Week 22 2026 - One daily Positive and Project 365

The negatives

Always sad to say goodbye to the family. We should be used to it after years of living abroad and our children choosing to live in Northern Ireland and Australia, we could choose to move to Northern Ireland but then we'd be leaving parents and another children and their family behind plus all our friends, my job and have to move house again and I just can't be doing with all the stress, the travel, the cost, the change in identity again.

The positives

Now our son has moved to a bigger house I should be able to get on a plane and go over for a weekend visit more often without the cost of a hotel, car hire etc. I'll still take the campervan for the longer holidays and Peter can come with me more often as we won't have to camp on their drive the whole time and now the grandchildren are getting a bit older, maybe one of them can come away with us for a night or two.

Saturday 30th May Woke around 7.30am and realised it had started to rain so quickly folded the roof on the campervan and packed the electric cable away. Son went off to the new house to wait for the TV guy between 8am and 5pm (turned up around 2pm) Dil out with the baby and her mum shopping. Grandson off with grandad so I went for a coffee and then back to the new house to clean skirting boards, window and door frames and put the oven back together. Oldest grandson and I went to both the parks in the village stopping for an ice cream which we ate on a bench in the rain. Back to the outlaws for dinner and my sad goodbyes as I won't be back for 4 months. Grandson has no concept of time and he was happy at his other grandparents where he spends so much time and is used to seeing so little of me, it doesn't phase him at the moment. It's good for him though. Youngest is only 13 months old, too young to make judgement on. I was at the docks by 8pm, got washed and changed into my pjs in the van, had a cuppa of tea, caught up with the soaps. Boarded at 10pm and got myself a spot to sleep for the night. Talked my son through where the bolts were for his bed over the phone.

Sunday 31st May We docked at 7am, but I was woken at 5am with bright lights and tannoy announcements. A two and a half hour drive home with a brief Starbucks stop. The roads were quiet with everyone driving in the middle lane. Campervan unpacked, fridge cleaned and tea, sugar etc restocked, washing on and in bed for a couple of hours. Migraine developed full swing and I was really ill and had to take maximum meds and by 1pm I was incapacitated. Second dose of meds at 11pm and straight back to sleep.

Monday 1st June Back to work and head still hurting. After work I went to the gym for legs, bums and tums and felt a lot better for exercising. Ate dinner in front of the TV, bath and in bed by 8.30pm. Door wasn't opened in the right place for the cat.

Tuesday 2nd June Straight into town after work to get my nails done, dropped a birthday present off with a friend, home to get changed then a spin class and dinner. We moved a chair into the loft, that then required a bit of tidying up, watched TV, bath and in bed by 10pm.

Wednesday 3rd June Home from work and I finally got round to sorting out my clothes for selling on Vinted where they've been hanging over the bannister rail for the past few months. I headed off to the gym to Body Pump and got home at 8pm. I had planned a pizza for dinner only to discover it wasn't gluten free so by the time I'd found something I could eat it was nearer to 10pm when I finished, had my shower and got into bed.

Thursday 4th June Woke around 3am with a massive migraine and feeling sick. Didn't go into work and spent most of the day lying down as when I stood up I was ill. Peter collected mum in the afternoon and I went down to meet them at the retail park. Bumped into a friend for a brief natter, the world always seems brighter after a catch up. After dinner I felt slightly better, I packed for the weekend and was in bed and asleep by 9pm. The cat was also poorly and had to have a bath and all the bedding had to be washed.

Friday 5th June Woke with head pain but went into work, it was a quiet day and I even had a free period to catch up with paperwork. Home and a quick change and packed the car and we headed down to Seaford for a family wedding tomorrow, stopping for a Starbucks and snacks on the way, arriving at my Aunt's around 8pm.

On the blog this week:

Word of the week - Tolerance

Post Comment Love - Link up with any post written this week 

Days out in my Campervan in May 2026

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5th-7th June 2026 - Post Comment Love

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

Please leave a comment with the host you link up with and we'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter/X tag us and we'll RT. You can find us here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby Please also add our badge to your post.

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

I had a busy week in Northern Ireland with my son and his family helping them move house and after a night on the ferry with little to no sleep and a long drive home, I ended up with a severe migraine that lasted 24 hours with little respite and lingered for the rest of week. 

If you think I'm always busy, just you wait till you see what's happening in June.

I'm in the Brighton area this weekend ready for my cousins wedding in Eastbourne with my mum on Saturday. Straight back home on Sunday bringing my aunt back with us whilst my cousin and her husband go on their honeymoon.

