All happened so quick

 It seems so long ago when we had several Narrowboat holidays and decided, this is what we want to do. We want to buy our own Narrowboat and live on the canals. That was about 8 to 10 years ago, although there was a time when we thought about buying an old coach/bus doing it in to a motorhome and go travelling. We agreed in the end that a narrowboat would be best, a motorhome would be a lot of driving for Colin as I don't drive. Fast forward to May this year when Colin relieved a letter saying he could get his state pension on July 16th 2021 when he was 66.  The job we were doing working for Shared Lives was changing. A new manager, changing all the policies, then changing the name which also meant new contracts. They were wanting us to do so much more, what was the Coordinators  job with all these changes? No answer to that question.  The new contract was changing, we the Carers were going to do the risk assessments and Care p,and from now on.  So we thought "Sod it, let's do it, let's give notice retire and live on a narrowboat. Our dream was coming true😊. We checked our house, we new a few things needed doing to sale our house. We had already had new windows put in beginning of February. Just a bit of touching up the paint on walls and the skirting boards. Tidy up the garden. It didn't take long, our house went on the market on the Wednesday and was sold by the Friday. We were a bit unsure as they were Bulgarian and Cash buyers. What a lovely couple they were. 

We then gave our 28 days notice on August 10th, which meant they had 28 days to find somewhere for our 2 Adults with Learning difficulties somewhere to live. I was worried about my lady, she doesn't like change. She didn't like going on respite and would say "I'm not going Wendy"and shake her head bless her. We explained that we were retiring, not going to be working anymore.  She still insisted on living with us, I kept explaining every day to her that she couldn't come with me. Those 28 days went by really quickly, they had found somewhere for the both to go. The Social worker that worked with us a d our 2 people kept saying "Don't worry Wendy, I will make sure they go to someone nice, let me do the worrying. You go and enjoy your retirement on your narrowboat. Its easy for them, to them they are just a number, they are human beings with feelings. Our man was fine, all he was worried about was our dogs and not be able to see them. He went to one carer, stayed there about 10 days, then went to stay with another couple, where he still is now and very happy. 

I've seen our lady a couple of times, she was tearful, I've phoned a couple of times and had a chat with her, she sounds much happier but still asks "Can I come with you" I always say to her "You are happy now and you know you can't come with me" I always say I miss you and I do think of you, we've told her we will be coming back in December to collect our things that is in storage and we will come and say "Hello" she likes the postcards that we send her.

 Our man loves the photos of our dogs and the videos of the dogs,  so I try to send him 1 or 2 a week.  It keeps him happy.

That's it for today. Going to sit and read for a bit. Colin is playing one of his games. 

Willow Touring Park. Nantwich

 Up we got Wednesday morning. Breakfast of cereals and a hot cup of tea, lush. Dogs fed. Quick tidy up and washed up and on our way towards Chester,  We drove on for a bit, taking in all the lovely countryside. Colin drove all day till 4pm apart from stopping for lunch in a lay-by. Which was when we googled touring sites and found Willow Touring Park. Gave them a ring and booked ourselves in for two nights. £20 a night with electric hook up, showers, toilets and Laundry which you had to pay for. They had drinking water tap to fill up our motorhome as we were getting low.  It was in someway just a basic camp site. The owner made me laugh, he came over to where we had parked and mumbled something about "toilets here showers over there" and that's all I could hear lol. And off he walked. Had a walk around, our dogs seen a squirrel and tried to run after it, we managed to stop them pulling us over 🤣😂.  It was very peaceful here. Lots of caravans and motorhomes, didn't see many people, all seem to keep themselves to themselves. 

Thursday we went in to Nantwich to find TSB bank as we were to make the payment to Richard for Squires. Found it, went in. Sorry madam we do extra security checks have you got your drivers license or passport for ID? No I haven't I said, my husband has, I will go and get him to come in as I know he has his driving licence with him. So off I go to find Colin so that he could go and make the final payment for Squires and off he went. He was back within 10 minutes, he couldn't do it as we hadn't changed his address on his license since we had moved. The lady did tell him that we can make a payment of ex amount per day!! So I made one payment on online banking there and then. Then the rest I paid on Friday morning before we met up with Richard. Phew!! We had done it, we had paid for Squires.

