In a strange place in my head and update

 (P.S.  Have added a couple more foggy photos for Tom.  Like this top one best.)

Life is not exactly cheerful for me at the moment and I  woke up yesterday draped in a blanket of mental gloom.  I have my usual worries about Keith's health, two members of my close family are terminally ill and failing, and I hate parting with big chunks of savings next week for the bathroom revamp and the new Worcester-Bosch boiler (to replace the manky cheap inefficient old boiler that came with the house).  I used to be such a spend-thrift when I was younger, and now I am guarding the small nest-egg left over from selling-up and downsizing like Smaug with his treasure.  These things are necessary spends but prices have really shot up since Covid and there is still the kitchen to do yet . . .

We need replacement lino for the bathroom and en-suite so yesterday set off to go to Newbridge-on-Wye as there was a shop there selling both.  Would you believe they shut all day on a Wednesday? I should have checked that out before we set off.  

So we drove further on to Rhayader, to visit a Builder's Merchants there who have a kitchen display.  Very impressive, and I came away with a thick glossy brochure and the sure knowledge that it would be way above our budget.  I have been looking at used kitchens  (nice ones!)  on Facebook Marketplace but getting them here is another matter of course!  Ikea it will be . . .

Of course, being just 3 miles from the Elan valley, we couldn't resist another visit, and  drove up in lowering cloud and had a short walk to take photos.  It was quite atmospheric and we were surrounded by truly beautiful autumn colouring.

The Oil Man had been in our absence and our big tank is now absolutely full and we got a good price too - 53p a litre, which compared very well with the 59p that the local bulk buy group were offering.

Little Whale once again decided he didn't need feeding - piqued by the fact we had Gone Out Again no doubt.  He came in around 5, with very muddy paws but hadn't been far away as it was when I put several downstairs lights on and called, that he came in.  I suspect he has been on the track up to the farm behind us, as that is very muddy at the moment.

I really MUST get on in our bedroom today, but have absolutely no energy or inclination.  Needs must though.  I know I will feel better for doing it.

Update:  I must have slept VERY deeply last night as Tam said she'd heard a crash - car accident? - about 1.30 a.m. and so I went out to look up and down the lane and found Next Door on the main lane had had their larch-lap fence completely taken out by someone losing control.  How they missed the road is beyond me but I am guessing they had a skinful of drink or whacky baccy or worse.

An Autumn walk around Pant-y-Llyn

 

Tam and I both fancied a walk today, and reckoned it was dry enough to park beside the tiny lane up over the Top near Banc y Celyn.  We had planned to walk to Pant-y-Llyn all summer - it was nice today but perfect for a summer picnic. It's not a huge lake, and we walked all the way around it - probably a mile and a half from the car and back.

Lovely views, especially back towards home - we are over the hill you see in the left hand distance.  I forgot my camera, so these were all taken on Tam's mobile, hence not a great deal of far detail.

It was a fabulous place for Bilberries, so we will definitely go back next summer.  This little clump of Bilberry plant was smothered in Oak Moss and looked like a little Fairy Forest.

Looking back in the direction of Builth.

Some of the outcrops of stone were absolutely smothered in a white litchen.

There were these walls either end, letting water through into a stream if the levels got too high in the little lake.  I believe there are wild carp to be caught here.

The pathway back to the car.

Finally a rather windblown photo of us both.  Make the most of it, you don't get many photos of me, as you know!

Little Whale goes missing!

 

There he is, back in the spring, looking smug. Well he might!  He worried the living daylights out of me yesterday.  We were away at 8.15 to go to Malvern Antiques Fair and they all had their breakfast before we left.  We were back around 2 p.m. ish and at 3 I fed the cats.  No Little Whale - and he is always there for his grub.  I went out and called him - no sign.  At around 4, I went up the lane to call him - and check he'd not been knocked down by a passing car (sometimes they go fast past our turning).  No sign.  I noticed a dark "hole" in the green pond weed and went to check, just in case, but I do have netting across, so he couldn't have fallen through but might have got tangled . . .  No L.W.  I spent the entire evening living on a knife's edge and fretting, going out at regular intervals, fearing the worst and wondering how I was going to break the news to Tam if he truly DIDN'T ever return.  I did my x-stitch to try and distract myself until I just couldn't count straight any more.  At a quarter to nine there was a familiar miaow in the doorway, and there he stood, demanding some food.  I didn't know whether to laugh or cry with relief.  Some of my burden of worry (the rest is about Keith) had been lifted.  What a little ratbag he is.

