Hot. Humid. Hereford.
Hazel arrives and we head West for a week in Pembrokeshire.
Another hot, hot day on Tuesday. PT at the gym (starting block 4) then home for a quick turn around then into Abergavenny for the annual (for me) visit to the dentist. Back home for a late lunch, read in the shade in the hollow, made some sultana scones (plain flour / self raising flour mix up … but they’re edible if a little flat; we’re calling them “Dry Welsh Cakes”) which we ate accompanied by a pot of tea and the Olympics. Flickred photos and finished off weeknotes, waiting for the day to cool down a little.
Breakfast outside on Wednesday, then the gym, then into Hereford. Market day + School holidays = nice and buzzy. Late lunch in the Butter Market, at Thaitastic. VG. We’ll be back. Did the shops, buying and selling, then home via Tescos.
Too hot and humid to do anything outside so I did a bit more on my Nepal trek spreadsheet. Late dinner.
First thing Thursday, while it was still cool, I cut out the ground elder dad had spotted growing up through the hawthorn and holly by the small pond. LBT + PT then home to snip out the bramble runners in the orchard hedge. Lunch down by the small pond, watching the Emperor Dragonfly doing circuits over the pond until a short sharp shower forced us inside. Still humid. Hello August. Spent the afternoon on my Nepal Trek Tracker.
We’ve not seen the bunnies for a week or so…. turns out that’s because they’re early risers and we’re not, usually. But we were both awake at 5.30am on Friday morning so we got up …. and watched the bunnies breakfasting on the lawn and at the far end of the hollow, house martins and swallows feasting on flying things high overhead, and a hot air balloon drifting slowly over from Wales.
R came on Saturday morning to cut the hedges – they’re now looking much better – and he gave us a big bag of runner beans and courgettes too. Gym, then home for a bit before walking to Ewyas Harold for a summertime pub lunch at The Temple Bar Inn. This is the life.
Home for a snooze on the conservatory sofa then did a bit more work on my Nepal Trek Tracker blogpost before a late dinner of tasty cheese from The Mouse Trap and fresh bread by Phil.
Leisurely morning on Saturday. Finished Andrew Miller’s The Slowworm’s Song (recommended) and then finalised and published my Nepal Trek Tracker blogpost. This year’s trek will by my tenth in Nepal.
Packed, weedkillered the drive then drove into Hereford to collect Hazel. Home via Tescos for additional treats and a lovely sunny afternoon sat outside on the patio with a glass of Rose (with ice cubes) and some crisps…. and slowly polished off the bottle before dining al fresco on A Pair of Pizzas by Phil.
Up early on Sunday to get to Llanthony Priory for 9am and led the GVWC Llanthony Loop: 7 walkers, 2 dogs, tea and cake at The Queen’s Head Inn at the end. Much cooler – thankfully.
Distance: 11 1/2 miles
Elevation gain: 2,695 ft
Moving Time: 4 hr 30 mins <— Fast!
Elapsed Time: 5 hr 59 mins
Drove back to 40A to collect Hazel, packed the Panda and drove west, arriving at Steffi’s around 8pm. Delicious dinner then on to the Van for our Ladies Week in Pembs.
Thankfully the original Monday plan – featuring at 7am bus – was adjusted to accommodate the rainy weather and instead featured a leisurely start, chatting, reading, trip planning and I forget what else…..
In the garden, Phil has started the scything.
TV: The Afterparty, Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution.
Podcasts: In Our Time, The Rest is Entertainment, The Today Podcast, Americast, When It Hits the Fan.
Photos: Herefordshire week 240 on Flickr.
Phil: Paused.