Monday 22 November 2010

Retail therapy........

Last week was a bit of a doozer.

Exciting and terrifying by turns.

We indulged in a bit of retail therapy...... I bought a new new magnifying lamp, we both bought new slippers.  

Nothing particularly exciting or terrifying there you might think.  Unless you have a slipper phobia.

Ah.

But it doesn't end there.

We also bought a caravan.

Just like that without a 'by your leave'.

Forget the fact that our current car is a Chevrolet Matiz, with an engine size of 900cc which  wouldn't tow a wheelbarrow.  My sewing machine probably has more oomph.

Never mind that we don't have anywhere to put it as our driveway is really steep and completely unsuitable.

Let's also gloss over the fact that neither of us have ever towed a caravan.

Not to mention the small impediment of already owning a campervan, which we have to sell, as well as the Noddy car, in order to release the cash to enable us to buy a car capable of towing something bigger than a roller skate.

But if you put aside all of the above, and take into account the fact that the caravan was a completely fantastic, unbeatable bargain, and we were in the right place at the right time (serendipity) you may be able to understand why we just couldn't turn it down.

So the past week has been a maelstrom of frenetic activity.

  • Last Tuesday - alerted by the friend of a friend to the imminent sale of a very desirable carvan at an absolute bargain price for a very quick sale.
  • Wednesday a.m. - arranged to view aforementioned caravan.  Immediately sealed a very good deal.
  • Wednesday p.m - panic, panic, panic, PANIC!
  • Thurday - scrabble around trying to arrange collection of caravan by kind friend with a towcar, visit to local caravan storage facility (vile, horrible place you wouldn't want to leave a skateboard let alone a caravan) put funds on notice for release of cash, bit more panicking
  • Friday - try to find alternative storage facility, check out insurance, research sale of campervan, visit several local used car dealers to recce tow vehicles.
  • Saturday a.m - Building Society to withdraw cash.... short but terrifying walk to car in mortal fear of being mugged.  Drive to Kent village where caravan is waiting, plus kind friend with proper 'grown up' vehicle who tows caravan to driveway of kind relative who has offered to store it while we sort out storage.
  • Sunday - Drive to kind relative and borrow buckets of warm, soapy water so we can clean inside/outside caravan and give it a really thorough inspection.  Visit second caravan storage facility which is much better than first but much more expensive.
  • Monday (today) - Visit third caravan storage facility, which like Baby Bear's porridge is just right.  Try to arrange for weekend collection of caravan from kind relative's driveway by different kind friend also with towcar, who can take it to lovely storage facility, where it can be safely tucked in for the winter while we try to draw breath and recuperate from the whirlwind of the last week.
I won't bore you with the gorgeousness of our lovely new caravan.  The fact that it has hardly been used, is only a few years old, comes with a brand new/used once awning plus breathable flooring, has a spacious end bathroom with proper walk-in shower, toilet and washbasin, superb kitchen amidships -BIG fridge with proper full-width freezer section, full size oven, sweet little spotlights all around the big Heki rooflight, central heating, reading lights over the seating area.....

ILOVEITILOVEITILOVEIT!


So only a few minor, niggly naggly things to sort out (lack of towcar, lack of towing experience etc plus sale of campervan) and we'll be sorted.


In other news, major, MAJOR, really important fair looming in less than two weeks.  NO Christmas shopping done.  


And we've finally decided that we're definitely going to move house.


So no pressure.........

7 comments:

Margaret said...

That sounds like something I would talk my partner into, he is the more practical one, not in everything though. As they say you must strike while the iron's hot. Sounds like a great buy and come summer you'll be in seventh heaven.

Debbie said...

Well Sandra, you most certainly don't do things by half's. Good luck with the Fair, selling the Camper Van, buying new car, selling House and buying a new one. Phew think I need to lay down, just thinking about it..LOL

Anonymous said...

Oh dearie me...sounds like a bad case of Caravamania!
Never mind...you will recover once you have been out in it!
Good for you.... some things just have to be done on the spur of the moment.

I've done very little Xmas either and when my 'normal' state is 'finished by now. I too have no pressure and I too have that BIG SHOW looming.At elast I haven't got to make work for that though.
Good luck!
Sx

Sandra Morris said...

Thanks girls.

I've come to the conclusion that I have finally taken leave of what I fondly consider to be my senses.

Robin said...

Wow! That's certainly taking retail therapy to a whole new level!!
Good for you! Enjoy!
Rx

Boadicea said...

Didn't know you had a camper van. We are in the process of doing ours up, i.e. trying to stop the galloping rust and giving it a respray.

By the way, what's happened to Bev? Nothing on Tattyhouse since she had "the worst cold" in September. Hope she's o.k.

Today's word ( I hope it's not prophetic!) - "grann"!

Boadicea said...

Actually I don't really have a comment - I just spotted the word verification and liked it - "supgigi"