Financially Free By Forty: FIRE Escape: Gaer Hall

Arrival is from 3.30pm on Friday 18th March. We've paid for the house up until 5pm on Sunday 20th March. Lou and I will arrive slightly before this time to select the biggest & best bedroom,to hide the rotten fish, and to check that everything else is OK! ;-)

If any of you want my personal mobile number, please drop me an email. I'm not sure what the reception is going to be like. If in doubt, an email will work as we have wifi.

What we do during that time is totally up to us. I emphasise the last word 'us' because, aside from my guided Morning Routine's on Sat and Sun morning, I don't have anything else planned. No talks, no games, no vaginal steams*, nothing.

I've left the whole weekend free for our collective contribution. The loose format worked really well last time, so why change a winning formula?

If anyone would like to offer their time and knowledge to do an informal chat on a particular topic, please share the details in the comments below. I think they went down well last time.

Alternatively, if any of you have a desire to set up some outdoor games, a BBQ or 'Gaer's Got Talent' competition, please share your thoughts in the comments below.

I would like to get the conversation of food started. This question has been fired at me by a couple of people.

In order to prevent a dozen people bringing a loaf of bread and a 4-pinter of milk each, I will pick up a couple of loaves of bread (seeded/multi-grain variety), a 4 pint carton of semi skimmed milk, tea bags and coffee. If anyone has any specific dietary requirements and wants to bring their own, please do so. Zero offense taken!

I'm waiting for the owner to call me back and confirm that they have things like sugar, olive oil etc. I will update the post when she gets back to me.

At the last Gathering we had a couple of people volunteering to cook for the whole group, which was a wonderful gesture, but a big undertaking. I don't expect anyone to make the same offer with the increased numbers this time around.

However, if you are interested in chipping in (financially/cooking) to create breakfasts, lunches and evening meals in smaller numbers, please let us all know below.

And failing that, we can discuss potential meal shares/options in person on Friday or Saturday, and then take a trip into the local town once we've worked out who eats what.

There might be some of you that would prefer to buy and prep food for themselves, and I want to be clear that that is totally fine and no-one is under pressure to cook and eat communally.

Lou and I would be happy to cook in a group, or cater for ourselves. We're happy either way.

We were fortunate enough to have Elaine attend the last gathering, a professional pastry chef! She baked a batch of flapjacks, shortbread and chocolate pudding that were unbelievably good. If anyone else has even a mild baking interest, I would encourage you to display your talents wholeheartedly this coming weekend! :-)

I wanted to use this post to instigate a conversation among the attendees about food and activities.

If you're coming along, please let us all know what you think. Even if you aren't bothered, let us know that.

If any of you have mass supplies of veggies, biscuits or fillet steaks, let us know.

Finally, if you have any specific questions about the weekend that haven't been answered - you know what to do! Yes, be quiet and deal with it. :-)

FIRE Escape: Gaer Hall - This week!