Travelling Tails

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English? Bahhh!
2007-11-08 10:32:00
Yesterday we had our first French lesson and it was tres magnifique! As we think that we will be renting in France by this time next year … and possibly house-hunting if we decide we like it there, we figured we really should knuckle down to learning the language. We have been busy listening to CDs, singing children’s songs and learning vocabulary, but aside from being able to sing ‘Leon the Chameleon’ in perfect French (that’s for another post!) our skills are somewhat limited. So with night-school being a no-no due to Scott working shifts we have the delightful and gregarious Marie-Francois visiting us at home every two weeks. The lesson was entertaining; in fact so entertaining that we went 10 minutes over our time without even realising. I don’t know how learning l’alphabet has managed to become fun since I last did it 17 years ago, but it has. Probably something to do with being an adult and ‘wanting’ to learn, instead of defying any kind of authority a...
More About: English

Love in small spaces
2007-10-30 08:17:00
At the weekend we drove North to visit my parents who for the last 5 years have lived in my mother's birthplace; a small village in the North of Yorkshire. After years following my dad's work commitments she always vowed that she wanted to return there once he retired. She got her wish and my dad now jokes that "she can see the house she was born in from the kitchen window - you can't get much closer than that!" We spent the weekend eating good old-fashioned Yorkshire fish and chips, which Isabella loved, walking in the beautiful countryside and of course, chewing the fat with my parents. I found out more about my mums life as a child and about her mother, who I am named after, and generally got that warm fuzzy feeling that you get when you sit around a table listening to the older generation talk about their life experiences.Most importantly they talked a great deal about their life living in a caravan with 4 children (I came later) and how they managed and as this is pretty ...
More About: Love , Small , Spaces

Love in small spaces
2007-10-30 08:17:00
At the weekend we drove North to visit my parents who for the last 5 years have lived in my mother's birthplace; a small village in the North of Yorkshire. After years following my dad's work commitments she always vowed that she wanted to return there once he retired. She got her wish and my dad now jokes that "she can see the house she was born in from the kitchen window - you can't get much closer than that!" We spent the weekend eating good old-fashioned Yorkshire fish and chips, which Isabella loved, walking in the beautiful countryside and of course, chewing the fat with my parents. I found out more about my mums life as a child and about her mother, who I am named after, and generally got that warm fuzzy feeling that you get when you sit around a table listening to the older generation talk about their life experiences.Most importantly they talked a great deal about their life living in a caravan with 4 children (I came later) and how they managed and as this is pretty ...
More About: Love , Small , Spaces

Road to nowhere?
2007-10-17 21:24:00
So quite a few people are wondering why we have decided to give up the comfort of a relatively nice life to head for the wide open roads with all our worldly belongings in the back of the 'Smudge Family Wagon' in search of a destiny that is unknown, whilst living in a folding camper to boot. Some people have said it's a fantastic thing to do, some have said we are just plain nuts and others have said 'how wonderful' whilst clearly muttering under their breath that we must be mad to give up the mortgage and relative security for a life on the road with a young child and a dog. I know I don't need to justify our actions, but I do however feel that I should explain; not just for those of you reading, but so that when I suffer a rare apprehensive moment I can re-read this post and remind myself that our reasons are valid.The plan came to initial fruition whilst sharing some tapas in a Milton Keynes restaurant. I was enjoying some paella, Scott was lost in a moment with some del...
More About: Road

Road to nowhere?
2007-10-17 21:24:00
So quite a few people are wondering why we have decided to give up the comfort of a relatively nice life to head for the wide open roads with all our worldly belongings in the back of the 'Smudge Family Wagon' in search of a destiny that is unknown, whilst living in a folding camper to boot. Some people have said it's a fantastic thing to do, some have said we are just plain nuts and others have said 'how wonderful' whilst clearly muttering under their breath that we must be mad to give up the mortgage and relative security for a life on the road with a young child and a dog. I know I don't need to justify our actions, but I do however feel that I should explain; not just for those of you reading, but so that when I suffer a rare apprehensive moment I can re-read this post and remind myself that our reasons are valid.The plan came to initial fruition whilst sharing some tapas in a Milton Keynes restaurant. I was enjoying some paella, Scott was lost in a moment with some del...
More About: Road

Norway here we come!
2007-10-03 13:52:00
God Morgen, hvordan har du det?Yes, The Family Smudge are very excited because to take our mind off wanting to move out of our house so we can officially start getting excited about our travels, we have booked a trip to Norway for my birthday. We are heading over to Bergen to visit my brother who now lives there with his lovely Norwegian girlfriend .My task for this trip? To make marmalade! Why? I hear you ask. Well, last year I decided to be creative and make Christmas hamper presents (mini), which included a jar of 3-fruit marmalade. Anyway, a package ended up in Norway and as it went down well I have decided to take a load over there with me. I think I may even give the vast majority of it to my brother's girlfriend in the hope that I may receive one of her luscious creations as a birthday present?! ha ha. See below. Yum.The only other Scandinavian country I have visited was Denmark and in actual fact I only spent time in Copenhagen itself. However, I found it to be a tr...

