caches New, Old & Donuts

Saturday arrives, and its cache day. Off we set to Chester, things proceeded fine, until we got near B&Q, then the nagging started. So into B&Q it was, 10 minutes later, out we come with a new pasting table (yes I have got the hint Nette), and off we set again, hey there's Staples, we need a new cartridge for the printer, alright I turned left, no car park entrance? Wrong turn as usual (and yes I can hear Mark & Joan laughing already), another U turn, sound familiar? And the car park was found, Cartridges priced up, no way are we paying that for a Black when we can get a quad pack for less! But whilst I was there, I had a look at the mice, ended picking up a cheep cordless for a tenner (cheep and nasty, but it'll do for now). Ok carry on with the journey, we park next to the Cathedral, and as we needed to do some cache mainanence, as well as find a new one, and replace a archived one! Nette and Stephen went into the near by shops, whilst Stephanie and I went to check on Steps In the Wall which had been reported missing. With Stephanie spotting, I checked, and yep it had defiantly gone, so I replaced it with the new one I had ready.

We Walked back to the car to meet Nette & Stephen, and then back on the Walls to go to find the new cache, Clock Watching, quickly located, retrieving is going to be a problem, plan A, Nette & Stephen go down the stairs near the clock tower, to the Donut stall, for donuts and a drink. Whilst Stephanie bent down to do the shoe lace trick (I had on slip ons), container retrieved we joined them down stairs for donuts and drinks. Time to put it back, Nette went with Stephen to Games Workshop to get some models (Stephens main hobby), whilst I went with Stephanie to replace it. an other shoe tying stop, and it was safely replaced. The four of us meet back up afterwards, we decided to go to M&S cafe for something proper to eat.

Whilst the rest of the family went in, I carried on the walls, to go and replace Shropshire Union Canal GCGCVO, well it was like trying to drive down a high st during a parade, trying to make my way round the walls. Tourists, and lolygaglers! Cache replaced and back to M&S for a cold Sausage casserole, all I can say about it was, I threw it down my neck. We were very quickly back at the car, and straight home.

Tormenting a Red Head!

Its been a quiet couple of days.Apart from tormenting Joan about whether she is a Natural or Bottled Red Head. This bit of fun, took place on the forums, and by email. All good fun! Joan threatened to remove the family jewels, Ouch! Especially as she's coming to dinner Sunday with Mark, we will certainly be having a great day Sunday!

On the caching front, I've certainly had a good time, yeah really!! I visited Happy Meal GCHFN6, as when Nette found it it was in a bad state. As there was no response to the email sent to the owner! I had to dry it out, remove most of the contents, and replace the log book, as the original had gone moldy! When I got back home, I posted a note, stating that if the cache was not maintained, or I received a reply to my email in the next 7 days, I would put in a request to adopt it, due to Non maintanence issue. Guess what, within a hour of me posting it, I received a email from the owner claiming that he had not received any emails about the cache until mine. What a load of "B#*%^~ks! And Guess what happened next, the Ba****d, actually deleted my note, and his note, so that it looks like there was never any cache problems.

Well I have a message for him if he ever reads this,

" You know, and I know that there was a maintanence issue with the cache, and that I rectified it! Just because you deleted my note this time, if that cache ever gets in that state again, I will personally put in a request for it to be archived, stating that it's the second time that you have failed to pay maintanence visits to it, also that I believe that it should be classified as a Holiday cache, due to the distance to your home co-ords, unless, someone request to adopt it, or requests it archived! That is one note you can't delete! I'm watching!"

What an Ill week!

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Nette started talking to the big white phone, in a extremely severe way. Even just sips of water set her off. well this went on well into the morning, so we phoned our GP, Dr Phillips, who rang us back.

Diagnoses, simple, Salmonella Food Poisoning! Just keep taking sips of water, and it'll pass in 48 hours or so. The rest of Tuesday, and most of Wendsday, involved Nette in major conversations with the big white phone, finally easing off Wendsday evening.