Next weekend we're all off to the Three Counties Show, then I'm on my annual trip to Paris to meet my friend, ahead of my birthday celebrations at the end of the month which will involve a camping trip.

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Word of the week - Tolerance

Tolerance is the capacity to endure, accept, or allow something.

Patience is the capacity to endure without becoming annoyed or upset. 

I had to fight to get a full cup in Starbucks at the services this week. 

I got a grande latte paper cup, poured my latte into it and watched them look at a less than half filled cup and then look at me as if I'd created the problem and then rather ungraciously they topped it up with more milk and handed it back to me without a word, to which I said 'thank you' and walked away.

No wonder so many places have to display signs stating 'We have the right to work in a safe environment' I'd suggest 90% of the time they've created the environment in which a customer has lost their patience and ended up raising their voice.

On the ferry to and from Northern Ireland I wasn't able to get a cabin, so had to sleep in the lounge. The lights didn't go off until midnight and the tannoy was going off until that time asking families to keep their children under control and stop them running around the boat, disturbing others. Personally I wasn't disturbed by any stray teenagers, but I was disturbed by the tannoy announcements. 

Driving home from Birkenhead at 7am I encountered the 'Middle Lane Drivers. Road signs that read 'Don't hog the middle lane' were being ignored.

BTW Indicators show your intent, they do not give you right of way. 

On Wednesday after the gym I thought I'd had a pizza in my gluten free tray in the freezer for a quick tea, but nope, it was a normal one in the wrong drawer and it was an hour later before I ate.

I've had great tolerance in work this week, I have to. I've had little patience, I've had to hide that. I've ended up with a migraine, well actually I didn't get rid of the one from the weekend, I ended up being off work on Thursday and had to tolerate the side effects of the medication.

I find myself having to tolerate things more and more, there is little change I can effect without becoming annoyed or upset. It's not acceptance, it's just called getting on with things.

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Days out in my campervan May 2026

The post this month is about the campervan rather than where I've been in it.

We belong to the caravan and motorhome club. It costs around £66 a year and the facilities are brilliant. We spent the May bank holiday at East Freshwater in Wales and decided to take the blow up awning as there was two of us and the plan was long walks and chilling at the camp site and not taking the campervan off the pitch, plus we knew the weather wasn't going to be the best.

It was one of the smallest pitches we've camped on and a very tight fit.

We were raided during the night by local wildlife. I had a package to send my son in Australia containing a football program, a bar of chocolate and a letter in the yellow bag.

The chocolate was eaten along with a bag of rice out the pantry and the letter was never found.

After that night we put all the food in a sealed box.

The last time we were raided whilst camping, I was in Kruger National Park with the 2 youngest boys and baboons broke into our tent and stole bread and cereal by opening a crate. They also tried to get in the camping fridge, but I'd sealed that with bungie cords, they'd left paw prints everywhere.

We keep meals simple in the van, but we also have a stove that we cook on in the awning. The club house on the neighbouring Parkdean holiday site had an excellent pub/restaurant so we ate there in the evenings and after a cooked breakfast in the mornings, we just had sandwiches or salads in the day.

Next up was my trip to Northern Ireland and half the week camping on my son's drive. My eldest grandson referred to me as 'my granny lives on our drive'

Not the best views, but I only slept in it.

I kept the torch charged but being so far north it didn't get dark until nearly 10pm and was light around 5.30am.

I was running the fridge on low and used the lights when the curtains were closed so had to keep a close eye on the leisure battery.

The can was in use every day being loaded and unloaded, back and forth so I had to pack up every morning. Apart from putting the bedding back under the bench seat and folding the roof down, it wasn't too difficult as I was washing and getting dressed in the house and I was able to keep my day to day stuff in the little cubby hole under the sink. As I wasn't cooking in the van either there was little else to pack away.

I did have some parcels to pack and post and letters to write and I retreated to the van once the grandchildren were in bed for some peace and quiet

I did get the occasional visitor though.

The second half of the week I moved up to the parent in laws. I plugged into the mains and as son's house was now empty and we were now waiting for the keys to be exchanged and I'd woken early I had a chilled out morning.

I was now stealth camping as I was parked on the road. But I had the roof popped upend the van plugged into the mains. The neighbour Dave from BBC Iplayer 'Peelers' had been informed so no one came to move me on. I couldn't park on the drive as it was on a slope and front to back I'd have either slid down into the small space or out the bed. I needed to park on the flat.

