My new best friends...

I now have two new best friends. My smoke detector and my fire extinguisher. I also have one disregarded friend. My so called amazing magic rubber oven tray. The tray was supposed to cook anything to perfection in the oven. I was pretty excited about this as my oven broke early on during my Scotland travels and I recently had the lovely John from Neston fix it for me. So I was treating myself to oven cooked fish and chips. All was going well until I realised my eyes were watering rather heavily. That's when my first best friend gave me a shout out, good old smoke detector works a treat. Luckily I didn't have to use my second best friend but I was reassured just knowing he was there for me.  Anyway disaster averted, oven tray in the bin, and just want to sing the praises of my new best friends. Fish and chips were quite nice too.

I had my annual hair appointment  today. I seem to be fortunate enough that my grey hair is growing through as the same colour I have been dying it for years.  Or, I have wasted a lot of money over the years paying to colour it the colour it already was! It was nice to be pampered for a change and I did the usual and told Dave, my hairdresser, everything about my life. He's probably speaking to journalists right now haha!

Am going to my bank tomorrow for some advice whilst travelling round Ireland. Seems to me that I will be charged a few quid every time I use my bank card...

Tidy hair...

New best friend...

Other new best friend...

Dumped friend...

Ignorance was bliss...

Less than a year ago I sold everything I owned, left my home, job, friends and family, bought a motorhome and basically just drove off to Scotland with Milo. All my anticipations were unknown. I did not know what to expect. I had little fear or doubt as I did not know what lay ahead of me. Ignorance certainly is bliss. Now I am going to travel to Ireland and I am basically scared sh**less!
What if the ferry sinks, what if Milo gets lost, what if a wheel falls off the beast, what if I run out of money, what if nobody likes me? Everyday I wake up with another what if. I know I am being ridiculous, but the more I seem to prepare for the perfect adventure the more I seem to worry about it.
Anyway to make myself feel better I spent today washing the Beast and watching videos about Ireland. I've now written myself a list of some of the things I'd like to see and experience when I get there and that has made me feel more positive.

Also today Pip and I went to Asda. On returning to the car I saw the sign that said 'trolleys will automatically stop if taken beyond the red line'. Sometimes I don't quite believe what I read is true and I like to find out for myself. Well this time it was true. Haha! we had to then carry all our shopping bags to the car. Dear Asda, I apologise for the abandoned trolley...

See Milo chilling in conservatory...



Part of my to do list...

Pip testing the red line...

What happens if you cross the red line...

Australia would have been easier...

Items so far fallen into Milos water bowl: mobile phone twice, reading glasses numerous times, tea towels daily, keys once, and today my iPad, luckily too big to fit in.  I now think it's time to move his water bowl.

I'm beginning to stress out about my forthcoming trip to Ireland. I originally ruled out Italy,  as being a foreign country it seemed too difficult. Well guess what. Ireland is a foreign country! Yes I already knew that Ireland is not part the UK, but in my ignorance I thought I could just jump on a ferry and go...
I've since had to go through the process of getting Milo a passport, including a rabies jab. When I want to come back to the UK I can't just hop on a ferry, I have to find a government registered vet between one and five days before to get Milo wormed.  Today I had to go through the process of unlocking my phone so I can buy a SIM card to use in Ireland, but will still have to pay for a contract I am unable to use whilst there. And I need to get Euros. And I struggle to understand accents. And the camping club I'm a member of only has two sites in the whole of Ireland. And I think Milo wants to go to Australia (see photo!) And, and, and! But at least they drive on the right...

Deep in thought...

Picky Nicci's Love Bus...

Kind of wish I was in Ireland today celebrating St Patrick's day. But I'm sure I'll have plenty of other days to celebrate when I get there. I'm probably going to be there on my big five O birthday and I have this vision of me sitting in the Beast on the edge of some cliff sharing a tin of beans with Milo by candlelight!

I had an amusing start to my day today. My story was in the Take a Break magazine. I did have to send a quick message to my bestie in the beach photo! And I'm not sure about the Beast being referred to as my 'love bus' haha, might have to get a bus conductors uniform. Think they got the Picky Nicci right though.  Heyho.

I had a yukky day in work yesterday, felt like I couldn't do right for doing wrong and ended up crying in public (so not my style!). Anyway I was cheered up with a photo my son took of Milo wearing his beanie hat, so cute. And then I spent the afternoon looking through my 'Live your Dream' box, which is full of my memories of Scotland. I'll need to get myself another dream box for Ireland...

Need to nail it...

