Conquering Cadair

Bob and I are having a long weekend. This morning we got up at my usual time for a week day, (6.10am), threw some stuff together and drove into Wales. The roads were so quiet it was a pleasure just cruising around, we continued west into Snowdonia National park and parked up at the base of Cadair Idris just before 10. As a little tangent and a bit of mythology, Cadair Idris means the chair of Idris. Idris was a giant in Welsh mythology who used apparently used Cadair Idris as a giant armchair, well it must be quite difficult finding furniture if you’re massive so why not use a nice armchair shaped mountain.

The sun was trying to shine so we made sure we packed our sun hats and headed off to conquer. Bob and I had both climbed part of this old hill before on the annual geography field trip in the first year at Worcester uni, (different years you understand). But in both cases we only got as far as the Corrie Lake or to use the welsh word Cwm, (tee hee) which isn’t really trying in the grand scheme of things. We headed up the steep steps and got up to the Corrie lake, (Lyn Cau) quite rapidly admiring the possible Roche Mountainee or is it a Terminal Moraine, (the former in this case)sticking out with its impressing striations, (ok that’s enough of the geography speak I promise).

We headed left and up the side of the Corrie itself, phew it was steep. We scrambled up the last part of the first peak and gazed down at the Corrie lake hundreds of metres below us. The wind was skidding across the surface making big swirling patterns. Onwards we trudged following the peak around the back of the arm chair shaped corrie. It was tougher than we thought and the sky started to look quite ominous. We scrambled up the biggest peak, Penygadair (top of the chair). Suddenly loads of people appeared from nowhere as a load of paths converged at the top the others having come up from Barmouth direction via a different Corrie Lake. The wind whipped around us sending people off balance making our stay at the peak quite brief, 893 metres done! We stumbled down the remaining side of the armchair suddenly on our own again. The wind buffeted us around and it started to rain a bit, we made quite rapid progress to start with across quite a flat plateau. Then the serious stuff started again and we had to try and negotiate a steep slope of loose rocks. It was very slow going especially as by this point we were both suffering from shaky leg syndrome. At last we saw the car park and the ground flattened out.

We congratulated ourselves and decided to head off to Towyn so Bob could relive his childhood. After a hasty snack by the sea front we headed off, (there really aint much to see). We drove up the road to Aberdovey which was much more picturesque but a lot busier. Now the original plan had been to camp the night in North Wales before driving back home on Saturday morning. The weather had closed in and I’m a crap camper so we decided maybe to get a room in a pub instead. This idea soon dissolved as it really was a waste on money so we drove home instead, (via the chippy). I’m absolutely knackered now but in a good way. Lie tomorrow me thinks.

This and that

I’m quite unable to construct an amusing story about goings on recently so I’ll just use a load of twitteresque style titbits. Here is what I have been thinking, you may detect some anger in some parts.

Where’s Bob? He should be home by now.

Fucking rain, why does it always chuck it down when I am on Severn duty?

Keep your fucking running advice to yourself you fat cunt! You are lucky I had just set out on my run as my sense of humour diminishes yet further the longer I have been running. Oh and by the way if I did indeed heed your advice and “get those legs up” I would be wasting precious energy. (I apologise for the use of the C word)

Media = Rubbish

I wonder how Spex and Dev’s walk is going?

OH my god! Have politicians got more annoying or is it just me! Will you just shut up and stop bickering like school children and actually make some decent decisions for once in your lives. What the hell do we pay your wages for, i could run the country better than you!

Oh yeah, I haven’t got a mum anymore, I’d forgot.

Are you pregnant? I think you might be.

Stop looking at me you twat!

I shouldn’t have that next glass of vino but I’m going to anyway.

Oh no! No more David Duchovny on a Thursday night. He got better with age but I sense he has peaked now. I still would though.

So we are meant to believe you Mr Brown when you tell us that there are enough helicopters in Afghanistan and not some chaps that are in the army and have served out there. Sorry but your a lying git who is just desperately trying to save his own skin.

Ooh the sun’s out.

Please stay safe.

The end

I just about feel ok to talk about ’stuff’ now but I’m not sure I want to share it one here. I’m not going into great detail as it is a very personal thing.
My mum died of clots on her lungs caused by her having to stop taking asprin for her heart condition because of her brain tumour. Her death certificate proved what a very poorly lady she was even before the cancer was diagnosed.
Her funeral was last Saturday, my birthday, (i’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, shit happens on my birthday). The church was full and the service was beautiful, thank you Reb Bob. My dad held it together and I was as fearless as I could be. Kev was back from A’stan, originally to visit my mum but it turns out he would be helping carry her into the church. We still went out to a hotel in Crickhowel afterwards and celebrated her life and my birthday, (and Ollies birthday), my dad came too. Originally they weren’t going to come as my mum was not liking long car journeys. After the event I managed to persuade him to come. We all got rather tipsy but it was lovely.

I’m off out to get pissed and talk about death. I apologise in advance to any of my friends who happen to be there. Just humour me.
I won’t be posting anymore about this any time soon. There are a few things I have to deal with and sharing them on here may not be such a good idea as i don’t want people worrying.

Having a rant at the sky

This freaking rain is really starting to fuck me off!!
Why is it always at home time so I can’t go for a run?!!! Doesn’t the weather understand at the moment I need to run more than ever or I really will just fall apart?

And another thing. If Bob and I had a change of heart and had child it would have no grandmothers, how odd is that? Eddie Izzard was wrong, “I am a gran I live forever” it’s just not true.

Looming darkness.

It’s a week since the world got a little darker. I think I might still be in shock. I’m now back in Worcester for a couple of days before the funeral on Saturday, (my birthday!!). After being at home with my dad for the last few days I have had to break the news to various people ringing up and had to comfort them as they cried. Also members of the family and friends have been turning up at the house, hugging me sobbing and wanting to talk about how special my mum was. That’s another thing, i really can’t get used to referring to her in the past tense. It’s been emotional but I think I have dealt with it the same way that she would. Don’t be sad that she has gone be happy that you ever knew her. She touched so many peoples lives, the world has lost a good soul.

Shining light

There is another star in the sky shining tonight, look for it, it’ll be the brightest star you have ever seen. So the matriarch has gone, she went so fast in the end that nobody was with her when it happened. Don’t be sad she wouldn’t have wanted any of that death bed nonsense best just to make her own way with nobody around to fuss or to cry. The nurses said it was like a light going out and what a light. The light in so many peoples lives, especially those that had never had anybody special to look after them.

Bless you Freda, sleep peaceful now give Steve and Roy a hug from me. If I can be half the woman you were then I will very proud.