Followers

Sunday 25 May 2014

Sunday Morning in a Welsh Valley

I am such a klutz I managed to load all my photos onto the laptop only to delete the lot, tomorrow (weather permitting) I will start anew.
It has been all systems go here, curtains have been altered and hung, ornaments and pictures unpacked and scattered willy nilly throughout the house, a lost rolling pin that showed itself once I went and bought a replacement and a teapot lid that hid itself in my sock drawer. hmmmmmmmm I am not going to think how that came about.
Francesca is here until Wednesday when she will go to Cardigan to stay with James and Cerys. We had breakfast once she landed yesterday morning and then went to Carmarthen to indulge in some retail therapy. Joy of joys the Hotter shop had a 3 for 2 event running and much of the stock was on a good sale reduction, of course I bought 3 pairs it would have been feckless not to. There shoes are so comfy and wear extremely well, I have some that are over 5 years old and still going strong.
I will try to remember to take a photo to share with you.
Then we got down to the serious business of Birthday presents for Junior, once more deep joy. We went into Tesco and there was a small mountain of Hot Wheels sets all on sale price so we clubbed together and collated a selection along with some really cool cars.
I see some construction work in Jame,s future he he. We then went to the clothes section and lo and behold there was a 25% reduction on all childrens clothes, 4 summer outfits for both of them, we just went half each on the lot so simple.

A word of warning, we went to the cafe for a cup of tea, it was dire, it was hot and wet and tasted of nothing but the metal from the pot.

I did pop into M&S for a pack of tights and a couple of Tee Shirts, there basics are good but the clothes buyers need to get a grip on reality, I have not seen anything that I would wear in there for a few years.

My nearest shopping places are Ammanford in one direction and Pontardawe then Neath in the opposite, I have had a quick visit to them all they have their pros and cons just like most places. Swansea is very close and I plan a day there soon. There is a Hobbycraft on one of the retail parks that is high on my list for a visit.

Ben is registered with a Vet, they have surgeries at Pontardawe and Neath. I am very impressed, he has been for a check up and when I explained about his skin problems they had him in for a morning of tests. the results will be in next Tuesday and in the meantime I have some washing liquid and skin cream that has already had a calming effect.

Reasons to be grateful.

1. I am in Wales.

2. The weather for the first 4 days was glorious, hot and sunny.

3. We have had rain, but not torrential.

4. I love my "new" home.

5. The people that I have met are friendly and in the main have time to stop and chat.

My first viewings were not for me, not enough usable garden, a mountain goat would have struggled to access them.

I have 5 more lined up but not this week, I will be busy with Fran and the family.
Next door is on the market but the interior has been modernised and looks like a new build and is not for me, plus there is a large fish pond taking up 1/3rd of the garden. Ben would not keep out of it and filling it in would cost a fortune.

I feel that breakfast needs to happen soon, I have the Rumblies in the Tumblies as Pooh would say.

             TTFN                                                  Pam





.











20 comments:

  1. All sounds postive, I am pleased for you, perhaps it would be worth mentioning to the owner of the property you are renting that you really like it and if they decided to sell you would be interested. Nothing ventured so they say.
    Are you planning on a name change for your blog now you are in Wales. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I suppose I ought to change the name, I will have to mull it over. I have asked but the house is not for sale and really it is far too big for Ben and I to rattle around in.

      Delete
  2. Sounds like an excellent start to your new life.. Please let me know what the vet says about Bens skin problem as Womble suffers even after changing him to a sensitive diet, steroids and medical shampoo. I've also tried the oat milk bath but nothing seems to calm him down x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had skin scrapes taken to be tested and also a test for underactive thyroid, I will post the findings.

      Delete
    2. excuse me popping in, a friend's dog had skin problems they put it on a raw meat diet which cured it.

      Delete
  3. For some reason, possibly your Cardigan trips, I thought you were looking further West. Next time you pop through to Carmarthen, venture further along the coast in the direction of Tenby, then return via inland roads, there were some nice villages many moons ago!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do like the Western area but I love the mountainous South, I have found lots of properties up in the North that sound good as well. Much as I enjoy my time with James and his family I do not want to be on their doorstep, I do not see myself as weekend babysitter.

      Delete
    2. How very sensible of you to keep the distance.

      Possibly Caldey Island will come on the market!

      Delete
  4. Replies
    1. I am as happy as a dog in the woods.

      Delete
  5. Glad you are settling in but you will have to change the title of your blog.

    I sold my big machine last night joy of joys so now have the cash tucked away to fund the move we must make in the autumn. I am still very upset that a landlord could be so callous as to let us move in having told us we were going to be long term tenants and then tell us 3 months in that she is applying for planning permission to demolish the house and then sell the site.

    Take care, I look forward to reading more of your adventures in your new, when you find it, home

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I will keep my fingers crossed that you get settled somewhere permanent soon, I am keeping an open mind about the location and style of house that I am looking for. I just know that I want character and a fairly level garden.

      Delete
  6. We love Hobbicraft, ours has a sale over Half Term so I think we could be visiting! Glad you're settling x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am thinking of paying a visit to Kidwelly Castle tomorrow, it is not too far away and I can take Ben with me, Francesca is all for it, so weather permitting...... Hobbycraft will wait a while.

      Delete
  7. Sounds like you've been having great fun! The teapot lid is probably best left as one of life's mysteries. I've only just found my knife sharpeners 22months after moving here and am stupidly excited at finally being able to have knives which do more than tickle my food. Agree totally re: M&S they are a case study in how to slowly murder a national institution. Hope Ben gets sorted.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I packed my kitchen stuff so carefully and labelled the boxes and still things went awry, not to worry I have most of it unpacked all I have to do now is remember where I have decided to put it all. I just went to check that my steel is there and wonderfully it is in with the knives just as it should be.

      Delete
  8. Hope you are going to be very happy in your new home. I am looking forward to seeing your photos.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am happy enough to stay here for a year if that's how long it takes to find a house. I would like to be settled in my own place by next spring though as I am missing my garden. All I have here is an unkempt lawn at the back and a lawn with a small central bed in the front.

      Delete
  9. Have just caught up, Pam and there you are gone! Very difficult times here with mum, so have been off line for a while and am now catching up. I am so pleased for you that you are finally there - what a nail-biting finish you had and bow cheeky people are getting - watching too much Kirstie and Phil, methinks!
    I hope you enjoy the search for your new home and get settled in comfortably. PLEASE keep blogging! I feel we are old friends now, but as I said will never bump into each other in Sainsburys! Lxx

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am really enjoying myself now that I am finally here. I have looked at 3 houses, none of which were suitable. Francesca is here for this week so we are having fun time together exploring the area. Next week I will be back looking at houses, 3 more lined up so far. I will record my life here in much the same way as before. I must not let the grass grow under my feet, several of the houses that I earmarked 3 months ago sold before I moved.

    ReplyDelete

I love to read comments so take the plunge and join the conversation.