speedracer4kq in Wales

Moors and foothills

2007-03-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

They remind me of the Colorado plains and foothills. Maybe it's just the winter colorings, brownish, some green. It looks dry almost desert like. However, the moors are rarely dry. There's always water pretty close to the surface just waiting for you to put your foot down so it can seep up into your shoe.

Unfortunately, I don't have any photos to correctly show what I mean.

The milkman

2007-03-13T10:36:00.000-07:00

Comes everyday with 2 pints of milk.

Coal

2007-03-11T16:52:00.000-07:00

We burn solid fuel: coal, in a cast-iron oven, called a Rayburn. Rayburn is actually a proper name, like Kleenex.

The shed out back is filled with coal. It needs to shoveled into a bucket and then shoveled into the Rayburn as needed. Heat from the Rayburn heats the water in the hot water heater, which is then pumped through the radiators throughout the house. In addition to heating the house, the Rayburn can also be used to cook. It has two hot plates on the top, and oven and another compartment, which is good for warming plates, etc.

The Rayburn is really only used in the winter for heating and sometimes cooking, if it's hot enough. However, in the summer, it's not necessary and creates too much heat in the kitchen for cooking.

In the winter, coal needs to be added periodically throughout the day as needed to keep the coals lit. Coal also needs to be added at night before going to bed, so it doesn't go out during the night and then usually needs more in the morning to keep it going. The heat produced can be controlled with the various vents on the Rayburn. They act like any fireplace ventilation, keeping the air coming through. When the vents are openned wide, more air comes through, heating the fire more and creating more heat. When less heat is needed, the vents only slightly open.

There is a satisfying feeling shoveling coal into the fire. There's something very empowering about using the raw element. Also, the knowledge that you are self sufficient (as long as there is still coal in the shed). In the event of a power outage, we can still heat and cook. At the same time, though, the idea of using a raw resource, like coal, is not so nice. Burning coal obviously releases lots of bad gases, such as carbon monoxide and it makes me wonder about the efficiency of the process and its potential dangers.

Rain

2007-03-04T04:14:00.000-08:00

As much as I hate rain, it's nice to stand before the door and watch the rain slide across the valley covering the hillside in front like a veil.

The crows fly sideways in the wind, but the gulls know how to float.

Neighbors

2007-03-02T17:27:00.000-08:00

You'd think that in such a small village the people would be normal.

Tonight a neighbor came by the house asking for signatures to prevent a large expansion of the horse stables up the road. We invited him in and offered him a beer. We got to talking.

During the chat, he said that a while back, one of the neighbors came to him and said that his horse had died. He offered to help if he could. The owner asked him to help move it. Two men moving a 3/4 ton dead and bloated horse just doesn't sound possible. It wasn't. They tried moving it with a winch but the winch broke. So, the owner came back with a large meat cleaver. The helping neighbor said he couldn't do that. In the end, the owner chopped up the horse and...fed it to his dogs. Hello Hannibal!

Another about one who hit his puppy over the head with a shovel for barking at him. He then buried it in the yard. Pet Sematary!

An older man down the street was apparently imprisoned for 5 years for counterfeiting money. I guess it could be handy when the closest ATM is a few miles away.

He told a few more stories. I'm beginning to wonder about this place. But don't tell the neighbors. I'd hate to find myself face down in the river.

Roundabouts

2007-03-02T04:48:00.000-08:00

I'm having a hard time remembering how to get places. When driving places, I think to myself, "where are we?" And when heading home, I think, "how would I get back there?" There are no directions other than left, left, left. You enter a roundabout turning left and exit turningleft. Sure there’s first, second, third, but I don't think that information really registers for me.

It might be easier if I started driving more (or at all). I might actually be able to remember better than I think. But right now, if you asked me to go somewhere, I don’t think I could get there.

St. David's Day

2007-03-01T17:54:00.000-08:00

My first St. David's Day. I got a nice cupcake with a daffodil on it and a leek pin.

St. David is the patron saint of Wales, by the way. And there's nothing more Welsh than leeks and daffodils.

My new local area

2007-03-01T17:26:00.000-08:00

The "village" from the hill en face.

Tredegar from a far.