Molly is the proud keeper of Clover and Whisper, 2 Russian Dwarf hamsters. She doesn't appear to be traumatised by the ruthless murder of Frosty by Flapjack just for being a different breed.

Is that the way the human race is becoming in these violent times, do you think?
Look! There's someone who's different, they are another breed, let's kill them! Hmmm, it is happening, although, thankfully, not very often. A different breed, colour, religion, country, size, deformity, sex.......All it is, is an excuse to descend into a precivilised state, where killing can be justified, to the killer, anyway.

Mr A had a band practice here on Saturday. The guitarist, John, stayed and we had a fantastic jam later on. Mr A on the drums, me on keyboards (Yamaha DX7, lovely sound) and John on guitar and tin whistle, though not at the same time.

Got a text from Molly about her new hamsters and that her home education class is going to put on 'Phantom of the Opera.' I mentioned about it being a very popular musical and she replied that she didn't know it was a musical!
She is playing Esmerelda. Now isn't she in the 'Hunchback of Notre Dam?' Or is there an Esmerelda in Phantom? Apparently everyone has a big role in it. should be interesting....They are creating a new character for Eve, because there are more people than parts. I suspect all that this production will have in common with the original is that someone appears in a mask!

I got 3 winning numbers on the lottery this week. At least that's a tenner I've won. The possibility of winning the whole amount makes me feel really good. I suspect this could be a case of money equals happiness. Anyway, the cyber drinks are on me this week.

Lyndij has come up with a good idea for xmas. Put your name down with her, she'll give you a number, then you pick a number at random and have to write a blog about that person. Only the person writing will know the identity of the person they are writing about. This will be done in xmas week, when we'll all have plenty of time to join in the fun....Thanks Lynda, once again you've shown the knack of drawing together a little community out of so many different characters.

DINNER
Welsh Lamb Cutlets
New Baby Potatoes
Brussel Sprouts
Organic Carrots
Horseradish Sauce

This week I shall be mostly pickling beetroots from the garden.....

It was an action packed 2 days. Frosty was the smaller Russian Dwarf hampster. She was certainly entertaining on her exercise wheel, going like the clappers, running really fast around and around. In between running on the wheel, she would dash around the cage, through the toilet roll, along the tunnel and back onto the wheel. The other Dwarf hampster, Flapjack, just sat in the tunnel, sleeping and scratching. Her true identify got discovered this morning. She was not a Russian Dwarf hampster, she was, in fact, a Robotski Dwarf hampster. A different breed altogether. This is why she slept most of the time. She was - A killer hampster!

Yes, she killed little Frosty in the night. Molly came in this morning choking back the tears, asking me to come and have a look at Frosty, there appeared to be some blood on her and she wasn't moving.
Killer Flapjack had done her worst and murdered Frosty, the bitemarks were hers. A phone call verified that the 2 different breeds should not have been in a cage together. Great! Break a little girl's heart and then say, 'whoops' we made a mistake.
So Molly is returning the killer hampster along with Frosty's body to the pet shop in exchange for 2 more Russian Dwarf Hampsters.
She handled it really well. She cleaned the cage, put the killer in a box, her dad put Frosty in her box, Molly didn't want to handle her, understandably.

R.I.P. Frosty....

DINNER
Beefburger, Morrisons homemade range
Baked Potatoes
Organic Beetroot
Salad a la Moi

Mr A is back from being in the middle of nowhere, well, Norfolk, but from the photos it looked like the middle of nowhere.
He is delighted at his recent purchase of a very heavy winch. He also got a smaller winch from Ebay, which can be hand held. He is going to a market tomorrow to get a pulley. This is all in aid of moving heavy logs out of the forest. He could sing 'I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok' for real! Not the dressing up in women's clothes though!

The girls have gone back today, back next weekend. Their dad is taking them to the Welsh Car Rally then.

Well, it's time for bed, I'm not going to plough through the emails showing all the replies, comments and private posts tonight.

Saw 'Pirates of the Carribean' Dead Man's Chest. Brilliant film! Got the dvd. Oooo that Johnny Depp. Oooooo! He can shiver my timber's anytime!