It was okay, not sure if I would come here again. The showers were very hot!!. It was quiet at bedtime so I could get to sleep OK. I just don't seem to sleep much some nights, I either settle down about 11 ish and then wide awake by 1am. Or settle down about 12,30 and wake up about 4.30-5am and then doze on and off, then I don't want to get up at 7.30am. Can't win can i🤣😂🤣😂     

Up at 7.30am Friday morning. All excited, we were going off to meet Richard, Squire's owner. We got to Swanley Marina for 10.40, we went to see Malcolm at the Broker's, checked in that they had received the payments for Squire's. They had,  Malcolm took us down to meet Richard, introduced us and left us to get the handover with Richard. What a lovely man, he couldn't be more helpful. There was an email from the original owner of Squires called Frank, saying he had noticed that Squire's was up for sale and how he had been keeping an eye on Squire's. Anyway, like I was saying Richard showed us absolutely everything in Squire's, every tiny little drawer and cupboard, all had something inside them. Plus he told us that his partner had brought all new bedding for the bed, There was all new cutlery in the drawer. He gave us literally anything that he had to do with Squires. I could see he was a tad tearful at times. Wouldn't you be after selling something that was your pride and joy for years?. We exchanged phone numbers, I had told Richard he could phone anytime or text and that we would send him pics of Squires. We didn't tell him that we were planning to have her painted a different colour or changing the name. 

Heading Back to Swanley Marina again

 Good morning. Its Tuesday, up had breakfast and headed to MIL to pick up the washing she done for us and got it dried. Bless her so kind, I did joke about the ironing🤣😂 She said I was a cheeky bitch ha ha, I knew she was joking. Anyway we stopped for a cuppa or two with cake (and I wonder why i can't loose weight!!) Left mum's and drove towards Warminster and pulled in to a lay-by near Longleat overnight, blooming noisy lay-by it was too!!. We had spoken to Andy today from Swanley Marina Broker's. The survey that we had had done on Squires was very good apart from a few minor problems. We said we would like to go ahead with buying Squires. It was arranged (with Andy's help) to meet up with Richard the previous owner on Friday at 11am.  Colin cooked us something to eat, he likes cooking, fed the dogs and settled down to read and played a few games on my tablet. Sometimes I might watch my soaps on my tablet, I was in bed reading and catching up with Facebook by 9.30. Time I've taken all my medication and they kick in it's about 10.30 -11pm. Colin often snoring away by 10.30 lol. He's the one doing the driving as I don't drive( He does quite a bit to be fair and he never complains) infact it  was nearer 11.30 tonight. Anyway enough of my blubbering on haha.  Xxx

Somewhere to stay

 So after we okayed it for the survey we phoned Andy at Swanley Marina Broker's to let him know that Paul was coming out Saturday to do the survey on Squires.  We found a touring site and booked us in for two nights, it was clean and sparkling. There were showers and toilets in one block and a laundry room. We had washing to do so this was ideal. They had a small field enclosed for our dogs to have a run. Harry and Belle loved it. We took them there 3 times a day and Belle decided she loved playing "Catch the ball" not always good at bringing it back at first 🤣. The touring park was called Blakemere Touring & Holiday Park. Blakemere Village. Northwich. We ended up staying here for four nights. It has its own boutiques, craft shop where there was a lovely friendly lady that we stopped and chatted to her about all types of craft, they have craft lessons there too. Pet shops, antique shops and  lovely woods to walk through.  It was a lovely relaxing few days.  £31 a night. On Friday we started to make our way back to Weymouth to Colin mum as some post had arrived and a couple of cheques.  We stopped in a big sort of entrance to a field, it was a large lay-by. Plenty of room for us in our motor home. Cup of tea and some nibbles, didn't feel that hungry. Saturday morning we were up by 7am, took dogs out, cup of tea and cereal for us and our dogs had their food. Washed up and wiped up, dogs out for a wee then back on the road again. Weymouth here we come.  We stopped after a while in a pull in. Had a spot of lunch, dogs had lunch and a walk,  relaxed for half an hour then back on the road again. Must admit we were very lucky getting diesel. One place we stopped was £35 transaction, some you could just fill your tank up. Diesel was between 139 and 145. All the Shell garages were open, we passed a few this week that were empty.  We found a touring park just as we were coming in to Weymouth. Looked a bit rough and ready lo, it had a beautiful view looking over Chesil Beach. £31 a night!! Not a lot for your money!  It was in a field, you went along near the horses down a side bit for the toilets, showers and washing up space, yes we hitched up for electric but considering where we stayed near Chester it wasn't worth the £31 a night.  We wouldn't stay there again. 

Sunday morning we got up, had breakfast then spent the rest of the day with Colin mum,  She very kindly done our washing and got it dried for us which we picked up on the Tuesday. So Sunday and Monday night we stayed at another touring park. Monday we drove to Charmouth, where we picked up some fuses for the lights on our motorhome, new light for the corner on my side plus we got a small rectifier so we could have WiFi  on the go, or when we are stationary, plus it will work on the Narrowboat. 

