We're back home now, it was sad saying goodbye to our lovely van neighbours C&J and P&D this morning, but we've had a really lovely summer with them all. C&J are 86 and 77 and, whilst they're both in very good health for their ages, I do wonder how much longer they'll continue to come to the caravan. They live over 3 hours drive away, unlike our mere 40 minutes, and driving long distances does take it out of you when you're getting older. P&D are a bit younger, late 60s, and have a 2 hour journey, but their health isn't terribly good, they both suffer with quite a lot of ailments (D is registered disabled), so it's not a given that they'll be able to continue coming either. But then any of us could get hit by a bus (well, a tractor in our case, there aren't any buses round here!) and die tomorrow.
Moving swiftly on.....we'll be back to the van on Sunday until the decorator finishes painting our hall, stairs and landing, which will take 2 or 3 days. I expect we'll go again for a final couple of days later in October, to give the van a thorough clean and put it to bed for the winter.
I had a lovely surprise this morning - an email from our electricity provider saying that, as we're so much in credit and taking into account the Government's energy handout of £400 spread over the next 6 months, they're putting our monthly payments down to just £14 pm! So I'm going to put at least half of what would be our normal monthly payment into our savings account each month, and use about £30 per month to stock up on store cupboard things and toiletries, on top of the normal food shop. I'm really pleased about that.
I've unpacked everything we brought home from the caravan and loaded the washing machine to do overnight on the Economy 7. We've got a busy few days before we go back to the van, moving all the furniture from the hall and landing and taking down coats/coat rack, pictures and curtains. I've also got some more plants, and Spring bulbs, to put in the new flower beds in the back garden....they're going to look so pretty next year. We planted up 2 pots of Spring bulbs at the van this morning, we've got another few to do when we're back there next week.
That is good news about the electricity. Every little helps, as they say! We got a 3 page letter from our supplier, telling us they're putting up prices. How much has that cost to send to every customer? Madness! I've got a pack of 5 tulip bulbs to plant. A local garden centre sends out leaflets every year, for a free pack of bulbs or similar. I do like a freebie! xx
ReplyDeleteBrilliant news about your electricity payments, it all helps doesn't it. Your house is going to be lovely after all this decorating work, nice and fresh and because of the new windows and doors nice and cosy too.
ReplyDeleteI used to dread the eight weeks I couldn't be at the Van, I loved it best in the Winter when the site was nice and quiet and only the diehards remained. We were always last to leave and first to return.