Doing the packing for the Camino

Well.. The kids and I have been busy ensuring we have only packed exactly what we need for the camino and have packed our backpacks accordingly.

What do you think?

PS.. ha ha... April Fools joke....

we have a MUCH more petite backpack each nealry sorted out... can't believe its in 25 days

Bye-bye little car

Well, I hope thats not the last I see of my little car.

To catch you up.. I have not had the best experience with insurance companies and the AA. I've been told its written off, but until the blame has been set, I am stranded. No-one will pick the car up ad no-one wants to sort a hire car out for us.. so I took things into my own hands.

Through the beauty of Facebook, someone I have never met called a mate of her fathers who was a mechanic in a nearby town to where I am at the moment, and asked them to come and look at the car for me.

I am really working on the assumption that it is only cosmetic and that there is no real damage done to the chassis or axle. 

Hugh the Welsh mechanic was lovely.

He has taken our car away on a trailer and said he’d get back to me on Monday about it.. he hopes that its just a strut that is bent and if it is, he said it is easily fixed and cheap too.

Although there is a significant amount of cosmetic damage to it, so long as it is roadworthy and safe for me to drive, I am not going to care.  I really really don't want the hassle of having to find and buy another car.

So, I am feeling very blessed with the outcomes so far. Our housesitting host has been gracious enough to allow us to stay here for Sunday night,  so at least we have somewhere to stay till when we hear what Hugh has to say about the car.

If he says its stuffed, then I will hire a car from wherever I can here and head to London and do battle with the insurance company from there. 

Put your praying pants on, dance naked or throw sprinkles in the air .. even if its just for fun.. but send your good wishes along to us in Wales. 

I only need the car for another 2 and a half weeks and then we are off to do the Santiago Camino for 2 months.  I can think about plans from there...

Doggy Love in Wales

We have two very energetic loveable boarder collies to care for here in our Wales housesit.  I know you shouldn't have favourites - but I think these two are amongst our favourite pets we have had the pleasure to look after. Beautifully kept ( not that anyone elses hasn't been!) and (moslty) well mannered, they are just a delight to walk with and play with.

We walk them at least twice a day into nearby fields and the kids get to kick a ball around while the dogs chase it.  Its such a great experience for them - and the blessing I am gaining from our time 'stuck' with out a car is that we can relax and spend time with the dogs while their owners are away and that the animals don't get stressed out.

After tramping around the fields, we make sure that paws and fluffy undersides are wiped clean and they are dry before they come into the house.