Laura, George and boys join us at Cirencester & Bourton- 8th Dec ‘19

Not a great day weather wise! Lots of wind and rain overnight and plenty of showers during the day. The upshot bring the site (and everywhere!) is very wet and muddy!

The normal leisurely (aka lazy!) morning getting ready for the arrival of the MacArthurs at about 1.30. They arrived in one of those shower storms so they piled into Brunnehilda and ate buckets full of crisps as we waited for the rain to stop.

When it had, we walked across the Great Park to Ciro. There were plenty of other dogs for Lottie to play with / annoy. Although 5 months old and getting quite big, she is showing no real signs of slowing down! She is great fun and still gets a lot of “puppy” attention from fellow doggers!

We walked around the town with “spending stops” at the sweet shop and the book shop. So the boys were stocked up for the walk home back across the Park. Of course the rain can back at this stage so it made it quite a trek at the end.

We jumped in the cars at the campsite and went straight off to Bouton on the Water. As we were so close it made sense to have our annual pilgrimage see see the “tree on the water”.

Before we walked round the atmospherically Christmas lit village, we had something to eat at De La Hayes restaurant. The food was good and the staff superb - including giving the boys a present from Santa each. As usual with the MacArthur boys, you can’t get through a meal without at least one incident ... Charlie and Finn managed to pour a complete glass of coke other themselves just as we were finishing.

After the walk round, the MacArthurs got off home and Kim and I sat by the tree and finished our coffees. Then the 30 minute drive back to the warmth of Brunnehilda.

Kim thinks we’re bouncing again so I need to check the stats again in the morning. No chance of doing that tonight as the rain has really set in.

Lots of Modern Family and another episode of Ken Burns history of country music - Kim has tired of Sneaky Pete - before bed. Oh, and we also managed a game of Canasta - a reassuring thrashing to make up for the inhalation of me last time we played. The earth is thankfully now back on its axis!

MacArthurs head home and Stow on the Wold - 2nd Nov ‘19

Another rather grim weather day predicted so the MacArthurs decided to head home as soon as ready. They were always going home in time for the West Haddon evening firework display but the lack of good weather and data meant there was less holding them back.

Lottie slept until until 7 again this morning. Kim bought a very effective awning heater before we went away and having it on overnight right next to her crate ironically meant she was very nice and cozy. I suspect it was this, and the full on day viewing the wildlife, that meant she forsook her 5 am start for a couple of mornings.

We decided on a breakfast courtesy of Mr MacDonald this morning so Kim, Lottie and I set off for Witney. The drive through was incredibly busy with lots of folks getting breakfast before the Rugby World Cup Final kicked off at 9. A lack of internet and interest meant that we didn’t get to watch another England “disappointment”. No great loss by the sounds of it?

By the time everyone was dressed, abluted and packed it was midday. Laura, Lottie and the boys piled into the car for the 90 minute journey home - fingers crossed that the rain would eventually stop long enough for them to enjoy the fireworks tonight?

Kim and I headed off to Stow on the Wold for the afternoon. We had a very pleasant few hours wandering around the quant centre with all its interesting wee shops. The brolly was needed for the latter part of the wandering. We went by a lot of nice but busy and expensive coffee shops. Eventually we stumbled across a craft fair in the amazingly impressive town hall. We went in for a mooch round and found a wonderful place (run by RNLI charity volunteers) where we got cake, baked potato and 2 rounds of tea for the cost of a baked potato at one of the other places we walked by - what a result!

After all our car damage free travels around Europe and adventures up Italian mountains I managed to have 2 hiccups with the car today - in Stow on the bloody Wold! Firstly we got back to the very busy car park and some kind person had scraped my front bumper while getting out and then I scrapped the wheel over the kerb trying to avoid going up the kerb to squeeze by a police car!

Even though the rain had really set in now, we decided to go home via Bourton on the Water. We huddled under the brolly and walked around with a coach load of Chinese tourists - all seeming to be enjoying their very English experience. As you would expect, in fact be disappointed if we hadn’t, we ended up at a coffee shop - The Cornish Bakery. We took some goodies home to Brunnehilda for tea.

By the time we had had a cup of tea and watched 2 episodes of The Wire box set it felt like bedtime. We ignored the fact it was only 8.30 and headed for bed - a big improvement on the camper beds in Isabella!