Sort of disappointing day ...

... because I really need to get another couple of chickens. Our nearest supplier has recently stopped selling, so hubby offered to take us to West Lodge rural centre where they have had some lovely pure breeds in the past (brown and exchequer leghorns in particular). But no, now they are only selling hybrids - speckledies and bluebells. And I so wanted something a bit different. So to assuage my disappointment I decided to play with the new tent.
I wasn't sure it would fit in the garden, but once the poles were up, I realised it would. So the canvas went on  and it was pegged out. Ta dah! My £20 tent - isn't she a little beauty?

The emphasis however, does have to be on little. This is not a 4 berth tent at all!

See those bedroom pods? They will comfortably hold a single airbed! A double is just too wide.

But despite that, it is a very lovely tent. Nice thick groundsheet. And you can just see the little kitchen section to the right.

This is it from the outside.

I love the way the canvas can be pegged out nice and tight - it feels very solid!

But of course, now it is up, the boys want to sleep in it. Thats how I found out it was too small for all 4 of us. I managed to squeeze our large double airbed into one pod for the boys, and I have to put up with the single airbed in the other pod. There is definitely no room for a 4th person though!
Never mind, I will keep it for those times when it is just me and the boys - and invest in a smaller double airbed for them!
Will try to track down new chickens tomorrow.

More Tentage

Well since buying Izzy, it has been possible for us to go on more, short camping trips than before. Izzy is very simple to pitch, but a bit of a faff to fill - but that is my fault because I don't do simple camping! Here is Izzy's luxury interior - lots of rugs and blankets, extremely cosy.

We spent a couple of nights at a local campsite with friends and had a lovely time - real campfire and starry nights!

Izzy was ideal because the weather was nice so we cooked and ate outdoors and just slept in the tent.
We also used it for a couple of one nighters, joining a group of friends for campfires and friendship.

This is Izzy with homemade awning, in case of rain!
But the other night my hubby spotted an advert in the Co-op - large canvas frame tent for sale, £20.
Well, I just had to go and look didn't I?

It is about 20 - 30 years old, in immaculate condition. Made by a german company called EA Camping, and it is a Java. Looks like a bungalow style tent. Somewhere in size between the TT and Izzy. Just look at those retro orange and brown stripes! I am very frustrated now as I have no room to put it up and no time to nip away for a weekends camp!

I will instead keep getting the canvas out of it's bag and lovingly unrolling it in the kitchen, and rolling it back up again. It has some rather unpleasant looking gold, nylon curtains so I am dreaming of colour schemes and new fabric!