under another sun

A weird feeling as if I had pins and needles in my back in the middle of the night. I woke up and realised that rain was falling onto me through the Velux window. A call from Natwest Bank this morning, finalising the problem that had started in April. All good now I hope.  Fond farewells to the Creates bed and breakfast, with a big cooked breakfast this morning. Packing our millions of things, then Lorraine walked off to the long stay car park and drove the car to the short term carpark behind us. While I was waiting an old lady engaged me in quite a lengthy chat asking me if I had liked Monmouth. Also chatted to the owners of Creates, who are friendly. Car packed, we did a last bit of Monmouth shopping, and Lorraine nipped into he sewing shop to buy some bits, and happened happily on some bra extenders. Homeward bound then. Down the beautiful Wye Valley road, past Tintern Abbey and out to Chepstow and over the Severn Bridge, which is quite long and made Lorraine's stomach go over,...

 A day of little driving today, lurking in and around Monmouth itself, and finding little walks to go on along the penny-coloured river Monnow. A spot more shopping today, and Lorraine picked up some half price sunglasses, and I bought a new anorak in a sale, and Lorraine bought some walking shoes. Well pleased.  We bought some picnic bits and had some food by a small pond, watching a little girl and her mum feeding the ducks. Then a walk along the river, where we came across a site of cows in the river which made me think of Constable. A bit more walking here and there, and I received a call from the bank about the rogue account, and it turned out that all along there had been a problem with an almost identical account with just one digit different on the sort code. Some poor blighter was having as rotten a time as I was for months on end. Luckily that account is now being closed.  A cheery meeting this afternoon. Lorraine and I went around the corner to The Punch, where...

Bleary morning, breakfast of pancakes with stewed fruit again, then we eventually made off to Hay on Wye drive across beautiful country, although the pesky satnav took us through Hereford again, but not not he way back. A lovely tiny town on a hill. We pulled into a big car park, and then mooched about the little streets, popping into bookshops. Sat on a chair outside a tiny cafe and had cups of tea and a strangely delicious short, wide sausage roll each. Spent lots of time in various bookshops, including an entire shop selling only poetry books. I felt overwhelmed by all the choice but came away with books by R.S. Thomas and Rachel Boast, and had a good chat with the friendly guy running it.  Texted again by the bank about my bogus account going overdrawn, but nothing I can do having already written to the guy who is handling my complaint. Contacted by the finance department of the bunch I have been working for in London, with a query about the account, and I had to send new accou...

Up and packing for our last morning with Sue and John. Little Monty cheerful and full of beans this morning. Felt sorry to be saying goodbye to them. Staying with them had made us both feel much more relaxed than we had been. Loaded up the car, and made our fond farewells.  Then we drove off, pausing at the Wye Valley Brewery John had told us about, and given us sample drinks from where we judiciously paused and bought twelve beers to take away. We chose Butty Bach, HPA, Wholesome Stout, and Glorious IPA. and the Hopfather. Stashed a box of these in the boot. Then pausing only to buy a gift, made our way to see Maxine and Simon for lunch in their garden, joined by their sixteen year old twins Amelia and Taylor. Simon had kindly prepared an amazing lunch, including pulled lamb to make into wee little kebabs, quiche, lovely greek salads and so on, plus Eton mess, and lemon tart and cake. It was an amazing feed. Lovely to see them again, almost a year to the day that we dropped in on ...

A leisurely morning, and breakfast outside in the garden. The owner Lesley said we should go for a walk in the garden, and it was deceptively long, and kept opening up into new areas. Absolutely gorgeous and full of trees, including apple, pear and plum, plus some vegetables, trees an enormous horse chestnut and so on. We picked two apples and mine had pinkish flesh. Butterflies drifting about too. Had a long chat with Lesley who we both liked, she is a semiretired acupuncturist, and talked about the Monmouth Bubble. Chatted about the picture that is in the room too, a rather nice abstract from a woman living locally. Off then into the Wye Valley, and to look at Tintern Abbey, which windy old Wordsworth liked so much, he wrote one of his better poems about. A gorgeous road through forested hills, and Tintern Abbey impressive, although you couldn't actually wander about it as it was closed. Peering in, seeing the forest through empty windows, and arched doorways looking at remains...

A leisurely breakfast of croissants and tea with Sue and John, a sneaky rematch with Whiskey (a draw) before Lorraine and I got ready to go. In the short time I had been there, I had felt more relaxed than I have felt for many a month. Fond farewells with Sue and John, and then we sped off again. We drove to Monmouth, into the dragon country of Wales, through some increasingly gorgeous countryside. Found our self catering apartment, which looked like nothing from the front of the house, but was actually extremely pleasant. Katie and Ian were going to stay overnight there too. Unloading our things, having collected our key, we mooched into Monmouth, over a little bridge guarded by an ancient Monnow Bridge gate built around 1270, over the river Monnow, to buy some provisions and mooch about a little. Lorraine and I did some food shopping in the Waitrose there, and then loading up our little rucksacks and carrying a bag back, crossed over the bridge again (glancing down at the childre...