Northamptonshire 1 - Daventry /todays the day/will we get away?/planning a trip across Northern France

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Well today is the day. The day when things will go right or horribly wrong. Thich Nhat Hanh told me this morning that " The present moment is the only moment that is real" So OK yes it is but we have to live in hope that the new fitting of the battery will work and we can get off for a well earned break in France. The weather is mixed - grey old days where the sun never breaks through. Fog and frost . It is that time of the year when you never really know what you are going to get until you open the curtains and let the light in. The clocks have changed and the evenings are getting longer . The Christmas adverts are trying to encourage us to make sure we buy that sofa for Christmas delivery and every supermarket makes claims that its turkey is better than its rivals . Its Christmas puddings matured for years and years will be the best we have ever tasted . Then there are the vegetables - each one makes claims that their sprouts are sweeter , their carrots more tasty.

Gabby the motorhome was sitting on the drive. I was sitting on a seat in a small lean to waiting to see the chiropodist and smelling the acetone smells that come from the beauty salon. Something had gone wrong . The day changed . The time changed , One of us had got it wrong . I stropped off - to much to worry about. Too many things on my mind . My feet would have to wait . Hopefully this time Gabby would be sorted. Half full cup tells us of course nothing will go wrong . Half empty - we don't even consider half empty.

We headed off down the M1 which was dark and miserable. The rain had started to fall. The windscreen wipers were going back and to rather hypnotically . As we drove we worried about the lithium battery. Four failed attempts. Would it work this time? We hoped so. This company were specialists. They had fitted many of these batteries and were highly recommended. The journey passed by quickly . We checked and double checked on plans for our break assuming the battery worked . Camp site booked for the overnight stop. A welcome message had come in from the campsite . Train tickets were purchased. A route was planned - off the tunnel and we were heading for St Omer, Laon, St Quentin and Sedan before getting back to the coast to stay on and around the DD beaches and into Normandy. We had planned in castles , a couple of museums, a few cathedrals and on the trail of William before his invasion of England. Some crepes and some Calvados . A visit to watch Benedictine being produced at Fecamp. Hopefully there will be much to see over the holiday and being away will be different in the winter rather than in the spring and summer. We don't know what the weather will be like but we know it is not the weather that is a problem . It is wrong clothes . The gilet jeune are revolting , blocking petrol depots causing problems around the area where we plan to visit . We need a plan B just in case they are still revolting .

We arrived at Daventry , parked up and waited for opening time. 6 hours to fill while the battery was being fitted . We were welcomed and offered a very nice cup of coffee whilst we talked over the plan for the day. The fitter came and showed what he intended to do . So far, so good . Where to go was more of a problem . Canons Ashby nearby National Trust place was open. Without a car we were not able to get there. Daventry looked grim . Northampton not much better. Rugby - a possibility with a two bus journey . Coventry our choice but £50 by taxi each way. Thankyou Dr Beeching. Down the road is the main railway line but not one station until you get to Northampton. You made a massive mistake there mate .

In the pouring rain we walked to the bus stop. Another free ride into Daventry. We had little idea what we would find in Daventry. A few shops , a modern town with 60's buildings , charity shops , cafes and a Wetherspoons . An interesting looking church and a museum. First stop Greggs the closest place to find a bacon sandwich and a veggie sausage roll. I guess that someone somewhere must have worked out how long it takes to eat a bacon sandwich and slurp through a coffee . Longer in wet weather and in the Winter I should imagine. How long could we waste sitting here in the warmth ? Half an hour just about . The conversation flitted back and forth . How was Gabby going on? They would have phoned if there were a problem. It is election day . Shall we go or stay away? We talked about the mess David Cameron left behind, the mess the Tory party are in, Theresa May and her Brexit Deal and the election of Boris Bad Hair Day Johnson as Leader of the Conservatives before we headed off in search of the museum.

They say it is grim up North but Daventry town centre even with Christmas decorations was dismal . The museum was closed due to refurbishment and we could not go in the church as the local school turned up for their annual Carol Concert . This was not going well. How was the election going? Would voters turn up in this weather? How would Labour get on with their dream world policies of offering everything to every man and his dog . Would they lose or win the election ? It could go either way with neither Boris nor Jeremy being very popular . We headed for the nearest cafe - a french looking place which offered Pizzas . Ok that would do nicely . We found a table in Bread and Circus . No we don't do Pizza at lunchtime . We have nice cakes or paninis or soup . The soup was a sweet potato, mushroom and drizzle of something or other served with crusty artisan bread . Washed down by a pot of tea we made the comment that this was the best thing about Daventry. Nothing came anywhere near that soup or the Parisian Flan to follow.

There was nothing else to do in DAventry apart from get wetter so we headed for the bus and for Gabby. She was not ready and we sat around for another hour. Eventually she was finished . Job done. A beautiful piece of work neatly finished. The battery resides under the passenger seat. The controls neatly placed with other controls above the sliding door. She did not have the second regulator on something to do with the wiring and not having two wires to wire to. That reduced the quoted price . There was not needed so much wiring - more money off the bill. What could we say . So far so good .

All we need now is to test her out . The next blog might come from France if all goes well. We shall see . We are more optomistic this time . Oh and the election - the conservatives won with a large majority so Brexit goes ahead . Boris and his oven ready deal will be enacted by January 31st . Jeremy Corbyn will be giving up as Leader of the Labour Party and the Brexit Party who got no seats are reforming as the Reform Party . The pound against the euro has gone up. Better check the International Driving Licences .

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Photos

The church
Everything about Daventry felt and looked cold and grey