Our Itinerary

Petra . . . carved out of the rock. Photo taken from Tourist Jordan.

 Amman - staying there a half the week in a nice looking hotel.

Madaba, Mount Nebo, and Shoback castle - on the coldest day (when it's going to snow).

PETRA!

Little Petra; Wadi Rum visit;  Wadi Rum Hasan Zawaideh Camp (look THAT one up. Goodness!)

Wadi Rum Hasan Zawaydah Camp- then back to our Hotel in Amman

Amman panoramic tour; Jerash; Ajloun Castle.

Desert Castles; Dead Sea - back to Amman

Please look these up where I've given links. . .

Then home .. .

I knew that somewhere in a bookcase were two bound books with hand-made flower-freckled paper.  I have packed one as a Jordan journal.  

Currently doing my jigsaw puzzle - having had to stop Pippi digging it all up (it's on a felt puzzle mat).  I will have to cover it well before I leave.

Candlenight. . .

A photo of Lulu for a change

. . . Is the name of the book I'm taking to read on holiday.  One of Phil Rickman's.  I'm looking forward to revisiting it.

Anyway, I have repacked and will probably do so again tomorrow, as I am finding it hard to strike the right balance.  Anyway, only one skirt is going (a deep pink linen one) and I may see if I have a pair of tights lurking at the back of the knicker drawer, to keep my undercarriage warm.  I saved myself a trip into Brecon as I found a small back-pack in the camping cupboard, which will double as hand luggage (all carefully measured). I've put medications, heavy trainers, novel, camera etc in there.  

I have been for a walk in the rain, and written some more Family History details down on my dad's quarter of the big Family History chart, until my eyes got tired. 

I've made a phone call to the Land Registry, as I had a communication from them that needed dealing with before I went on holiday.  Form all filled in now and ready to post.  Not as bad as it first appeared.

On tv, I've just discovered an old crime drama called Unforgotten, which is keeping me quiet in the evenings.  There are 6 Series of it.

Anyway, it IS warmer now - wonderful to get a Southerly wind instead of a pure Easterly one.  I will at least be a week nearer spring (and in MARCH) when I come back from holiday.  That is a positive.  This has seemed such a long winter.

I didn't know it snowed in Jordan! . . . and Medieval Killer Bunnies!!

 Gabby and I synchronized today and both of us looked up the forecast for our holiday at the same moment! Cold when we arrive, and SNOW the next day.  Cold but sunny the rest of the week . . .  Pretty long sleeved tops being put back on hangers and more warm woollies replacing them . . .

I will share my "sketching practice" with you.  Well, all I can say is perhaps I shan't be sketching architecture and castles when I get there.  Weeds more like, I can do plants.  Oh and horses.

Say no more!  It IS still a work in progress as the end heads are awful.  Middle one a tad less so!  Stick to horses Jen!

Hackney

Aquilegia

The cats know the best place to be of an evening.

I have done some more painting in the guest bedroom.  Two walls done bar for the very top and a bit of touching up. Now I'm started on the last wall (plank top one again) as the bit around the window is staying white. Reaching up high makes my shoulders ache and my neck arthritis start to think about complaining, so having a rest now (and from gardening) until I get back from holiday.

I managed a short - but cold - walk this afternoon.  I parked up by Rob's (2nd hand house clearance stuff) and walked up to St Matthew's Church at Llanelwedd.  It was locked again - should have taken a tip from Billy Blue Eyes and gone there when there is a service.  Still, a wander round the graveyard reading names and dates got me out of the house and in the mood to bother a few more churches in Powys* and beyond. 

I assume this may well be the original font, sat atop the base of a preaching cross? The tower is 14th C, so the font probably dates from that early period.  The church was restored in late Victorian times.

Name at top broken off, but he was a Wheelright and married to Ann.  Sadly their daughters died so young - Elizabeth aged 6 in 1801 and Mary, aged 1 yr & 9 mths, in the same year.  Yet others made it to their late 80s and 90s . . .

* At the top of my church bucket list is St Melangell's, a Grade 1 listed church which has been on this site some 1200 years.  It holds the shrine of St Melangell, patron saint of Hares and Rabbits. 

