The Good Life

After all those weeks of packing and sorting and feeling somewhat less than strong and healthy, I have finally had a seriously lovely week.  The children went back to school on Monday after a week of half-term and I cleaned through our little house in no time.  Well actually it took most of the day; even small homes have corners and cobwebs.

Having achieved a sparkling house, I messed up the kitchen and had fun making the first batch of mince pies.  I left them to cool while I walked the dogs to the top of Muddy Lane (as we call it).  It's a really nice walk with beautiful views and lots of sheep and cows to talk to on the way.  It takes about 45 minutes and is down hill all the way home!  The down side to this lane is the mud and the mess the dogs get into, which means they need a good clean up when we get back.  My reward for this was a cup of tea and a still-warm mince pie.  The first one this year and quite possibly the best.

  The next couple of days saw me wrapping soaps and candles ready for the Anglesey Winter show,that was being held today.  I grabbed some nettle and orange soaps just before I gave them all to Babs to take with her.  I wanted something for the men in our lives, as they can be so hard to buy for.  I wrapped them in a more masculine way and hopefully they look OK.  I asked H1 for his opinion.  He said 'They're alright,' and went back to his iPod.  Not the response I was looking for, so I just have to hope.  What do you think?  Would the man in your life be pleased to receive one of these?

I am really hoping all my soaps and candles sell well at the show, but as it is a new thing this year, there is no way of knowing how many people will turn up and how many will buy.  Well, it is over now anyway so I expect I will find out soon enough.  Gulp!

Thursday saw me Christmas shopping.  I made a start last week and managed to get quite a bit more done.  I am really pleased with the way it's going and hope to have it all done before December.  I have a small pile of tins of biscuits and chocolates hidden away and rather a large Christmas pudding.  I don't usually buy such a big one but as we all enjoy it and it is just as nice cold with ice cream, (and it was on offer!), we can be eating it for days.  It's a shame it's only eaten at Christmas because I think it's such a gorgeous pudding for winter generally.  Rib sticking and very filling; the perfect food for cold weather.

Friday is Dosbarth Cymraeg day; the day I go to my Welsh class.  I love going and enjoy the company of the other learners.  We support each other and have a good laugh, which is vitally important to relieve the stress of learning such a difficult language.  I have re-joined the class after a gap of almost two years and consequently I am quite far behind.  I had a right job on my hands to do my homework and have to confess to leaving a good chunk of it, because a) I didn't understand it and b) I couldn't be bothered with it.  Not the right attitude I grant you, but it's pretty challenging to catch up 14 units in 6 weeks.  Anyway, we are on the final unit now and the tutor was asking what we'd like to do next.  Do you know what they said?  Because I only got up to unit 6 before I left due to the misery of going through a divorce and moving house, they all said they would be happy to go back to that unit and start again!  What?  You can't do that, I said, Yes we can, they replied, We want to and it will help us as we've forgotten most of it anyway!  Gosh, I am so relieved and grateful.  I was worried I would have to find another course but now I can stay with my friends and continue where I left off.  To celebrate, I ordered  Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - in Welsh....Yep, I know.  Will let you know how I get on with it.

This morning, being Saturday, we all had a bit of a lie in.  It was blissful to hear the alarm going off at seven, turning it off and snuggling down in my bed again.  Not long after, I heard H2 get out of bed and go in the lounge to watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or something.  From Monday to Friday I have to wake him and he complains about having to get up, but at the weekend when he can stay in bed he doesn't want to.  Typical.  I woke H1 just before eight as I was taking him to a National Trust place on the island where we were meeting with a man to discuss H1 spending a week next year doing work experience.  It was a lovely sunny morning, but rather chilly.  As usual for me, we were early, so we took a quick walk down to the beach to suck in a lung full of sea air.

I haven't really seen the sea since we moved to our new home, so it was lovely to stand there and soak up the sight, sound and smell of it all.  Wonderful.  No time to linger though as we had an appointment to keep.  We walked along the lane to the wardens' house and met with Gwynfor.  He took us into a gorgeous old building with low ceilings, huge beams, uneven stone floors and a wood burner complete with a stack of chopped logs, all ready for the cold weather.  We had a chat and he told us the kind of thing H1 would be doing during his week there.  H1 loves woodwork and carving so he was delighted to hear he would be doing some of that with children from a school who visit each week.  He will be having a go at fencing and dry stone walling, as well as strimming long grass and anything else that crops up along the 16 mile long coast line.  He will be out in the most stunning location surrounded by wildlife and natural beauty; what more could he ask for?

Later this afternoon, Pea and I were pottering about in the garden when we heard a man's voice call to us: 'Hello next door!' it said.  Along the track came a man and his daughter, both sporting double barrelled guns slung casually over their shoulders.  He shook my hand and introduced himself as my neighbour from the farm.  He is a very cheerful, larger than life character and proceeded to tell me we all look after each other here in the sticks and that if I wanted to borrow a car to just help myself; if I want any hens to talk to his wife first; if I want any herbs, she can let me have some and to absolutely not take the dogs to the vets until she has had a look at them.  He was very excited about my plans for a veg garden and he loved the poly tunnel.  He asked if I'd be upset if he shot any foxes on our track, then waved his gun in farewell and off they went leaving Pea and I a little shell shocked.  A small man with lots of personality and one we will no doubt see more of in the future!

Who says life is quiet in the country?

Have a lovely evening and thank you for reading. xxx