First trip after my stroke

I have discovered that if I do not write these things down as soon as I have done them, then it is too late.  My memory is not as good as it was and I have left this for too long.  That is another thing that I have discovered, I do not use my lap top as I did, although I am getting back to it slowly.  This first trip was in March, as we usually do and I did start to write it months ago but I just never got around to it.  If it was not for the camera (witch I am also not using as much) I would not be able to remember what we did.
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Well my stroke was early in November, wile away camping in York and I am just now ready to set out again. I think Dot is really worried about me but I think I am all right and I just have to do this.

Saturday, March 8th 2014

We arrived in Barnard Castle at about ..........................
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Well that is all I wrote, it is now July and I will start again.

Saturday, March 8th 2014

On site we parked up just inside the gate fairly close to the wardens hut, we had not been there before and I thought it was suitable. I am not sure what Dot thorough though.

As it was Saturday we just walked into town, after all it was after 15:30, fairly late to be doing anything else. Now here I do not have any photos of what we did but as far as I can remember, the weather was good. Very good in fact, last year as the same time at the same place, it was very cold and it snowed quite heavily. This year it was very mild indeed but still very cold on the night.

We did pop into a couple of pubs, one especially to watch the rugby, Scotland v England in the Six Nations.  I had been into one pub earlier and caught the end of the first game (Ireland 26-3 Wales) but that pub was changing management and was very empty.  The pub we used for the match, had been refurbished and had been closed on our last visit.  With a 0-20 result for England, it was well worth the trip to this pub.

As I had watched the rugby, I do know it was about 20:30 when we set off back to the campsite.

Sunday, March 9th 2014

Well today is rather awkward, not a single photo to remind me of what we were doing. So I will have to see what I can remember (witch could be very hard). I do remember having food in the Three Horseshoes, twice during the holiday, I know the other one closed, so Sunday night seems very likely to me.

The rugby was on again, France beat Italy 30-10 at five butt I do remember getting back to the van before it got too dark though.

Monday, March 10th 2014

A nice fine warm day (on and off), we set off for a walk after an early lunch. We walked along the south side of the river Tees, through the static campsite just about as far as you can go by the river. I was using the camera more than usual (usual for after my stroke that is) and taking photos along the way.

The weather was still very fine for the time of year as we walked back towards civilisation. We crossed over the river Tees via the metal footbridge and walked up into town. Dot made the suggestion to walk to Castle Howard and I could not see a reason not to.

We had a good sit in the gardens of the house and eventually went into the hall for a drink of tea in the café there. We didn't end up with tea though, Dot got a hot chocolate and I got a coffee, Dot wanted the hot chocolate, I didn't want the coffee but I just had it anyway, it wasn't worth moaning.

 

While in the hall we saw a photo of the house reflected in a pool from the front, now we thought there wasn't a pool big enough to do this but on leaving we found it was. The pool is not very big though.

It is not a brilliant photo but you get the idea and with better equipment and a step ladder, I can see how they got the shot.

By this time it was three thirty, so we just made our way into town and eventually had a drink (we are on holiday and it is Dots birthday after all) and a very nice meal in the The Horseshoes.

Tuesday, March 11th 2014

Another vague day with my memory (It is so much easier to remember with photos to remind me but it is also hard to remember to take photos. So I can ether get on with life, with a terrible memory of what has happened, or I can try and remember to take photos.), so let me try and remember without photos what we did.

Well its hard to admit it but I can not remember anything about the day at all, I have two photos late in the day of us in the pub but that is it.

Wednesday, March 12th 2014

Well I do know what happened today. It was time to leave for home and the van would not start. We had to call out the RAC to get the van started (it was a fault we had had for a while now but the van would eventually start, well this time it would not), he squirted damp start into the engine and it went.

He said it would cost a small fortune to get put right, well he was wrong, it cost less that £100 to put right in the end.  Although it first cost another £100 for a mobile mechanic and a garage to tell me it would cost around £800 to £1000 to fix, never trust experts.

Next time I try to do this, I will try to take photos and try to remember what has gone on.