"Saint Melangell was a female saint of the 7th century. According to tradition she came here from Ireland and lived as a hermit in the valley. One day Brochwel, Prince of Powys, was hunting and pursued a hare which took refuge under Melangell’s cloak. The Prince’s hounds fled, and he was moved by her courage and sanctity. He gave her the valley as a place of sanctuary, and Melangell became Abbess of a small religious community. After her death her memory continued to be honoured, and Pennant Melangell has been a place of pilgrimage for many centuries. Melangell remains the patron saint of hares."  Taken from HERE.

She was mentioned in the talk I went to last Friday, and we were also shown some pictures of Medieval Killer Rabbits!!!  to show that the Huntsmen didn't always have it their way :)  Those did make us laugh.

Packed

 

Powis Castle - I must visit again this summer.

I chose what to wear on holiday today, ironed it, and packed it.  Turned out to be mostly my "best" clothes that rarely get worn. I'm getting there.  Still cold today but meant to be warming as the wind heads round to the South - instead of EAST!  

Here we had a little sunshine, and I forced myself out into the garden for an hour or so.  I began to clear the moss from the stone chippings of the yard, and the moss, weeds and grass from the cobbles.  I've not got very far yet - my back began to complain about all the bending double - but it's a start.   

I also went up on the bank and began to clear dried stalks, moss, grass and wild strawberries from there.  However much I clear the wild strawberries, they always return!

My new neighbour's friend returned today for the summer, and popped up to see me.  It was good to chat, and quite made my day.  He has been to Jordan, to the places we're going, and was very reassuring, bless him.  I've given him my spare house key in case he needs it. When I wasn't sleeping well, I always worried so much if I was away all day, just in case - perish the thought - there should ever be a fire.  Now I'm sleeping better it is less of a worry, but a relief to know if he needs access for safety measures, he's got a key.   He is going to come and feed the cats for me if I am ever away overnight (though I doubt the boys will come indoors, but he can at least leave them food).  I feel reassured that the cottages have occupants again as they have been empty for weeks and weeks - next door neighbour comes and goes according to work.

I've done a bit more of my family tree scroll - back to the 1750s apart from on my main family name line, where I cannot know for certain which of two William and Mary's are mine - one were more local, but I don't get a feel about them, and the others link back to Cheriton Bishop, which is where the next generation married from .. .

Chicken curry from the freezer tonight (and tomorrow night).  I cooked a double portion of rice so tomorrow night's meal is all set up.

Gosh, 7 p.m. already.  Better do the washing up!

Winter and technology can both "P" off . .. a boring post

 

I am fed up to the back teeth of cold, grey, miserable winter days, often accompanied by rain or worse, and too many bad storms to shake a stick at and as for the regular reports fromthe Daily Express warning me of 96 hours of snow, and all the main roads between us and the airport blocked, well they can "P" off too.  I just want to wake up tomorrow morning and find spring has arrived, though stepping into summer would be an even better improvement.  Apparently we are about to warm up, as that Scandinavian High Pressure is moving elsewhere.  Hopefully not anywhere near Jordan.

I have dedicated this afternoon to technology (this morning having been dedicated to grocery shopping so there is food in the freezer at least for Tam & Rosie at the weekend.)  I've done the recycling, and that has gone to the end of the lane early so I don't have to think about it in the morning.  I have blown the dust off my good camera, given it a quick sort out, having charged it for hours yesterday.  I stopped using it because it wouldn't download my photos. Today I started from scratch again, and had to learn how to programme the clock for starters.  I take a bow as normally I would hand it to one of my children, but have put my nose to the grindstone and told myself I just have to blardy get on with it.

Then I was trying to persuade it to load up some fresh photos but no, it was everything on the memory card or nothing . . .  Got THAT sorted (it was everything!) and then had a problem with my phone - I was trying to get rid of Meta AI  which had locked on to Messenger and wouldn't let me respond to posts on there!  Google had then decided it would take control  completely (which apparently it does do) and I couldn't even  switch the phone off.  Instead it went to the mike.  It refused to turn off.  I had to call in Tam then to find me advice online on how to fix it, and she did bless her.  So I followed the steps, and then it wouldn't turn on again.  I thought I'd killed it, as the exact instructions I was meant to follow couldn't be followed as the appropriate word didn't come up, so I used a close approximation.  It took ages to come back on but now I am in control again.  It's enough to drive me to booze!

