Better To Do Nothing - Sunday 12/09/10

The growing pile of stripped logs

The growing pile of bark - where the butchery takes place

 

In the morning we had a sit down chat with our host family. Was good to look forward and back on our time thus far. So good in fact, we have resolved to make it a monthly thing.
From there i took Frances, Davey and Bee to a birthday party in Llanfyrnach. Then wandered up to Pauls to gain some clarity. Amongst the many things we talked about, the bit of advice he gave that has been most useful right now is the saying "It is better to do nothing, than the wrong thing". To me, that says, chill out, hang tight and allow events and opportunities to unfold and present themselves.
In order to digest all that Paul had kindly imparted, I spent the rest of the afternoon stripping more poles under a surprisingly warm sky.
Ended the day around an open fire chatting to a select group who had gathered to honour another volunteers birthday.

M Jones

Yum Yums - Saturday 11/09/10

Yum Yums Sweets, Cardigan

Made another trek to Cardigan, rushed to get there before midday to catch the bank. Still too late as this branch obviously felt Monday-Friday were the only days their customers needed to administer their accounts.
Still, made the most of it by grabbing some sweets and an ice cream as well as some supplies from the supermarket. Had a very chilled out, but short evening as we went to bed at 20:45!

M Jones

Hardly An Ageing Rock Star - Friday 10/09/10

A wet and windy millpond

Wet and windy. Invented a game using my diary to test Emma's memory. She scared the hell out of me! She would zone in on an activity mentioned or memorable detail, refer to another day or date of fair proximity and count. After roughly ten seconds she'd get the day, not long after that she'd generally get the date too, although her counting would sometimes lead her astray. The incredibly embarrassing thing was that when she tested me i was WAYYY out. Not a clue. Even on days I HAD TESTED HER ON JUST TEN MINUTES PRIOR!!!
I'm the first to admit my short term memory leaves alot to be desired but boy did that shock me. And i'm only 25 years old. That's without abusing drugs, sure i enjoy my alcoholic beverages, but i'm hardly an ageing rock star!
Imagine what i'll be like when i'm 80 and senile. Will need more than this diary. Will probably have to draw a map just to know where my arse is! Best do that now before i forget....

M Jones

Options Options Options - Thursday 09/09/10

End of French drain that will hopefully feed a pond

Other end of the drain. Blue sacking to prevent soil slipping due to being a high traffic area.

Where dark and light gravel meet to give Sunrise/Sunset effect.

Building site so far.

Was pleased and eager to be outside today. So much so, i was out past 20:00. Worked until I could barely see and a wood chip jumped up and smacked me square in the eyeball. Called it quits after that.
11 hours take the time spent on the school run and taking the children to the language centre.
Parents are invited to learn Welsh too to aid their child's learning. I completely agree, however couldn't thinking "Yeah, but we won't be here that long..." So either we be here that long and commit to all the various initiatives, or we decide on what the hell we're doing with regards to the next place we're going. If its in England, then perhaps its not productive use of our time. Although I'm all for not only us, but Frances learning Welsh, we have so many options and therein lies the problem.
Here are the options as i see them;


1)Leave in October for a place like Tinkers Bubble, where we can settle, or at least stay for the foreseeable future.

2) Stay at Lammas for as long as we're able, risking outstaying our welcome.

3) Buying land locally with the help of parents and replicating what Lammas have done. Either on our own or preferably with a group of others,

4) Buying land in England most likely a derelict farmstead and blazing a trail, again like Lammas. This would require substantial fund raising, but anything is possible.

5) Go WWOOFING

There are of course other factors to consider. Option 3 would be good if done close to Frans existing school which she very much enjoys.
There are 14 acres for sale for around £65000 with woodland, however thats alot to manage on your own. Plus would only support 2 other families max. A very intimate community... The reality is that it would be further away. Slightly negating that option, but leads to yet another. Am so confused am going to talk to Paul tomorrow in the hope he can impart some wisdom from experience to aid my decision.
I guess this has all come about predominantly through an attack of conscience .
Our daughter has no control and is bound to follow us, her parents. I therefore feel honour and duty bound to ensure we still provide her with the best possible life that agrees with all of us. That will take compromise. But one thing i know for sure, the only definite I have is we will NOT return to 9-5's and 'the system' or the 'Matrix' as one guy called it. Hehe.

M Jones

Tinkers Bubble - Wednesday 08/09/10

Mist hanging in the valley.

Cool date! No work due to weather. Finished reading Earth-Sheltered Houses which i borrowed from Simon D. Interesting, but the author uses far too many modern materials and cop outs for my liking. The techniques are good though as well as the explanations and illustrations.
Ayres went off to collect his mother from Cardiff. Exciting stuff as she's coming from California!
Have been researching our options and looked more at Tinkers Bubble in Somerset. Seems like a definite possibility. Am mindful of the distance and the fact there are so many communities here in Wales that it would be silly to leave and come back. Would be useful to spend a rainy Saturday/Sunday visiting local places.