Well I've handed in my two week notice at work and should be setting off to Ireland around the 10th April. Not sure if my employer was trying to punish me but I had to work a wedding fayre they were holding yesterday. Lots of lovely future brides wandering around choosing cakes, favours, photographers etc. I just skulked in the background serving drinks. Talking of serving drinks, I'm really probably the worst barmaid ever employed. I've lost count of how many drinks I've poured over customers. We have to carry a round tray to the customers table, usually with numerous glasses balanced on and with one hand flat under the tray. Yet again, yesterday, I felt the wobble, and as if in slow motion saw the pint of beer fly through the air. This time I managed to flick the glass toward me and consequently poured a whole pint of beer into my pinny pocket. Better than over the customer like last time. But my mobile phone sadly drowned in my pocket and now only seems to work if headphones are plugged in?!

Today I collected Milos passport. He is now safe to travel the world. There is a section to write about any notable or discernable characteristics, but there isn't enough space to write them all down! I put a cute photo of him in it though.

I've been trying to jig the van up a bit this week.  I've spent so long in it without it moving that there are too many items not 'nailed down'. I need to get back in the mode of driving off without all my worldly belongings flying around my head as I drive. So I treated myself to a new pack of blue tack today :)
Now to go book our ferry...

Overly Crazy and Hysterical...

A few days ago I was believing that the white feather I saw on the ground was an angel saying hello, possibly my dad. Since then I have come upon many, many white feathers. I was getting a little paranoid until I realised that since I washed my coat the filling of duck down feathers is constantly popping out of the seams. So, no, I am not being followed by lots of dead people.

I was reading up on the P&O ferry crossing about taking pets on board. I happened to read that Milo will need a passport for travel between the UK and Ireland. I did not know this. And he has to have it at least 21 days before travel. So after sitting in the vets for nearly an hour, for a five minute appointment, I am now just shy of £100 lighter. Milo was very well behaved considering there were at least ten dogs in the waiting room. Although he did jump up on the reception desk and pop his head over the top of the computer screen, think he woke up the receptionist! My mum, quite seriously, asked me how I would fit him into the photo booth for his picture?!

I also need to have the Beast checked over as has been stationary for most of the winter. Although I have turned the engine over periodically and all is well on that front. But better to be safe than sorry. Just not looking forward to a big bill. Ferry crossing prices are not coming in cheap either. At this rate I'll have worked my butt off the whole winter for one week in Ireland. Moan over :)

On a high note I saw my handsome stranger again today. Well I think it was him as last time I did scuttle away in a hurry. This time I stopped and we chatted about the lovely weather and warm temperature. I tried my smiling a lot technique, and laughing out loud (read somewhere this was attractive to the opposite sex) but I'm sure he just thought I was an overly crazy hysterical stranger he had the misfortune of bumping into on the beach...

Waiting at the vets...

Muddy Mother's Day...

Seems to me that Milo forgot it was Mother's Day this morning. No lie in, no breakfast in bed and not even any flowers. Just another day for him to drag me through the mud, and my word there is so much mud around at the moment. At the beginning of our walks Milo tends to tiptoe around the muddy puddles as if he's wearing high heeled, white stiletoes. Towards the end of our walks he behaves like some kind of happy hippo. I just sludge through in my wellies hoping not to do a Vicar of Dibley puddle plunge!

This morning, in the woods, I'm pleased to say I didn't approach the skinny man wearing the silly woolly hat. Enough said.

I put my favourite photo of me and my mum on Facebook this morning and am overwhelmed by the lovely comments we received. We do occasionally scrub up well!

Now I am finishing writing this after just having eaten a fabulous Chinese banquet with my mum, sister Pip and her boyfriend, my son and his girlfriend and Milo. All reminiscing about stories from our childhoods, love these kind of days...

Mud, mud and more mud...

Skinny man...

Me and my mum...

Yummy Chinese banquet...

They do say love is blind...

Walking along the beach this morning I spotted a man in the distance. After my last episode of running into a dashing stranger I am a little more prepared this time. So I slow down my pace and collect my thoughts in preparation of an appropriate opening conversation. I fluff up my hair a little, which I have actually brushed this morning, and am pleased I'm not wearing my woolly hat or glasses. I decided to sit on a rock and wait for him to walk past so I can get a better look at him. Well I waited and waited. He didn't seem to be moving. Maybe he was waiting for his dog. He seemed to just be standing still. I then took my glasses out of my pocket, put them on, and realised 'he' was actually just a plank of wood in the sand... see picture and you might have thought the same. I may need to get my eyes retested, last time I went because when I was driving down the road I slowed down for a green wheelie bin as I thought it was a policeman!

Later this morning whilst cleaning my kitchen I discovered the false draw front under my sink is not false at all. It is in fact another storage cupboard that I never knew I had. Room for a few plates and pots. I can't believe I spent all this time thinking it was just a decorative draw holding the sink, but then again my sink is the size of a thimble so I think I can be forgiven for that.

I received my Safe Nights Ireland member card this morning and The Green Guide for caravan and camping Ireland. So I need to sit down and start sticking some pins in my map soon. I also treated myself to a new fire extinguisher for the van and some posh toilet fluid, oh my, I am living the life!...