Maximum Output

Starting to feel a bit like a generator today…

Scarlett woke me at 4am by shaking me as she’d had a bad dream. Something to do with monsters in a forest chasing her and when she’d woken the shadows in the hall had looked like the monsters so she’d panicked and needed me to wake up quicker than I did. She insisted on getting into my sleeping bag which was not comfortable for either of us and then she needed a wee but didn’t want to go alone. Eventually she was persuaded to move her sleeping bag next to me and then as Ady’s phone was ringing with text messages from people he has been talking to in America about generators I made him go and share the mat with Davies. So we did all get back to sleep in the end.

This morning Ady and Davies did some hedge trimming and Davies had a foiled attempt at riding a bike. He really needs a proper sized one so his little one has gone in the free ads paper / website today. Scarlett and I made some bread – two loaves and pizza bases for dinner tonight. I made a couple of phonecalls – one to sort out a carpet fitter to come round and quote tomorrow evening for the carpet that needs replacing. Another to Amazon to arrange for (another) replacement kindle as the screen has a smudge on it and I can see shadows of the previous page text when I turn a page. Last time I waited ages before replacing it but it was so straightforward this time I have sorted it as soon as I noticed it this time. I’ve read on forums lots of people having screen issues with kindles so Amazon obviously know it is a problem and don’t mess about. Ady made a couple of phonecalls – one to the static place to confirm they have received the cheque and to ask them to supply a few things such as water containers which they sell and can deliver with the static to save us getting them. He also rang his friend Bruce (the farmer) who has been looking out for 4x4s for us and had found one at £1400 that was over our price range so he thought it wasn’t worth telling us about. We arranged to meet him and look at it this afternoon though as it was being sold by Bruce’s BIL so comes with a really good idea of it’s history.

We had lunch – fresh bread, mmmm. Then went off to the charity shop to drop some more boxes off. The bloke parked next to us in the carpark was most fascinated by us and overheard Ady talking to the woman in the shop who commented we must have nothing left in our house anymore. He followed Ady out and got chatting to us both about what we were doing. He was really enthusiastic about the whole adventure and told us how he’d lived in a caravan for a few years, took our photographs and asked for our email address so he could stay in touch with us and find out what happens next. He was a very sweet, if rather eccentric old man (his email address is ‘lord’ someone but I’ve googled him and can’t find him anywhere) and a year ago we’d have written him off as a nutter and escaped talking to him as quickly as possible. We’ve learnt though, that people prepared to stand and chat and make friends are almost always worth knowing and left with his ‘I wish you every success and happiness’ ringing in our ears and a warm fuzzy feeling :).

The last few bits dropped off at the tip and then on to Bruce’s. We spent several hours with him including looking at the Pajero ” alt=”” /> having a sit in it, driving it forwards and backwards and agreeing to buy it. It has an MOT next week so will come with a years ticket on it, has four new tyres, new cambelt, two brand new batteries (they have two, not sure why) and is really clean and tidy. Diesel, automatic. Kids love it and although it is more than we anticipated paying I think it will be worth it.

Back at the farm we talked more about trailers and I shared that I had been wondering about horse boxes so we looked inside Bruce’s and decided that yes, a horse box would be perfect for what we want – easy to pull, carries loads of weight, full height so we can stand up in it when using it as storage, sound in terms of waterproof / rodent proof (as far as anything can be) and of course suitable for moving livestock and anything else farm related once we’re on the croft. We were about to leave when Bruce remembered one of the boxes stored behind his stables might be for sale so he went to ask the owner. It’s tatty but sound and Bruce is going to get it emptied, cleaned up and checked over for us to make sure the bearings / wheels etc are all okay. He knocked the woman down to £500 and gave her £100 deposit there and then for us. Hurrah for our wonderful friends 🙂 So that’s vehicle and trailer, under budget at £2000 and with a better car than we’d anticipated getting 🙂 Very pleased indeed.

Back home via Sainsburys where we picked up reduced to clear steak to have for dinner tomorrow (hurrah, Davies has been wanting steak for ages, his favourite food after pizza) and then pizzas for dinner while watching Mrs Doubtfire which is an excellent film that has totally stood the test of time and the kids loved :).

My fuel supplies are running low now though…