Bum Bum Changing - Monday 19/09/11

A morning of blogging, accompanied in the background by Eckhart Tolle, an afternoon carting nutrient rich muck from the border of the woodland. Thankfully, with Kits assistance.

The intention was a barrow each, the practice was not. Kits barrow had a flat tyre, so we relayed the barrow loads. I was exhausted by the time we eventually completed the task.

I did not have a restful night that night either. Woken at 03:00 to help Emma with a 'Bum Bum Change'. (For our baby, not Emma!) I didn't get back to sleep until 06:00. I passed the dark small hours reading in front of the fire. The library van had visited and I borrowed 'A Pheasants Revolt: More tales of the Country' it is so amusing Emma heard my frequent chortles from the next room. (We do live in a caravan).

Emergency Money And a Lifetime Guarantee - Thursday 02/12/10

Have been umming and ahhing about the best thing to do with regards to getting a wood burner in the static.
Our resources are severely limited, so limited we were nearly forced to take out the burner we have in this little caravan. That wouldn't really have worked either however, as its only 2.5kw and would be heating a poorly insulated space.
Finally I was forced to make the call to my folks to beg for emergency bail out money. This is something I honestly loath doing. God bless them, they came through and we have a burner and flue system ordered and hopefully arriving within the next 24 hours.

Ran out of wood last night. Thankfully another load came just in time. The previous lot lasted 3 months in a 2.5kw burner. It's therefore safe to assume this load will only last 1.5 months... Still £35 isn't bad compared to the heating bill of a house.

As a measure of how much wood we're burning and kindling I'm having to cut, my trusty old car boot axe broke :-(
Have kept the head and intend on repairing, however, in the meantime I've bought a Fiskars axe with a lifetime guarantee. That should last!

We've nearly run out of paraffin. So I've switched the battery over to the caravans 12 volt circuit. Am pretty upset I didn't do it sooner really. the lights are brilliant with the juiciest being just 15 watts! The two we use mainly I think are 5 watts each. So 10w/12 volts = 0.8333*amps. Our battery is 110 amp hour so at 80% efficiency 88 amp hours. 88ah/0.8333* = 105.6 hours of light! That has got to be cheaper than paraffin!


M Jones

Changing the Game - Monday 08/11/10

A game changing day. Emma had been feeling 'off' for the past few days. Being past her sell by date and having inclinations towards incubation, we took a trip to Crymych at 09:00 to get a pregnancy test.

The result was "Pregnant 3+"

A flurry of text messaging to random folk and an emergency meeting with Ayres and Marianne. Frances took it upon herself to spill the beans before we had a chance, and subsequently faced Emma's wrath.
A serious talk about the whole thing brought forth many ideas and potential possibilities, the main one being to consult Paul and Hoppi. Paul knows the ins and outs of both the planning and the leasehold agreements. therefore is it even feasible for Lammas to absorb another family? It was only designed and got permission for nine. We are looking for long term stability along the lines of 2-5 years. This being the case, i simply don't feel Lammas is the place. We do have an offer from another plotholder that would grants us that, but to accept this would fly in the face of rules and policies. As always one can manipulate such things but its definitely not a practice i wish to engage in.
Here's the truth. We have no right to be here. To remain beyond Spring would tread on toes and upset people we've come to hold dear, and whose generosity has known no bounds thus far. Once more i am writing lists of options and at this moment in time, here they are;

1) Remain in or near Lammas. kits plot verbally guaranteed for two years. Possibility of more living space in the form of a static caravan. Other options and possibilities could evolve from this, but mindful of aforementioned factors.

2) Tipi Valley. Plenty of experience in residents r.e. Homebirths. Poor access to lower valley - emergencies. Ideally a yurt to live in. Would entail logistics moving our life and home. Would be guaranteed for as many years as we'd require. We have visited and know people there.

3) Join a different community. Tinkers Bubble? Would be an unknown unless we used the time we have to make prior visits.

4) Go back home. Ideally rent/buy/get permission to reside on land in a caravan or yurt. Alot of unknowns.

5) Sell out and return to the system be it in Wales or back in Stroud. For me, the least desirable of all. Benefits could be seen as wide and numerous, but at a vast cost spiritually, morally and financially.

6) Squat on land. Extremely unstable. Many variables and unknowns. One important disadvantage, we'd be on our own...