One good thing, when I went to buy some decent pencils to take on holiday to sketch with, the ones I chose ended up being half the Sale price, instead of merely reduced.  6 good Winsor and Newton graphite pencils, in a tin, for £4.35.  I'd best have a practice with them tomorrow as it's a looooooooong time since I last drew anything.

Holidays

 Those were something we took regularly only when the children were smaller.  We didn't have much money, and stayed with family or friends.  When the money situation improved, we went camping, including up to Scotland (Aberdeenshire), and to Skye as well. Down to Dartmoor, down to friends in the New Forest. Mum was at home to look after the cats for us - with 9 of them, we couldn't just up sticks.

I've not done much travelling abroad.  A business trip to Belgium (can't believe I drove my car over there - the mini roundabouts - oh my goodness, I'd never seen them before and only passed my test the year before! Everything that Charlotte Bronte wrote about the Belgian people she met rang true . . . I've sailed in a friend's yacht to the Channel Islands and France, fishing for herring on the way.  Flown to Guernsey from Bournemouth - no sooner up than coming in to land! Tam took me to Florence (somewhere I had always wanted to go ever since seeing a version of Romeo and Juliet filmed there) about 9 years ago.  It was amazing and I would love to see a lot more of Italy.

When mum had died we didn't get much opportunity to get away.  Keith and I were going down to North Devon and then Dartmoor, called in to see our little Itsy pony who we had (foolishly) loaned to a forum friend down there.  I didn't like the way she was being starved (because she was "too fat" - no, she was Section C and they are built like tanks) and so we had one night down there before coming home, and used the holiday money to bring her back home.  Money was tight - and Itsy's care took priority.

Keith and I managed a few nights away down around the moor around 2018 I think it would have been.  Not long enough but it was lovely to visit our old haunts.  Then he became ill, and Covid came, and I've been nowhere since. I always wanted to travel abroad, but Keith wasn't keen - ok for him, as he'd travelled the world when he was in the Army . . .

So Jordan really IS the holiday of a lifetime.  I am slowly coming round to the idea it really IS going to happen. To me - who never thought I would go there in a million years.  The Isle of Man seemed about as exotic as it was likely to get . . .  I have a mental list now, of places I'd love to go, but with 4 cats, it would cost a fortune to have them in a cattery, and the boys would have to have jabs (the girls have them annually).  At least I can plan some more lengthy days out this spring and summer.

I hope it is sunny there - I need a bit of sunshine more than anything.  It has been grey and gloomy (and often wet) for so long.

Walking and gardening

 Danny visited today.  I took advantage of this fact and got him to plant the Cox's apple tree in the orchard.  I couldn't find the fold bar (with Tam?), had to borrow a spade from Chris (mine with Tam, along with my mattock) and we broke the rotten handle on the ancient mattock (probably pre WWII in vintage).  Ah well, the tree's in now and has a healthy covering of ancient muck heap, as do several more of the other fruit trees.  Just a couple more to do now.

Before he came, I went into town for my weekend paper, and got a card and gifts for Chris (birthday girl), and went round to hers with them.  Then I set to and pruned my Buddleias - one has died completely so will have to dig that out when I get the other mattock back. I pruned Jude the Obscure too, and hoiked up dead leaves of the Monbretias on the bank.  So it's a bit tidier, but my back is complaining now!

I've shucked some saved peas which were grown last year (Emma's) and will get those started in the greenhouse tomorrow.  That feels a positive step.

Dan and I had a walk too - just a couple of miles but at the speed he walks I almost had to jog-trot to keep up with him.  He did notice, and slowed down for me.  We saw one of the neighbours and I was able to ask how the funeral went yesterday (his aged m-in-law).  120 people there, in and outside our tiny church.  A good send off by anyone's standards.

