Oliver.

This is Oliver and he is one week old. His mum Lily lives a few doors away from us and is barely a year old so when her owners noticed she was looking a bit fat round the middle they put it down to a few too many mice. The next day there were two kittens with her in her cosy nest in the bottom of the airing cupboard.

They are keeping the little girl, but they knew we'd lost our two cats so offered us Oliver if we'd like him. Like him? Isn't he gorgeous? He is small and soft and round and all he can do is squeak and suck, but his mum is a lovely friendly young miss and we're sure he'll have a lot of her personality, growing up with such a good birth family. She looks a bit hissy here, but in fact was perfectly comfortable with Lad and me touching her kittens. She's a good mum, despite her being very young.



So we're very happy with Oliver. We won't be getting him till he's 11 weeks old however, because that's when we'll be back from France. Naturally his birth family are really pleased with this as they get to keep the whole family together through the fun tiny kitten stage. And Oliver will get a very good start with being with his mum so much. Pedigree kittens don't usually leave their mum till they're 12 weeks old, after all.

Oh, in case anyone is wondering Oliver is going to be a house cat. Two cats killed on the road outside our house within three months of each other is two cats too many, no? We're hoping to get a pal for Oliver though, so he'll have company.

Putting up a Conway.

I found this very brief clip of how to put up a 1987/88 Conway Camargue. Might be of use to someone.

Trailer Tent List #1

This is the main equipment list for the trailer tent, #1. You've got to laugh at the thought that this is the cut-down, lightweight list, eh?



France 2008/Camargue.


Tent:

Awning + poles.
Sun canopy + poles.
Groundsheet.
2 x undertents.
2 sheets plastic for undertents.
Step.
Hanging organiser.
Pegs
Storm strap.
2 x mallets
Spirit level
8x wooden pads.
Wheelbrace
Small tool kit.
Spare leg + spare screw handles for legs.
Tent repair kit, including pole buttons + springs.
Curtains.

Big Conway table.
Folding table.
Small folding table?
4 chairs. (Inc green one for D/pink chair for M.)
Stool.
2x foam mats.
Self inflating mat.
3 small pop-up baskets.
3x picnic blankets.
2x doormats.
Beach tent.

Laundry drier hanging.
Laundry drier folding.
Laundry misc bag including line, pegs and washing powder.
Sewing kit.

4 x sleeping bags.
2x large pillows.
1x camping pillow.
Small beige cushion.
2x fitted sheets.
2x pillow cases.
1x plain sheet.
1x fleece liner. + 1x fleece blanket.
6x towels. (inc beach ones.)
2x turbitowels.
4x teatowels.

EHU.
Continental adaptors for EHU. (X3)
Fridge,
Mains fluorescent light.
Gas lamp.
Gas canisters x 2
Party Grill.
Large battery lamp.
Small torch.
Head torch.
Batteries: AA, AAA, D.
Phone chargers. (Mains + car.)
2x Campingaz bottles.

Kitchen etc.:

2 x buckets.
2x folding crates.
2x zip-up coolbags for storage.
Coolbag + 1 coolpack for picnics.
Water container.
Washing up bowl.
Washing up brush, scrubber and wu liquid.
Cleaning spray.
Reg + hose.
Bin bags.
J-cloths.
Baby wipes.
Sparker + matches.
Kitchen roll.
Plastic bags + clips for storage.
2 large plastic boxes for fruit & veg
3 small plastic boxes for fridge and picnics.
Tea and sugar caddies.
Oven Glove.


Full set (x6) cutlery.
Full set (x4) crockery
2 extra serving plates.
2 bowls for mussels.
2 insulated mugs.
Teapot.


Set of nesting pots.
Frying/sauté pan with lid.
Kettle.
Griddle plate.
Utensils
3x sharp knives (bread, general, picnic.)
Tongs for barbecue.
Sieve.
Plastic jug.
Tin opener.
Corkscrew.

Tea bags.
Sugar.
Salt & pepper.
Mixed herbs & chilli grinder.


Misc:

Alarm clock.
Plastic box for glasses etc.
First Aid kit.

Scarey stuff. (You should have seen last year's...)

Getting ready for summer.

Well, it's that time of year again. In eight weeks we will be in France on the annual Big Trip. Amsterdam, Paris, Bayeux and Dol-de-Bretagne. Not exactly an ambitious itininary for six weeks but as Hubby is going to be home at work for three weeks of this, it's ambitious enough!

We are going in The Mighty Carmargue, of course.



Only we can turn a perfectly respectable trailer tent into a peasant encampment within hours.....



Actually, that's the point of this post. The trailer tent got a bit out of control last year because we took far too much stuff. Yes, there's room for it all, but did we need it? Did I need the constant packing, unpacking, tidying up, falling over kit and the horrific moving days? No I did not. It's going to be less this year. In my trusty trip notebook I wrote down 23 different major items that we definately did not need plus several suggestions for cutting down in other areas. now, I just have to belive the Val that wrote them at the end of last year's trip, yes?

Examples:

Barbecue. DEAD, but unregretted. Used griddle plate instead. Frankly, that plus the Party Grill is a cleaner, faster, more efficient combo. Don't hurry to buy another BBQ!

Undertent. Big disaster area. Holdalls too big and unreachable, plus the old Conway inner too cramped. Buy bigger undertent and smaller holdalls.

Don't bring: Windshield/shelf unit, beach mats, folding picnic chairs, big groundsheet, hanging larder, second hanging organiser, big bowl, parasol, wine cooler wrap, spatter guard, skewer rack, barbecue mesh, vegetable bags, less fleece blankets, less torches,less towels, plastic wine glasses, big pink sandwich boxes, all these cooking spices, less home food in general.

Buy/replace: Two bowls for mussels, two large lidded boxes for fruit & veg, better frying pan, extra headphones for kids, more DVDs, more V-pegs, more batteries, narrow strip of ground sheet, upright airer rack, replace hanging airer rack, gas cannisters for lamp and PG..

Watch this space...off to write some lists. You'll notice nothing has been said about clothes or personal possessions yet, lol!