Wednesday 1 May 2024: The month ahead

White rabbits!

Oh my goodness, we had a busy evening on Monday trying to find a campsite for our next jaunt. Almost everywhere was fully booked on every date we tried. The poet spent hours looking for a hard-standing serviced pitch before looking for a grass pitch with electric. Yes, the van does stand alone. But while we’re still getting used to it, learning how to do things, a serviced pitch is better for us.

In the end I had a look, and it turned out he was looking for 2 nights and everyone was only offering 3 nights for the dates we wanted. He’d assumed, as I did too at first, that everywhere was literally packed to the hilt. I don’t mind paying for an extra night, though. It doesn’t mean we have to stay the extra night. In fact, whenever we’ve booked a cottage, we’ve usually headed home the day before our last paid night.

When he asked me where I’d like to go, as he’d chosen Ingleton last weekend, I suggested Bempton Cliffs or Flamborough Head. Bempton is one of our happy places, and if we get there before the end of May, we still might catch a glimpse of the puffins. Eventually, a site at Flamborough was the very first one I’d found, but I’d assumed it was full when in fact they wanted us to book for 3 nights. And that’s the one I went back to.

It’s not an all-singing all-dancing site. It’s on a working farm with maceration toilets and no showers. But it’s surrounded by sea views, with the village centre not far. And anyway, we have a van with a wash room. Who needs showers when we’re camping?! We’re only going for 2 nights. (Mucky pups!)

So, our next 2-night jaunt will be to Flamborough, where there’s a lighthouse and the RSPB reserve within (hopefully) easy walking distance. Especially if the dog takes to his stroller. We’re hoping we can strap his wheels to his stroller too so he can get out and have a half decent run around wherever we stop.

On Tuesday morning I had some household chores to do and another errand to run – I had a letter to post and I rushed out to catch the noon collection, only to find that the postie had already emptied the box. The dog’s stroller arrived, but I left it for the poet to put together as he likes to do things like that.

I had some washing to hang out… Ho, ho, ho, what a game that was. First of all I couldn’t find the hole in the ground (it’s a rotary airer). Then I couldn’t find the line. (It’s usually in the greenhouse.) Then when I found it I couldn’t get it out of the shed, it was wedged in. Then it wouldn’t fit in the hole. I gave up in the end and put a clothes horse up in the conservatory, where it was boiling hot.

I did my end of month banking, which is really my advance month ahead banking, and I peaked a bit early on one of my regular savings accounts. I’m not supposed to pay anything in until the 12th of the month, and here it is not only not the 12th of the month, but not even the right month. So that meant a quick phone call. They’ll bounce it back and it should be back in my account by the end of today. I’m not used to having savings!

I continued with the editing, and then I turned to…

The month ahead

My concentration isn’t as constant as it used to be and I’m finding both my attention and my focus drifting more often than it should. As a result, I’m faffing instead of plodding through my to-do lists. So I’m reducing my to-do lists a little and trying to include something mechanical (such as editing) and/or something steady (like planning) every day as well as the writing jobs.

It’s still a long list, but here’s the plan for May anyway:

• wedding anniversary
• May Day bank holiday weekend
• new month wordcount & progress spreadsheets for May
• Undercover Project
• KILLER QUEEN
• SHAMPOO, SET AND MATCH
• THE MUCKY DUCK
• THE ACE OF SWORDS
• THE SHEEP SHEARER
• FALLEN ANGEL
• FIREWORKS AT KILLIECRANKIE
• 12 STORIES IN 12 MONTHS
• A GUY FOR PENNY
• newsletter
• client edit: Taliban book
• (week) daily blog post
• weekly tech scan
• weekly backup
• weekly diary work
• Monkey Dust admin
• Diane’s gig list admin every Thursday
• hospital appointment (dermatology)
• night out: The London Symphonic Rock Orchestra
• dental appointment
• Monkey Dust gig
• take dog to vet
• monthly schedule planning for June
• start work on annual tax return
• advance finances for July
• late spring bank holiday week
• 2 trips in camper van

At least there are some fun things in there too.

As we get used to the van, we’ll start taking photographs. And that means illustrations for the newsletter! The poet is also putting together a travel art set and I want a craft bag with knitting and sewing in. I’d like to learn how to crochet too.

We’re already downloading books to our Kindles and magazines to our Readly. We have to download them in advance in case there’s no internet signal, although our phones can be used as hotspots if necessary. And, of course, there’s an exercise book and a pencil case in my handbag, for writing.

What’s your May looking like?