Wales - South

[ladylottie]

Piles of snow still on the mountains and on my garden here (lottie as well I expect but I haven't been up there for a few days cos of the ice on the hill). Lane from my house down to the road is an ice sheet every morning.

But we've had some lovely bright sunny days.

[poly]

thanks for explaining shirlthegirl43

Yes the sunshine has been lovely. I'm thinking I'm living in one of the few places without snow at the mo, although things can change fast

[mrdinkle]

Derek Brockway was giving us all snow in the next 24 hours or so - brace yourself

I would prefer none more up here for the time being!

[chris]

Yep, still snowy here too.. this morning my car indicated -6, and driving through the lanes by Caerphilly mountain, it apparantly was -8, though I suspect that was probably the air moving over the sensor

Couldn't get out of my drive way the other day... maybe a RWD car wasn't such a good idea (nor, a 2 door when a baby was on the way heheh) Oh well, you live and learn

[chris]

Thinking about it, don't we need a new thread seeing as it's 2010 now?

[poly]

It has been a scrummy sunny day today and felt warm in the sunshine

[wellie]

What a Beautiful Sunny Monday to Walk The Severn Bridge....

Forgive me......... I've always aspired to walk over The Severn Bridge, for no apparent reason, and here I sit, having just done that twice.

Please do feel free to 'skip this bit' of the story if you've got no interest in how or why I walked over The Severn Bridge for the very first time in my life today in the gorgeous sunshine, and I'll try and remember to give you a Weather update for South Wales by the end of my Monday Jackanory, if you're still interested.

And because very few of you are actively taking part in this thread right now, I'm presuming that there's a Golf Tournament on or something?, and therefore, I am just injecting a little light entertainment for you all, in case it rains again tomorrow, and you're in The Nineteenth Hole Bunker with no identifiable way out.

It is only BECAUSE it has been raining non-stop, and I've not effectively been able to get out into the garden to mow the grass, to weed the borders, to shovel manure onto the plot, have I had quality time, between Doctors' Appointments to rectify a dodgy Sacro-Iliac or two, to think about how best to kill one bird with two stones.

The eleven month discomfort (understatement of the year) came to an abrupt end last Friday, with a Lumbar injection into my Ligaments, and my doctor asking me to 'commit' to a terra firma walk of between one and two hours a day.

There's no need to put your hearing aid back in, because you did hear me correctly the first time.

I don't want to bore people on the general Grapevine forum every day, because my observations and witterings are so beautifully Welsh Border, and I'd prefer to share them with you, on our own Terra Firma.

So. I drove along the dangerously fast road from where we live, to the quiet carpark beside where I was to start from, and I properly didn't know how to get to the cycle path that would lead me across the bridge, so I followed the sign that said : Aust Two and a Half Miles via Bridge, and found myself up a track with two blokes and a couple of chainsaws, thankfully, just trimming hedges.

It's always rather amusing talking to someone with ear-defenders on, but we established that he hadn't got a clue how long it would take me to walk across The Bridge, advising me to walk for an hour, turn around, and then walk back.......
I pondered for the next hour whether that was Welsh for Humour, or that he genuinely hadn't got a clue.

Don't get me wrong, the panoramic scenery was brilliant, but I felt the need to get a packet of Walkers Lightly Salted out of my handbag half way across, and having seen such a gorgeous Gary Linny telly advert last night, now had no idea why I could win a tenner for every day that it rained, because my spectacles were on the front passenger seat back in the carpark.

Having been advised by Mr. Chainsaw that 'it's further than you think...', I was seriously missing the 'people contact' now, and so when I did chance upon a couple of guys with paintbrushes an' stuff, I made sure that I told them, in no uncertain terms, that they'd "missed a bit".

Bless them, they gave me the paintbrush!

Another couple of miles onwards (!) I happened upon two more workmen, asking of them, like a small child in the back of the car: "Am I nearly there yet?!"
He asked me at what time I had set out, and that normally it could take 20 minutes, or more if I wasn't quite so quick.
I reliably informed him that I wasn't quite so quick, and actually, for the record, my first very slow but sure amble across The Severn Bridge (on the Aust side) took me a whole 40 minutes.

If you're not busy, I could tell you about the journey home?!

Fortuitously, there's the Avonmouth Services the other side of The Severn Bridge, so once I'd hobbled across the footbridge, I treated myself to a cup of coffee, and a sit down.

The latter proved a bit of a mistake, but once I got moving again a half hour later, I managed the homeward walk in exactly 60 minutes on the other side, (like to have traffic facing me as it approaches), and I had a slightly different view from the bridge on my way back, which was nice....

Hunger pangs grabbed me once again, so I eat an apple, I had an apple core then to get rid of, and with no waste bins provided, I tendered permission of 'one of the lads' to lob it off the bridge into the water, which was duly granted, because we all agreed it was a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

I almost forgot to tell you about the weather, because I was thinking I might take a Banana and a packet of Salt'n'Vinegar tomorrow.
But I can't decide....What do YOU think?



I'm sat here now at the computer, and left wondering whether the bloke with the ear-defenders on the other side of the bridge is still waiting for me to return safely?

Please do bear with me for one minute more....
I can assure you categorically that the weather ON the Severn Bridge was just gorgous today.
Given that I shall be walking across The Severn Bridge 'on my tod' now every day, and back again, whilst I'm having these damned injections for the next few months, if you'd like to know if one of the seagulls is suffering from a bad gust of wind, or if the third nut on the left side of the tollgates needs a lick of paint, do be sure to let me know.

In the meantime, I remain your Non-Ryder Roving Reporter, "Across The Bridge", South Pwllwellie Wales.
And Thank You for listening.
X

[shirlthegirl43]

Well done Wellie! I wonder if Madmax was driving across said bridge whilst you were out for your stroll

I hope the injections help your back - sacroiliac pain is horrid (I have had it mildly off and on since the birth of younger son).

The weather was lovely here yesterday day but turned yuk about 5ish when it started to rain. It is staying dark this morning but I think it is dry at the moment.

[chris]

Yesterday was beautiful, almost like that Autum sun - just not quite autum yet. Can't wait for it though, some amazing photography subjects in the autum light

Bit of a feat that, I didn't know you were even allowed to walk the bridge, well done!

[cardiffsteve]

Well Done

I am impressed. You will give inspiration to others.

Why not take a camera and take some photos then post them on this forum (is that allowed?)

Keep up the walking, good work.

Steve

[cardiffsteve]

PS Did you have to pay £5.50 to get back into Wales??

[Glutton4...]

Welcome to SI Joint-pain Anonymous!

Well done Wellie! Mine's giving me gyp at the moment too, after having to sleep sitting up in Hospital, I now can't lie down without feeling like someone is sticking knives in my lower back. I've been doing some of the milder exercises, which are helping, until I'm fit enough to go back to the Chiro. Meanwhile, about an hour ago, I have just arranged to go for a short walk, later, with my Parents! We, as a family, are currently Dog-free for the first time in my life, and suffering from a lack of walking!

You take your Camera, I'll take mine, and we can swap piccies! I expect your scenery is prettier than mine, but you never know. Keep up the good work!

[chris]

Isn't there a show on the TV soon about essex? I'd not mind having a look at some essex talen...views

[Glutton4...]

Isn't there a show on the TV soon about essex? I'd not mind having a look at some essex talen...views

Stop 'issing about, and go get them Chooks!

[chris]

cluck cluck!