DALIWCH I GREDU - August 2013

Blogger's curse . . . I mentioned the sun!

For the 48 hours following my previous blog, the heavens opened and poured out its contents right over us!

It rained like never before! There were 8 waterfalls tumbling down the mountain. The most we've seen before is 5. 

Our little dried up stream took up where it left off in 2012's wash out. 

Puddles appeared inside the house (the part which has new tanking plaster up the walls and floor!) A nearby brook overflowed and caused a flash flood on our road. The farmer said he had only known this happen once before in 30 years. 

So why didn't it ever appear during the very soggy 2012?

Somehow our own waterfall which appeared during last year's rain, 

stayed dry . . . 

 . . .  and so did the bog!!


It seems to have rained ever since and it has cooled down somewhat too, so sadly the tomatoes have been brought inside to mature.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our new existence means learning new skills which would have had little use in our previous life, but are deemed essential now.

We have managed to stockpile wood taken from donations and fallen trees in the garden. The farmer has also given us access to his woods to collect further fallen branches. To make use of this, Will has been on a chainsaw course and is in the process of creating wood-burner size logs from our supplies. 

These logs have proved excellent for keeping warm during evening barbecues.

And with an unexpected deterioration in the weather, they have come in useful indoors earlier than anticipated!

Meanwhile, I found a metalwork/art course - not very essential, but great fun! 

 The finished product to be displayed in the National Library of Wales!


A high proportion of people here speak Welsh as a first language. So to support a language under potential threat, we embarked on a week long intensive Welsh speaking course. It was a mind-boggling experience. Most of what I was taught went straight over my head, and I am now trying to digest and process it. The views from the window probably didn't help my concentration ...

I never had views like this from training venues where I used to work!

As we practise our new found skills (language - not chainsaw!) on the locals, they put us right, ensuring we use 'proper local' Welsh - not the posh stuff we learn on courses!

The one important phrase I did learn is "daliwch i gredu". It translates to "keep believing". Our new motto!



Next blog - Pests