Denbighshire 9 - a look back over 2012 - the highs and the lows and a look forward to touring 2013

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The Christmas holiday ended with a bit of a whimper. The weather typically unseasonal. That is if you want snow for the festive season. Every day was dull with the inevitable rain. Drizzle some days, stair rods the next. We have seen no sign of snow nor ice for a few weeks now and the temperatures as January 2013 begins are in heady double figures.10 degrees at 8 in the morning. Yes we have had black clouds threatening poor weather but up to now it has not arrived and the sun seems to shine weakly but nevertheless welcome. The weather forecasters led us to believe that 2012 had been the wettest year on record since 2000. And it certainly felt that way as each month seemed as rainy as the one previous. . However, reality actually showed that Scotland had been blessed with the Gulf Stream bringing in dryer weather and in fact this had made sure that 2012 was only the second wettest year since 2000. What will 2013 bring?. Probably more dull days with rain. Not much sun. We are certainly in the grips of global warning.

The Christmas cards have been taken down. The tree is being taken down as we speak. The gold and red garlands folded neatly and boxed until next Christmas and each decoration put away carefully. Each has a memory, large dangling gold teardrops crimson red shining balls reminiscent of glassware from Venice. Ainsley pottery Father Christmas (Sion Corn in Welsh) and snowmen resplendent in red and brown scarves , black and red hat carrying a broom with which he can clear the snow. Golden american ones from the White House collection and places we have visited, Astronomical globes and world maps from Belgium. And this year new glass parcels tiny but exquisitely made. The wreath taken down off the door. New Year celebrations muted, a glass of wine, some tv and the bells from the church ringing in the distance. And of course fireworks . Lots of them.

The first Spring Crocus have poked their heads out enjoying the mild temperatures. Pale lilac beauties reminded us that Spring is only around the corner. If we can get this month out of the way without freezing temperatures and snow we are only a few months from better weather.

Our silver screen has been removed from Suzy. Without ice and freezing temperatures it seemed pointless leaving it on. Is it going to be another white elephant I wonder?. We had to take it off as it was blowing in the wind and setting the alarm off. Not what you want with neighbours next door. We thought we would have to have work done on the alarm again but decided that to keep changing its settings made it worse than useless. In the end we tried it with just the internal parts of the van alarmed but still it went off. So back to its bag went the silver screen. Perhaps we will put it back on if the wind drops sufficiently to stop flapping it about and if the colder temperatures return. As it is with the weather we dont really need it.

We have purchased four more DK guides. Spain and Portugal first and followed today by Slovenia and Croatia. Although we have many Michellin Green Guides and Rough Guides we rather like the pictures in the DK series. We agree with their advertising slogan that they are the Guides that show you what others only tell you. We read they may be out of date in parts but that is only the same as some we have already. Our Rough Guides are out of date giving us incorrect pricing on entrance fees and trips. The photographs are lovely and the street plans useful for planning walking trips around a town or city. We plan to buy the Italian and French guides at some point and that should keep us going for a while.

We recieved our first free copy of Practical Motorhome. This will be followed by three more which cost £1. We have bought it before alternating it with MMM. However we are fed up of reading the same old pages and pages of adverts in MMM that we have stopped buying it and decided to try Practical Motorhome instead. I know magazines need the revenue from advertisements but it becomes a joke when a magazine seems to have 90% adverts and just 10% of reading material.

The Northern Motorhome show is coming. We could go as we are off work and it is fairly local but somehow we cannot see the point of paying to look at 2013 model motorhomes when Suzy is less than a year old and we have no intention of buying a new one. It is nice looking at expensive motorhomes but mums adage "Dont look if you cannot afford" comes to mind.

We have booked her in for her first habitation check next month. We are using a local dealer about 45 minutes away from where we live. The habitation check looks at the structure of the van to check for water and damp ingress. Hopefully they wont find any. Well she is only a year old and you dont expect it. The gas to the fridge, to the heater and to the cooker will be checked as will the electricity supply. Four hours work . £250 plus VAT I think. Do we stay and wait and perhaps go for a meal and a walk or do we take another car up with us and come home? That is the question. Taking another vehicle will add to the cost so perhaps waiting for her might be the cheaper option. We will sleep safe in our beds after this check knowing that everything is in ship shape condition in Suzy.

Hopefully later this month we will start to get her ready for the new season. Washed,cleaned and freshened up she will ready to go. Major jobs will include cleaning and disinfecting water tanks, topping her up, cleaning her inside and out and perhaps taking her for her first service. Insurance needs to be sorted and it definately looks as if it will be the Camping Clubs own insurance Red Pennant as they will insure a van through the Neum corridor in Bosnia. We may have trouble proving a years no claim bonus as we are currently with Comfort who provide something called a flat rate policy. They charge a price and it seemed good to us this year. However they dont cover Bosnia so we need to move the insurance. That must be done in March.

We need to order vignettes for Switzerland,Austria and Slovenia and again will order our toll booth box of tricks for Italy from the same toll company in Germany. They are just too efficient -why use anyone else?

Shakedown list to come out, medicine box to be checked and all accessories put back into the van. A few trips planned to give her a run out and for us to get back into the habit of motorhoming. What things need changing ? Well perhaps better cutlery. We bought cheap and cheerful and they are falling apart, Tea tastes better out of china cups so the plastic ones need dumping and wine tastes better in glass rather than acrylic. Apart from that we have not done too badly. We are still learning and still reading a lot. But the world is our lobster - bring it on.

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Photos

Ruthin
A view of Moel Famau, Y Fenlli and Moel Arthur from the town

Ruthin
Our lovely town

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Our town gates to the castle

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St Peters Square