As to were she picked it up? Well we've been racking our brains, as to were and what she has eaten that some one else hasn't! The only conclusion we could come to, is Monday evening (I won't say were, so as not to risk being sued for liable, remember any evidence disappeared, down the white phone).

As to other events? Well the Irish cache event, is progressing, I'm a member of the Irish forums, and they have a great bunch on there! My cache Hockenhull Platts has had 2 visitors already. But Steps in the Wall has had a no find.

I think it's now safe to unarchived Shropshire Union Canal, and as I still have the original container, I might put it back out, at the week end.

Little Megan's, special parcel is in the post, so hopefully it will arrive Friday/Saturday.

Caravans & more caravans, I'm going nuts!

After discussing things, having already owned a tent. trailer tent, and a caravan. We decided to go for another caravan! Right time to go hunting, first stop was Flintshire caravans. Off we popped down the A55 as usual, instead of following to chester, we carried on where it splits on to the A5117, this way, you actually drive the back of the site. Coming off at the chester slipway, a brief drive down, and we had arrived. Leaving Trixie in the car, we set to looking for ones in our price range, and that meet our requirements.

Lots of caravans late, and we'd got it down to 5, ok off I popped to get the keys, and a inspection of the insides started, one major problem with every one we looked at! F-C were selling as trades (this means that they get a road and gas check, but are sold without a warianty), for what they wanted for them "No Way"!

Ok option 2 phone round over dealers to see what they've got, I won't name them but what they consider cheep is unbelievable (one was quoting £2500, as being cheep, guess who's in cloud cock coo land). One last one to try Glossop Caravans, who had quite a few in our price range. So off we popped, up the M56, down the M67, and we were soon at Glossops. When we reached the end of the M67, Nette spotted a Mc's, so we decided to stop there for Dinner. We were soon at Glossops, parked up, and out van hunting. They have approx 60, 4 berth caravans in our price range. in 2 rows, so close to each other that you can just open the van doors. We looked in every van, short listing them, and then went round the short listed ones, another short list, and we'd got it down to 4. Right another good look round each van and it was down to 2.

Now time for the serious look, for damp, having already knocked out those, with a delaminated floor (caravan floors are made of a sandwich, glued together. When it comes unglued, you get a spongy feeling. This is a common problem), the first of our 2, some one had poked holes in the roof lining, alright have a look at the last one! Well it looked ok, until I pulled out the cushions, "Oh my Gawd", the full length of the van bellow the cushion line, what! Not damp but rotten!

Having just taken several hours eliminating vans, we were dejected! Nette went to speak to the sales man, whilst I visited the small boys room. when I came back, Nette had started looking at 2 berths (remember we have 2 teenagers, and a poodle to accomandate), Whilst she was waiting for the salesman. Her comment was, we'll get a awning, and stick the kids in there! The poor salesman turned up running (he was at the other end of the site), and I went back to our favorite van (the one full of rot), We'll he said that as we are not trading in, he'd knock £300, off the ticket price, and they'd do a full repair on the van! Right after a brief chat, we both agreed to that, as we were chatting, the rep had gone to answer the phone. Nette went to the office to wait and I went to get Trixie to show her our new van!

The rep came back, and took us to the main sales office, I took a diversion, and put Trixie back in the car. Nette having worked out we could afford the van (it just means, tightening the budget, until our stomaches think our throats have been cut, I'm exaggerating slightly), WE filled out the sales documents, said good bye, and the n went into the Awning sales building, once the overworked (a good sign) senior sales executive (his description, on the phone) was free, he quickly sorted us out with a awning (used, but in good condition) , and a bedroom annex (thats were Stephen will be sleeping. Deposit paid on that and it was time to head back to Wales, first we made our way back to the end of the M67, were we visited McDonald s. Nette went in to order , and I took Trixie for a walk. Whilst there I had bacon burgers, and Nette had a Chicken Supreme. Once finish ed it was time for home.

