Hlw Agn (Welsh for Hello Again)

Hi! Or Hy (if you must use a vowel),

Once again have internet (for the rest of the day at least!). Had a fun day today watching the Green Man battle the Ice Queen (thank god the Green Man won as it was freezing at the time) at the Green Man Festival in Clun, Shropshire. Photos at 10. No, actually photos will be on Picasa. Click under the LINK column to the left on Photos.

Now back in the warm B&B drinking tea and using the internet to catch up. They've only had internet one week here so are quite excited, as am I.

I am wondering when the British lost the coffee gene. I actually have a theory on this: it is so cold and damp here so often that one wants to drink something hot most of the time, so, rather than get totally blitzed on coffee, or totally fat on "hot drinking chocolate," they drink tea (which I can drink all day to no real affect--as I am right now).

Went to dinner last night at The Boar's Head in Bishop's Castle with a lovely couple from Lincolnshire (they had a car--so forced myself to ask for a ride). Quite fun! Carvery(s) are the big thing here now, so they say, so have been eating roast something every night. Gammon? Had roast gammon, whatever the hell that is, roast pork, roast lamb. Yummy. I imagine it's because no one has time to cook at home any more, and all the grannies are dying off. Had lunch at the Methodist Church served by old ladies who made the cakes from scratch (for the holiday). It really made me smile. They were quite flustered by the "rush" of three people at once. I'll bet they know how to cook a roast.

Anyway, Clun quite lovely in the Clun Valley next to the River Clun (not an abundance of names here--Clunton just down the road). But this close to Wales, a simple, pronounceable name is welcome. The train from Gatwick passed through Wales on the way here; all signs were in Welsh as were the train announcements (later translated to English as if to rub it in). One really doesn't need vowels unless one was taught to read using them. When you hear the name pronounced, it makes sense, but reading you just scratch your head.

Overcast, drizzling, windy and cold today. The Ice Queen's death throes (let's hope). Before long I'll be complaining of the heat. Has been warm and sunny till today. People tell me they are due a warm summer so are hoping this one will be it.

Staying at a B&B (Clun Farmhouse) that accepts horses, AND the owner's then 70-year-old father rode End to End in 1990. TOO amazing. Talk about coincidence!! There's a plaque on the wall commemorating the event: he rode 1300 miles in 39 days and never even threw a shoe (that's 35 miles a day if you're counting), on a horse named was Sue Ellen. He wrote a short book about the ride, so copied that and read it yesterday (between falling uncontrollably asleep!). I thought I was over the jetlag, but whenever I come to a stop, I fall asleep. Quite embarrassing.

Off to Lockerbie by train tomorrow. Nearest place to "hire" a car is halfway there, so will be training. Going to meet pal Vyv and horse-pal Midnight. Dreamed of Marion (my cat) last night--I realized I hadn't seen her for a couple days and, panicking, ran around the house frantically yelling her name. Awoke very tired. I think I might be able to stay awake the entire day today--a first.

More soon!