Norway here we come!
2007-10-03 13:52:00
God Morgen, hvordan har du det?Yes, The Family Smudge are very excited because to take our mind off wanting to move out of our house so we can officially start getting excited about our travels, we have booked a trip to Norway for my birthday. We are heading over to Bergen to visit my brother who now lives there with his lovely Norwegian girlfriend .My task for this trip? To make marmalade! Why? I hear you ask. Well, last year I decided to be creative and make Christmas hamper presents (mini), which included a jar of 3-fruit marmalade. Anyway, a package ended up in Norway and as it went down well I have decided to take a load over there with me. I think I may even give the vast majority of it to my brother's girlfriend in the hope that I may receive one of her luscious creations as a birthday present?! ha ha. See below. Yum.The only other Scandinavian country I have visited was Denmark and in actual fact I only spent time in Copenhagen itself. However, I found it to be a tr...

BGAN - is this flippin Countown?
2007-10-02 15:27:00
I am starting to look into the possibilities regarding satellite internet access as when we head off on our travels, I will still be working remotely - boo hoo. After much research it appears that what I need is BGAN:Your guess is as good as mine. Apparently this is some sort of satellite thingy that I can basically carry around in order to access the internet from such remote places as, hmmmmmmm, the portaloo on a campsite in the heights of the Pyrenees ... if the urge grabs me that is. Anyhow, today I received some information, which I have duly been trying to digest and if I didn't speak a smattering of Greek the term 'it's all Greek to me' would be extremely relevant. And then, after spending the last few minutes staring blankly at the paperwork wondering in a bemused manner whether my head might explode - or in fact BANG BGAN BANG- I realise that it must surely be some sort of joke and Carol Vorderman is actually about to jump out from behind me and announce that there...

BGAN - is this flippin Countown?
2007-10-02 15:27:00
I am starting to look into the possibilities regarding satellite internet access as when we head off on our travels, I will still be working remotely - boo hoo. After much research it appears that what I need is BGAN:Your guess is as good as mine. Apparently this is some sort of satellite thingy that I can basically carry around in order to access the internet from such remote places as, hmmmmmmm, the portaloo on a campsite in the heights of the Pyrenees ... if the urge grabs me that is. Anyhow, today I received some information, which I have duly been trying to digest and if I didn't speak a smattering of Greek the term 'it's all Greek to me' would be extremely relevant. And then, after spending the last few minutes staring blankly at the paperwork wondering in a bemused manner whether my head might explode - or in fact BANG BGAN BANG- I realise that it must surely be some sort of joke and Carol Vorderman is actually about to jump out from behind me and announce that there...

Pennine Pathfinder
2007-10-01 22:14:00
Yesterday we made the mistake of going to check out a few folding campers, as this is what we have decided we want to live in for quite some time next year. The reason I say 'mistake' is because we saw a top-of-the-range deluxe version; complete with full oven and loo (allowing for Sunday roasts, baking a'plenty and luxurious living) and now nothing else will do:Scott is of course over-the-moon that after months of rattling on at me, I too have finally seen the light and discovered the benefits of the humble folding camper. I am however a little concerned that last night I did indeed dream - twice - of said item and thoughts of finding an affordable second-hand version have been occupying my mind all day ... Hmmmm, I think it is surely extremely unhealthy to be this excited about the prospect of living in a folding camper; but the thought of being free spirits feels refreshingly healthy.
More About: Pathfinder , Path

Pennine Pathfinder
2007-10-01 22:14:00
Yesterday we made the mistake of going to check out a few folding campers, as this is what we have decided we want to live in for quite some time next year. The reason I say 'mistake' is because we saw a top-of-the-range deluxe version; complete with full oven and loo (allowing for Sunday roasts, baking a'plenty and luxurious living) and now nothing else will do:Scott is of course over-the-moon that after months of rattling on at me, I too have finally seen the light and discovered the benefits of the humble folding camper. I am however a little concerned that last night I did indeed dream - twice - of said item and thoughts of finding an affordable second-hand version have been occupying my mind all day ... Hmmmm, I think it is surely extremely unhealthy to be this excited about the prospect of living in a folding camper; but the thought of being free spirits feels refreshingly healthy.
More About: Pathfinder , Path

We got married!
2007-10-01 21:14:00
Yes, on 3rd September 2007 we officially became 'The Family Smudge' when we tied the knot on Skopelos island in Greece. We had a wonderful time with family and close friends and there was much Greek dancing, much food and much much much cheap plonk!
More About: Married

We got married!
2007-10-01 21:14:00
Yes, on 3rd September 2007 we officially became 'The Family Smudge' when we tied the knot on Skopelos island in Greece. We had a wonderful time with family and close friends and there was much Greek dancing, much food and much much much cheap plonk!
More About: Married