Hello Dad...

Yet again I was woken early by Milo, who seems to think that as soon as he has taken his last mouthful of breakfast we can go skipping out the door for his walk. He has yet to understand I need coffee. Lots of it. Especially in the morning. I have now discovered that if I stand at the sink, with my back to him, drinking my coffee, he stops whining. Anyway I managed one and a half mugs this morning before layering up and heading off.

First thing I saw at the woods was a shoe. Just one random shoe lying on the ground. Something I see quite often and always wonder how someone can walk off wearing just one shoe. Do they not notice?  Do they not feel a little odd walking around with one bare foot? Weird.

 Next I saw a small white feather on the ground. I remember being told a white feather is a loved one contacting you from heaven. So I said "hello Dad". Then I thought the lady walking ahead of me probably saw it first and maybe said hello. And the old man behind me would see it next and no doubt say hello too. So how can one feather be all these different loved ones? Who lays claim on the white feather? Too many questions this morning! And let's not even mention the crocodile...!

I received my brochures from Discover Ireland yesterday. So my map of Ireland has pride of place on my cupboard door. And I have downloaded their app of Great Irish Road Trips. I've yet to receive my membership card from Safe Nights Ireland, hopefully I haven't thrown my money away there.

Well off to work now, need to earn some more pennies for this forthcoming adventure...

Must wear sexy underwear...

My belief in the fact that every early morning dog walker, including me, is wearing their pyjamas under their coats was shattered this morning. I was in the woods earlier than normal today and saw a gentleman in the distance. As he got closer I realised he was wearing a smart shirt and tie under his rather nice barber jacket. And as he got closer still I realised how rather handsome he was! Then he stopped and made some polite small talk with me. But as I was dressed like some kind of abonimal snow man, hadn't even brushed my hair, and was aware of the fact I had some pretty unflattering flanelette pyjamas on under my other seven layers I quickly scuttled away. My moment had passed. I have never seen him before and probably never will again. He was probably making a one off dog walk before his early board of directors meeting of his own, very successful dynamic company. Or possibly, consoling myself, he was walking the dog for his ill wife!

Anyway I went out today and bought myself a full length mirror. I'm hoping that if I see myself before I leave the van I might make the effort to smarten myself up a bit. Also today my very lovely sister Pip bought me a pair of new wellies. Not just any old wellies, they are printed with lots of colourful camper vans, quite possibly custom made for me. I love them. So much so I even got Milo to try them on! He didn't seem too amused. Oh we do have a laugh Milo and me, well I do...

A peek inside the Beast...

I thought it would be good (or maybe not!) for people to see me on a typical day in the Beast. How I live with everything at arms reach. So I've taken some photos on an average day. Me having coffee in 'the kitchen' chilling with Milo in the 'conservatory' brushing my teeth in 'the bathroom' having dinner in the 'dining room' watching TV in the lounge and going 'upstairs' to bed!

Most days I manage quite well. Milo has learnt where not to be if he doesn't want to get stood on. I did fall over him quite frequently in the early days. We've both learnt which way to 'lean' if the van is tilting. We've both chosen our favourite spots to chill out, problem being they're usually the same so it's often a race to see who lands there first. Milo has also come to terms with the fact that when I go into the bathroom I haven't actually left the van.

We do have a cozy existence, but we have all that we need, and appreciate all that we have. I'm not really very materialistic so that helps. Although there are some things I wish I had. First and foremost would be a bath, God I love a bath! Also a little more headroom in my bedroom, it's a little like a cross between a cot and coffin, certainly not for sharing :(

I'm struggling to think of what else I wish I had in the van so that's a good sign. Anyway apologies for the poor quality of the pics but I'm not so good with the time delay button. Aha! My own personal photographer would be a good addition...


Kitchen...

Conservatory...

Bathroom...

Dining room...

Conservatory...

Lounge...

Bedroom...

Picking up drunks, not...

I think I'm going to have to get myself a language translation app before I travel to Ireland. Just watched a funny video on @IrelandB4UDie and even the local people can't understand each other! I've got no hope.

I've been looking into my ferry trip and it seems P & O Ferries run lots of crossings from Liverpool to Dublin. The thought of manoeuvring the Beast and Milo on a ferry fills me with dread, I just hope the waters are calm that day. Luckily Milo swims like an otter so if it's dog overboard he'll probably get there before me!

I tried some more photos on my time delay thingy today, not very successful this time! Got a lovely close up of Milo tho :)

Funny moment recently, a young gentleman came to the bar at my work and said he thought he knew me. I deduced that he was a friend of my sons and exclaimed "yes, I've picked you up drunk from many a pub"... His parents looked at me alarmingly whilst I tried to explain that I was 'the mum taxi'...