I have had a couple of hours trying to count the blessed stitches for Peter Rabbit and have given myself a break from it.  Back to hand quilting this evening.

I nearly forgot - last night's talk was brilliant - exactly the topic to interest me (Celts to Christianity).  I was all fired up when I came home, and had managed to ask some intelligent questions.

I will reply to personals in the morning as tired now.

"I didn't want to think the cats might be eating you . . ."

 Well Marlene in Scotland, your tip about that Podcast seems to have worked a mini-miracle!  I slept so long last night I didn't wake up till 9.30!!! In fact, I was just making myself a cup of Earl Grey and my phone went - it was Tam, phoning to see if I was alright as I hadn't been on line/Messenger and she was worried I was dead.  In which case, the cats might after a few days, have to resort to eating me to stay alive!!!  Oh that did make me laugh!

I even have some energy this morning and despite the "2 deg - feels like - 6 deg!" on my computer weather check, I will take myself out for a walk.  Tam isn't coming for the weekend as she has come down with a nasty cold, so she is stuck at home saying "a picture" over and over as Rosie keeps pointing to the pictures on the walls (she was doing this last weekend and it sounded like she was saying "que?" like Manuel from Faulty Towers!) Rosie went to the child carer for the first time this week, a short taster session of 3 hours, and didn't cry when Tam left, was enjoying all the toys, and even slept! 

I have now been researching our itinerary for the holiday and will truly be walking in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia as we visit several Crusader Castles on our daily tours.  Now I am not so exhausted, a little excitement is starting to creep in. 

Danny is popping over tomorrow, which will be nice, and tonight I have a talk with the Heritage Society - Celtic to Christian by Dr Mike Williams.  Just up my street.  I will be wearing a mask though - daren't risk catching something nasty just before my holiday.

Walk on hold until I have found a couple of extra layers to wear as it is blardy perishing out there - they were right about it feeling like minus 6!

Where's my mojo gone?

 Gosh, I really DO need this holiday, as I have not a jot of energy.  Vacuumed round this morning and then had to rest before going to the Library, and looking for Rosie books for here in one of the charity shops.

Some books for Rosie, when she is here.  A good haul for just £3.

I slept better last night - many thanks to anon friend who posted about a podcast called Nothing Much Happens, which she said had helped her with her poor sleep.  Well, I have to say, I was very aware of my breathing slowing whilst I was listening - the woman's voice was very slow and soporific and it did seem to help. I only woke once (for the loo)  and then at around 6, my cat alarm clock went off!

 

I went to the Library too, and got these books (well the Brecon Gaols one was a renewal).  As I did the veg for my evening meal at breakfast time, I am now going to go and have yet another daytime nap . . ..

Exhausted - oh, and the holiday . . .

 I make no exaggeration when I write that I was awake for pretty much all of the night, and am absolutely wrung out and exhausted today. I know going out for a walk would be a good thing, or some gentle gardening, but it's all I can do to stay upright.  I have managed to strip (and after a sleep) remake my bed and did some ironing earlier on (but only to warm up). I watched a really good video from Nicola White Tideline Art, where she shared her other passion, going to car boot sales and fleamarkets, and her find of a little book of watercolours dated around and just after WW1.   The paintings were of the Scilly Isles and Nicola visited them, and paired up with another mudlarking friend who was a resident artist down there.  SO much archaeology - I remember a lecture at Uni where we were shown slides of a drowned landscape (Lyonesse?!) and stone walls reminiscent of the Dartmoor Reeves marching into the water, and aerial shots of dark areas which were stone burial chambers.  Now, I really WOULD love a holiday there . . .

Ah yes, my holiday.  I still cannot get myself excited about it - I still view it with  trepidation and anxiety. Lack of sleep definitely doesn't help me.  Once I'm there, I will love it, but I cannot even bring myself to look up any of the archaeology or places we are visiting.  This is very unlike me, but grief works in strange ways.  I must try and motivate myself and get a suitable suitcase down from the attic.  I need to get insect repellent (I ordered it after writing that).  Avon Skinsosoft is brilliant, and I need to get some wet-wipes for hand cleaning whilst out.