7) Buy our own land. a big ask financially. would require major help from family. Unlikely in probability and unlikely to be finalised in time frame.

8) Wait and see...

Listing is useful. But inconclusive. Will follow option 8 for now. I feel immense pressure to properly lead this family, and lead it well. Its bewildering and overwhelming now. One realisation is that, at this point, nothing has changed. The considerations, yes. But as those who've read previously will know, the options haven't really changed. I've created a mental pressure that has left my stomach knotted and mind exhausted.
If anything, this news has become a catalyst.
Will have to ransom this grandchild if money is the answer.
Hopefully a good hour of football tonight will help clear this over active brain.


M Jones

Barley shoots growing from a bale weighting our awning down.

Mushrooms... Unmagical ones...

Machine Guns On My Roof - Wednesday 20/10/10

Awake all night pretty much. Enjoyed chatting to Rob, a newcomer who's volunteering with Andy and Jane. We talked until just gone 23:00 sitting inside his rather spacious yurt. Considering it is him on his own in there, it is by comparison to most, positively palatial. Just as i finally clambered over Emma into bed and settled, the heavens machine gunned the roof of our caravan with hailstones. This continued sporadically over the course of the night, the volleys coming in varying degrees of severity.
At 04:00 Fran awoke from a nightmare and complained of cold. With only a handful of kindling to revive the burner, i dressed, and filled a bucket with kindling and logs. This took me a pleasantly meditative half an hour, after which i made us all a hot chocolate.
Another attempt to sleep was sabotaged by my over active and now awake brain and conscience. I was filled with worry and concern for another volunteer, Alexandra. For what must be a month now, she has battled an ongoing saga of trying to get a woodburner in her otherwise heatless caravan. Actually, that isn't entirely accurate. She has a gas heater. That leaks. So i suppose she has the option to fall asleep cosy and warm, never to awake. Anxious to ensure this is resolved ASAP for the sake of her health and general well being. I text volunteer coordinator, Hoppi, my concerns at 05:54. To my amazement, she text back almost immediately! We ended up having a really productive Dawn meeting ensuring agreements are amended to prevent the situation arising in the future, as well as putting a plan in place to sort this situation as quickly as possible.
Breakfast, then que my next walkabout. Checked in with Katy and Leander, very impressed by both their progress and ingenuity. For vents to insert through their stonewalling; plastic tubing and mesh cannibalised from a sieve. For roof drainage; plastic pipe, pond liner, inserted with marker pen tops shoved down to secure the liner in place. Further more, it is visibly apparent that the roof drainage is effective and fit for purpose. Well done Katy for that burst of inspiration!
From Katy and Leanders i meandered upto Kits plot where i was promptly press ganged into sorting a pile of bricks into grades and stacking them onto pallets. That took me upto lunch time.
14:30 reconvened with Hoppi and joined by Andy. Have offered myself and Emma to be named contacts should other long term volunteers need any help and support. This I hope, along with monthly meetings, serve to nip any issues in the bud, before they have a chance to blossom into full blown problems. Spent the rest of this very very cold day on idle setting. Am rather exhausted to say the least.
M Jones

An Alarm Is Inhuman And Unholy -Thursday 07/10/10

Was pre-warned yesterday to set my alarm in order to get up and be ready for work at the ungodly hour of 09:00. This was a shock to the system, as we have gotten used to sleeping our fill each night and rising when we feel we're ready. This is normally around 09:00 and breakfasted by 10:00. Between the numerous and repeated groans and protests from Emma, i joked about how awful a life it would be if you had to do this everyday. The hardship of only being allowed to wake when you feel like it, just two days of the week. Then it hit me. As perverse as it sounds, i believe alot of truth was said in my jests,. No other creature on earth forces itself to wake at a set time each day.
No other animal in nature forces itself to work when ill. In fact, i dare say, there are very few other beings that continually force themselves to engage in an activity they do not want to do 5 out of 7 days a week, then kid themselves they are happy doing it and that's "just life".
Today was about milling timber. Ayres had booked Adrian and his 'Wood-Mizer' and we processed 13 or so logs. What surprised me was how little usable timber is milled from one tree.
Got a good amount of practice reversing with a trailer which is invaluable when you own a caravan.
By 17:30 i was very tired. Slept soundly in the knowledge no alarm waited to disturb my restful slumber.

