Signed, sealed & delivered

That's it! Today we exchanged and completed on Rowleth End! We are officially full-timers now, or rubber tramps as they are known in the US! We got the call from our conveyancer whilst we were in our favourite eatery (Overton House Cafe in Reeth) at lunch time, just as we were taking the first sip of celebratory champagne, to say the money had gone in the bank. Just as well; we needed it to pay the bill!

We move to our Reeth 'home', Orchard Caravan Park on Monday, after a trip to the weigh bridge to make sure that Floozie2 isn't groaning on her wheels. Then it'll be a case of getting organised and getting her ready for this year's trip. The totally hideous weather of gales and rain has found a weak point in the bedroom slide and we have a damp patch on the carpet. We did wonder if it was Pooch at first, but he protested his innocence and won his case! It's just one of a myriad of little jobs that need doing and which I shall enjoy getting on with next month.

Finally, a little bit of news on this auspicious date. Amanda asked me to marry her again! It's a lady's prerogative to ask a gentleman (I use the term advisedly) on the 29th, so naturally I said yes. So we are going to renew our vows this year - another symbolic gesture of our new life together. Having the responsibility of such a large house and business really took it out of us and we suffered individually as well as a couple. Indeed we were all set to seperate in the Autumn of last year. But we have two things that got us through it all. Love for each other and strength to find a way to come through it all. And that we have and now have a stronger and deeper love for each other than ever before. As I said, a new beginning.

So, whilst it's way too wet and wild outside to head off into the sunset, certainly in our hearts that's the direction we're taking!

Spoke too soon

It was all going far too well. Don't worry, the house is still selling but everything is now securely crossed. No, our little hiccup is the MINI. We were due to swap it for a new MX5 next Saturday, so what happens a week before it goes - the rear suspension collapses. Folks, whatever you do don't buy a MINI. This one has been a nightmare and of course it is just out of warranty, so our bank balance is about to take a big hit. It complicates things as we were part exchanging it for the Mazda and I suspect the repair won't be done within a week. DOH! I can't tell you how pleased I will be to see the back of that car. Ok rant over.

D-day gets closer

Eight days before we move out of Rowleth End. Or at least we hope so. As is usually the case, things are not running quite as smoothly as we would like them to be, but we reckon that it should only be a couple of days before were ready to the exchange contracts. The good news is that we have finished cleaning out Rowleth End and it is now ready for Roger to move. In fact, we are just about to take the last van load of our personal belongings into storage. Despite the fact we have been really ruthless and have got rid of so much, we have still managed to fill a fair sized container. Question in my mind is, what if we decide to stay with this lifestyle. What are we going to do with it all then?!

Swaledale is bidding us a fond farewell. Last night was one of the worst gales we've known in the four years we've been here and poor old Floozie2 was rocking around like bucking bronco. It was so bad we had to bring the slides in to prevent damage to the awnings that sit above them (to stop rubbish collecting on the top). They could so easily have torn. It's a beautiful valley, Swaledale, but by heck it's breezy. It's the UK's version of the Mistral I'm sure. Can't help but sit here and smile at the thought that this could be the very last British winter we have to endure......

We are firming up travel plans. We move to Orchard Caravan Park in Reeth on the 29th and spend March there. Just after Easter, Floozie2 goes to Dudley's in Whitney to get a few things sorted before moving to Carvynick, which has a dedicated RV park. We get a great pitch, hook up to leccy, water and drainage and enjoy easy living. Whilst there I do my LGV C+E (old class 1) so that I tow the car behind the motorhome.

Then, 3rd May, the ferry is booked to get to France, where we stay near Limoges on France's one and only dedicated RV park Parc Verger . We are there two months, then off to see family near Lodeve (we hope) before heading to friends in Switzerland in August. Our return ferry is September 12th in time for the York Motorcaravan show. after that, who knows, but we will be in Seefeld, Austria (Camp Alpin,) for the 14th December for a white Christmas and skiing. We leave there on 14th Jan to head for the warmth of southern Spain, destinantion unknown. And that's a year gone folks!

Turning the ignition

Welcome to our first ever blog! Who are we? Richard & Amanda and Pooch the dog and of course, Floozie2, our American RV. We are about to hit the road to tour and live in Europe, exploring, experiencing and above all having fun. We'll work a bit, play as much as possible and write about our adventures as we go.

A blog has to start somewhere I guess, so there's no better place than in the here and now. At present we are in the middle of packing up our house ready to move out on the 29th of this month, all being well. We have spent the last 3 years or so running a guest house which we discovered wasn't for us. Fortunately a great chap called Roger has bought Rowleth End and intends to take it from strength to strength - we wish him all good luck and when he's up and running, I'll post his website. Rowleth End is a great place to have a truly relaxing break.

So whilst we're up to our necks in packing cases and the house looks like a tornados blown through it, we've moved into the peace and tranquility of Floozie2. As we find things we want to take on our travels we get them in and it really does feel like home now. It's a tough thing to do; everything has to have purpose, there is no room or weight allowance for anything 'pointless'. Once you have everything you need, it's amazing to see how much stuff you have that just lies around doing nothing, stuff you don't need. That said, we are in a better position than most where space and weight is concerned - we know lots of people who 'fulltime' in motorhomes half the size of Floozie2! We've already settled in and the big bonus is that we can shut the door on the devesatation in the house and walk the ten yards to the van parked in the yard!

The weather has been pretty rough the past week or so; that said, today has been glorious. But whilst it's been snowing, raining, howling gales, we've been cosy! She's a delight to live in.

That's going to be the last word for this post. Watch this space!