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

Colin McRae Mode - Monday 06/09/10

Rain. Kind of useful for everyone judging by the busyness of the clamp. There are no days off. Just different jobs that need doing.
Got a call around 13:00 from Ayres to ask for a lift back from Laurence's Garage due to his brake pads wearing out and grinding the discs. Was then time to pick up my truck load of kids, made interesting when Paul drew up exclaiming "Follow me!". Cool. Colin McRae mode, welsh rally stage. Doubt Monsieur McRae ever ran into a Freelander that was incapable of reversing... Was still a cool route which brings the school run into a loop. Have made a mental note to take more photos to liven up the blog. No excuse now digital photos are free. Borrowed 'Earth Sheltered Houses' - Rob Roy,  from Simon D

M Jones

Munchman Flap Jacks - Sunday 05/09/10

Attended what i believe is called a 'Blessing Way'. From what i understand a pagan ceremony where the community comes together to bless the way for a baby to enter this world and come to being. Only caught half of it as the first couple of hours was for the women to get together and do what women do best i imagine. The part us men were invited to involved singing, washing the mother-to-be's feet and offering two beads and a candle. This culminated with a ball of wool being woven around the circle, which was then cut and tied around each individuals wrist. Not to be removed, until mother and baby returned safely back from hospital.
Crap weather forecast, so may continue updating the blog. Have enjoyed reading Katy and Leanders blog. Especially his humorous post about 'Munchman Flap Jacks'.

M Jones

Unsociable Hermit - Saturday 04/09/10

Found myself out working until sundown. Am determined to finish off laying the gravel. Ayres was in Bath attending a funeral so it was just me. Without sounding like a hermit, i do enjoy working alone. Its not that i'm unsociable but with some good music in the headphones and a solid rhythm to your work i find i can really get things done without my mind and endless thoughts getting in my way.

M Jones

The Fantastic Tony Wrench - Friday 03/09/10

10:00 meeting for a day trip! Have been invited to tag along for a visit to Brithdir Mawr for a little talk and demonstration about wood gasification and wood gasifiers. This is a subject i actually know a fair amount about. My ulterior motive was to see the set up and enquire about a few things as it was somewhere we'd considered joining after Lammas. Even more so when we'd heard they were looking for members!
Got to meet the fantastic Mr Tony Wrench. A real character and bloody nice bloke.

If it hadn't been for my thoughts the previous day, I would probably have said we'd be most likely to go there and live, however i'm torn. They all seem fantastic people. I suppose it depends on what my parents say and whether they can help me raise the cash on some land.
M Jones

Going On Instinct - Thursday 02/09/10

Dropped Fran off at her new school for her first day. Am happy and excited for her but hate the commitment to a routine albeit a 9-3. Just brings about memories of all we've left behind. After dropping her off and having had a tour of the school, it has left me questioning our aims and plan.
Its been quite apparent, in fact, from the outset, that these guys at Lammas are conventional folk like most others trying to reclaim the independence and freedom of our ancestors but without the sacred knowledge they held. As a result, they're going on instinct.
Whilst my intention of touring and learning this knowledge, i'm reminded by nearly all the residents here that i have an enviable advantage over them. My youth. But i'm concious this gift is gradually being revoked everyday. So i feel the need to find a way to buy land now and get cracking...

Frans new school. Outside play area complete with Wendy house!

M Jones

Pocket Change - Wednesday 01/09/10

Have exhausted our supply of the black slatey stuff, not too big a deal though, as we're going for a sunrise/sunset theme with the gravel. This means its back to the subsoil pile to sift out more of the light stuff. Along side this, more poles need stripping. Asked Ayres how much this project will cost. Probably a question he doesn't like to ask himself judging by the answer. I agree too. How can you put a price on shelter? What will be a home, albeit short term. What about the price of our labour? For the sake of argument and estimate was put around £2500. My reaction was, wow, that's expensive, but that's coming from someone without any money... If you think of the cost of conventional houses its nothing, Pocket change. You pay that much to solicitors alone. Not to mention tax/stamp duty. Really is food for thought.

M Jones

Gone The Other Way - Tuesday 31/08/10

So far a week of fantastic weather. All good for building. Tinkering with the foundations of the timber post. The aim is to get them level, which will make life easier rather than being a necessity. Andy, another plot holder, has gone the other way and not bothered, electing to cut each timber. Steady progress.

M Jones

Just Need A Few Grand - Monday 30/08/10

Pounding. Shovelling. Sifting. Dumping. This French drain is taking ages. Paul came to see me around 17:00  and we had a lengthy chat about my options with regards to buying land and replicating the Lammas model. All very encouraging, his pledge to support my efforts, most assuring. I just need to secure investment of probably £30k-£60k to get the ball rolling. Alot of money to someone without any! And its that alone that daunts me. All the rest has been done before. I guess so has the financial side...
Now my time or more specifically my thinking time, is consumed with these plans and ideas. Something will formulate but i know that even that will take time.

