Quick photo update:
A posting came up on my Facebook page, saying that for one day only, you could view the amazing wildflower meadow at Plas Dinam, just beyond Newtown. I am shortly off. That should cheer me up. Woke at 4.45 again and had to catch up after breakfast (when I had nightmares). Back later.
I slept badly, was up at 5 a.m., have worked flat out and reached the end of the day with the realization that Alfie is continuing to look slim in the flanks. He drinks more than the others, so it's possibly kidney problems and he will have to be taken to the vet. The last thing I needed. I am still feeling low after yesterday, so first thing I ironed the top Keith liked me wearing, and have that on now. Being here alone is always hard when I am down. Keith and I were always doing things together, and until he died, I had only lived on my own for 6 weeks in my entire life. As you can imagine, loneliness lurks. I had to get out today, so as I had forgotten the stir fry sauce, and had a short list of other essentials, I took myself off to Llandod. It was good to get out of the house, and I had a little car picnic and read some of my book.
All my kids have phoned today after Gabby found out I was feeling low. I have such a wonderful family.
William Egwad, bard, remembered on a display in Carmarthen. He lived in our old house in the 15th C and was visited by bardic poet Lewis Glyn Cothi (1420 - 1490), and they compared poetry and genealogy together.
I got up early and went down for a wander round the Fleamarket at Carmarthen today. I knew it had gone downhill and wondered if it had recovered enough to do again, but I don't think so. It was a shadow of what it used to be - although I think the on and off rain deterred the outside stalls and there were only about 10 vehicles outside. Far fewer buyers too. I shan't bother. I didn't buy a thing, but went to see my friend Pam again (her husband had a stall inside) and we had a wander round together. I chatted to quite a few old dealer friends who still had stalls there. A couple of people didn't know Keith had died, so that was hard and got me on a bit of a downward spiral.
Whilst in town, I did the bits of shopping I couldn't do here - strung tags (out of these), a sandwich lunch and some lemons and a stir fry pack from Aldi, two packets of Nasturtium for the tubs out the front from Charlies (current flowers in them will go over soon). Then I went to get "Rosie" (their name for them) jeggings from Matalan, and came out with some comfy stretchy cotton leggings too, and Keith guided my hand towards an orangey-coral t-shirt and matching sweatshirt, so that's my clothes upgraded for the next year! £38. That is the same colour as the jumper I bought in there to wear on holiday and as a colour it suits me.
I spent the journey home trying not to cry. It was the first time back at that Fleamarket since Keith had died. Yet when I got back there was a warm feline welcome, though the house seems so quiet now.
Pam gave me back both the Lisa Jewell books I bought her (to read and return). So I have started on one of those - Then She Was Gone. Easy reading.
Back to watching a new-to-me Jason Statham film - A Working Man. Keith and I loved watching his films together - saw some several times.
I hope everyone has had a nice weekend. I'll put up pictures from our outing to Celtic Rainforest day in the Elan Valley tomorrow.
4.20 a.m. and I was too hot in bed so have come down for a while. I got around my stress-levels yesterday by doing some family history research, and think I may just have cracked my brick wall of 45 years! My gut feeling told me that although I had found my Bolt family in Wolborough/Highweek, Newton Abbot, there was a link to the Cheriton Bishop area. Later family members being in Moretonhampstead and gravitating to/marrying into a Cheriton Bishop family. I found a census link to Tedburn St Mary with that family too, and yesterday - having gone back through a chance finding in the late 1600s - found the Tedburn St Mary link. Full circle. Delighted!
Dog rose on my walk this morning.
I am tearing my hair out here. I decided this was the time to chase HMRC about the chunk of money they overcharged me when they put me on an emergency tax code. However, from having ALL the paperwork from Keith's death piled on top of the big chest of drawers in the kitchen (Emma's, and taken by Danny a few months ago), I can no longer put my hand on ANY OF IT, my tax raid included. Where did I put it? I have searched in the places it should be, searched book and paperpiles on the table (guilty of untidiness as charged) and am climbing the walls here with frustration! I have been through the wooden trunks with paperwork in. All much older stuff, which needs going through, but not today.
I've been for a walk (earlier) - which would have been a good way to calm down. I have received the two missing bars for my rose arch, but think if I start trying to put THAT together now, I will really blow my top. Is is just me who is such a twit when it comes to paperwork? I have all the Probate stuff together and was sure that was where my HMRC letter was, but no . . . The only good thing should be that it is all together - I just have to find out WHERE.