On Monday we paid Paul for the survey on Squires, Paul said we had got ourselves a very good boat for the amount we were paying for Squires.  There are only 3 minor problems, not anything to be done immediately. We phoned Swanley Marina Broker's and spoke to Andy who has arranged for us to meet up with the owner on Friday at 11pm and for him to give us a handover.  Super excited to think that soon we would be the owner of Squires.  We had a lovely walk along Charmouth beach, the Dogs loved it. We had lunch in our motorhome and then made our way back to the touring site in Weymouth. Worse thing about this touring park was that you were down in a dip. No WiFi or reception for our mobiles.  We enjoyed the peace, sat and played games and I sat and read for a bit. Now we are retired I am hoping I will get back into a better sleeping pattern, instead of still being awake at midnight!!.  Time for bed. Night all. Xx 

Monday Yeahh. Off to meet Squires today

 Up and on our way to Swanley Marina to view Squires the Narrowboat we enquired after. Well, we both said to each other "Don't go buying the first one we see"  Hmm OK we said,  we got there and found the office,  asked to speak to Andy. He was out showing someone else around another Narrowboat.  The lovely lady at the office said we could have a wander round whilst waiting. Typical me, first thing I needed was to go for a wee! ( Must be getting old, im not old  I'm 59!!)  🤣😂🤣😂 although according to my son, he has always said I look older than I am! Cheers Son. Children hey!!?? 

So, we met up with Andy and he took us to view Squires. He left us to have a good look around on our own.  I fell in love with her straight away, she felt like I had come home. Squires felt warm, homely, spacious, clean and well looked after. Everything that I wanted in a Narrowboat was here, straight in front of me almost like saying "Buy me, Buy me, you know you want to, forget what you said about don't Buy the first one you see!!" I looked at Colin and I knew just by looking at him that he felt the same way that Squires was the one for us. Just like when we first met each other it was love at first sight.  (Soppy moment lol)

Andy came back just as we were coming out of Squires (via a step ladder as she is out of water no before you think it, I didn't do my normal trick of stumbling or falling 😉).  I think he knew from the look on our faces that we wanted Squires. We asked what happens next, he said we put an offer In. We were happy with the asking price. Just to be sure we did point out another Narrowboat and said we would like to take a look, biggest mistake out. As soon as we walked on board and stepped down in, I knew this wasn't the one for us. She felt cold, no passion there whatsoever. We turned round and came straight back out. Looked at Andy and said "No, there is no warm, homely feeling there at all, Squires is the one for us" Andy straight away said "I didn't think you would, you asked so I had to show you"  So back to the office we went. Andy explained about what happens next, we were guided by him as of course, we had not done this before. He told us we needed to put a 10% deposit down, he would put Squires as 'Under offer'  let the owner know and then explained the next stage was to get a survey done on Squires. This could apparently take anything up to 6 weeks. So we paid the deposit, we got a receipt for this, a list of surveyors, insurance, sign writers, painters etc. Basically a list of anything they thought we might need. So that was it, we had put a deposit down on Squires, she (pending on the survey being ok) was ours.

We got back in our motorhome and drove off, found somewhere to park up for lunch and phoned the first Surveyor on the list, a man called Paul, he was busy but possibly he was could do the survey Friday or 2 weeks time. Took our details and said he would let us know later in the day. To cut this short he emailed to say he could do it this Saturday. If we were happy with that, then to email him back with the go ahead. So that's what we done. 

I will be back soon to continue with what happened next.  Xx

Heading to Chester

 Sunday morning up, dressed and back to Gem & Rob for breakfast. Bacon sarnie and Danish pastries with mugs of hot tea.  Said our goodbyes and back on the road heading towards Chester and Swanley Marina to view a 58ft traditional Narrowboat named Squires.  We drove for a while then parked up at Newbury Services for a cup of tea and another sort out of the motor home. Dogs were happy sat out on the grass looking around, until Belle started growling and they came back indoors.

Colin and I git a lot sorted so about 4.30 pm ish we got back in the motor home and drove on a bit more, Colin was getting tired so by 6.30 we started looking out for somewhere to pull over for the night. We had to go over the M6 toll road, that was over £10!! We came off after the toll road and went down a country lane, we found a large opening to a field. There was hard core on the ground making it look comfortable. We stayed here over night, neither of us were hungry so we just had some nibbles that night. Sesame Sticks, caramelised Almonds (you can get them in the Olive Tree in the sovereign centre in Weston Super Mare) and Colin likes his Banana Chips.