Sarah - Deirdre le Faye's book about Jane Austen has just arrived.  I am reading the chapter on Southampton, since I know it so well.  A shame that the house they rented in Castle Square, with its beautiful garden, which sounded absolutely lovely was long gone even before So'ton was so heavily bombed in WWII. I imagine it must have been fairly close to the Tudor House Museum in Upper Bugle Street.  It's lovely to think of them picnicking in the ruins of Netley Abbey when her brother Edward Knight and his family and crossing the Solent by boat to visit Hythe.  All places I know well of course.

Right, this won't do.  I must stir my stumps, as mum used to say - an expression which has survived hundreds of years (recorded in Elizabethan times).

Update: had a short but brisk walk.  Then went and got my hair trimmed in town.  There's a small hairdressers who are often busy, but weren't when I went past, so I went in to book a trim and she did me there and then, pensioners' rate! At least it won't look like I have cut it myself if I find I can't use my tongs in Jordan.  Sure Gabby has an adaptor if needed though.

A little bit of childhood never leaves us

 

I bought this for Rosie from a Charity Shop today (for when she is older of course).  I read these Brambly Hedge books to my girls, who loved them.  The detailed illustrations still lead me into a dream world of little Victorian mice, and wonderfully laid out kitchens and fully stocked larders, with more than a nod to Beatrix Potter's characters.  I could daydream my way through these stories still, about 6 years old in my head . . .

I took myself off to the Nursery near Crossgates, in the hope they would have some deep red Hellebores, but no such luck - colours were pale or a washed out deep red.  Instead I bought an Aubretia and these seeds above.  I need to re-sew the wild flower area by the orchard (hah, and plant my latest apple tree, the Cox, too).  I had a wander round the garden after I had been down the track to bring back my recycling boxes. It was good to get some fresh air in my lungs and to see what needed doing first in the tidying up plans.

I have decided not to go to my Quilting group this week as not feeling 100% (it's a long drive, about 100 miles round trip), and if it's not raining I need to be outside and tidy out in the garden.  

Tea tonight was a stir fry - I get the Aldi Oriental stir fry pack, a sweet chilli sauce and I added a big chicken breast as it's doing two meals.  I added a portion of rice and very tasty it was too.

Nothing much to report, and it was a resting and reading day yesterday.

P.S.  Finished another JD Kirk book today (read it flat out, as resting) and am now about to start on An Isolated Incident by him too.

I'm back sewing Peter Rabbit and have been greatly enjoying the Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. I find it very comforting, and at the moment anything that brings me comfort is welcome.  

Tah dah . . .

 Of course, only at the end did I notice the error, but never mind, Gabby will just have to live with it, and it certainly doesn't make it any less warm!

Considering I only had a black and white design which I printed from t'internet, I did better than I expected! Light and dark were my only clues to how it was meant to look.  Haven't a clue what to call it - only a basic name like "Stepping up" comes to mind.

Of course, I had help whilst doing the binding . . . with yowls every time I tried to move the quilt to get on to the next bit.  The machine quilting was done by our Patchwork teacher Alex, so MANY thanks to her (something is going to be baked as a thank you . . .)

I couldn't even put it down on a chair back without Pippi deciding I had done this for her benefit . . .

Well, the car has gone down the road for an oil change and to have the glow plugs checked - I said as it had started every time since that little blip, perhaps they could just check the plugs as I didn't think it needed them . . .  Legs aching now after the several hills walked home - walking back in is a bit less of a grind, just one big hill.  

More of Tam's washing done - big stuff dry, so now it's Rosie's clothes.  She has found some lovely little things in the Aberystwyth charity shops.

Gabby popped in yesterday on her way back from a night away in an Air BnB in Church Stretton, and if I thought my legs tired today, they did a 10 mile walk climbing the Long Mynd, and Gabby's legs still felt like chewed string!  It was good to see her and I took advantage and got her to lug my Fair boxes away for me.

Today I am just having a tidy up - books and magazines everywhere - and an easy day.  Sewing this evening is back to Peter Rabbit again.  

Tea tonight is another helping of the tasteless Chilli I made last night, so I will have to liven it up a bit I think.  I cooked up two portions of brown rice, so just need to do green beans and broccoli to go with it.