Update: Found them, tidied neatly away in a blue box file which had "stuff" piled on top of it . . . It will take me a while to get down off this stress level though.
I was late getting up this morning, and felt rather drained. I got washing washed and hung up to dry and two lots taken upstairs, and some ironing done, and Luna Lapin's bloomin' dress finished - quite pleased with the way the bow turned out in the end (thanks to Lizzy D's suggestion of putting a loop round the middle.)
Then I screwed up with the next patchwork block so came downstairs in a huff and played too many games of Solitaire for my peace of mind - I needed NOT to be wasting the day.
I took myself out into the stables to bring in the nearly empty box that had the huge piece of art pottery (great shape and imaginative glaze) from Aeron Pottery I think. Then I had to find the bigger box which I knew had various items coloured glass in (that would be on trend right now). Other folk had twigged that trend when it came up on a posting online - but at Malvern there were tables with masses of green glass collections, and other old pieces which aren't what people are looking for from what I surmise - hoping I have the balance right. I found out about some vintage cut glass coloured Roemer hock glasses I had bought at auction around 2018 or so - I think they are Val St Lambert. I also found both the Housa black ceramic pots (Nigerian) that also came from auction around a similar period and hadn't sold. Lens told me they were ink pots and rare. One is a/f but the other perfect. The holes in the top are where leather thongs were threaded through for carrying. Plus a little vintage Crown Devon elephant, and a 12" Spider Conch shell. It was like finding treasure! These boxes haven't been touched since we moved.
I had all these pieces when I had my business - I did say I had a lot of old stock to clear. They were in Units and taken to Fairs, but no interest. Fashions change though. When I first started going to car boot sales, some 40 years ago, "anything old" in the way of china, glass etc - oil lamps in particular - were all the rage. Include copper, bits of old horse harness and brasses, hunting prints, anything cottagey. Mid-century "rubbish" went straight to the tip!! As did anything rusty or damaged. How times change.
I went to visit my dear friend who had recently been in hospital, and took her flowers and, having baked before breakfast, half a dozen Blueberry Muffins. It was good to see her again and we had a good natter. She had lost weight whilst in hospital though, and since she was pencil thin to start with, that was not a good career move. She really loved the flowers I took her, and had obviously sat and rested as she had read both the books I got Mr Amazon to send her last week.
Once over the border into Carmarthenshire, the scenery was very familiar, but I have to say, I prefer it where I am as it is wilder. Tam, Rosie and I will be sampling a bit of the wilder part on Saturday as we are meeting up in the Elan Valley as there is a one-day Celtic Rainforest Event - yes, we do have rainforests in Wales, but probably not what you are seeing in your mind's eye! Forget the jungle sort and think of natural Welsh woodland of Oak, Ash, Birch and Hazel crammed into steep river valleys in mid and North Wales and a haven for wildlife, especially rare lichens and mosses and there's just 2% of forest like this left in the UK. We plan to do a walk (probably on our own though as the guided one will be busy and not our sort of thing), and check out the Horse Logging, metalwork, wood turning and food stands. Parking will probably be an issue though!
Anyway, after seeing Pam, I drove the couple of miles back to my quiltmaking class. I saw a friend there I'd not seen since before Covid. It was nearly like old times, but a couple of faces missing as on holiday. I worked diligently on my new quilt and sewed 3 blocks - doesn't sound much like an afternoon's work, but there was chatting, and I took my time and tried to be as accurate as possible. After my first time back when, used to utter quiet here (apart from birdsong), my brain found it hard to shut out the background noise and chatter, I was able to get on with things again and it's always lovely to see what the others are working on. Because we have a teacher, she encourages us to try different techniques, and does the occasional Sunday class which shows a new project. The recent one was a lovely design called Eclipse. I am sure Alex won't mind me sharing her example, which is still a work in progress. It's a scrap-buster.
I've just been round the garden taking photos. The roses are all bursting into bloom now, and I noticed that after the rain, my Paul's Himalayan Musk (which here climbs a tall tree and spreads across two others) has come into bloom as well. They are all a joy to see. Later on I will try and shoehorn in the third and final part of my visit to Tewkesbury Abbey. Have a good day all.