We arrived home about 10:30pm! Having found our holiday home!

Note! Whilst it's still on their web site go to Glossops web site and look at our Elddis Pamperos" our new baby!

Guess who got lost, on the way to the cache?

"Sunday, PC, Sunday"! No, I've not miss quoted! It started off as a bad day!

When we got home Saturday night, the PC was paying up. The anti virus program had previously found 3 virus's in my daughters profile on the PC, not being a tekkie, and it was not doing anything about it (something to do with deeply embedded java?), I was advised to uninstall the program, install another antvirus, which would delete the affected files, this I did. The only problem being if the computer went off for any reason (such as a super sensitive main trip, not like certain power tools), it did a scan on boot up lasting over a hour. Right I thought, I'll see if that font of PC knowlage Computer Active could help me find a very cheep (oh alright, free) one.

Oh no, I couldn't get anything to download. Fine time for bed, and sort it in the morning!

Sunday morning seemed to be a bright day, ok time to have a scrap with the PC! First thing to try, the old stand by, "System Restore", this has pulled me out of many a tight spot, and usually comes out the winner! First off, pick a date to go back to.

I decided to go back about 8 days, which should put me back before all the problems. A few clicks later, and back it was going, with me sat in the chair looking smug, thinking I'd beaten it!. S-R finished, ok time to check on my emails, "what the bl***y h*ll!!!! Won't make a connection to the net, check everything is connected, cable wise! Uninstal, and reinstall the modem. Still no connection, ok S-R back further still! No luck, right time for the over half to get to work!

On the phone to the ISP (Internet service provider), yes the bill was upto date, no they had no technical problems, suggest you check with BT regarding the line (she was using it to speak to them). BT next, no they weren't working on the exchange or line, a quick check indicated that everything was ok, speak to your ISP. See the circle developing?

Right, it's time for the final and ultimate weapon! A complete reinstall of everything! OK finally completed, and I start to build back up everything need one each profile, now it's time to chill out, I know I'll go and replace the missing container for a cache that I've just adopted! Hockenhull Platts, GCD355, sounds easy? Yes since I was close by last week and saw a sign for Hockenhull Platts, and I'd previously found it! Well I got onto the A55, and then onto the A51, and headed down looking for the sign. And reached the roundabout, ok I've gone too far, so back the way I came, all the way back to the A55 roundabout! Sounds familiar? Back up the A51 again, once again missing the turning (there are 3 ways to the cache site, the one I was after is only 250m from car to cache), back at the roundabout, and turn right, ignoring the first turn off (which leads to a foot path leading to the cache, the foot path begins by going through a farm/small units yard, I didn't like the look of it last time!), ok next turning should lead me to another foot path, which runs together with the other one but behind the unit! Well I found the start of the path, but there was a tractor blocking the way, with a slurry trailer attached, this path is drivable part of the way, but I'm not going to try squeezing past that stink! Back the way I came, and retrace my route, found the right turn off this time (but no sign!), turned down, a longer journey further down the road than I remembered, and the next turning came up (hint if you've not done this cache, and work out the correct road, look for a B&B, turn there, and go straight past). I parked slightly further away from the end of the road ,as there was already a car parked there, and there is a field entrance there as well.

Well 4PawDrive and I took a short stroll over the 3 bridges, and I replaced the container (sorry no more hints), but hey! Where's 4Paw? As we had said hello to a couple walking their dog, who were walking back to the car, I thought that 4Paw, had gone after their dog. Ah no there she was, on the other side of one off the bridges, running back up a field, phew!

I decided to check out the rest of the foot path, and give 4Paw a good walk. Along the way we bumped into several other dogs, and their owners, which made 4Paws day. Using the GPSr I reckon the closest that you can get with a car that way is 900m. We walked back to the car, and home to start tea. Oh and more PC problems, this time I did the armegedon answer, reformatted the hard drive, reinstalled everything, this time everything seems ok!