My Milo..

Me...

Me...

Me!..

I am not a door Mat...

Have been doing some more research on our planned adventure to Ireland today. I watched some stunning videos, one in particular on The Wild Atlantic Way, wow! It just looks fabulous. Some of the roads remind me of ones we travelled on The West Coast of Scotland, winding single tracks, but highly entertaining! Our scariest road in Scotland was Bealach na Ba, through the mountains of the Applecross peninsula. I didn't know at the time that this particular road has the greatest ascent of any road climb in the UK... And we did it in the Beast (Milo had his paws covering his eyes the whole way!) (I just held my breath for most of it).

I've also found a handy website called SNI, Safe Nights Ireland. It stores over 300 locations of safe and registered places to park the motorhome throughout Ireland for one night. It could be a farm, a pub restaurant or someone's back garden! Great way to meet people me thinks. I did also partake in the website forum and saw a post saying 'Welcome Mat'. I was a bit disgruntled that my post introducing myself didn't flag up 'Welcome Nicci' until I realised that Mat was not a person...

Took Milo to the woods early this morning, and yet again the ground was frozen. No mud. I love bringing home the same coloured dog I took out. I also managed another photo of us both, balancing the camera on a log with a stick. And yes, Milo did run over and steal the stick and knock the camera over...

The little things...

Well Valentine's Day came and went. Working in a restaurant taking glasses of prosseco to tables of two all night was rather depressing. Although I did giggle to myself knowing I'd had beans on toast earlier that day! Mwhaha!

This morning I took Milo to the woods and came home so happy. Because the ground was frozen solid Milo didn't have a spot of mud on him. Even the puddles he normally hippo dives in were frozen. Little things like that make my day complete!

Went to Aldi today and bought myself a mini wok to make life easier when washing up in my mini sink. Sometimes living in the van is like living with the borrowers, everything is so small. My fridge is like a kitchen cupboard, my kitchen cupboard is like a shelf, my shelf is like a windowsill, my windowsill, oh, I don't even have one of them! My cooker doubles up as a dressing table. When I bring the shopping in I say to Milo 'just gonna pop these in the bathroom' and lean in 'just gonna pop these in the bedroom' and lean over 'just gonna pop these in the fridge' and bend down. My feet staying in the same spot all the time! Wouldn't have it any other way though.

Sister Pip persuaded me to buy some miracle caviar anti ageing cream today. I'll give it a week and if I don't get ID'd buying booze it's going in the bin! Maybe I'll do a before and after photo to spot the difference.

On a sad note a truly wonderful friend of mine died this week. I had known him and his husband for nearly thirty years. He was one of life's true gentlemen and will be greatly missed by many. The memory of a good person is a blessing...

Normal size wok

New mini wok

Cooker/dressing table

My Samuri warrior impersonation...

At the end of every walk with Milo I put his slobber covered tennis ball in a black pooh bag to take home. Then we stop at the bin to dispose of his pooh filled pooh bag. Today I disposed of his tennis ball and brought home a lovely bag of pooh! Duh!

Some people are saying to me why can't  I settle down, get a nice little job and somewhere to live and  forget this travelling malarkey! Oh it's so dangerous Nicci,  you will have nothing to come back to, you'll have to stop eventually, why can't you find yourself a nice boyfriend, think of your future etc etc...
Well I've never really been career minded so a job is just an income to me. A home is just wherever I happen to be living at any given time. And if I don't travel how will I see and experience different places. So travel I will until I can't :)

This morning on the beach I managed to position my iPhone on a rock and use the time delay button to catch a photo of miloandme. Well sort of. I had Milo in focus, hit the take button and ran towards him. But I had left his ball by the camera so he just jumped up and ran to get it, hence the daft photos! I managed to get a fairly decent one by taking the ball with me but it appears I seem to look like some kind of Samuri warrior...

A brief encounter...

I think I may need to clarify some perceptions of me.  I'm single but I'm not lonely. I'm determined to find my soul mate but am certainly not desperate. I wouldn't want people to think I'm heading off in my motorhome to park up at the first pub, dump Milo, run up to the bar and announce  my arrival to any poor unsuspecting male! I prefer the idea of a brief encounter, like the movie (though come to think of it that didn't have a happy ending!).

 I'm going on a journey. I appreciate how fortunate I am that I can do this. I'm lucky enough to be fit and healthy with no commitments holding me back. I know there are many people out there, who for one reason or another,  have to stand still, hold back, miss out and let go of their dreams. I've reached a stage in my life where I can pretty much do what I want. I really am appreciative of this.

