Oliver and Family.

Oliver and his sister Joy, aged three and a half weeks, with mum Lily.

Allotment.

I know it's not camping, but we were talking about allotments on UKCs so here's some pictures.

The bottom end.



Wildlife pond. (Still very immature with much work to be done.)




The shed and the herb beds.



My feral rhubarb.




The family...this is my big lad.



And not so big Little Miss Princess, picking blackcurrents.



And a very small Princess, in the pumpkin patch a few years ago.




Rare sighting of Hubby on the allotment...he was helping dig the pond.



Little squash of some sort...




I got lots that year!




Soft fruit....





Sweetcorn, even in Scotland.



Willow for baskets, drying on the shed.



First garlic of the year.



I like my allotment...

Four weeks to the off...

Four weeks today we go away, so as Hubby had a free day yesterday it was designated Trailer Tent Maintenance Day. Hubby took the trailer+kitchen away to his uncle's garage to attend to a number of small faults (replacing a kitchen clip,fixing a light in the trailer board, repairing the hole in the floor caused by last year's explosive tyre blow out, getting a new spare tyre) and I took most of the inners and the poles upstairs to do the necessary to them.

You know, it always amuses me how on Ebay adverts a TT is listed as in "perfect" condition, apart from some pole springs and buttons". Given how easy and cheap replacing buttons and springs is, why not just make it "perfect"? You can buy pole springs and buttons at any camping shop that caters to caravans because basically a pole spring/button is a standard item, and the same size is used on both caravan awning frames and frame tent poles. There is also a tool for inserting then both sold that looks like a flat bladed screwdriver with a notch cut in the blade, or you can use an old or £-shop screwdriver and file a notch in it yourself. Then, basically, you just shove the spring or button into the end of the pole. Bingo! Job done!

So as part of the pole overhaul I did just that...replaced a couple of springs and three buttons. I also pulled all the telescopic poles apart, gave them a quick rub down with some emery paper (they are old poles and have some light surface corrosion that makes them stick a bit.)and then I lubricated them with Fabsil before I put them back together. Fabsil? Yes, it is a tent reproofer but it's silicon based and makes a good tent pole lubricant. At least you can be sure it won't damage canvas.

I also removed and renewed all the old colour coding tape, because it was starting to lift and split and I don't want rough bits digging into the canvas and causing leaks. Ten minute job again, but avoids potential problems.

Finally I replaced a couple of pole feet, checked all the poles were present and correct then put them all back in the bag ready to go.

Other jobs? Washing and ironing (not!!) the curtains and replacing three split curtain tabs. I also checked the hooks on the undertents and I would have checked the hooks and tapes on the roof liners as well, if I ever had any intention of using them! I also cut two more sheets of scrap plastic to size for placing under the undertents, just to save them getting too dirty. We got new bunk
bed mattresses last year so I saved the plastic packaging for this. I'll throw the plastic out at the end of the season.

It's so easy to do all of this stuff on quiet morning with no distractions and no hurry, and it saves so much time and annoyance on site while pitching. I do other maintenence like stain removal and rubbers/guyline replacement in site, because it's easier when the tent is up. But the small fiddly stuff like this is well worth an hour once per year.

PS. Most spares for Conway trailer Tents can be bought from Pennine-Conway and/or Tent Valeting Services, who will also do canvas repairs or indeed replace your entire canvas for you. Incidentally, ignore Pennine-Conway's apparent desire to charge you £15 P&P on even a small item. They adjust it appropriately and email you a revised invoice before you confirm the order.

Tent First Aid Kit.