The Adventures of Poppet & Other Stories

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
I’ve missed TP, the feeling of belonging somewhere. The support & understanding. I’ve missed reading updates & lurking round the corner of others lives.

So, I’ve come back to bore the trousers off you :eek:, I’m trying to remember my language :rolleyes:

Hopefully I won’t upset anyone, but please let me know if I do. It’s so much easier all round if we are open about it :p
 

Palerider

Registered User
Aug 9, 2015
4,160
0
56
North West
I’ve missed TP, the feeling of belonging somewhere. The support & understanding. I’ve missed reading updates & lurking round the corner of others lives.

So, I’ve come back to bore the trousers off you :eek:, I’m trying to remember my language :rolleyes:

Hopefully I won’t upset anyone, but please let me know if I do. It’s so much easier all round if we are open about it :p

Hello @Sam Luvit welcome back :D
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,081
0
Bury
I appreciate the reason for your absence, I am however baffled by the thread title, have you been looking up your chimney?
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
I appreciate the reason for your absence, I am however baffled by the thread title, have you been looking up your chimney?

only you @nitram ... you made me laugh at that

if you think back a long way, you might remember I bought a Motorhome for mum, sadly she had a stroke and we never got to use it, but ... I called the Motorhome Poppet
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
I’m not going back to the beginning, I don’t have the energy and it serves little purpose. A little synopsis might help link my two lives though ....


I had a year, while I lived in limbo, the house went under offer, but stalled as my buyer couldn’t sell. I realised I could go a week without seeing anyone, without talking to anyone but to Pooch, so I went out and got a job. The house went back under offer shortly afterwards ... isn’t that always the way!


So things moved along slowly and I slowly packed up and went to work and walked Pooch. I saw my brother every week, taking him fishing, sitting with him by the lake watching the swans and learning how to spot where the fish were. It was peaceful, but things were moving along


Eventually we got to a point where the buyers started pushing, they wanted to be in for Christmas, but nothing more definite than that. So, I suggested dates, I insisted on three weeks between exchange and completion, I’d had one sale fall through, I wanted more certainty this time. The dates were agreed


The buyer cane round for a second viewing. Telling me I was holding everything up! Cheeky mare. I’d run myself ragged getting my brother into the solicitor and sorting all the paperwork. My solicitor confirmed that she had everything she needed from me


On the day of exchange ... it fell through ... my buyer had failed to complete his paperwork with his seller. Silence followed. Twelve days later it was back on, but with the same completion date. I baulked. No chance of being ready in nine days. My solicitor assured me so long as it was done at some time that day, it was fine. Don’t believe solicitors. it was not fine


I don’t want to re-hash that day. It was horrible, they were nasty. I was a mess. They didn’t care and one after another told me how disgusting I was to not be ready at noon. Three hours of their bullying and I almost wept


I deal with it by telling myself “they have a massive mortgage and I have their cash in my bank”. It’s helping


Anyway. I couldn’t find anywhere that wouId rent to me with Pooch in tow. Nothing. Nada! So, I looked at Poppet and decided to give it a go. The sixteenth site I phoned turned out to be the only one in the area open over winter! Fingers crossed I drove out to see it, praying it was half decent. It’s blooming lovely. Clean. Well maintained. Friendly. Perfect


The week of the move, several people who were going to help, couldn’t. Poppet decided not to start. I plodded on, what else could I do? I chatted up a recovery guy and he moved Poppet to site. At least I had somewhere to sleep. Unfortunately he moved her the day before moving day, instead of the week before, so I didn’t get the chance to kit her out, make a bed up etc


Moving day. Well, that went a bit array, the charity shop stuff, the storage stuff, some of the rubbish and all my stuff went in the same van and everything went to the site. All dumped on the grass outside Poppet. Yikes. Not what I needed


So, there I am, surrounded by stuff, with Pooch and Poppet, our new home. I plugged in the cable and .... nothing. No lights. No heating. No nothing. It was blooming freezing. I phoned the emergency mechanic and made the bed by torchlight while I waited. An hour later I was £££ worse off, with an improvised extension lead for a light and a promise of a new part “tomorrow”. An hour later the light went out, the heater went off and Pooch and I went to bed to get warm.


The next day my brother arrived and we figured how to put up the awning, moved lots of stuff inside before it could get wet and then I waited for the mechanic to arrive. Early evening and I had light and heat. it took days to get warm! Pooch was not impressed. He used me as his heater lol


We’ve settled into a routine. We get up around six and go for a walk. It’s total silence. its so peaceful. Pooch runs around sniffing, scampers around in the leaves and checks I’m still there. He’s so sweet. Then it’s back to Poppet, where I have three coffees while Pooch has his breakfast, then snuggles on my lap. Around nine, I walk up the hill for a nice long hot shower, then back to Poppet for another coffee and Pooch snuggle


We then walk up the hill and sit by reception, while I pick up emails, swop books at the library and amble back to Poppet, more coffee and snuggles.


The days I work, Pooch goes to sleep on my bed, he wakes up as I come home, all bleary eyed as I come in. He was pretty excited at first, but he’s settled well. I think he’s worked out that I’m going to come back and he doesn’t get in a panic now.


