Hevingham #2

Two weeks after our first foray into the world of trailer tent camping, we were back - Mum and Dad trusted Amanda and I sufficiently enough to let us fly solo this time.  The plan was that we would pick up the trailer from North Walsham on Saturday and get it back there on Monday and Mum and Dad wouldn't need to be involved at all.  However, we forgot to take a spanner with us and I didn't have a spanner attachment on my swiss army knife - a massive failing to discover! - so we had to ring them up to come over on the Monday morning so we could take it all down!   I can't remember how we managed to put it up without the spanner though?  Magic maybe. 

The weather was a bit more changeable this time and we did spend more time inside - we very naturally gravitated towards our own side of the trailer - it's made up of two double beds so Finn and I took one side, and Amanda and Sid took the other.  Amanda's side looked like the inside of a Mongolian yurt - with blankets, cushions and fleeces!   In all the inside photos too, there is a lot of wool in evidence!

Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny, but we had a bit of a downpour on Sunday afternoon - which was an excellent excuse to dash back into the trailer tent for a siesta!

Another fab weekend, but probably the last camping weekend of 2013.   It did turn very cold overnight and we were very glad of the extra fleeces and sleeping bags.   When we dropped the trailer tent back at Mum and Dad's, they did mention that they booked electric hook up and took a little heater with them. Might be an idea for when we get back from our holiday in October - serious consideration needed though, especially given that it'll probably be dark about six in the evening!  

Thames

We've had such a hot summer and it seems that every time I've planned another section of the Thames Path walk, it's been a scorcher.  Luckily the path is very shady and tree lined, so it's never been very uncomfortable.  This time, Finn and I were joined by Andy which was lovely - we haven't walked together for quite some time now, so it's always lovely when he can come with us.  Although he's quite a task master.  Finn and I tend to have lots more breaks and sit downs - the best bit about walking! - but none of that this time, we were clearly on a mission to get to Shiplake and the pub!

This was a shorter walk than we usually do - just eleven miles - from Marlow to Shiplake.  We started with a bit of logistical shenanigans to get one car to Shiplake (the end) and then the other one at Marlow (the beginning), but it's such a short distance from Heathrow that we were ready to walk before ten.  

A really good day, plenty to look at and lots of sightseeing - I'm really enjoying the Thames Path.  And the best bit of course is that it's totally flat!

Andy and I rather liked this hedge - one day we will have a garden where we can have a hedge cut like a castle!

Two miles from the end of the walk, we headed into Henley - but first we passed Temple Island which signals the end of the Henley Regatta course.  It's exactly a mile from Henley bridge - and glows really brightly in the sunshine. 

We celebrated our walk at the Baskerville Arms in Shiplake with a well deserved pint and fish and chips (me) and steak (Andy).  Perfect end to a fabulous day.

Creative

Our monthly madness and mayhem was held at Amanda's again and we were all in hysterics from the start.  This was Mum's first time in the group, but I dont think it will be the last.  There were just six of us, but we made enough noise for twenty! 

Shirley is still working on her dog and he grew quite a lot during the evening.  Shirley even managed to put right a dropped stitch which she kept very quiet about until later.  Progress is definitely being made!  

Michele is back on the purple top for Alicia - it's so pretty, a really beautiful colour.   We were all very impressed that Michele had taken her knitting on holiday to Portugal with her, especially given the conversations we had about the local wine and port!  

The big news though ..... is that Mo has finished the hat and scarf combination and I really like it, although I'm not sure that Mo is convinced.   Sadly, the only photo I got of the combination was rather soft focus - I really need to re-set my camera settings back to normal after I've been arsing about with it! 

Mo spent the rest of the evening going through all Amanda's patterns and eventually cast on one row, although there were expletives uttered when she discovered she wasn't loose enough!   This was contradictory to earlier statements when she announced that she was TOO loose - I'm not even sure we were talking about knitting at the time!

At one point in the evening, we were ALL knitting.  This is a first and probably will never be repeated.  We did have quite a lot of serious discussion though - we have planned the venues for the meetings up to Christmas - we are moving them around a bit from now on so we can snoop at each other's wool stashes.  (Or at least that's what I'll be doing!)  We've organised ourselves - or at least TALKED about organising ourselves - with a knitting Secret Santa for Christmas, and we've lined Mum up to sew all our little projects up.  Mum, of course, is delighted.  Oh, and we've got a couple of new members who will shortly be joining us - it's all very exciting.

We also had lots of not-so-serious discussion - including Strictly Come Dancing, The Great British Bake Off, a new product line of socks for amputees, and sparkly balls. 

And Sid?  Well, Sid loved all the attention ..... as usual!

Hevingham

About a week before the August bank holiday, Amanda decided we should go camping for the weekend.  This did somewhat fill me with despair - how on earth would we find a tent big enough to take us two plus the dogs?; and where would we find a campsite that wouldn't charge the earth, bearing in mind Bank Holidays are always really busy and very expensive?   Mum and Dad stepped into the breach and let us use their trailer tent, which filled me with more misgivings - I've never towed anything in my life!  And then the lovely Sarah at Hevingham Lakes said we could have a pitch for just twenty quid for the weekend.  All set then!  Oh, and then Marti said she'd like to come along too and then Mum and Dad invited themselves along for a barbecue.   So much for a quiet weekend!  

We had a barbecue on the Saturday evening also and got through half of our wine supply.   We lit the citronella candles and, for once, I didn't get any mossie bites.  Hurrah!  

Sunday dawned fine and sunny - and we had a lovely day doing not very much really.  Quick trip to Aylsham (three miles up the road) to get another disposable barbecue and enough food for all of us; sitting around reading the Sunday papers; taking the dogs for a walk through the woods and over the heath; giving Finn a bath because he rolled in something disgusting; and then Mum and Dad turned up for a barbecue.  

Monday came round far too quickly for our liking.  We had to wait around for Mum and Dad to come and supervise the taking down of the trailer tent.  But I think we did a good job of doing it on our own - so much so that Dad has said we can borrow it again.  Hurrah!