After Norfolk the plan was to spend a few days with Helen in Aylesbury and then head onto Somerset to clean out the van. That didn’t quite happen.

We had a couple of nice days including going to our favourite pub the Black Boy in Oving for an English Sunday lunch. It’s called the Black Boy after Charles II who was very swarthy.

On Monday evening Glenn wasn’t feeling well so went to bed early. Next morning Glenn tested positive to Covid – so we weren’t going anywhere! We quarantined him downstairs and ferried soup and toast to outside his door.

On Thursday I woke with a scratchy throat so I decided it was time for us to move on and not infect Helen too. While I still tested negative for Covid I got on with moving everything out. All bedding and towels were put in the washing machine – or ready for washing – on a very hot temperature. 

Glenn and I did a food shop then found a small CL campsite at Common Leys farm near Oxford with a hard standing area and electricity, toilet and shower. It was very nice and sunny so we had a walk around the fields. We even sat outside in the unusual warmth.

The farmhouse is very old.

All this was the calm before the big storm we knew would arrive that night. It started raining while we watched TV warm and cosy in the van. 

Next day there was a break in the rain to allow me to do a walk. There were many signs of autumn.

I got to the old WWII airbase RAF Oakley. The runways are still there but full of weeds.

It’s a public footpath now so there were dog walkers taking their only chance to get out of the house. The gap in the rain was closing and I managed to get back to the van in the nick of time. 

Next morning Glenn did another Covid test and was still slightly positive so we stayed another night – and the rain kept going.
At last on the 3rd morning he tested negative- and felt better so we drove to Somerset. I still tested negative so don’t think I ever got it.

It was still very windy that morning.

We saw many signs of Halloween on the way.

We have had a good week here in Somerset. We have been looked after very well by Grant and Anne. Grant has cooked up a storm and Anne has been plying us with drinks and snacks every evening at appertivo time.

We cleaned out and organised the motorhome before mum came down from Scotland so we have had a relaxing time.

One afternoon we did a Halloween treasure hunt with niece Jess and her toddler Margot.

Here’s the team.

The challenge was to count bars, ghosts, skeletons, spiders and witches around a very old garden next to an old house. The adults did all the work – and enjoyed it. The house had initially been built in the 1300s, though the family arrived here in 1068 – maybe Normans after the Battle of Hastings? There are some me very old trees.

Another day we went to the old Harbour town of Topsham on the River Exe. It has also been silted up similar to North Norfolk. It has some very dramatic scenery!

The next day we dropped Gus off at the storage unit and said a sad goodbye until next year.