I got a rubbish parking spot on the ferry on the way home and once the lane on the right disembarked the van behind me drove into the gap that I was supposed to reverse into. There wasn't as much space as there looks as those ramps are sloped towards the van and my sensors were already beeping and I was told to park that close, so I had to wait for someone to come and guide me out. The van driver behind got told off.

I really don't like the fridge in the van. I can't understand why it doesn't have a door rather than being a cool box. You have to lift everything out and you lose half the surface area once you open the lid so have no where to put stuff. I bought some cheap baskets from B&M and I've declared myself a genius.

I've done my restock and checked dates on the sauce packets and jars of jam and need to buy a new water bottle as I dropped my current one (again) and the lid leaks. I only fill the water tank on arrival at a camp site as it's extra weight. I did travel home with the waste water on this trip as I had no where other empty it.

In the Ford Nugget Facebook group there is a lot of discussion about the best way to fold the pop up roof. I can close the roof in under a minute without trapping any of the fabric or having to use empty Pringle tubes or the top of my head to rest the roof on while I roll up the fabric to stop it getting caught and ripped in the clip. I open the back door and both side doors, start to lower, pull the sides in and roll the back towards me. Our struts support the roof at this height until I'm ready to close.

However the end result is ugly, but I don't care what it looks like.

Next trip is a night or two at the end of June for my birthday, no idea where, probably somewhere in the Cotswolds and a night on my friend's drive.

Week 21 2026 - One Daily Positive and Project 365. Northern Ireland.

The negatives

I've not stopped all week and I'm absolutely shattered. Eldest grandson has been in childcare most of the week as it's not half term in Northern Ireland. I'm behind with my reading and I ache from head to toe.

The positives

The weather has been perfect in Northern Ireland, in the mid 20's. I got to spend lots of time with the grandchildren. I've finally caught up with all my blog commenting and TV programmes. I've slept and eaten well.

Saturday 23rd May We went out for a coffee and did a bit of food shopping. Gluten free food for me to take with me and for Peter for the weekend for home also. I finished packing the van. The neighbour came round with the children as they needed some rain water from the butt for a house plant they'd bought. I brought the fans down out the attic and tided and dusted my dressing table, packed the fridge in the van. After saying goodbye to Peter I drove to Bromsgrove for my annual eye scan and drove to Liverpool for the overnight ferry to Northern Ireland, stopping at Cheshire Oaks for a couple of hours to walk around. It's so expensive up there. I had an hours long call with my cousin in the States, then it was time to get changed, drive on the ferry and settle down in the lounge for the night.

Sunday 24th May Woken at 5.15am having been surrounded by snorers all night. Drove off the boat to the service station, had coffee, got washed and dressed in the van and arrived at son's house for 7.30am. Sat on the drive reading till they woke up around 8am. Son off into work for the next 24 hours. Eldest grandson and I headed off to the park after breakfast and I'd walked the dogs round the village. After lunch DIL and I went with the grandsons to B&Q and B&M to buy paint and oven cleaner and then off to her parents for dinner. I gave both the boys a bath and then home for bedtime stories. I put the oven cleaner on to work its magic overnight and retreated to the van to watch TV and was asleep by 10pm.

Monday 25th May I didn't wake till gone 8am. I sleep so well in the van. DIL and grandsons out for the morning, so I set about cleaning the oven. I sat down to have my lunch when they arrived home, son came back shortly and the outlaws arrived. Beds and wardrobes were dismantled and the van was filled with suitcases of clothes and the contents from the cupboard under the stairs. Round to the outlaws for a BBQ. Son and Dil went home to put the kids to bed, I stayed on for bit, back at 9pm, set the van back up and off to bed.

Tuesday 26th May No half tern here in Northern Ireland, so grandson off to preschool and wrap around care with his dad at 7am while DIL and I packed up the and cleaned the kitchen and looked after youngest grandson for the day. At lunch time I popped out to pick up and post a birthday gift. Kitchen packed up and several runs made to the outlaws in the van. BBQ for dinner, then back to the house for the last night. I was in bed at 8pm.

Wednesday 27th May Dropped off some stuff to a charity shop. I sat down for a coffee and son rang to ask where I was at they were at the outlaws already waiting for me to unload the van grrrrrrr. Doors, skirting boards, windows and bathrooms cleaned. Son's friend came round and they emptied the attic and moved some of the bigger items. Youngest grandson started his first afternoon in nursery. Off to the outlaws in the evening for dinner and where we're all staying for the night.

