The reasons why

 My sister commented at the weekend that it's clear how much I love the caravan, as I talk about it a lot - I know I do, and probably bore the pants off some of you!

I've been reflecting on just why I love it so much, there are several reasons.

Firstly, we don't own our home, it's privately rented (selling our house years ago and not immediately buying another, but renting one 'temporarily' - ha, look how that turned out! - was one of the worst things we ever did.  But that's another story).  We DO own the caravan, it's totally ours and we can do with it as we please.....we can't with our rented home, our Landlord is pretty easy going but it's still his house, not ours.  Owning our own home, albeit a holiday one we can only use for 8 months of the year, feels wonderful.

Secondly, the caravan, park and our van neighbours are lovely, it's like being on very long holidays, or living in a friendly little retirement village, with people of a similar age who have the same interests as us.  And there's lots of nice places to go nearby, which we don't really get to see when we're at home, as we live in a different part of Somerset.

Thirdly, and this might sound daft....I don't feel as if I have the same responsibilities and stresses when I'm at the caravan.  I don't wake up in the morning thinking "I've got this, this, this, this and this I must do today", as I do when at home....about the only decision I have to make at the van is what we're having for lunch and dinner.  I do take my laptop (I have MiFi) and phone, but signal for both is a bit patchy, so I don't feel as permanently 'connected' as I do at home.  So I just feel so much more relaxed all round.

Changing the subject.....for dinner yesterday I did sticky sausages, basted with a sauce made of honey, grainy mustard, soy sauce, tomato puree and some of my homemade Christmas cranberry sauce, delicious.  Served with bubble and squeak - as I had the oven on for the sausages, I put the B&Sq in my ovenproof deep frying pan so that too could go in the oven.  Ooh yum, loads of burnt crispy caramelised bits both underneath and on top, we both liked it so much I'll always do it in the oven in future.  (Think I've said this before, but for my overseas readers, bubble and squeak is leftover cooked veggies, whatever you have, chopped and mixed together and fried, usually.  I put all leftover veggies in the freezer, until there's enough to do the B&Sq).  

Anyway, whilst I was serving up, I forgot that the frying pan had been in the oven and took hold of the handle - fortunately only my little and ring fingers touched it, and it was my left hand (I'm right handed).  Boy, did it sting.....I immediately ran the cold tap and put my hand under it, whilst husband finished dishing up.  It stung for a few hours though, silly me.  It's ok this morning though, just a shiny patch and a bit sore.

I've certainly been sleeping better the past few nights, which I put down to being - well, let's say less stressed, things have been falling into place and going quite well, dare I say (I expect the ceiling will collapse tomorrow, the dog will be sick everywhere and the car will explode 😂😂😒).