What are you all up to

Cracking day again and so clear across the Solent, you could almost see folk walking the streets in Cowes, need to check the club site on the IOW, dont normally go away during July/August but might be worth a shot, only have to travel some 40 mins down the M27 to the ferry terminal so not like doing a Cornwall run and spending a day in traffic,

If you like overlooking the Solent have a look at Waverley Park at East Cowes, serviced pitches.

Got the Tee-shirt, took the Gkids many years ago, early July as Gkids summer holidays started 1 week before mainstream schools so relatively quiet, you can get a deal for the ferry via Red Funnel much the same as CAMC, my guess July&August could be a bit manic, reasonably good heated outdoor pool, bit dated but ok. Really should explore the IOW more, some really good sites that we have looked into when staying at Southland, just seems strange being almost able to see our bungalow when looking out over the Solent.

Woke up to rain this morning so had our shower early, we prefer it in the afternoon usually, before going for a stroll around some of the grounds of Erdigg NT as the rain had eased.

The rain started coming down again after lunch and I've just looked out of the window and seen a few snowflakes mixed in with it. Not too bothered as it's due to clear up any time now.

I was looking back on some of our early trips away in the caravan and thinking of the differences 30 years make. We now have 13 small electronic items that need recharging whereas then we had none. This morning we had central heating to make the caravan warm and a proper loo whereas then we huddled around an inefficient little heater and had to buy one of those ports potty type things for our inside loo. No shower then either. If we wanted to ring home we had to find a phone box and abroad we had to buy phone cards to use.

How easy it is to become accustomed to what seems luxury nowadays.

Off home tomorrow after an enjoyable 4 night break to get used to it all again. MiLs second jab tomorrow afternoon, some shopping on Sunday then off again on Monday. Yahoo.

You might be recharging WN, but two devices will now cover your TV, radio, music, book reading, map reading, banking, takeaway ordering, shopping, phone calls, fitness monitoring, etc....😁 We could fill a huge cupboard in van just with books! 

Our caravan is very basic compared to today’s models, but the heating is good, it is very well insulated, comfy and has all we need. Things are simple to use and to repair if anything goes wrong, bit like older cars used to be. Shower is good. We still use an old fashioned porta potti in there. Unlike the one in the MH, it’s never temperamental😂

Little something of interest for any lovers of model railways, best viewed of full screen. Sorry about the adverts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBNHmUT3GPg

Yesterday the final bit of my Off Grid upgrades was completed. I now have 3 x100w semi flex solar panels in series feeding an Epever 3210AN controller that, according to my MT50 remote meter, is pushing 12A+ on a bright day into my 120Ah KS Energy Lithium battery. This is all providing the grunt for the NDS 1500w Inverter to supply the 700w Microwave that I fitted last autumn. I haven't bothered with a B2B charger as the alternator on my Euro 5 engine is whacking out 22 Amps to supplement the solar when driving.

I've run a 240v feed into the MH garage to charge the E-bikes. I'll be testing it all in combat next week.

crikey dont know about "Off Grid" sounds like you are preparing for a trip to the moon, or perhaps just Lee on the Solent  Not taking the caravan out until 4th May and although i spent most of my working life in IT of some sorts I am not a gadgets person, we have a built in stero radio cd player in the van, factory fit, do not watch television whilst away, do have  2 smart phones but only so we can keep in touch with family, in fact was looking at the aerial on roof of caravan when i cleaned it, and realised after looking at handbook that you can raise it as well as point it, dont think it has ever been moved since van was new so left well alone, probably leak if i move it now.

Grey day today, and not a breath of wind, desperately need some rain, garden is rock solid now through lack of rain, just looking at newspaper, 144 pages, most of it in tribute to HRH, great guy, so it will keep me occupied for a while.

Been working slowly house clearing my MIL's house over the last two days. Found some very old items. I now have a torque wrench although as it's not been used for at least 15 years I'm not sure how accurate it might be?

Also notice the high tech eco friendly drill! 

When I inherited some of my FiLs tools after he died I couldn't work out what some of them were for. Apparently he never threw anything away and as his occupation was a Turner, both wood and metal, he was very handy at most things.

Had an easy drive home for the weekend before heading down into Powys for 4 nights on Monday. MiL had her second Pfizer jab today. When I took her for her first jab they were all given the same time and date 11 weeks hence yet the car park today was only half full and she said there wasn't half as many people inside the centre as last time. Strange.