A Jane Austen season

 Evening tv has been Jane Austen orientated this week.  iPlayer came up with a listing for a four part costume drama, "Miss Austen", which I thoroughly enjoyed. Then of course, I had to follow it up with dramatisations of Jane Austen's novels, so am enjoying Sense and Sensibility now.

With all the driving I've done recently, I have finally got through the 50 or so hours of Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Diana Gabaldon) and yesterday greatly enjoyed Poirot's Finest Cases yesterday, including Murder on the Orient Express and most of The Mysterious Affair at Styles when driving to Tam's and back.

The weather stayed mostly dry but cold and it was foggy through the mountains, so not much in the way of views.  I was glad to be of use - more washing up of course, sweeping the kitchen floor, keeping Rosie entertained, and tidying up the front garden which was littered with cut branches from when the scaffolding was put up for the roof repairs.  I came home laden with big bags of washing to do for Tam - they find it difficult to dry bedding on their small airer.

I popped into Charlies on the way home, as I needed a new incinerator for burning paper.  My last one was in two pieces, so I will need to get that moved today.  I had a tip, to put the incinerator under cover in between uses, as it won't rust through so readily then.  I was very good and walked by the display of deep red Hellebores as they were £14.99 each.  I will be able to get them cheaper from the garden centre near Crossgates.

I have been working steadily on blind-hemming the binding on Gabby's (huge) quilt. I will be glad when this has been done and I can get back to the Peter Rabbit x-stitch, which isn't so enveloping.  I was trying to sew the other night with Pippi in the middle of the quilt where it reached the floor!

It's the middle of the night and I need to try and get back to sleep now.

St Idloes Parish Church

 

This is a rare-as-hens'-teefs dedication, an in fact, this is the ONLY church which is dedicated to St Idloes, who lived in the early 7th C, and indeed gave the town its name of Llan-Idloes.  Idloes was a Confessor,  and son of Gwyddnabi ab Llawfrodedd Farfog and his Feast Day was 6th September.  Apparently he wasn't celibate as he had a daughter, Meddvyth, who was also sainted.  Lewis Glyn Cothi, the bardic poet who used to visit the Lloyds at our old home, back in the late 1400s, mentioned him when writing of another individual, "He was an aged knight, of good morals, like Sadwrn or Idloes".  His grandfather, Llawfrodded Farfog, was known in Welsh legend, and was "one of the three Tribe-Herdsmen of the Isle of Britain"  and tended the kine (cattle) of Nudd Hael, in whose herd were 21,000 milch cows!  His own cow, named Cornillo, was one of the "Three Chief Cows" of the island, and indeed, even his own knife was celebrated, being one of "the Thirteen Treasures of the Island" as it would "serve four and twenty men at meat all at once."  OK, your eyes have probably glazed over by now but I like to keep such writings alive, and they interest me. (I shall pursue the rabbit hole which is Nudd Hael later!!)

Apologies for it being so dark and gloomy, but if there was a light switch, I couldn't find it!  You can just see the wonderful columns on the left which form the Early English Arcade.  These came from the monastery of Abbeycwmhir, about 10 miles to the East.  Thank heavens they were saved.  They date from the 13th C and apparently made by craftsmen who worked at Worcester Cathedral, and also at Llandaff and St David's.

Such wonderful craftsmanship - the guidebook states that the foliage on the capitals is "equal in workmanship to those of Lincoln Cathedral".  

The roof is "perhaps the greatest glory of the church" and also came from Abbeycwmhir - a shame it was so dark I couldn't get a decent photo.  Best I can do is the glorious angels, which are later than the hammer-beamed roof, and were probably put in position when the main timbers of the roof were moved to Llanidloes and re-erected in 1542.

The beautiful font with its quatrafoils, dates from the first half of the 14th C, although the base it stands on is modern.

This was an unexpected  bonus - our local family, the Woosnams, were all remembered here.  Bowen Pottinger Woosnam was the chap who bred smart ride and drive ponies, and also colliers, for mine work.  I live in his stables!  