No photos of the Antiques Fair, which was very busy (too busy to take any photos either).  We walked round once, but gosh, they had crammed in the stall-holders as in olden pre-Covid times and there didn't feel to be enough room between the stalls.  I'm glad we weren't standing ourselves.  We chatted with friends, but to be honest, there was SO MUCH jewellery (which I know little about and don't collect - that's Tam's expertise), quite a bit of china and silver, and just a few odds and ends type stalls which we found more interesting and that was it.  Only one chap selling small furniture and that was all Deco style.  Keith bought me a Prattware cider mug with a frog in the bottom (haggled down from £20 to £10 as it had had a wallop which showed as an X-crack inside where the handle joined) and he paid £8 for an old antler walking stick handle to use on a stick without one he has here.  Then we drove home via Breinton Manor Farm Shop again and bought some more Ashmead's Kernel apples for moi and two bags of Comice Pears for Keith.

A few photos around Hay and a trip to Cenarth Falls

 

Photo for Sue in Suffolk, Ragged Robin and anyone else who likes postboxes.  This is the gold one in Hay, celebrating the success of Paralympian athlete Josie Pearson in 2012.  Note also remembered in Braille and in Welsh/Welsh Braille.

A general view of the market.  Ellen's jewellery where the lilac cloth is, then the chap who sells vegetable preparation tool and the Organic veg chap.  The figure on the wall is that of Henry (Tudor) VII.  That end wall houses the Cheese market, whilst beyond the white building is the Butter Market.

Velvet Fern always has some beautiful things on display.

Opposite, Rob's shop goes for the manly eclectic look.  We go in for a natter every time we're in Hay.

Back up in the main market,  a great choice of local artisan cheeses, and health food items, where we often stock up.

Things in shop windows - liked the curved shaping of this ceramic street.

A thoughtful Chameleon.

Yesterday we met up with my cousin and her husband again.  She suggested somewhere half way - which might have been Llandeilo, logically, but not a great deal there for them to look around, so we suggested Cenarth, which was nearer them than us, and very pretty. I just took a few quick photos before we had a bite to eat (their treat).  The menfolk had bacon rolls and Sally and I had toasted cheese sandwiches, which really hit the spot.  We sat outside in a little marquee and had a lovely chat.

    Thisis the antiques shop at Rhydowen where we bought a couple of things a year ago.  These were the Cast Iron rack of hooks in the kitchen, and the Arts & Crafts copper lamp we have STILL NOT FOUND!  This shop was on the route home, so it would have been churlish not to stop and check it out.  Nothing for us this time, but we had a nice chat with the shop owner.  

    Below: I would have loved to have brought this home - SO pretty - but not big enough for the storage of my craft things in the pink bedroom, which was a shame.  The painted design was so pretty.

Right, this won't do.  Now the Wilko order's arrived I have the right size picture hangers for hanging my little stitched pictures on the tall half-landing wall, and I also have the new smoke alarm to put up.  Toaster, watch out!!!

    Have a lovely weekend.

First Frost

 An early one too.  I will have to cut down the beautiful black leaves on the remaining Colocasia and dig it up to overwinter with its companions in the Utility room.  It was the only one which grew properly and has been stunning. I know more about growing them now and will plant a little deeper and earlier and not allow to dry out at all.  We had frosts into May this year (unheard of) so they didn't go in until nearly June.

I am glad that yesterday is over and done with.  I have had a somewhat stressful couple of days (tradesmen again) and yesterday I had to take Keith into Hereford to have his scan at the Hospital.  We knew the route as far as Currys, and had downloaded a Google map/directions for the last little bit.  We had to go to Currys anyway, as we needed a new answerphone.  Our phone answers but doesn't record messages any more.  With a nod to our increasing ages, we got one with larger buttons and a hearing-aid function.  It's been charging overnight so I'll change them over shortly.

       We worked out proximity of Morrisons (should we need to park there in future) but yesterday I wanted the peace of mind of being close to the Hospital to see Keith coming out after his appointment.  I sat in the car and began reading Woodston, the biography of an English Farm, by the excellent writer John Lewis-Stempel.  I was in the nearest car park and close to the entrance.  Phew.  You have no idea how I had blown this up out of all proportion, because I was stressed over getting the bathroom done (plumber's phone was turned off when I tried a few times.  Turns out he had to isolate).  He is such a good plumber he has been worth waiting for, but I wish he could have actually set a date instead of a vague, "mid-October".  I thought we were going to have to start all over again and lead times were, yes, another three months.  I have booked two companies to come and give a quote. Now I need to cancel them.