DINNER
4 Cheese Pizza
Own toppings: capers, pepperoni, olives, jalepeno peppers, red pepper
Salad A La Moi

YESTERDAYS DINNER
Fresh Whiting
Baked Potatoes
Salad A La Moi

Mr A is away, so tonight I bought in a pizza to heat up with my own toppings on...
Molly and Eve visiting at the mo. Molly is now the proud owner (can animals really be owned though?) of 2 Russian Dwarf Hampsters. Tiny round balls of fluffy cuteness. They are getting really spoilt. The girls are watching t.v. with the sound down (not to disturb the hampsters as they sleep in the day) and close up to the t.v. to hear it. They have a running wheel in there and a connecting tunnel that runs outside the cage which is see through. They seem to spend most of the time asleep, curled up together in the middle of the tunnel.

It's taking me ages to plough through the number of Private Posts, which seems to be increasing...I may have to untick that box....

This particular memory beckons from the past. It is a situation that I willingly put myself in for 'spiritual growth.' These days though, I'd be less public and more modest.

It was a Glastonbury festival about 15 years ago. I went with a group of musicians and singers. We had been together for quite a few years playing music, mostly drumming and chanting ethical..whoops...I mean ethnic stuff, chants nicked from indigenous people and sung by us as if we were the bees knees and lived those tribal lives.

Anyway, we were at Glastonbury and decided to hold a sweat lodge. This is a purification ritual of having, well, a sauna, in a bender, running out when it was finished to be splashed with cold water. Ideally it would be done in nature with a stream handy to plunge in. The hot stones from a large fire are placed inside the bender and water poured on them for steam. The participants sit and sweat and say various prayers. Prayers for healing self, others and the planet. I can remember sometimes feeling like a d.j., 'and this request is for Aunty Doris, who recently went into hospital for a hip operation.' There were also prayers for letting go of stuff that was holding us back.

I must say I was very into it all at the time and felt lucky to be able to step outside the normal confines of society and embrace the hippy lifestyle. There was no hanky panky though I have to say! Not for me anyway.
I had made my life choice of partner and he was at home holding the fort while I lived out my spiritual fantasy. However spaced out I was on my return though, he always seemed unsurprised and in tune with what I went through.

So, the bender we built happened to be quite near a public walk way, god knows why, but it was. I think we hadn't thought it through very well. After the intense sweaty heat we came tumbling out, with no clothes on into the light of day - and an audience.. I can remember seeing people watching and thinking of them in a very unattached way, I didn't feel ashamed of my body, or my lack of embarrasment. Unselfconsciously, we lay on the grass after, like being reborn, it was always an intense experience. I do remember feeling that those people watching were really missing out on something wonderful.
Sheesh! To be so into the moment that I could ignore all the external details and just be with the feelings of the sweat lodge.
Marvellous!

So that was nice!

DINNER
Lamb Cutlets, baked
Roast Courgettes
Roast Red Pepper
Organic Carrots
Baked Potatoes

This is all in the oven, ready to eat NOW!

I don't really live in Llantwitmajor, I just like the name.

So, without further ajagoogoo, I shall go and eat, returning later when suitably stuffed and condescending.......

My last post was possibly the shortest I've ever written, and it got the most comments I've ever had!
Hmmm. It may have been the feeling sorry for myself content as well. Friends are so quick to come up with cyber hugs and good wishes, I feel honoured to be part of this community. Thanks to all you lovelies who replied, or just read it and thought 'ah.'

So, thanks everyone for your good wishes and the good news is. I've stopped crying and am feeling angry now. Angry at the way I've been treated at work to get to this state. Bastards!

Possible new careers:

1. Doing Reiki primarily for pregant women and new mums.
2. Selling fried egg sandwiches at festivals.
3. Writing a book, having it published and getting a huge advance.
Have to wait till: a)thought about plot. b)wrote it. c)finished
it. d)sent it off again, again and again. e)got advance.

4. Writing personal songs for people for different occasions. "Sorry to hear, you've lost your job, you can always sell your body, to earn a few bob." (Calipso style.)

5. Call centre 6 hrs a day. Probably mobile phone selling.
6. Local Spar.

LUNCH
Scottish beef handmade beefburgers inna bun
slices of vine ripened tomatoes
lettuce
pickled cucumber sliced
jalepeno pepper
sweet chilli sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Bloody delicious! MMmmmmmmmm,......