This is the Millennium Window, and represents order from Chaos.  I imagine visiting children would love to spot all the different animals and plants in the stained glass.  I will have to go back and take photos of what I missed, but I was running out of time.

Anyway, the first church post for months and months.  There will be more.  Billy Blue-Eyes - you'll have to go and be more thorough than me and take lots of good photos.

I am off to Tam's now.  Hoping it doesn't snow more as there is a little on the hills but the forecast is for 3 deg or so even in the mountains.

A day out in Llanidloes

 I had a lovely day out today.  The sun was shining, and the hills were so beautiful as I drove up to Rhayader and then beyond to Llanurig, and then Llanidloes, to meet my friend Nia.  We were due to meet for lunch at 12.30, so I set off early to find St Idloes Church, which I wanted to visit.  I shall do a proper post on it tomorrow - when my camera battery has recharged.  It was a beautiful church with the original arcade of  carved stone pillars from Abbeycwmhir (about 10 miles to the South East). Measurements were taken to prove that these truly were from the Abbey. They were brought here in the middle 1500s.  But more of that tomorrow. It was good to go into a church again.  I have had a break as church visiting was so associated with Keith's final illness - my little breaks away from caring for him - and which in retrospect I wish I hadn't done, but had spent all that time with him instead.  That guilt sits heavy with me.

The beautiful old Market Hall in Llanidloes is the only one in the country which is still in its original situation.  It was built between 1612 and 1622, although there are some timbers which are earlier (mid-16th C).  It was also known as the Booth Hall in the past, from the stalls or booths under and inside the hall.  It was occasionally used as a Courthouse too.

At one end of the Market Hall is this boulder, upon which John Wesley used to stand to preach.  He was a prolific open air preacher, and was well known in our parish too, where he would jump upon a fallen gravestone to cast his words to the parishioners, and indeed, his brother Charles married a young lady from nearby Garth.  John Wesley married celibacy, believing that marriage would distract his mind from the Methodist work he did.   

Llanidloes was the centre for Welsh flannel making in the 18th and 19th  C and famed for its wool in the centuries before.  With the decline of the Flannel industry, the Chartist movement had a stronghold in the area an there was a riot that overthrew the control of the town's officials in 1839, for 5 days, until troops were brought in to restore order.  More than 100 people were imprisoned or transported over this matter, and Llanidloes was an occupied town for a year following this.  

Imagine doing your banking here as it was formerly a bank.

In the 19th C it became a smelting town, due to the lead mining in the surrounding hills and the population doubled, leading to the building of 5 chapels of differing denominations.  A Temperance Hotel was opened to try to combat the drunkenness in the town!

With Minerva Arts (they have a wonderful collection of Welsh quilts, and I volunteered there for a little while) at my back, this is looking down towards the Market Hall.

Anyway, I feel much refreshed this evening. Lunch was so filling, I only needed a small tea of cheese salad and a small piece of crusty bread,  then yoghurt.   I went into the little Health Food shop in search of good multivitamins as my supply is nearly out, and bought Floradix, which has iron and vitamins. I am hoping that will help give me some more energy again, and calm my emotions and anxiety (plenty of B-vitamins in it).

The car started first thing again today, despite the minus 3 overnight and hard frost.  I think I will go and have a word with them tomorrow as I don't want to spend £100 plus when there isn't an ongoing regular problem.  I will spend at least the morning working on the binding for Gabby's quilt and hope to get it to the hand-sewing on the back stage, which I can do of an evening whilst watching something good on tv.

A lovely day with friends

 Yesterday was busy.  I was out of the house by 9 a.m. and heading for Carmarthen (yet again).  I stopped at Abergwili and bought two x 2 kilo bags of Russet apples (£1 each bag), a hefty cucumber (£1) - we get through a lot of cucumber here, Rosie and I; a big bag of Tangerines (£1) and some lovely vine tomatoes (£1).  I do miss have Chris Thomas' shop to buy my fruit and veg.  

Then I went on to The Range, but drew a blank at finding the gilt cream I needed for the frame.  They have reduced their stock of art supplies it would seem.  Then to Matalan where I bought some lightweight pyjamas with a t-shirt top, and a lovely deep coral knitted top for my holiday.