It seems since we have actually moved out of our house, the stress is over and we are both soo tired every night. Hopefully that will get better as we begin to relax more. It was so relaxing here that we both relaxed and went to sleep very quickly. Tomorrow we will see the boat we like called "Squires" really looking forward to meeting the people who looked after him, sitting down and chatting about him and finding out all obout him, yes, I know, I keep calling 'Squire' Him' 🤣😂. 

I can't keep my eyes open, sorry. I'm being very boring!!  Goodnight all. Let's hope I can actually sleep tonight, xxxx

Family Time

 Friday at 5pm we met up with my son Paul at his flat, we had our 2 dogs Harry & Belle with us, not sure if Paul was too keen on our 2 dogs, they are big  ish. Harry is a Saluki and Belle a Saluki cross Pointer. Anyway we stopped for a cup of tea and a chat, Paul isn't always much of a talker. Talked about his work, our plans to go and look for a Narrowboat. Not sure where we will be for Christmas yet. 

On Friday night we ended up parking our motorhome down at West Quay Docs on the industrial estate for the night. We weren't sure if we would get a knock on the door asking us to move on. We didn't.

Saturday we got up and moved on by 7.30am. Drove towards Whiteley where Gem, Rob & the Grandchildren lived. Pulled up in Tesco car park. I went in Tesco for a few bits then we sat and had breakfast with a cup of tea. Headed to Gemma's for about 11am. We had a lovely day with them. Rob made a lively lunch of Paninies with chicken mozzarella and pesto! They were lush, thank you Rob. Then in the evening he made  Thai Curry Noodle Soup/Broth. Again Lush, with Apple Pie and Custard to round it off.

Well impressed with our dogs Harry & Belle they were brilliant with the Ungers new addition to their family Ernie a Cavapo, He is so cute, black and cuddly, with that lovely puppy smell. Aww I just wanted to cuddle him all of the time. With Robs help Colin held Belle & Harry tight on their leads to meet Ernie. They excelled themselves. 

Had a cheeky shower at Gems and so did Colin.(we needed it lol) 

By about 8pm we left them and settled down in our motorhome for the night. Another lovely day. I dont see my children very often as we live a long way from them. I'm so proud of my two children(Adults now!) I miss them a lot, I do my best to keep in touch. Its hard sometimes though. 

Living in a Motor home

 So Thursday 30th September was "Moving out day" Colin had taken a lot to our storage container. Today was the last load to go,  we had to put our sofa in the skip, couldn't sale it, even when I put it up as 'Free to collect' . Our bed didn't sale or our Solid Oak Dining Table so thats gone in storage for now as well. Everyone wants everything for nothing. Weve given away loads.

Anyway we had to be out by 12. Ended up getting out by 12.20 as we both had a shower and realising the time a lot got thrown in the back of the motor home to sort out later.

Said goodbye to our lovely neighbours and off we went, on our journey to search for our dream Narrowboat. 

First stop was to see Colin's Cousin and wife Sarah who were at Hungerford living on their Narrowboat. We spent some time with them, something to eat then back to our Motor home to settle down for the night. Tomorrow we are heading to Southampton to visit my son Paul. 

Leading up to moving out

 Well! We did it, House went on the market in July. House sold within 2 days, cash buyers and 5 grand over the asking price. They meant business. So that meant we had to start sorting out the house but without our 2 Adults with LD knowing what we we're doing. Once we had got to the day if exchanging contracts we could then give 28 days notice on our people. That was hard as we are very attached to our people. SW involved to find them new homes. We didn't want them to know until towards the end of 28 days as our lady struggled to understand what's going on. The SW said they had to be told so they could find out what they liked/disliked  to make sure they found their new home. The right home for them, some Sw don't understand and to them our people are just numbers to them, they don't know them like we do.  

Eventually new homes were found for them, our man was more concerned about leaving the dogs, not us!! Lol that's just the way he is.

Our lady was very upset and crying  she didn't want to go, take me with you she said. I had to keep explaining that we were retiring and she couldn't come with me.  So next stage was going through their paperwork, updating care plans and filling out handover forms so that the new carers knew all about our people, there meds, any ongoing illnesses and  what makes them smile. Their worries and concerns.

Then packing up all their clothes and belongings. Once that was done and they left us to move to their new carers could we start going through each room in our house.  Boxes with storage, taking with us, charity shops and to throw out. Lots sold on Facebook. Some things were put in storage as we couldn't sale them and far to good for a charity shop. 

I will start a new post now, carrying on the day leading to moving out. 

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