Crying.

This is work related. I am now, again, off on sick leave.

Normal cheeky service will be resumed when I'm feeling better.

DINNER
Pork and Apple Sausages
Mash
Salad a la Mr Avrilo
Gravy from Heaven

Mr A cooked tonight. It was bloody delicious, even the presentation with the salad, a circle of capers and tomatoes in the middle with pinenuts and little circles of onion. MMmmmmmmmmm
Well done Mr A, you did us proud.

Nice sunny day, did bugger all except what I had to to continue living the usual life. Bit unenthusiastic today for some reason.

Happy to have some new blog friends from the weekend. Lovely lovely people!

After a nice sleep on the way up to Leeds (no, I wasn't driving), we arrived in Leeds, following the printed map to the hotel from the web site of the Golden Lion.

A vigorous discussion took place in the car as we went round again on the loop road about my map reading skills and the reluctance of men in general to ask for directions.

"Where are we on the map!"
"I can't see the bloody streets! The writing's too small! Which way are we going now?"

"Canal Way."
"I can't bloody find it! Let's ask someone who knows Leeds."
"Duke Street."
"I can't bloody see the street names, we're going round in circles, let's ask directions."

"Stop the car!" I finally said in exasperation. I got out and asked someone directions. It was a huge 4 lane road with christmas lights blazing everywhere. 10 minutes later we were there. The Golden Lion hotel.

"We're supposed to meet in the Hakuna Matata bar at 7.30, lets book in, have a shower then go." I said eyeing up the crowd in front of us all trying to book in, they looked like they were there for a conference of betting shop owners.

Getting to the bar early, we eagerly eyeballed up everyone who came in. Mr A went to a cashpoint as I continued to wait and watch. There was a crowd around a table, they were shaking hands as new arrivals joined them. I went up to them and asked.
"Are you meeting here at 7.30?"
"Yes," said a lady with blonde hair. I thought this could be Eggbod.
"Bloggers?" I asked.
"Bloggers?" Said a puzzled person as if I was propositioning her.
"Er...sorry." I left shamefaced and went back to my table.

We sat there till 7.45 and I rung Nixies phone. I was put on answerphone.
"Let's go to the hotel bar" I said, "it looks nicer than this."

We went to the bar and I spied a young woman with a head full of bright red hair. Yes! It was! In the actual flesh!
"Fatal!" I shouted.
"Avrilo!" She shouted back. We stood and hugged like old mates.
Introduced to the lovely gothic Nixie in her brown lippy, the calm and pleasant Molt, the strikingly glamourous and confident Abilene and friendly Subville.
Kay and Juzzy were due to come down soon.
It had been quite a night, the Friday night, and we heard some stories that, well, I couldn't repeat here, as they aren't my stories. It sounded like a lot of drinking and mad behaviour had been going on though.

About an hour later they came down and joined us.
"Juzzy!" I said, I was actually seeing his whole face, not just one eye. Another big hug of old friends proportions.
Kay looked even lovier than her photo.
We were to meet More learning and Sixpence later.
They arrived just before we left for The Pub Crawl.
A lovely couple, obviously in love and happy to be together.
First though, it was food time!.
In a crocodile line we followed one of us till we came to a Pizza place and piled in. All you can eat for 3.99.
I built a Leaning Tower of Pizza on that plate I tells ya!

Afterwards we stood in a huddle deciding where to go. Eventually forming another crocodile line in neat 2's and 3's chatting as we went. We stood outside a pub with some mean looking bouncers. Some wanted to go in, some not. Juzzy said "let's go back to the hotel bar!" We followed him to the corner of our street. He carried on in the wrong direction.
We then stood trying to decide what to do outside a pub and the very decisive Abilene got fed up and went in reasoning that we might as well be drinking and talking about what to do in comfort.
Nixie then shouted.
"Let's go on a pub crawl!" This was a popular decision.

On our way to the next pub I spied a thai restaurant which looked very nice. I clocked its location as we headed to pub number 2.
This was a nicer pub, good music. We could do sit down dancing. Hurrah! At 11.30 I went to the thai and got sweetcorn cakes with spicy sauce take away. Bloody delicious!
I was on Guiness. Mr A was drinking slow and steadily. He'd got to that permanent grin stage, feeling happy and not yet nauseous.