Then to my friend N's for tea and home-made choc chip biscuits. It was so good to see her again and we caught up to date with each other's news.  Then it was along the narrow lanes to my quilting group, where there was more chat and I hand quilted one of the borders for an old WIP.  Alex had machine quilted Gabby's quilt, so I have to crack on with the binding now as Gabby's visiting next week.  

Quarry view this morning

It was a lovely drive home in sunshine for a change.  I was more tired than I gave myself credit for though and after my evening meal, I crashed out on the sofa and slept for 90 minutes!  I have come to the conclusion that I am emotionally exhausted.  I just feel wrung out.  That awful woman at the weekend seems to have been the final straw.  

I am seeing another good friend today, who is taking me out to lunch in return for giving some valuations on the contents of her mum's bungalow (she's gone into a care home).  We expect to talk the hind legs off several donkeys!

Then tomorrow the car goes in for that relatively minor repair.  It's been starting ok again, even yesterday morning when it was very frosty.  

Now, will I sleep? I have been downstairs for an hour as I had been awake for an hour in bed.

Update: I was dreaming, when Alfie miowed in my ear, demanding breakfast.  Then I dozed off again, only to have the girls stampeding over the bed, and then Pippi yowling in my ear and bouncing all over me . . .  Message understood . . .

Thank God for Friends and Family

 On a slightly more even keel today, as all your kind comments an support and phone calls from friends who I have known all my life, and popping out to see my friend Pam t'other side of town and having a good offload there have made me feel a bit brighter.  My family have been wonderful, as always.

I am still tired, but have washed up, washed my hair and am about to sit down and see if I can find Long Lost Family on ITV.

Car is booked in to have new wotsits on Friday.  I can only think of flame throwers which is NOT what I ordered at the garage today!  The diesel version of spark plugs anyway.  We are going to try those first before the steeper step of leaving it down there to have the starter motor taken out to be bench tested . . .  Fingers crossed the flame throwers work anyway!

No baking for my quilting group tomorrow - I just couldn't face it.  I am hoping to pick up Gabby's quilt which I know was being machine quilted over the weekend.  I am just going to take in some hand quilting, as my brain not up to anything more complicated.  I am going in early to Carmarthen to get some darker gold cream gilding to use on the horse picture frame, and a nightie for my holiday, then seeing my dear friend Nikki again, before going on to quilting.  Looking forward to it.

Tam has just sent me a link to a textiles group (spinning, weaving, dyeing etc) in Crickhowell, so I am going to get in touch and see what's what - looks good on line.

Right, tv time now.  Thank you ALL so much for your kind words and help.  I haven't been this low since losing Keith.

Not at my best

 Extreme tiredness is a horrid thing.  It usually takes me 3 days to get over a long working weekend Fair like this.  Having been browbeaten by that awful woman seems to have put a factor of "times ten" on this . . .  Being so tired means that I cannot harness the power of logical thought to deal with the situation, or to put it behind me.  I was in bed 11 hours last night, but awake for an hour or so in the middle of the night.  I have done the chores that had to be done here, and also been grocery shopping as the car has to go and be checked tomorrow, and don/t now how long I will lose it for.  I may well not be able to go to my quilting group on Wednesday, nor see my friend Nia on Thursday.  Here's some photos anyway.

Not my best layout, as no space.

As you can see, a double stand (and a bit at one end) just wasn't enough room.  I have 7 tables full at Builth!  House rule is no stock out in the aisle, as it gets in the way of  people with wheelchairs or mobility scooters, or pushchairs.  So I had to sit out there instead, in all the germs, because cowbag next door had taken my sitting space.

I've been offered this stand next time, as it has more room, but judging by the cover he's got up, it suffers a lot with condensation from the glasshouse roof . . .  At the moment, I never want to do another Fair again . . .

As you can see, it's a lovely setting.  Below: a few more stalls.

Right, I am off for my holiday jab in an hour.  Last week I had the jitters about it, and this week I would definitely rather jump off a cliff than go on holiday, which is not a good thought to have.

Thank you for all your kind comments.  This weekend has pushed the grieving progress back months.