So my journey to Ireland is another adventure where I hope to make many more memories and new friends. I'll get to visit places people talk about and meet people I ordinarily wouldn't meet. And if I happen to find romance on the way all the better :)

This morning I took Milo to West Kirby beach. It was a beautiful sunny morning, not a drop of rain. I sat on a rock watching the people surfing on their kites, it looked quite strenuous. One guy seemed to be struggling to get off the ground. I asked him why he wasn't flying so he sat on the sand by me and answered all my questions. He was a really nice guy but alas about 30 years too young!...

It's a beautiful world...

Milo isn't allowed in Pips house as she has two cats who are rather afraid of him. He does tend to bark rather loudly at any cat he comes across but would never harm one as he is a bit of a scaredy cat. But that doesn't stop him always trying to follow me into Pips house - see photo below!

On our most recent walk we met Stanley, three months old, and looking very similar to Milo :) We don't often meet other Fox Red Labs so it was a nice to meet one locally, obviously not quite as handsome as Milo! I though Milo would be all over him saying 'wow we look so similar' but no he was more interested in the biscuits Stanley's owner had in his pocket.

It appears the press are running updates from my blog just now so if anyone in Ireland is reading just to let you know : I love salt & vinegar crisps, coffee all day long, crime thrillers, walking, dancing when drunk and curling up on the couch with Milo. Any likeminded, eligible bachelors please get in touch ;) !

I've been lucky enough to do some radio interviews recently including BBC5 live, Radio Scotland and tonight I am on the Derek Mooney show on RTE Radio 1. It's been lovely chatting about our up and coming adventures. I wish everyone got the chance to do what I am doing. With all the heart ache out there it's still a beautiful world we live in...

Willie the matchmaker...

I got a call from a lovely lady, Sam, today. So tomorrow morning, very early, I'm doing a radio interview with BBC 5 Live. They want to catch up with me on my travel plans to Ireland. I will have to set my alarm as broadcasting at about 7am, and even Milo doesn't get up that early. Luckily it's radio so I can stay in my pyjamas and nobody will know (except whoever is reading this!).
Funny, I was reading in the papers about people taking their kids to school in their pjs. Every morning I walk Milo I am wearing my pjs, albeit under weatherproof trousers and various jumpers and coat and hat and scarf and gloves and wellies.  I do actually look like the abonimal snowman when I walk through the woods and always dread bumping into someone who may know me.

Today I tried to upload a video onto my blog but can't quite figure it out! Milo was a bit bored so we decided to play find the biscuit. Previously when we lived in a house he would leave the room whilst I hid the biscuit, but as we now only actually have one room we had to improvise. Milo sits on the passenger seat with a blanket on his head promising not to peep while I hide the biscuit. He waits patiently until I remove the blanket and then hunts for the biscuit, always finding it of course.

I'm so looking forward to start travelling again. Just from posting my blog yesterday I've received some lovely messages with places to visit and people to look up. Discover Ireland sent me a link for The Lisdoonvarna matchmaking festival which has resulted in over 30,000 marriages thanks to Willie Daly, the only true matchmaker! So there may be hope for me yet...

Not sure if this link will work for video
Milo, not peeping

Round two...

Well it's been far too long since I've written my blog but to be honest I've not had much to write about of late. Christmas and new year passed rather uneventfully and this dreadful weather has restricted any adventures for Milo and me.

Since I parked up the Beast in my mums back garden I've been working in a lovely local restaurant, mainly on the bar and waiting on. Physically it's really quite a demanding job, my first few days I struggled to stand up straight at the end of every shift. I'm slightly more upright now. It's long hours and low pay but it's a job and I need to save as much money as I can to start my next adventure...

And my next adventure, round two, is to be the whole coast of Ireland :) My plan is to head off early spring and take the ferry from Liverpool to Dublin heading South and then explore the West Coast. Pictures I've seen so far look absolutely stunning. Everyone I've spoken to said I will love it and Irish people are known for their wonderful personalities. And I do love the Irish accent, plus those piercing blue Irish eyes!

So my initial plan to tour Italy proved to be a little ambitious in the Beast. But not to be ruled out in the future if I don't meet the man of my dreams in Ireland! Although Scotland was the best experience of my life and I met some wonderful people, one in particular, I didn't achieve what I set out for. My happy ever after. Call me a dreamer but I do believe I can achieve this and also have some fun on the way...

Keeping the Beast warm

Miloandme

Keeping Milo warm