Back at the bar there were some goings on. A couple of very drunk men making incomprehensible remarks which we ignored. One of them made a bee line for Abilene. He obviously fancied her and her put downs were in a league of their own. This is a woman who knows how to handle herself for sure.

Juzzy and Kay appeared and we all settled down for a chat and another drink. Now this sounds quite tum te ta, but try and imagine raucous laughter, lots of flirting - (the barman was very popular) and general frivolous behaviour. I was told that I looked like Chrissie Hind by Kay. Thank you that girl!
Mr A was starting to sag at 2.30am and went off to bed to much wink wink nudge nudge remarks from the others whilst looking at me.
As I was having such a great conversation with Fatal he said I should stay and chat rather than leave with him - so I did!
Ooo Fatal! What a lovely girl! She makes anyone feel right at home with her openess and wicked twinkling eyes.
I went up about half an hour later to find Mr A outspread on the bed fully clothed out like a light.

This morning he felt pretty bad!
"I'm not going to drink like that again." He declared.
Yes, ok, we shall see....

So, final chat over morning coffee and we left Leeds, finding our way much easier than when we entered it.

We stopped in Cardiff for a lovely meal at a Greek restaurant in the bay before the final leg home.

Mr A is happy, he is watching his team, Arsenal play footie on tv whilst I blog.
Life in the wooden house in the forest continues to blog another day.

Well, I don't mind if I do!
Treating this blogging lark like having another cuppa.
Hmmmmm. Only valid, I think, if I have something I really want to say and share.

Let me think now.......Ahh! I know, share a memory.....
(picture a calender with pages flying off)

It was a full moon. I was living in a large house in the country with a few other single people. I was in love with a guy who also lived there, that love from a distance that hadn't been spoken of. There was a record playing of country dance music, all fiddles, and accordian in a 3/4 rhythmn. There were a few of us sitting around an outside fire. I started to leap around, dancing to the music under the full moonlight. I was in love, I was naive and young and I felt so excited at the prospect of getting to know the object of my crush better.
Time went on and we would sit into the early hours having just one more ciggie just one more cup of tea. He talked of poetry and the beautiful words of the Incredible String Band (yes, it was that long ago.) I would listen, offering a word or two from time to time but content to just listen to this man who talked so magically and taught me so much. I was 22 he was 24. Philosphy, religion, we discussed all the big ones questions. My mind was opened up, my consciousness expanded. He had beautiful sea green eyes that sparkled. His mind was as sharp as a needle.
He wrote poetry and was writing a book. He was so witty and made me laugh. He had a beautiful face, in a Johnny Depp kind of way.
One evening he said 'there was no ringing of bells, but I fell in love with you when I first met you.' How good was that! He loved me too! After many months of sharing the house we eventually shared a bed. Treasured memories will stay of just how good it felt to have reciprocal love at such an early age.
We kept in touch, his letters so beautifully written kept me amused for a long time. He did finish his book and still lives with his partner of many years. He guided me at just the right time to open up my mind to such wide possibilities that there was so much more to life than what we see.
Both his parents were blind. It was his job to pair the socks. He had 4 brothers. I met his parents once, his father was smoking and I noticed he spilt ash down his front, he couldn't see that he'd spilt it. My friend would take them by the hand around the house and moved their hands with his over the different objects saying 'this is the washing machine' 'this is the window'. He took them on a guided tour to feel everything. He really was a talented writer and eventually had a patron. A friend who was a lawyer who supported him so he could spend his time writing. He wanted nothing in return except his company and for my friend to be able to write. His genius was recognised and his friends were loyal and true.
I was so lucky to find a lover who was honest, genuine, sincere, self aware and handsome at that tender age. My previous boyfriends had mostly been crap, selfish, boring and uneducated. My world was opened up.
So this post is for you, Andrew (never Andy) Ling. Thank you for opening up a magical world for me and a different way of seeing things.

DINNER
Spaghetti Bolognese with organic spaghetti
Salad a la Moi

It makes a big difference using organic spaghetti, it's really tasty, not like the bland cardboardy stuff I used to get (own brand cheapest.)

Sung to the tune of 'I'm Henry the eighth I am.'