M Jones

A Handy Bush - Tuesday 07/09/10

It appears that leading a life independent of the marketplace (kind of) and everyday hustle and bustle comes at the cost of being out of sync with the rest of the busy world. Yet again, we took a trip to Cardigan only to find the banks and most of the shops shut. A bit ridiculous as the time hasn't changed. Now learnt the banks shut at 16:30 not 17:30 so i guess we can be forgiven somewhat. Its something more though.
One noticeable change has been when we pass an estate agents window. No longer are we looking for houses, but rather land. Emma says she now catches herself eyeing up other caravans!
I already find the volume of cars both intimidating and bloody annoying. As well as the fact i have to urinate in a designated place, and not behind a handy bush...just a personal grievance.
Am in the pathetic situation where i've been sent some cheques from my parents, but can't pay them in as my bank don't have a branch for miles. So i now have to send them back for my parents to pay in.
Aside from the above, had a chilled out day with the hosts cat on my lap. She just wouldn't move, and because i then couldn't lean forward when eating, she got a nice dusting hehehehehe

She enjoyed licking herself clean though...

M Jones

Fire! - Friday 20/08/10

Drifted back to sleep after an early celestial performance of sheet lightning and far off thunder at 04:30. Was happily eating breakfast when Emma shouted, something about fire in the awning! Nearly broke my leg leaping out of the caravan onto the pallets to find my little 150w car inverter

churning out a cloud of smoke (not wholly unexpected baring in mind its intended use). Took the battery to the barn for some topping up and surfed the net checking out inverters, emails, bank balance, then collected everyone's rubbish and recycling to take to the tip on our way to Llaneli and the nearest Maplin store.
Accidentally took the scenic route and on the return leg noticed the car was losing power in much the same way the Galant did the time we broke down at Lammas. This time however i'm pretty certain its the fuel filter after switching to Bio-Diesel. Ideally it needs a full service, but can't afford it right now...

M Jones

My Big Toe - Sunday 08/08/10

Took the rifle and headed out a beautiful, clear and sunny morning. First off, I came across a small rucksack, upon inspection I found a child's change of clothe, a sleeping bag, and a y shaped stick. I think i know what the owner has in mind....

Next discovery was that of a camouflaged caravan nestled almost impossibly amongst the trees.

Was a useful exploration of the surrounding countryside.

Being a Sunday, the day has been pretty slow paced. I wandered over to the building site to break up some of the larger stones in the foundation footings. Not 5 minutes in, I managed to drop the whole weight of the tree stump I was using on my (formerly) big toe. Still haven't finished 'walking it off'.....
Helped out Kit whose wedding we attended with the clean up of the Marquee from 17:00-19:00, but aside from that chilled out.
A rare luxury was our pork joint for dinner, as meat has slipped down the menu as courgettes have taken over.

M Jones

Mulching - Wednesday 28/07/10

Drove an hour to the nearest Maplin shop to replace the duff controller. Also took the opportunity to do a top up shop at the supermarket. Already pretty settled. Busied myself 'mulching' the willow beds. Basically this involves putting down recycled cardboard to keep the grass down then shovelling cow poo onto it. Good fun, with some music going...
Ayres, the guy we're helping, spent the day creating pathways and building bridges over drainage ditches.
Over the coming days alot of time will be spent preparing the site of the first build ensuring all materials are on hand.
Finally got round to shoring up our caravan door. The wood had come away from the hinge. A couple of nails, hammer, bit of flashing, tin snips and wayhey! Well, for the time being. May very well need to replace a large portion of the door with fresh wood, but time will tell.
Am eager to try out the solar shower, however... no sun... guess a boring old wash will have to do.
Tomorrow I have decided to construct a washing up table out of some pallets, and maybe a bench.
Anything we can do in the awning rather than in the caravan, will help keep people from having to dance around each other.

M Jones

Dirty Stop Out - Monday 26/07/10

Still suffering...At deaths door I think... Still like the hero I am I soldier on. Albeit with a little three hour nap at midday.
Another run to town and a quick trip to our friends to say goodbye. Last night Fran and I stayed up late watching the Simpsons online. Em was out drinking, the dirty stop out. To take the mick, she came home around 10:30pm, drummed me out of Frans bed and then watched me make and assemble ours. (Have to pack away each morning to enable us to have a sit down area.  A big downside to living in a caravan!)

Moving day tomorrow! yey!

