A little taste of heaven.
For Tricia, Felicity and John, Toni, Wendy, Simon and Helen, Luke and Rhiannon, Michael, Anthony, Nerina and Nikki.
This weekend was spent "chillin' out" with some other like-minded folk in an idyllic spot in the heart of mid-Wales, owned by the incredibly kind parents of the delightful Tricia (Jaynesgirl). I arrived late on Friday afternoon, and the young'uns who were already there took pity on my age and general air of crumbliness (and the fact that my new tent is a complete arse to put up!). Even the hardened campers among them found that perfection in erection takes time - approximately an hour and a half I would say. I ended up with a tent looking somewhat like the top of the good ship Serenity, with additions. I just prayed that bits wouldn't fall off it over the weekend, and that it wouldn't take off vertically (or horizontally or diagonally) in the wind, should there be any. CWG, my S.O, had already put up the marquee, and returned home to our menagerie.
Tricia's papa, John, brought down a HUGE table and benches, which easily went into the marquee, and a gas barbecue, both (separately) on the back of a tractor. Their sheepdog was very keen to help get the table in the right place, but sadly, the table's response to her efforts was rather wooden. Once all the Friday Folk had arrived, the barbie was fired up and the cooking commenced. Much food. Felicity, Tricia's Mum, brought down salads and the healthy stuff to counterbalance the cholesterol frenzy on the barbie. Cans and bottles were opened, and we all tucked in. Much chat and putting-the-world-to rights later, folks drifted off to the tents. The sky was cloudless, and the stars shone in abundance. We were far away from the lights of any town, and the night-sky was, for want of a better description, very pure. It was also bloody freezing! Did I sleep? Did I heck! Getting up for an early hours pee is no fun when you are shivering so much that your teeth chatter. Nor is hearing a badger growling somewhere behind your nether regions when the position you are assuming does not allow for a quick retreat! (The cottage was way too far to go in the sloe-black, dew-damp badger-growling night!) However, it warmed up a bit later, and I woke up feeling warm and snuggly.
Saturday was a 'chillout' day for me and one or two others. Watching the red kites, buzzards and the two gorgeous Welsh cobs in Cwm Deildre and sharing some good 'crack' (the verbal kind!) was quite enough to help in the end-of-term-winding-down. Some folk went into town to buy some delicacies, and later in the day, some went for a longish walk around the local countriside. Then, it was back to another barbecued meal, drinking and revelries. A new kebab - strawberry and marshmallow, was created for the occasion. When the marquee was closed up and all the candles were lit, it was very "Serenity-like" in there. One happy crew laughing, joking and discussing just about everything under the sun. I took photos, but the flash was so harsh that it ruined the atmosphere, so I switched it off. I was not aiming for photographic perfection, just something to better catch the 'mood'. As we all trooped off to our bunks at about 1am, the local foxes decided to have their own shindig, and it was much rowdier than ours. This set off the dogs up and down the valley including a hound which started baying very eerily - this does not inspire confidence in those who were walking back to their tents in complete darkness! As the evening was very chilly, Felicity had kindly brought down extra blankets and I'd nabbed a thick fur horse-blanket. Bed on Saturday night was blissful. I was coccooned in a flurry of duvet and fur, and drifted off immediately. Apparently, the foxes and dogs continued well into the night, but I was oblivious. I was conscious of an almighty downpour at some point, but didn't fully wake up. Simon and Helen, who were in the cottage with their children, awoke during the night and were treated to a very apt firefly display outside their skylight.
On Sunday morning, folks dropped their tents and some decamped sharpish as they had a long way to travel, but not before making sure that they all chipped in with the dismantling of the marquee. Those of us who stayed a little longer were amazed by Nerina's speedy construction of a Jayne-hat, and we generally savoured the last hour or so of utter peace and magical beauty, before disappearing off into the harsh reality of the world of Muggles. Delightful weekend, shared with good-hearted Browncoat folk. Thanks guys.