I'm going to the blog meet I am,
Going to the blog meet I am I am,
I'm going to the blog meet I am,
and I'm going to blag about the blog all day.

My 11yr old grandaughter, Eve, got hold of a pad of post-it notes whilst visiting today. Here are a few of the places she put them and what she wrote on them.

Vase of Roses - smell me
Doors to front room - coles me (close me)
Door to my room - leave open
My guitar - play me
The mirror - see me
Clothes - wear me
Coal bucket - put me in the fire
knife - cut with me
Toilet - wash your hands in me
book - look at me

Before leaving she stuck one more, on me, saying 'love me.'

I've just baked some bread rolls and an apple crumble. Mmmmmmm
I had some leftover cous cous from last night, it's quite solid, so I thought I might experiment by adding egg, flour, spices, chilli and frying them shaped into balls.

I could hear Mr A singing along with Carter, one of his favourite groups. Ah! It's so sweet! He sounds so free and uninhibited, he'd never sing like that in company so I feel happy that he can be himself with me.

DINNER
Experimental Cous Cous Balls - maybe
Possibly Pizza
Possibly Sausage and Mash
Salad a la Moi

Apple Crumble

DINNER

Sheek Kebabs
Cous Cous
Various Dips - Feta and Mint, Hummus, Yoghurt and Mint
Curried Veg (previous dinner)
Walnut and Blue Cheese Bread
Salad a la Moi, with capers, hot green peppers, and the usual
Pickled Cucumbers (homemade by a friend)

Walnut and Advocaat flavour Ice Cream

It was a meal of contrasting flavours. Mr A was impressed and praised it highly. It's nice to be appreciated. I always know before I cook if it's going to be a good meal. I get a feeling. I also know when it's not going so well. Psychic cooking? The colour of a meal is always a pointer as to how tasty it's going to be. When I cook a 'brown' meal, it can taste as drab as it looks. I do like a bit of colour in a meal!
A friend gave me a 'spaghetti vegetable' it looks like a marrow, is yellow and I havent a clue as to how to cook it. I will experiment. I should have asked her, but didn't think to. Maybe it'll go with bolognese sauce!

Lots of bangs going on around here even though tomorrow is the night for it. I didn't get any fireworks - for shame! I usually get sparklers at least but forgot.

Tomorrow will see me in Mr A's overalls painting the walls of the house with tar. Very black and sticky. I shall not be wearing my new high heeled boots! I've been chopping wood for kindling, a job I love doing. I use the big axe with the new long handle and the smaller one (Mr A got me for xmas) for small bits of wood.
I've run out of space for any more photos, so have been debating about going pro on this site, it seems well worth it. Then I can put up loads of piccys!

I've had problems and had to contact the people who run this site as I keep having to log on after initially logging on.

A nice time was spent with my 3 grandaughters playing KerPlunk and Jumping Tiddly Frogs, a game where you have to press down on these small plastic frogs to get them in a bucket. A game of skill and intelligence - not.

I guess it's about time for another story soon. Detectives Tyalskye and Pacy have been on holiday for long enough after their last adventure in which my fictional characters met myself and some blog friends.

Time to go visiting friend's blogs. As my grandaughter Eve says; TTFN.

Anyone else having the trouble that I am with having to keep logging on? I log on then find when I want to answer a comment I have to log on again! I hope it's not this computer and a fault on this site.

I have a room full of grandaughters, we have been playing KerPlunk, a good standby for a game all ages can play. Molly is looking quite smart, she has new boots which have laces at the back a blue snowflake on the front. They are made of canvas and look great.
Eve is wearing her stripy poncho, with a hood and also looks quite smart. Liberty is wearing a light green thick polo neck jumper with a ponytail on the top of her head on the left side, looking like a cute Simpsons baby, Maggie!

Mr A is outside banging away! He is putting in wooden posts on the front of the house to complete the insulation.

Don't know what we're are going to have for dinner yet. I've got to go shopping. Post later, bye for now. Have a lovely day!

DINNER
Bloody lovely Cauliflower Curry
Basmati Rice
Garlic and Coriander Naan
Lime Pickle, Aubergine Pickle, Mango Chutney.

The above picture I am trying to navigate around my site to use it as profile pic. You will see soon enough if I am successful.

