First Frost And Caravanning Medical Complaints And Conditions!

We had our first frost this morning, all though I didn't see it! "M" was up early as she has been working extra hours trying to get a new computer system at her worked sussed. She is up with the sparrows.


Looking back at the diary, it is exactly one year to the day that we had our first frost last year!


All the signs are that we are to have a severe winter again, but they said we were going to have a scorcher of a summer. It ended up being below average temperature wise! So who knows!


The caravan has its lagging on, I'm still to find some thin sheets of polystyrene to lag the inside of the front locker, but other than "M" working her magic with some gaffer tape and a roll of hot water cylinder jacket to make a coat for the aqua rolls we are all set! I've even got a new pair of welly's! No more campers toe for me!


Campers Toe: When you walk through wet grass on site with normal shoes on you tend to get wet feet/toes, even if you are just out to change/fill up aqua rolls!


Other ailments I've suffered from is Awning Knee - this is down to banging in or screwing in, depending on type, pegs around the awning base. I find kneeling down is easier on the back but a killer on the knees!


Tow Ball Shin - walking into the tow ball on the back of your vehicle whilst loading or unloading, especially in the dark!


Front Locker Scalping - Taking clumps of hair from your head as you are too lazy to support the front locker with the stay as you retrieve items from the locker. The locker always managing to catch the back of your head as you stand up holding equipment with both hands and dragging front locker lid over your head!


Gas Bottle Thumb - When changing over the gas bottle supply, spanner slips usually resulting in crushing thumb against handle, can also be associated with Front Locker Scalping.


EHU Elbow - As we don't have a posh reel to wind in our EHU cable, I wind it in by wrapping it around my hand and elbow, thus resulting when wet in a damp or wet elbow!


Fridge Finger - Forgetting that the fridge door is locked after moving and trying to open it to retrieve milk for a brew, can result in a broken nail!


Jockey Wheel Ball Crush - Straddling the jockey wheel to get from one side of the vehicle to the other whilst hooked up and misjudging the height and location of wind-up handle can result in this serious incapacitating injury!


Extended Mirrors Elastic Chin Ping - Our mirrors have two wrap around rubber straps, but also an elastic noose which goes over the mirror as a fail safe device if both straps were to unclip. Forgetting to take off the noose and step backwards whilst noose is still there until it slips off at high speed can result in your chin being pinged by a taught length of elastic!


As you can see, caravanning can be a dangerous past time, these are just some of the minor injuries associated with the lifestyle!


But on a serious note:


Most accidents can be avoided with proper care and attention, like not driving too fast! This has got to be one of my pet hates. How often do you see lunatics towing big units at 70mph or greater. What are they thinking of - total morons and if you are one of these people - behave yourself!


Tyre pressures, correct loading of caravans and over loading can all result in accidents no matter what speed you are doing.


Planning ahead when driving, anticipating road conditions and others actions. You have to remember that you cant just stop on a sixpence when you have nearly two ton of caravan pushing you along!


On the radio this year, a week did not go by without an accident being reported of an over turned caravan. This really shouldn't happen at all.


Other caravan accidents are fires! Hope you all have smoke detectors fitted? Also carbon monoxide detectors?


Don't BBQ or even cook within your awning or tent, a gust of wind, and you are up in flames in seconds! If you need to cook outside, use an umbrella if its raining, you wont dissolve!

Off now to the tip, then off to collect our ripped awning as it is being replaced thanks to the helpful folk at Towsure - A full report on this once we receive our new awning!


Till later......................