Christmas Day was perfect. Absolute silence. Crisp and clear. I’d even managed to borrow a gas BBQ from my brother and cooked a full English breakfast. I’d agreed to do a few hours Christmas night, but I only saw clients I knew and apart from one unwell person, it was actually very nice.


So .... that’s the brief synopsis lol
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
Monday 13th January approx midnight.


Took Pooch out for his last walk. Little trouble maker went behind me the up the other side ... I went flying. Landed on outstretched arms and rolled over.


Quick check, all seemed ok. I got up, dusted myself down and we went back to poppet and crawled into bed


Tuesday 14th January approx 6am


Struggled out of bed, clipped the lead in Pooch and off we went. I popped into the laundry room to check if the washing machine was free, missed the step coming out and ... went flying. Same landing on outstretched arms.


Pottered about packing up two more boxes to go to the garage for storage, got them in the car. I have to go to town tomorrow, so I’ll drop them off then


Picked myself up, dusted myself down and carried on. As you do. I pottered around, then went to work about 16.00. I had some shoulder pain, but figured I’d have a bruise in the morning, so didn’t worry




Wednesday 15th January approx 3am


Woke up in agony. I kid you not. Easily a nine. Nothing helped. Everything hurt, moving, not moving. On my side, on my back, pillows ... I gave up and crawled my way out of bed. Dressing was accompanied by lots of grunting and moaning. Grabbed the lead and Pooch and went for a walk, anything to stop me thinking about the pain.


08.00. Finally the surgery wouId be open. I phoned. I got an appointment for the afternoon. Then I struggled through a shower and redressing. Why don't I have any clothes with buttons down the front??? Everything is long sleeved and pull on. Ouch, ouchety, ouch


So, now I’m thinking I have stuff in the car, I can’t lift it out, so I phone my brother and ask his help, pick him up, empty the car into the garage and drop him home. Then I’m off to meet a friend, before seeing the Doc.


It only hurts when I move, so I’m keeping pretty still, changing gear is accompanied by lots of swearing, but I manage. For heavens sake Sam, it’s just a bad bruise, get a grip!


I see the Doc. She’s concerned. She sends me off to A&E with a letter for an urgent X-ray. Tells me not to drive. Ooops. Oh well. Back to Poppet. Drag Pooch out in the cold for a wee, then phone a taxi to get me to the hospital. ouch at that cost.


Two hours later I’m sitting with a very concerned sympathetic doctor telling me I’ve fractured my humerus. Oh dear. Looks like I have a bit of extra bone sticking up into the socket. Guess that’s why my arm won’t move much


I’m now sporting a very elegant sling and have to sleep sitting up. Next week the orthopaedic surgeon will tell me if it will heal itself (it had better do that), or if I’ll need surgery.


So, here I am, living in a tin can in a field, a couple of miles from any shops and I can’t drive. It’s not feeling so idealistic now, it’s feeling a bit of a nightmare. However. I’m reading lots. Pooch still loves me and I’ll make the best if it
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
Oh Goodness, Sam!
Its good to see you back (I had been wondering about you recently), but Im sorry for the circumstances that brought you
xxx


PS - always a spare bed, hot showers and a parking place for Poppet here, if necessary
 

DianeW

Registered User
Sep 10, 2013
859
0
Lytham St Annes
Oh Sam it’s lovely to have you back I have thought of you often and wondering how you were doing?

Wow what a story, buying and selling is a nightmare isn’t it?

Are you in the process of looking for somewhere to live permanently?

I lived in my large static caravan for over 12 months and when the weather is ok it’s fine, but when it’s cold oh boy Sam is it cold, we had central heating and double glazing too, but they are just not built for cold weather, I hope you and pooch are warm enough.

Take care x
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
Hi @canary

I’ve been thinking of coming back, but had a beautiful message from someone who read my thread & wanted to reach out to me. So we’ve messaged & then I thought ... why not now

I can’t drive for at least a few weeks, but will see what the future holds after the assessment next week. Thanks for the offer if your drive
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
Hi @DianeW

Thank you. I would think about you guys & hope you were doing ok

I foolishly thought I’d sell, rent for a bit, then buy and it would be easier. Renting with Pooch turned out to be impossible

My problem is I’m spoilt for choice. I’d like to be near youngest, but can’t afford that, so I’m looking at a 2 hour drive ... Birmingham, Coventry, Peterborough .. anywhere along that corridor

Alternatives are Tenerife or Ireland. Both have airports & are cheap. I prefer the weather in Tenerife

Mostly we are warm enough. I love this so much I’m actually buying Poppet II next week, I’ll have better heating, power steering & better layout

I’m looking to buy a base, work 1 days a week & travel about visiting friends & family if I stay in the uk
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
That’s me all over @Sarasa full steam ahead lol

I’ve got a lift to the shop in the morning to get milk etc, then I’ll do a shop on the way back from the fracture clinic & then I’ll sort on line delivery

Got to get the CM in lol
 

Woo2

Registered User
Apr 30, 2019
3,652
0
South East
@Sam Luvit you have made my day :) so glad to see you back . Thoroughly enjoying catching up on your eventful time so far . CM very good for fracture healing :D
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
Crikey, you've certainly come back with a bang! Lovely to see you here again. Hope you get better soon!