M Jones

Discovery - Tuesday 15/06/10

Boy am i pooped! Been a hectic few days. Am doing my best not to let days go past unrecorded but it seems i need to be a bit more disciplined.
Handed my notice in Friday, with no intention of serving the one week required. I did warn the boss i would contract a "mysterious and intense" 4 day long illness that might dent my attendance record. The message obviously wasn't communicated judging by the phone call today from my rather annoyed supervisor. I did consider going in but soon thought better of it when i realised my core motive for doing so would be money, NO. I refuse to sell out to the system.
When I handed my notice in i'd calculated that the days I'd worked plus the holiday accrued was enough to fund my direct debits which i shall soon be cancelling.
To have gone in and suffered because of greed for gold would have been negating the point of this entire exercise.
That said, i am prepared that should the shit hit the fan and the money raised from the sale of our belongings not be, I would work a short period. But that scenario is exceedingly unlikely if we stick to the plan...

Saturday was supposed to be spent preparing for the car boot sale Sunday. Instead we bought a caravan i'd seen with a FOR SALE sign and £200 pegged to a curtain. The owner randomly, and very kindly lowered the price to £150 and we were in for one hell of a bargain!
4 berth, good condition, WITH awning and poles!

Home - For the foreseeable future...

Turns out it was her late fathers, but get this, when i mentioned to her brother i was after a 4x4 he gestured over his shoulder to a rough and ready looking Land Rover Discovery! He initially said he wanted £800/£750 for it but admitted it needed a new water pump. I text later on the Monday and lied i'd only been offered £500 for my car so could he meet me at £600, he agreed!
Got £600 for my Galant on eBay and better still, found a water pump for a Discovery for £15! The gods appear to be on my side (at present)

Now whilst the sale of my car has gone pretty smoothly so far (being paid for and picked up Friday i hope) Emma's car has been a different story... hopefully it'll sell for £250 a snip considering we paid £750 barely a year ago for it!

The car boot sale went okay i suppose. Overslept which didn't help but got rid of perhaps half the stuff we took and made £32 profit, promptly swallowed at the petrol pump along with £19 more of my meaningless currency. Took all the unsold stuff to the charity shop....

Anyhoo. Solar panels arrived today from Maplin god bless em. £199.99 60watts. Just need a proper battery for it Also need to work out how the electrics go together in the caravan. I have a hunch i know where the switch is...

M Jones

Deeper Pockets - Thursday 10/06/10

Went to work. Bloody tough day. Also finding it really hard to keep focussed. I JUST WANT TO QUIT AND GET ON WITH THINGS!!!!!
Spoke to Parents who seem really quite supportive, which i definitely did not expect. They advised us to buy a caravan rather than a camper van. Bid on one on eBay for £200 with awning, trouble is it had a buy it now of £350 which we wanted to do, but now that option has now disappeared, so either we save £150 or we lose it to someone with deeper pockets.
Emma's Mum is now on board and she says her Nan is willing to help financially. Have a fair few concerns. Lots of thoughts flying around right now, doubt i'll sleep well.

NOT looking forward to being pissed about at work tomorrow. Hate my job now. Stops me doing what i need to do to get on with my life.

M Jones

WOW! - Saturday 05/06/10 - Wednesday 09/06/10

WOW!

What an adventure! Went to Lammas as planned, had a great day. Left, car broke down! Retreated to a petrol station we'd passed (car would start, appear to be fine, then die) filled up in case of dodgy fuel, then tried again. Same thing at exactly the same place which happened to be the sign reading "Welcome to Carmarthenshire". Check engine light would flash then engine would lose power and die. Decided to return to Lammas as a point of reference for the RAC, plus we wouldn't be on our own.
Ended up staying with a fantastic family for the best part of three days and have now decided to live there with them!
I cannot describe the feeling we've been left with. A calling. My soul has awakened. My energy is channelled. At Lammas we'll be growing our food and building a house...first steps are to fix car, sell/swap for camper/caravan. Sell our crap. Easy!
Just have to slug out our jobs for another month or two.
Now i have the system by the balls and not the other way around.

M Jones

Paul W running us through his build and explaining the planning battle

The Mill Pond

Simon D playing the air trumpet... only joking.

Nigel and Cassies reciprocal roof.

View across the valley from Simon D's plot

Morning at Lammas, Tir-Y-Gafel

Mill pond in the morning at Lammas, Tir-Y-Gafel

A peek inside Simon D and Jasmin's House

The Slug Refuge...