        Paying to get out was straightforward too (another unknown which had been worrying me). How have I come to this?  I once organized a Royal visit - from start to finish - to present the Queen's Award to Industry for the company I was temping for.  Now I get worried over leaving a strange car park!!  I will blame the strange times we are living in, and worry over Keith's health problems.

As we were driving past the end of the road, we turned off and drove to Breinton Farm Shop, as we have each time we've gone to Malvern Fleamarket recently.  They always have a goodselection of grown-by-them or Very Local heritage apples - I bought my favourite, Ashmeads Kernel, Breinton Delicious and Kent, and got Conferencepears for Keith.  They had Comice too, and he wants some of those next time we're near (which is soonish).

Finally, some photos of the spread for Monday, when one of my cousins and her husband came to visit.  The empty blue plate held a selection of Italian preserved meats once they got here but I forgot to take a photo then.  

Middle daughter G, who is a Cheese Hound, had a fabulous time at the Deli cheese counter, choosing lots of cheeses.  She went home with most of them, but we kept the Smoked Caerphilly, Lincolnshire Poacher and Cornish Yarg.  Yum!
 

Two different loaves, Tiger and Sourdough, and I baked a Tangy Lemon Cake (Drizzle by it's usual title) and also made a Quiche - it's got cheese pastry, and the filling was onion, bacon, and cheese.  Yummy.

The cheese pastry makes all the difference.  It was VERY short though, and the devil to roll out and I couldn't find the small flan dish I had before we moved, so probably had a rush of blood to the head and gave it to the charity shop!  (As in, "I never use this"!)

    Anyway, today we have sunshine, so Keith and I are off to Hay Market.   I must garden later . ..

Ectoplasm in North Wales!!

 

This is Clywedog Reservoir.  We had occasion to pass it yesterday as I had been looking on Facebook Marketplace  (thanks to Sue at Lavender Lodge for the heads up) for a cupboard/sideboard for the kitchen for all my baking ingredients and pans.  I found one, exactly what I wanted, but not quite local as it was up in North Wales, Dolgellau to be precise.  Anyway, we agreed a price and Tam and I set off first thing yesterday morning.  We bought lunch at Greggs before we set off (just as well as there were no shops open in Dolgellau) and sat at the reservoir and had a late breakfast of part of the grub whilst we looked at the view.  Apple Danish - Oh My!!

We had seen the forecast later (thunderstorms were due to accompany our arrival at Dolgellau), so made the most of the sunshine.  When we came back this way, there were white-crested waves ripping along the reservoir and flinging themselves against the wall at the end.

We drove through such beautiful countryside -I wish I could have video'd the journey to show you as it was just stunning.  When we spotted this waterfall ahead as we drew close to Dolgellau, we just had to pull over into a convenient layby and take photos.  Can't ID it - there are lots of waterfalls in this part of Snowdonia.

It reminded me of Ectoplasm - perfect for Halloween then!!

The moment we arrived at our destination, the rain arrived on time, but fortunately just showery at that point.  We loaded the sideboard (which thankfully wasn't too heavy) and then I had to reverse back along the street which was narrow, had cars parked on one side and wheely-bins on the other.  Tam was directing me, but I had to pull my wing mirror in a couple of times when I was level with a wall which jutted out. Phew.  I was glad to get into the bigger street, where we parked up and had a walk around the town.

Dolgellau apparently has over 200 listed buildings.  I'm not surprised.  Lovely architecture - they seemed to go for the biggest stones they could find!

I think the "steps" up the chimney are to guide some of the rain away from the join of the chimney and roof.   If I'm wrong, please enlighten me.

This lovely old house looked like someone had cut it in half!

We stopped at Corris when we were back on the Machynlleth road.  Tam's boyfriend had taken her here to a bungalow which had Italianate miniature buildings on its land.  Check HERE.  There's a selection of craft outlets here, and I got a couple of artisan gifts for Christmas presents.  Then we drove back over the mountains, with gusts of wind of about 50 or 60 mph buffeting the car, and heavy rain flinging itself in horizontal sheets across the landscape.  It was good to get home, but we will return.  HERE is a link to the Dolgellau area, in case you are tempted to visit.

Finally, here's my new-to-me sideboard.  I wanted one with a back like that (a nod to past design) and also to stop the cats knocking my jars off the back!  They will doubtless jump up there.  I now have all my baking things in this cupboard, particularly the various bread flours.  Pans are in there too, and other ingredients.  I prefer for everything to be tidied away (though looking at this house you would see what a failure I am at this!)  The old Dairy Table that used to be there is now holding the kitchen tv (a spare one we thought we may as well use as have in the attic) and we have the little oak table that was there before to go up to the attic later.