Wendy, Michael and John
A bit of a view
The Candles of Death (aka cranefly carnage)
Shiny Strawberry and Marshmallow kebabs
Shiny, happy people. Toni, Tricia and Helen
Wendy, Helen, Simon, Toni and Anthony
This weekend was spent "chillin' out" with some other like-minded folk in an idyllic spot in the heart of mid-Wales, owned by the incredibly kind parents of the delightful Tricia (Jaynesgirl). I arrived late on Friday afternoon, and the young'uns who were already there took pity on my age and general air of crumbliness (and the fact that my new tent is a complete arse to put up!). Even the hardened campers among them found that perfection in erection takes time - approximately an hour and a half I would say. I ended up with a tent looking somewhat like the top of the good ship Serenity, with additions. I just prayed that bits wouldn't fall off it over the weekend, and that it wouldn't take off vertically (or horizontally or diagonally) in the wind, should there be any. CWG, my S.O, had already put up the marquee, and returned home to our menagerie.
Tricia's papa, John, brought down a HUGE table and benches, which easily went into the marquee, and a gas barbecue, both (separately) on the back of a tractor. Their sheepdog was very keen to help get the table in the right place, but sadly, the table's response to her efforts was rather wooden. Once all the Friday Folk had arrived, the barbie was fired up and the cooking commenced. Much food. Felicity, Tricia's Mum, brought down salads and the healthy stuff to counterbalance the cholesterol frenzy on the barbie. Cans and bottles were opened, and we all tucked in. Much chat and putting-the-world-to rights later, folks drifted off to the tents. The sky was cloudless, and the stars shone in abundance. We were far away from the lights of any town, and the night-sky was, for want of a better description, very pure. It was also bloody freezing! Did I sleep? Did I heck! Getting up for an early hours pee is no fun when you are shivering so much that your teeth chatter. Nor is hearing a badger growling somewhere behind your nether regions when the position you are assuming does not allow for a quick retreat! (The cottage was way too far to go in the sloe-black, dew-damp badger-growling night!) However, it warmed up a bit later, and I woke up feeling warm and snuggly.
Saturday was a 'chillout' day for me and one or two others. Watching the red kites, buzzards and the two gorgeous Welsh cobs in Cwm Deildre and sharing some good 'crack' (the verbal kind!) was quite enough to help in the end-of-term-winding-down. Some folk went into town to buy some delicacies, and later in the day, some went for a longish walk around the local countriside. Then, it was back to another barbecued meal, drinking and revelries. A new kebab - strawberry and marshmallow, was created for the occasion. When the marquee was closed up and all the candles were lit, it was very "Serenity-like" in there. One happy crew laughing, joking and discussing just about everything under the sun. I took photos, but the flash was so harsh that it ruined the atmosphere, so I switched it off. I was not aiming for photographic perfection, just something to better catch the 'mood'. As we all trooped off to our bunks at about 1am, the local foxes decided to have their own shindig, and it was much rowdier than ours. This set off the dogs up and down the valley including a hound which started baying very eerily - this does not inspire confidence in those who were walking back to their tents in complete darkness! As the evening was very chilly, Felicity had kindly brought down extra blankets and I'd nabbed a thick fur horse-blanket. Bed on Saturday night was blissful. I was coccooned in a flurry of duvet and fur, and drifted off immediately. Apparently, the foxes and dogs continued well into the night, but I was oblivious. I was conscious of an almighty downpour at some point, but didn't fully wake up. Simon and Helen, who were in the cottage with their children, awoke during the night and were treated to a very apt firefly display outside their skylight.
On Sunday morning, folks dropped their tents and some decamped sharpish as they had a long way to travel, but not before making sure that they all chipped in with the dismantling of the marquee. Those of us who stayed a little longer were amazed by Nerina's speedy construction of a Jayne-hat, and we generally savoured the last hour or so of utter peace and magical beauty, before disappearing off into the harsh reality of the world of Muggles. Delightful weekend, shared with good-hearted Browncoat folk. Thanks guys.
Wendy, Michael and John
A bit of a view
The Candles of Death (aka cranefly carnage)
Shiny Strawberry and Marshmallow kebabs
Shiny, happy people. Toni, Tricia and Helen
Wendy, Helen, Simon, Toni and Anthony