New Zealand here I come

 Both excited and scared at the same time, having lost so much confidence since Keith died.  In our nearly 40 years together I rarely did things on my own, and have done so little travelling by plane that it is all new to me, especially the likes of Heathrow airport - turn me round twice and I will have had it!  But I can talk and I am sure I will manage.  I had a shock when Tam was trying to book the travel insurance for me as the first quote came up at £900! Just because I'm waiting for another ECG - this one at the hospital.  But you can't be specific.  Need to phone the Hospital tomorrow now.

A packet of wild flower mix I bunged in a pot came up with Viper's Bugloss.  The longed-for Exotic-looking flower from my Observer's book of Wild Flowers, which I got when I was 6.  I was 30 before I found it growing for the first time, in the Purbecks.

I'm too tired to write much tonight.  It's been a full-on week with Rosie, and cooking up a toddler Salmon Curry (mostly coconut milk with a tin bit of Turmeric and grated fresh ginger), fell foul of a Rosie-I-don't-want mood . . .  Rosie has had a couple of late nights (from late sleeps when we've been somewhere in the car) and so I don't get to be able to switch off.  I am feeling my age this week!!

I have the little Fair on Saturday so have to prepare for that tomorrow. Saturday will be a rest!! At least I get to sit down once I'm set up.  Back later, and I'll answer comments on yesterday's post tomorrow.

Offended

 Sorry to be M.I.A. but it's been a bit hectic here this week, with Tam and Rosie keeping me company.  Rosie is full of beans again and had one day where she didn't stop eating!  Tam says she wishes she was like that all the time.

Today we went to get cherries at Willersley and oh my goodness, they are DIVINE.  SO big and juicy.  Tam got two punnets - one for Jon, who loves them too.  Here is the back of the castle - we climbed up all the steps, after having ice cream sat on those same steps.  Yum.

Looking across to the Clock Tower from the Old Electric Shop, which Tam suggested visiting.

Inside the Old Electric Shop.  Some nice decorative items.

There were to be photos from the Craft Section of Booths, which I always take and share and give them free publicity.  NO MORE.  The minute we arrived in it, some girl was sent to go and "tidy up" on a table, to make sure we weren't nicking anything.  GOSH, it made me SO CROSS.  It was SO obvious as she was there until we left.  They have lost my custom now, that's for sure.  I didn't even have a bag, and Tam had Rosie strapped to her and no bag either.  Where were we going to stuff books, bolts of fabric or wool?  I don't like being judged as a thief when I've never , no more would anyone else.  So they can stuff their books and craft items where the sun never shines.  

On my hunkers

 Have been hit with bad insomnia after pulling a shoulder/neck muscle lifting Rosie up awkwardly.  It's slowly getting less painful but I've had two nights waking at 1 and still being awake at 5 a.m. so in daytime I am absolutely whacked.  My brain does NOT feel in residence!

Tam and I are trying to get our heads around the flight booking - which permutation etc.  Obviously business class is out!! and not going for the cheapest and longest flights, so trying to hit a middle mark is a struggle, especially when Tam isn't 100% with it either, though Rosie did sleep so much better last night.  We'll get there.

In the middle of last night, when I came down, I was trying to get my head around the topic for the Mortimer essay.  I have several ideas but need to do some more research to see which might work and whether I can prove what I set out to explore!! Plus make sure no-one has specialised in these before . . .

Hopefully tomorrow I will have slept a bit better.

Where sleeps the Dragon? Cefnllys and St Michael's church

This area is not far from Llandod - perhaps 2 1/2 miles?  Approached along a lane which became progressively narrower until it was the narrow single track with passing places we are very familiar with in Wales.  Only scary to people who can't reverse . . .

Unless we walked up there (and not doing that through thick tick-laden bracken), this was the best view we could get of Cefnllys Castle, a Medieval double castle which belonged to the Mortimers and at one point, Llewellyn ap Gruffydd.  Do check out the link - it's a good one and provides the photos I cannot.  HERE IS a link to Billy Blue Eyes'  visit here.

Rosebay Willowherb (Fireweed to some of you) growing on the hill by the car park.

A little off the beaten track.  Is it any wonder that a nowty Vicar in the late Victorian times hated having to come out here for services SO MUCH that he took the ROOF off the church.  HERE is a link to a photo of this poor abandoned church at that time.  

The church nestling amongst a ring of Yew trees.  The circular graveyard and bracelet of trees  shows how early a site it was.  The church was built in the 13th C (when the castle was established above it, which had a village attached). Probably a 10th or early 11th C site prior to that.

Up through the trees (and the sheep).

There were lovely views.

The church - which is so much better with a roof!  HERE IS A LINK to Billy Blue Eyes' Visit, many thanks to him.

As you can see - a Mortimer connection, through the castle above it and the control of this area and Maelienydd beyond it.

