nice, they all thought it was lovely.  Betty was beside herself with glee, having so many friends come to visit us.  She always sleeps like a log for a couple of hours after we've had visitors, she wears herself out with excitement.  So rather than working all the time whilst at the van, like we have done up till now, we actually had some relaxing time this week, for a change.  And I've now got the packing stuff to take there, unpacking when we get there, and packing up again/unpacking at home down to a fine art, I do it in no time at all.  Within 10 mins of getting home today, I had the couple of bags unpacked and the first lot of washing in the machine.

It's been chucking it down this morning, we dodged the heavy showers to put the bags in the car and fortunately it had stopped raining by the time we got home, although it looks like it's about to start again at any minute (so the washing won't be going on the line).  Thunderstorms forecast for this afternoon but sunshine tomorrow, so husband should be able to get out in the garden and start taming the jungle it's become.  And then apparently we've got some good, warm and sunny weather coming on the horizon, a fairly prolonged period of it, which will be marvellous - we'll be back to the caravan and should be able to get the garden finished.  I intend to plant up several pots with Spring bulbs, so when we get back to the van on 1 March after the winter break, we'll have lots of lovely daffodils, crocuses, anemones and tulips to greet us.

After some deliberating, husband decided we're not going to his BiL's funeral, the hotel would have cost us £120 (for one night and not even breakfast included!  Talk about a rip off just because it's Bank Holiday), plus the fuel costs there and back, and he really didn't feel he could cope with sitting in traffic for hours and hours on a motorway.  I'm glad really....he's spoken to his sister and she's absolutely fine about it, she understands fully and said another sibling who also lives down this way isn't going either, for the same reasons.  We will go up there and stay overnight in a few weeks' time, when it's not a bank holiday or school holidays, so we can then see both husband's and my family at a more relaxed, less stressful and emotional time.

I did some drawing whilst away (haven't uploaded any pics to the computer yet), I've left a bag of art supplies in the van so can do it whenever I feel like it.  I'm also thinking about taking up crocheting again, I've got lots of odd balls so might make a scrappy blanket.  I might make a cake to take with us when we next go back to the van, it'll be nice to start up an afternoon tea tradition with the van neighbours.