Phil March

Another caravan year looms large.  We have to get out by 15th January and are not allowed back in until 15th March, even if you forgot your passport.  Which we didn’t, and we don’t want to stay there while the weather id like this either.  When you heat a caravan and there is a big temperature difference between the inside and outside, the heat just escapes so quickly.  Anyway, we need new photo’s for passes to get in for this year again, so while Billy and Harriet came for one of my famous Chicken tikka Masala’s we took the opportunity to take mug shots.

Well Billie’s came out more like a mug shot, but luckily Harriets was ok.  Not quite sure when we will be able to stay there again with the snow still lingering around.  I went over the other day but they haven't salted the small roads so there are piles of ice in the road.  Also, I had taken the wrong keys and so couldn’t get in anyway.

 

Of course, we had our wonderful mini cruise this month also.  £199 for 5 nights with all your food, accommodation and transport.  Andy and Jemma (you remember, the software engineer) also couldn’t resist this deal but they also got upgraded to a suite.  What a bargain, £199 for a suite with a butler.

 

They also had a balcony about 3 times larger than ours which was 3 times larger than a normal one as we were at the back.  They still managed to moan about their holiday though with petty things like not liking their butler.  Crazy and their deal even included room service.

 

Andy and Jemma also took the all inclusive drinks offer, as we did for €97.50 each.  A real bargain for us as they were expensive and we had our money’s worth the first day.  It was a real bargain as it included coffee. cocktails and even tips.  And get this;  there was no crap wine.

 

We were lucky enough to get the table we asked for; a table for two.  I know it sounds anti-social, but Claire and I enjoy our own company when we eat.  As you all know we love company and socializing with a drink.  We had a perfect seat in a corner, but close to an old foursome.  They were from Belgium but only the chap on my right could speak English and we spoke no Flemish.  They were a lovely bunch that had met because one couples son had married the others daughter.  Even though they were all great grandparents they had stayed good friends.

 

This is one of me that Claire took sitting in our little corner.

I don’t tend to put many pictures of me on my blogs, mainly because I’m not quick enough to take it and run around in time.  Also, I am always a little surprised to see how fat I am; I still think of myself as thin inside.  Cheers everyone!

Our cruise was divided into two, the first half where the weather was lovely and we could go for long walks.  This was Barcelona. 

Trouble is, if you don’t take the transport, you have to walk for hours just to get there and back.  It didn’t help that the first day I wore new shoes.

They had entertainment in most bars but the main event started after 9pm.  Claire and I never made it one for this, preferring to get stuck in early and finish early.

 

It was still nice weather when we went around Palma.  Although we have been to Majorca loads of times we had never been to Palma before.  I had been keeping my eyes open for a long weekend deal to Palma but this cropped up first.  I guess I couldn’t have got a weekend break there for £199 including transport.  Certainly not all our food as well.  I particularly enjoyed the modern art museum but not so much the art.

 

The ship was large and equipped with lots of facilities.  None of which we used.  There either was not time because the weather was good, or it was too miserable. 

The second half of the cruise the weather turned and got worse and worse so we didn’t get off the ship.  No point walking around in the rain. 

No point in putting any more miserable rainy photos on either. 

This little fountain, I found once our ship had docked for the final time just before we disembarked.  I got lost and stumbled across the healthy restaurant that you had to pay extra in.  Who want to pay extra to eat healthy food on holiday?

It felt like an entire weekend, but we had to wait the whole day in Rome airport.  Time passed so slowly, even though we did escape to the coast for lunch.

Another thing that spoiled our cruise a little, was that my Dad was admitted to hospital when we had only been away for two days and Mum had terrible trouble visiting him in Leicester.

The day we got back we drove to Melton to pick my mum up and take her to visit Dad.  He was suffering.  The ward seemed like a loony ward to me; we had one chap shouting, “Help Me” all the time.  Everyone ignored him, so I guess he had been doing it for some time.  He had been admitted because he had become confessed and weak.  Mum was a little worried about him being admitted because he kept taking his clothes off everywhere he went.

They stopped all his medication and gave him two new drugs.  One as his blood potassium level was so high and the other something to do with helping the blood flow to his brain.  They found a 3 inch diameter growth on his kidney but as he had previously suffered from strokes and has a heart condition, they decided that even if this was malignant they would operate so there was no point giving him the trauma of a biopsy.  He has been sent home but my mum is really struggling to look after him.  We arranged for some home help for her which should start soon.

The other change this month is that we on the Wednesday night group got fed up with the Ship and have agreed a change at the Nags Head in Linford Wood.  Its a nice 15th century stone and thatch but a little small inside.  No sooner have we started going there than George has gone to Majorca for a few weeks so we are now taking it in turns to drive to Stony Stratford where Alfi lives.  As soon as its Chris’s turn to drive he has gone on holiday to Turkey so I have to drive next time.  Have a good one Chris and Vanessa!

The other unexpected change was the weather this month.  We have been hit by climate change.  Alfi hates it being called climate change but thats what it is.  You certainly wouldn’t call it global warming, would you.

We have been hit pretty bad by snow.  I had a look back at last years blog because Claire has had it bound into a book again.  It was glorious sunshine last year and we were in the caravan.  Harriet and her friend came over to sunbathe and visit the swimming pool.  What an incredible change.  Come on global warming, catch up.  Next month, I visit the Barrister that we have chosen to take Daphne’s IFA to court, Mum’s home help starts and we have another cheap holiday in Corfu.  I also might be starting back to work.