Thursday 28th May After breakfast, father in law and I headed down to the new house, he cleaned upstairs while I cleaned the fridge and finished downstairs and campervan was packed with TVs, cleaning stuff and last few bits there was no box for. Back to the outlaws for lunch with 3 of sons friends who had done the heavy lifting. DIL handed over the keys, collected eldest from preschool and waited for the new keys. We got the call and all headed to the new house. I was tasked with getting the youngest to sleep in his pram and took eldest to the new park. mother in law tackled the kitchen as less exit cleaning had been done than we'd done, shame. Back to the outlaws for dinner, then everyone went back down with the van and I baby sat for the evening. All back by 10pm. I set the van up and went straight to bed.

Friday 29th May Early morning wake up call from the bin lorry around 5.30am, dozed for an hour and woken by the second bin lorry, made tea and caught up with blogging. Went into Lisburn for the morning to do a bit of shopping. Off to the new house around lunch time and set about cleaning the oven and dishwasher, putting food and cleaning items away and helping son empty the garage with most of it going in the loft, was a good circuit training work out. he sat in the attic with me running up and down the stairs with boxes and heaving them up to him in the attic. Eldest grandson home from preschool and we played in the garden setting up the slide and garden furniture and he helped me in the garage find the rest of toys to bring inside. Back to the outlaws for a takeaway and after some cuddles once the grandchildren went to bed, I was in the van by 8pm jsut chilling out and watching TV.

My Garden in May 2026

Post Comment Love - Link up with any post written this week

Word of the week - Moving

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Post Comment Love - 29th - 31st May 2026. Northern Ireland.

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

Please leave a comment with the host you link up with and we'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter/X tag us and we'll RT. You can find us here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby Please also add our badge to your post.

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

I'm over in Northern Ireland this week helping my son and daughter in law move house. The weather has been ideal, nice and dry but not too hot.

I took the eldest grandson to the park and when he was on the slide he asked me to take a photo of him to send to granddad to show him it was dry as every time Peter comes with me its raining.

They've not moved far at all just to the other end of the village and we now get to go to the other park.

I sleeping in the campervan. The first half of the week on my son's drive, the views weren't that great.

The second half of the week I'm camping at the bottom of the outlaws drive.

Eldest grandson has referred to me as 'My granny who lives on our drive'

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Word of the week - Moving

I'm in Northern Ireland visiting my Son, DIL and two grandsons for the week.

They're moving house and I'm here along with the outlaws helping out with lifting, moving, cleaning and childcare.

It's been a little tense at times with 5 adults trying to make decisions and the occasional fighting over who is getting the grandchildren hugs lol.

I've been sleeping in my campervan on my son's drive for the first part of the week and for the rest of the week I'm on the outlaws drive.

I've moved a lot and I mean A LOT.

As a child I'd lived in 4 houses in 4 different parts of the UK by the time I was 10. 

Between the ages of 17 and 24 I lived in 4 different places within a 50 mile radius of home.

Since then I've had three homes in the UK and two in South Africa and two in Dubai, plus we've had temporary accommodation in between our international relocations, plus long hotel stays.

The longest I've ever lived in one house is 8 years, our current home, which we're back in for then second time and we've been here now for almost 6 years.

They're in a chain and today is the day we wait for the call to collect the keys. The van is being loaded the house is being cleaned and we'll be done by midday and then hanging around waiting for the call as the money is transfered down the line.

My Garden in May 2026

Peter has been working hard in the garden in May. I've been supervising.

He's painted recoated the shed and the raised beds and set up a watering system on the raised beds for me.

With the extension pipe fixed on the wall in the back garden it's made it a lot easier to water the garden now.

 I've been using this Ikea planter for the over run from the waterbutt and fill up the watering cans and use them first to water the pots and collect rain water in this buckets. The neighbours child came round needing rainwater for a new house plant he had bought.

The brick wall under the canopy is going to be clad with wooden panels. Peter is measuring up this week. We're going to display my late fathers random collection of road signs, car parts and pub memorabilia and I want to put up some hooks for coats, a chalk board and some other random items.

The last job for the back garden is to move these path over to the left, it's for aesthetic purposes only, but the fir tree, jsut in the shot needs digging up and a lot of soil needs to be moved to the front garden, o it can wait a bit longer.

We have some gorgeous flowers blooming and some buds waiting to flower. I hope I don't miss them as I'm in Northern Ireland this week. I've asked Peter to send me some photos if they do.

The neighbours rose bush in the front garden and it smells divine.

May is of course the RHS Spring Festival in Malvern. My friend came with me on the Sunday. I also visited on the Thursday after work.

There were interesting talks with TV gardeners and chefs

Fantastic blooms

Fab displays

Gold medal gardens

Lots of ideas to take home and recreation, if not on a smaller scale.