As I took the header picture, a male Redstart flew up and across the field to the trees a hundred yards away.  

As you can see, the village was close by the church.  I believe there was a Mill at one time too.

The Priest's Door.

The last paragraph reads, "There is a local legend that the last Welsh Dragon lies asleep deep in Radnor Forest and that long ago the people of the area built four churches in a circle round the forest.  These were dedicated to St Michael, the conqueror of the dragon (Self: Not St George then, as in England and Jordan!) to make sure he does not escape.  Many believe that if any of these churches is destroyed, the dragon will waken and ravage the countryside once more.  (Guess they had a close call in 1893 then).  The churches are Llangihangel Cefnllys in this parish, Rhydithon, Llanfihangel Nantmelan and Llanfihangel Cascob.

(Self: this was written about in one of Phil Rickman's novels.)  Tam and I have been to Cascob, but that too was locked and we couldn't get the key from the nearby cottage, as no-one was in.  We will have to try again.

 Isn't this just a divine view?  From St Michael's church, which sadly we couldn't go inside as it appeared to be locked - I twisted the door ring and did my damndest, but no, entry was denied us.  The porch was as near as we got!

Looking up at the Tower.

Meadow Cranesbill.

Peacock Butterfly amongst the wild flowers at the back of the church.

Inside the porch.  Poor man died in his prime.

It was very peaceful in the churchyard, apart from the sheep blethering and the sound of crows.  A beautiful spot and worth visiting.

Went the day well?

 

Just added one of me with Rosie that Tam took.  Rosie's t-shirt was a nod to one that grandad Keith had from Florida I think it was (got there when in Belize I think.  A holiday on the way home perhaps.  I can't remember now).

My wonderful family.  

First of all, thank you all for your kind comments yesterday.  I won't reply individually, but your kindness is much appreciated.  I would have found it so hard to cope without the support of friends and family.

Gabby arrived on Thursday night, so I wouldn't be on my own.  As Tam had been so off-colour and she and Rosie still tired, we went to her as per our change of plan and we all met up by the Pier, and had fish goujons and chips and curry dipping sauce.  Rosie joined in!  We sat under one of the umbrellas and were safe from the Seagulls, who seemed to be mostly sat out on the rocks in the shallow part of the bay. Ironically - we wondered if Keith had a celestial hand in this! - playing "American Pie" with the line, "this'll be the day that I die" . . .  We smiled, rather than cried, at the irony. 

The remains of Aberystwyth castle left, and the War Memorial.  It has a rather controversial bare-breasted (well, bare all over if I am honest!) woman emerging out of foliage, which is meant to represent Humanity emerging from Chaos.  I imagine the Italian artist who carved it had a great time, and the men it represented would have appreciated his artistic endeavours :)

We all came separately so met up in Borth (after I'd galloped through M&S and got a new bra in a colour not dissimilar to the new paint on the woodwork here).  Keith would have appreciated the colourway I'm sure :)

Rosie making a move for Tam's sunglasses.

Dan's special t-shirt in honour of our family name.

We all had a paddle.  Quite a few people swimming and good to see the Lifeguard presence there.  We decided against going up to the dunes and beach at Ynyslas as it's a longer walk to the beach, and Tam had mentioned Adders being seen up there - I think a dog was bitten recently.

Gabby in her cheerful orange top.  I wore my coral one and - for a change - a skirt!

Tamzin had had a lovely idea, and bought along a sprig of oak leaves each (Keith loved oak trees) and we threw them in the waves, thinking of him, though we were a little early for them to be carried out to sea despite the tide going out.  Danny was charged with wading out as far as he could as he had the shortest shorts on.  We heard this week that the tree Gabby had purchased through the Multiple Systems Atrophy Trust, had been planted.  I hope it's an oak tree. . .

Danny had to get back to Carmarthen to pick Emma up, so didn't come back here for our special meal.  We each had steak in a tasty cream/Worcestershire Sauce/pepper, beans from the garden (SO good) and Potato Dauphinoise.  Scrummy. 

 

These beautiful flowers (the Gladioli was one that broke off in the garden here though) were from friends of Gabby's, who also gave us a lovely bottle of Vintage champagne (M&S) which we drank after our meal, whilst watching Only Fools and Horses, which Keith loved and watched again and again, and we laughed rather than cried.  I hope we remembered him as he would have wanted - a happy day, a few tears but he felt close to us all day.  

Now it's just Tam, Rosie and I here as Gabby's gone back to work.  We are planning to visit the little church just outside of Llandod.  So photos later.

In loving memory of such a special man

                                

My special special man,  who died a year ago today.  He is SO missed by all of his family, and by friends who miss his whacky sense of humour and cheeky personality.  He is irreplacable.  I couldn't have survived through this last year without the support of family and friends.  Tam, Rosie, Gabby, Danny and I are going our for a fish 'n' chip meal in his memory and a long walk on the beach at Borth.