M Jones

Hold Up The Torch - Sunday 29/08/10

The round up. I got the time slightly wrong so arrived a tad late. The group was arranged in a circle and giving their views on both the relevance and meaning of the weekend to them, and what they intended to do from now.
I was disappointed. By the group itself. As i said in the circle, it was quite apparent that the various circumstances of the individuals, the resources were all there to set up an eco village. Money, land, me the willing to volunteer etc But it was a jumbled jigsaw. A complete jigsaw that needed sorting. And therein lay the problem, each piece was looking to the other expecting someone to pick them up and put them in their place.  This frustrated me no end.
All were unhappy with their current standing, yet none appeared willing to hold up the torch and get creating.
Whilst i don't at this stage see myself as a 'saviour' i for one have a plan that i hope will empower these people to make another eco village.
I loved an exercise Hoppi got us all to do. Everyone formed a circle, stood heel to toe with arms through the arms of the person in front and placed on their waist. We all sat down on the count of three. Each supported the weight of the person in front. Has to be done to be appreciated i think.
Walked up to Simons and discussed my thoughts with Ayres and Simon,
Will talk to Paul tomorrow and hopefully get this dream manifested.

Didi, our host family's cat was most satisfied with our Wood Burner...

Very satisfied indeed

M Jones

Visioning - Saturday 28/08/10

Great to see people meeting, greeting and sharing.

A day of various activities ranging from tours to 'visioning' and guided meditation, to group work and lectures. All about how Lammas has come to fruition and how it can be replicated and reproduced. For me, its been fascinating to see the wide ranging backgrounds these like minded people are coming from. Some wish to retire to an eco community, others have land, others money, some with nothing but a burning and pressing desire to live off the land. Its a jigsaw puzzle that needs jigging so all the pieces fall into place, however, everyone is waiting for the other to take the leap, to create, so they can join.
Some of the most productive time has actually come from around the camp fire in the evening, where people have networked, explained their particular circumstances, and exchanged contact details and resolving to go further. Time will tell and separate the wheat from the chaff.

M Jones

A Dome - Friday 27/08/10

Got a trailer load of logs on the way today. Should see us through until Spring. Not bad for £35! Went to get the cash this morning in order to be back to erect a dome. What type of dome, i wasn't told. All i was asked was to report to a certain field at 11:00 in order to help erect a dome for an hour. Went to the field at 11:00, no one there. No Dome. Hung around until 11:20. Not good as logs coming at 12:30. Eventually Paul came by around 13:00 after the logs had been delivered to ask me to go back as Will and Jam had arrived. Had got the kids building a log wall at the back of a tent I'd put up. Doubt it'll take long before the novelty wears off.

Reported back to the field and worked until 17:45 building a "geo-dome with a Bedouin twist". Basically a dome with marquee canvas thrown over and pegged down. The dome was a '3 frequency' dome with plastic piping melted onto the ends of three different lengths of pole. Short Medium and Long. These were laid out in a specific pattern and then bolted together.
As this was done it pretty much built itself. So impressed am i, i reckon i'll build my own. Far better than a yurt or bender in my opinion.

The finished dome. Four hours after start.

Internal view of the geo dome

Close up of the geo dome joints.

Fran in the geo dome.

Heed the Gods - Thursday 26/08/10

Got the car booked in to get the fuel filter changed. Picked up a new filter on the way to the stove shop yesterday, so just a case of swapping it over. Attempted it myself but broke a neighbours filter strap in two places, so i heeded the gods warning and paid a professional.
The morning was spent against the clock and the weather, but now we have a properly installed and fully functioning wood burner.

Might need to buy a smaller kettle....

This evening was the opposite to last, was absolutely roasting! A fire truly does turn your shelter into a home.

M Jones

Poorer - Wednesday 25/08/10

A trek to the nearest stove shop, a good 20 miles away. Explained the situation and came away £104 poorer. Bought cowling, flashing, a 'storm collar' and a 4" to 5" adapter. Wet and windy today so will wait for a lull before attempting anything. Sods law this evening has been bloody cold.

M Jones

GoThrough The Roof! - Tuesday 24/08/10

Our new 'Wendy' Wood burning stove

Wood burning stove arrived today just as the family we're helping left for the beach with some friends who are visiting.
Without help or instruction I set about ripping out the gas heater and punching a hole through the caravan wall for the flue. This is in spite of advice to go through the roof. The wisdom of this advice became apparent when i lit a small fire and got a thick stream of smoke billowing into my face.
When Ayres returned he was exceedingly concerned with the whole set up which i already knew to be unsatisfactory, but to have a respected friend voice it really left me down about it.
That said, after dropping off Kit and Sara at Clynderwen station and some fish & chips, I've had a rethink.
Patch up the damage and follow everyones advice. Go through the roof!

M Jones