The wood of the outside of the house has been painted with bitumen, or tar as we say in the trade. It looks shiny black, like a licorice allsort. Hmmm? House made of licorice, in the woods? Who lives in a house like this?

As I sit here typing, I can see the moon shining bright outside the window, with branches of trees criss crossing her face, it is as if that luminous globe is peeking through to say hello.

What a lovely sunny day, only to freeze when the sun went down. I hope you all have anti-freeze in your knickers...I mean radiators.
A day spent at home. The Rayburn and the woodburning stove both going like the clappers to provide a glorious warmth throughout the house.

I've got The Best of the Eagles cd on. I love their harmonies, and the songs are all singalongable. Mr A comes in the room to ask if I fancy a tequila after hearing 'Tequila Sunrise.' He brought a bottle back from Asabaijan.MMMmmmmmmmmm

I saw a programme on tv about a group of young kids in London. They put on a play at the Roundhouse with some well known director. It showed the process they went through to get to first night, acting in front of an audience. The way they talked was like they copied Ali G! 'Innit' seemed to surface every other word. I guess at that age you don't want to stand out from your mates, but I wondered about how far we have come in terms of language and how it is used.
Gansta rap seems to be the fashion, but it seems so limiting, because the main subject talked about is violence, possessions and sex. Does the language shape the subjects talked about? If it's fashionable to talk about 'dissing' people, are you more likely to get into disputes with others? A big thing about having a territory, (like dogs) seems to figure large, and not wanting to share it with others out of the area.
Mind you, these youngsters live in a concrete jungle, striving to make their lives work in an era of mass commercialisation and dumbing down of intelligence.
There was a real feel good factor when the play went well, and they put 100% into it. It just shows that creativity stifled can change into destructiveness, and how positive it is to channel it into something like writing and acting.

DINNER
Veggie Curry - Cauliflower, onion, peppers, celery
Basmati Rice
Garlic and Coriander Naan
Salad a La Moi

That time of the week has come around again, and I'll be eating the usual pub grub before we get together for our sing later.

Had my 2yr old grandaughter over for a half hour visit earlier. I got out the glokenspiel and we played a few songs. It's made of metal and quite robust as there was some pretty heavy hammering going on! She's got into asking for 'trotters' (crackers) whenever she comes now. Hopefully it will provide her with an abiding memory of her nana, so I will live on, through her whenever she has crackers. Hmmm ok, so all you who think I'm crackers anyway could have something..........

A lovely sunny day, deceptive because it's going to get very cold later, even frosty. I got some anti-freeze today to prepare for winter, plus de-icer, plus windscreen wash to unfreeze the windscreen. If this has reminded anyone that, yes, they need to sort out their car for winter too, then my work is done.

That time of the week has come around again, and I'll be eating the usual pub grub before we get together for our sing later.

Had my 2yr old grandaughter over for a half hour visit earlier. I got out the glokenspiel and we played a few songs. It's made of metal and quite robust as there was some pretty heavy hammering going on! She's got into asking for 'trotters' (crackers) whenever she comes now. Hopefully it will provide her with an abiding memory of her nana, so I will live on, through her whenever she has crackers. Hmmm ok, so all you who think I'm crackers anyway could have something..........

A lovely sunny day, deceptive because it's going to get very cold later, even frosty. I got some anti-freeze today to prepare for winter, plus de-icer, plus windscreen wash to unfreeze the windscreen. If this has reminded anyone that, yes, they need to sort out their car for winter too, then my work is done.

Previously I complained about receiving so many emails of friends posts as private posts. I just have to untick a box apparently to stop it. After thinking about it, I've decided to keep it. There might be some support needed, or juicy gossip, so, no further winges about it.

DINNER
Fresh Asparagus Soup (brought by friends visiting)
Lamb and Chicken Curry (a 3rd meal made from 2 previous ones)
Basmati Rice

Friends who came for dinner have just put in an offer on a lovely place nearby, so it was a celebration meal. They have been living in Southern Ireland but decided to move back here as building houses has gone into hyperdrive, lots of building plots sprouting up near their organic small holding. It'll be so good to have them living nearer as they are hard working market gardeners who I've known for many years.

Happy Halloween. May the restless spirits that seek peace find it at this time of the year when the veil is thin between the worlds of earth and heaven.