Menonderings; The Third Trip's Turn!

I got back on the road a tad earlier than expected. More on that soon. First, let me tell you about my week back at The Hutch.

First, and notable, was that the sun shone!!! Finally (mostly), the rain and the wind died down, and we had proper spring days. My first three days were spent doing laundry and housework, sorting through the mound of mail (a lot of junk, but quite a bit of stuff needing attention), and getting The Grey re-registered with the DVLA and re-insured. Then getting a new crochet project or two on the way. First, another beanie, because, well, I like to colour-coordinate and I just don't have enough headwear......

Then, as the days were starting to show promise of actual warmth - but let's not get excited and think about heat - I decided it was time to create a lighter-weight woollen top. I opted for a poncho pattern and am using some of the Temu stash I ordered at the start of the year. It is a multicoloured 60/40 wool/acrylic mix, 4ply, and it is an absolute delight to work with. I am using a 4.5mm hook to give the stitching more air and flex for draping. It's not finished yet but here's how it's working at the moment.

Anyhoo... along came Wednesday and I still needed to get back to working on Grey. That day, I unloaded stuff and shifted what wasn't coming upstairs into the front cabin to free up space for the stage three build. Thursday morning was spent doing more housework... because my good mate Aitch announced her visit for my birthday! The bed was made, the guest room was halfway decent, and the bathroom and kitchen were scrubbed. She made good time coming over and was sat with me for a cuppa by about two in the arvo. After an hour of catchup, we went out to the van to get part one of the work done. This was to complete as much as possible of the insulation. I had done all the walls and ceiling (after a fashion), but the stuffing the stancions bit I had been avoiding. It's a tedious sort of task but a necessary one, as not doing them leaves the insulation lacking. I am genuinely grateful to my pal for her assistance in this. My shoulders really suffer from any work that requires my hands to be raised above them for any length of time, and this job needs quite a bit of that. Aitch is that bit taller, so better angled for the overhead work, and managed all that for me. I did as much as I could from the shoulders downward. Between us, it took almost three hours to get that task done - but how satisfying it was! Too tired to cook, I ordered a meal delivered, and we sank into the evening feeling well-pleased with ourselves.

My birthday dawned still bright if a tad cooler. We lingered over breakfast, feeling the effects of the previous day's efforts. Nothing to do but get on with it, though. I was determined to get my circular saw working from the power-on-board and cut down the material I had ordered for the walls. All I will say about that is, after only one plank and a bit, there's a rethink going on! The vinyl is nearly impossible to manage, even with the power saw - the blades were ruined after only half a dozen cuts. 

It was all a bit of a conundrum, but we got enough done to cover the first wall (ish) so that the shelves could be built and raised there. But not that day. Another four hours disappeared, and it was exhausting. Not just the physical work but also the mental workout as problems were presented and solutions were sought. Again, having someone there to think out loud to - and drop in some suggestions that helped move things along - was a boon. The extra hands for holding stuff in place and lifting were also fab. It was an order-in meal again that night! And despite both being really quite tired, we talked long into the evening and reminisced, and all-in-all, it was a great way to mark my 65th year.

Saturday came along, and Aitch wasn't leaving until after lunch, so it was time to build shelves. The first half of the double set was done..., and then the next issue presented itself. They weren't level. And no amount of propping them up would make them so. It also looked like the second set would not be aligned with the relevant holes for bolting... big sighs shrugs of shoulders and left it alone for a while as I saw my friend had a cuppa and a snack before saying farewell to her once more. 

Sunday... and I awoke realising the shelves would never be level... as long as The Grey was parked on William Street, which is angled at approximately 30' off level...

Duh! There is a slight rise within the van base to allow for loading, but it ought not to have caused the nonsense we were both wrangling with the day before. Honestly, I cannot believe it took me 24 hours to figure out that basic fact! Sigh. Getting over myself, I was determined that the second part of the shelves was going to be built and the fitting done—alone. Several bruises and some choice language later...

Along came Monday of this week, and I had to pack in again. I'd had a call from Mac1 to say that Aunty Jenny was on her last days (though that could still be weeks, as those of us experienced in 'last days' know) and that she would be there on Tuesday. It made little difference to me to leave four days ahead of plan. I spent Monday night at Carnwath -

 - then on down to Hawick on Tuesday, meeting up with Mac1 at the home by lunchtime. I packed a sandwich for her, and we sat by our aunt's bedside until about three in the pee and emm. Aunty was not really with us, but our chatter about all sorts of things would have registered to some degree, and it meant a lot to be able to brush her hair and hold her hand. 

Mac1 came with me to the supermarket for a toilet break, some shopping, and then a cuppa and food before she headed to the bus stop back to Edinburgh. I stayed at the aire I used on the previous visit. I had yesterday to myself—with more sunshine! The morning was spent reading and catching up on tubular channels and podcasts, and then I spent most of the afternoon wandering the town, shopping, and generally enjoying myself. Then I realised I had to prepare a post!!

Today, I will have headed toward Moffat. From tomorrow, I will again be with Aitch, as we spend a different sort of week—which you will read about in due course. Hooroo the noo...