The passage of time seems to be a continual theme and that’s probably because there’s usually a gap of a few months between posts! It’s early March and my first trip away in Clarence this year is only 5 weeks away. We seem to be foregoing the usual March trip to the Peaks this year unfortunately, but at least it isn’t too long until I’m back up in the Lake District. We’re even booked in for a trip up there in August following the bank holiday – can’t remember the last time I had two weeks off booked this early in the year!
The Easter trip will see me head up to Coniston for three nights at Coniston Park Coppice and then three nights at the National Trust site at Wasdale. The plan is to have yet another go at the Old Man, and Oli will be joining me for a few days for an attempt at Scafell Pike. Unfortunately I couldn’t get in to Pier Cottage for this trip, but we did manage to wangle three nights there in August which is a bit of a result. It’s no real hardship going to Coniston Park Coppice – their facilities are awesome – and it should be better value now that I have joined the Caravan and Motorhome Club. Yep, you read that correctly!
I’m hoping that the weather will be significantly better than it is today, as it is absolutely hammering it down out there. Fortunately Clarence is sporting his Just Kampers cover, which seems to be performing really well. Well, now that I eventally figured out which way round it goes! I wish I’d bought one sooner, but you know what I’m like for procrastinating. He’s just been through his MOT and only needed a front wheel bearing sorted and an adjustment to the horn. As a treat, I fitted some headlamp grills and a new mesh for his front grill the other day. For the first time I can remember, a couple of ten minute jobs did actually only take ten minutes!
I’ll skirt over the nonsense from VW Heritage over the purchase of the headlamp grills and mesh, save to say that once the remaining vouchers that the guys at Maples gave me when I left are spent, I’ll be buying most bits from Just Kampers. Not only is their service ridiculously good, but I’ll also receive a 10% discount now I’ve insured both VWs with them.
Not much else has changed on the Volkswagen front in the last few months. Lucille is currently at the blasters, with Jim having decided to go all in on the restoration. Evidently there was more rot than he was expecting when Ben at Robertson’s Restorations started the strip down. Planning for next year’s German Job is moving at a glacial pace, but I’m sure we’ll figure it out. Life wise, I’m settling into the new gaff nicely and it’s eventually feeling like I might be settling into the new job more. I’ve also taken up home brewing, and my debut efforts haven’t been half bad. Watch this space!
The one big change is that the site has had another facelift. With WordPress moving over to the Gutenberg block format, I figured it was time for a change. Plus it’s good to keep my hand in at that sort of thing. I definitely made sure I backed it up beforehand this time!