VISITS TO LOCAL PLACES & WE MOVE IN !! - Oct - Dec 2012

As we had time on our hands before moving in, we spent time visiting local places.

We visited Nant Gwrtheryn, a former quarry workers' village, now used as a Welsh language centre/wedding venue. 

It is set on the coast between 2 mountains, at the bottom of a hairpin bend road. We amused ourselves watching the faces of unsuspecting wedding guests trying to negotiate the steep bends in the road in their cars. 

A wedding photographer was taking photos of a bride as she was perched precariously on the steep mountainside with a stunning backdrop of sea views. Brave lady on a very windy day! 

The bride hung onto this post while having her photo taken.

As we walked down the narrow road, I heard a vehicle coming. I turned to see a huge coach of wedding guests hurtling towards us. As it appeared to take up more than the whole road between a steep bank one side and a sheer drop, the other, I ran quickly on to the next passing place to allow the coach more room. This was clearly unnecessary, but it gave Will and the bus driver a good laugh at my expense!

The coach returning up the road, which is really MUCH steeper than this photo shows!!

Walking back up was hard going and strenuous, and worse – we were overtaken by a fast paced 75 year old man. He told us he takes that walk 4 times a week, and has done since he was 40. Why?  To keep fit – why else?

We took a trip into Caernarfon. The day had started cold and cloudy, so I went dressed accordingly. As is customary here, the weather very rapidly turned into a sweltering day with blue skies. We strolled around in the sun, stopping at cafes within the castle walls for snacks and drinks. Why? Because we can! (Our motto for us retired folk!) The downside was that because it was term time, there were few families around and so we had to share the Autumn sun with other fellow 'Wrinklies' which made us feel very old!

Caernarfon Castle

While shopping, we waited silently in a queue to be served as the Welsh speaking shop assistant welcomed others in the queue in front of us. When it was our turn, he spoke to us in English. I asked him how he knew to speak in English. He said he could just tell!!!
How? Next mission, to rid ourselves of this Englishness we clearly have.

At another place we asked for some information. Unfortunately the young lady working there told us she couldn’t help at all because “I only work here Monday to Saturday”!?

I went to get my hair cut. The hairdresser did a good job, but local prices are going to take some getting used to – twice as much as my old home! The hairdresser asked me who had been cutting my fringe, I told him I had. He replied “Ah, good, that explains it” then said he'd sort out the fringe later. I thought I haven't done that bad a job – surely there's not much can go wrong with a fringe? Anyhow, when it came to cutting the fringe – he left it exactly as it was. Hmmmm!

Views of Snowdon from a local beach

We passed an area of woodland which had recently been cleared with all trees chopped down, except 4 which remained alone in the centre of the area. Next time we passed, we noticed they had a purpose - to stack the felled tree trunks between.

On one walk, we passed a coach depot. On a closer look we noticed that this apparently perfectly clean and decent coach was jammed full with hay!

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As we were close to moving into our house, we visited frequently. On one visit, everyone was working on the house - builders, joiners, plumbers, electricians, the lot! All with their vans parked on the drive and overflowing onto the road (single-track remember!). Some time later, Will noticed a local farmer's wife sitting in her car on the road behind the parked vehicles, engine off, smoking a cigarette, reading the paper. Did she ask us if the vehicles could be moved? No. she asked how the building was coming on, and carried on relaxing with her newspaper. As I said before, nobody seems to be in a rush here.

It seemed strange to think this would be our lounge in less than 3 weeks!

At the beginning of December, I counted 12 workers in the conservatory, and was pleased to note that this meant there was plenty of room for the family at Christmas. We explained to the electrician that the family were staying over Christmas and the conversation went something along the lines of...

"There'll be 8 of us in here for Christmas dinner, it's good to see we will all be able to fit"
"Who's coming for Christmas dinner?"

"Our 4 children and 2 partners, and they'll all be staying for about a week"
"You are talking about next Christmas?"
"Yes, this Christmas"
"No, Christmas next year"
"No, Christmas this year"
"You mean Christmas 2013"
"No, Christmas 2012"
"So when are you moving in?"
"The week before Christmas"
"But that's only 2 weeks away"
"Yes"
"But you can't be moving in so soon"
"We are"
"But the house isn't ready"
"It's as ready as it needs to be for us"

"Where will they sleep?"
"Don't know yet, but we'll manage"
"Do you really mean this Christmas - in 2 weeks"
"Yes"
"Not 2013"
"No"

A look of horror overcame his face as he scurried back to work.


With one week to go, the stairs were in and our bedroom almost finished.

















We moved in on 14^th December. Builders had not quite finished, but had completed enough for us to live in. 

Furniture arrived 3 days later. We had sent a video clip to the removal company so they were well informed of any potential difficulties along our narrow road. They asked Will if he would walk in front of the lorry lopping off any overhanging branches so the lorries wouldn't get scratched! Fortunately for us, they were carrying our loppers somewhere in one of the many boxes so they had to manage without. 3 men in 3 medium sized lorries arrived and worked all day to empty the lorries and fill the house. As one of the builders said – we had tried to fit a quart into a pint! Very true! The men were clearly very tired by the end of the day, having set out at 4am. There were no particular upsets except that Will did have to tow one of the lorries out of the mud when it's driver had attempted to reverse up our drive. Fortunately the 4x4 Beastie did the job easily.

Next Blog - Problems with animals.