Thanks to all my blogging friends who have been so supportive, as well as the real-life ones who have phoned and written.

A change of plans

 Whilst Rosie is on the mend, Tam is still not feeling at her best with this wretched bug.  We have changed our plan and instead of all being here, and cooking a meal at home after our outing to Powis Castle, we are meeting up in Aberystwyth, having a fish and chip lunch (K's favourite) and then going up to walk along the beach at Borth.  Parking should be easier there and HOW I long to go to the beach, as I haven't really since we've moved here.  A stroll along the Prom and a sniff of sea air at Aber doesn't quite do it for me.  

Isn't this Cranesbill gorgeous?  Colour a bit flooded by my phone camera, and NOT true to colour either, as it is closer to Puce, but so cheerful to see in bloom.

As Gabby will be here tonight, I did a small grocery shop in Llandod.  Roads fine, apart from the traffic lights in operation to let people drive on and off the showground.  There were some horseboxes and cars towing old caravans making their way homewards.  Today is the last day of the show, so by tomorrow it will just be the late-goers (those with hangovers probably!), and all the tents, marquees, flags, heavy machinery etc left on the showground.

One last photo of the showground, as I was waiting for the lights to change.

It's been pretty hot here again today (21 deg) and too hot for painting at the front of the house.  I tried a couple of things to remove the sticky marks.  Nail polish remover didn't really work at all on this brand of tape stickiness.  WD 40 worked better but still not 100%.  I need to go out there again.  I did try the Stanley knife but it made me fairly twitch at the thought of it slipping and me bleeding like a stuck pig because of the blood thinners, so went back to the rather blunt wallpaper scraper.  At least that wouldn't take a finger off.  Someone mentioned Mayonaisse -  ??? nothing to be lost, so just slapped some of that on. Update: Would you believe it WORKS!  Don't ask me why . . .

The butterflies on the Buddleia have bought much you this year - over 20 mostly Peacocks on there today, and there were two Small Coppers elsewhere in the garden yesterday.

I spent a while with my cup of tea and The Devil's Star, sat outside at my patio set.  Could have sat there longer, but have Things to Do.

The best view of them was from the door-to-nowhere on the end of the landing but I was too idle to go and fetch my phone up.

Right, this won't do.  I shall make up a batch of Raspberry Muffins to take tomorrow, so we can have some on the beach later in the afternoon.

A bit early for the weekend, but have a lovely one anyway.

Decorating, and my reward . . .

 I painted all morning and through till about 2.30 and then  found that the blardy masking tape wanted to stay put.  Half of the sticky is still on the Georgian door, but I managed to get it off the main door (which looks great now it's painted blue).  I also did the Utility room window.  If you know a quick way of removing the sticky, bearing in mind it fights back with White Spirit, laughs at soap and water and resents hand sanitiser (has spirit in it). 

There, that's a huge improvement.  I am dreading the moment when I have to take all the tape off the 18 windows on the French doors . . .  It will be worth it though.  

Georgian side door done too.  I need to polish the brass door knob and carefully paint the door knocker, although of course it is no longer in use.

Then I settled down about 3.30 to watch Welsh Cob day at the Royal Welsh on S4c on Youtube.  Oh HOW I enjoyed that.  

The winner, who like last year's Champion, looks a hand higher behind than in front . . . But the judge was happy with him and that's what counts on the day.

The reserve Champion, which I preferred.  Taking photos from the tv makes them look very short legged when they aren't really.

I think this was one of the Irish entries - gosh, can't it move, but perhaps the judge thought it had too much knee action and moved like a Hackney.

This was a super old-fashioned sort of Welsh Cob, a chestnut with lots of roaning through its coat.

 

A gorgeous palomino, but it was well down the line.

Right, I can hear your eyes glazing over!  This is my little aide-memoire for the next year.  

I got a shock when I looked at my watch, as it was 6 p.m. and I hadn't even started preparing the chicken curry for tea.  That is nearly cooked now and I have an appetite.  Another half a big courgette has gone into it!

There may be a change of plan for Friday, the anniversary of Keith's death.  Whilst Rosie is better now and her old self with eating and drinking, Tam is feeling ghastly.  She said rather than come across on Friday to go to Powis Castle with us, perhaps she could make it for teatime so we could all have our special meal together.  I had a think and suggested nothing was written in stone.  Depending on how she was feeling, perhaps we could go to her, and meet up on the Front in Aberystwyth, and our meal could be a fish and chip supper as that was always Keith's favourite meal - particularly in Scarborough, where the fish was SO fresh and tasty.  Danny could drive straight there, and G & I will come from here as she's arriving tomorrow evening.  We will see how Tam is feeling.

OK, teatime now.  Plenty for tomorrow too, or the freezer if Gabby wants something else.