"Head up Cusop Dingle and look on the western side," I was told. "Take your camera."
So I headed out for a walk yesterday afternoon, not quite sure what I was looking for (though my informant had mentioned the wooden sculptures along the Riverside Path), but pretty sure I'd know when I found it.
It's delightful!
A few months ago, I volunteered for a testing scheme run by the Department for National Statistics - but I never heard anything more from them, and forgot all about it. Until a couple of days ago, when I was phoned up, out of the blue, by a young man who asked if he could call round the next day!
It's a pity the weather was so grim - if he'd come the previous day it would have been very pleasant to stand on the doorstep for half an hour, which is the length of time the visit took. He wasn't allowed to come inside the house, so he handed over the testing packs, explained how they were to be used, and watched me do it.
The first test was the back of the throat and up the nose swab, which is quite awful! Apparently, when you are swabbing round your tonsils you are supposed to gag! It's supposed to be easiest if you look at a mirror, and the poor lad was quite prepared to wait on the doorstep while I disappeared to the bathroom. Fortunately, I have a mirror right beside the door, for the very old-fashioned reason that I like to check my hat is on straight before I go out!
The swab got dropped in a test tube and sealed, and then it was on to the blood test.
In my innocence, I'd imagined a tiny spot of blood coming out of my finger. But, no. The young man produced another test tube, and told me I had to fill it up to the line - about a teaspoon full of blood. The test pack also included a one-use retractable scalpel, which I had to push into the side of my finger - I chose one of my least important fingers on my non-dominant hand. The blood was soon flowing all down my finger and the one next to it, while I scooped up all I could into the test tube, while answering questions on my contacts with other people for the young man. Even so, it took some time to fill the test tube up to the line. Then a plaster was provided to cover the cut, and we were done. I should get results in the next few days.
There will be more weekly visits, for the next month, and after that postal tests until next April.
For my participation in the study, I will be getting gift vouchers that I can use in a variety of shops, which I'm quite looking forward to.
The last Hay Writers' Group competition got forty entries from all over the world.
The winner was Ojo Tiaye from Nigeria; the second prize went to Stewart Roberts from Clyro and the third prize went to Anje Grunsell from Clifford.
The next competition is the Richard Booth Non-Fiction Prize, and the closing date is 29th June - details to be posted on the Hay Writers' website soon.
There's a story in the Hereford Times about the closure of Hay Post Office.
They say that the Post Office has issued a statement saying that they are committed to keeping a Post Office in Hay, but that it will be in new premises. While they are finding those new premises, and someone to run them, the Post Office says that they will ensure that there is a continuity of post office service.
The Post Office are liasing with Hay Town Council, the Chamber of Commerce, MP Fay Jones, Councillor Gareth Ratcliffe and the Access to Cash scheme.
As a (semi-retired?) historical re-enactor, I was delighted to see an article in this week's Hereford Times about a duel between a Viking and a Medieval knight.
Ben Quick, "The Anvil", from Hereford and Goatworn Armband from Devon held a duel somewhere in a field in Hereford to raise money for charities for the homeless. They chose St. George's Crypt in Leeds and Path Devon.
The duel was fought on 10th April in authentic armour, with blunted steel weapons, with a referee, and the fight was filmed. The video is available to view online on a pay-per-view basis, to raise more money for the charities.
They have a Facebook page called Anvil vs Goatworn: Fight for the Homeless and there are also details of the fight at the St. George's Crypt website www.stgeorgescrypt.org.uk
They also have a website at www.fightforthehomeless.co.uk
When I went up to Bronllys Hospital to have my Covid jab, I didn't really feel I could wander round the grounds, though I know that the Community Land Trust has been doing a lot of work on the site, and has ambitious plans for the future.
On 27th April, they are holding a virtual event to launch their "Next Ten Years" document. The keynote speaker for the event will be Sophie Howe, the Future Generations Commissioner, and one of the Top 100 Business Women in Wales. She will be joined by Kirsty Williams, AM, and Helen Howson, the CEO of the Bevan Commission, the leading think tank for health and care in Wales, which is hosted by Swansea University. Other speakers are Tom Chance, the Chief Executive of the Community Land Trust Network; David Palmer, the project manager of the Co-operative Housing Project and architect Max Comfort.
Both Owen Shears, the local novelist, and the Archbishop of Wales, will be making contributions to the event - and possibly the actor Michael Sheen!
The free event is being organised by eventbrite, and the link is below:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bronllys-wellbeing-park-clt-the-next-ten-years-tickets-148881952929
When I was sitting on the bus to Hereford, it occurred to me that I have just passed a Significant Birthday, so I am eligible for a bus pass!
I looked it up online when I got home. Transport for Wales issues the bus passes, and there is a simple form to fill in. You need your NI number - and a digital passport style photo.
That was the fun bit. I already had a head and shoulders shot, but I was smiling, so that wouldn't do.
I transformed my bedroom into a photographic studio! I had a blank wall behind me, and set up a big mirror to sit in front of. I've taken photos of myself in various costumes before, and the first three or four are always rubbish, so I was expecting to do a bit of experimentation. Eventually, I had the curtains closed, the main light on, and a lamp at each side to prevent shadowing. I was also trying to take the photos without wearing my glasses. I don't have terribly bad eyesight, but bad enough that details can be hard to make out.
However, I got what I considered to be a reasonable photo, and it was accepted when I submitted it on the form! Now it should take 10 working days for the card to reach me.
Something else happened when I passed my Significant Birthday - I got a test kit from the NHS, to take a sample of my poo to see if I have bowel cancer. I was quite impressed with the efficiency of it all - I sent off my little sample to a lab in Wales, and I've already had the letter back to say that I'm healthy.
Over lockdown I'd made a long list of things that I needed to buy in Hereford, when the shops were open again, and yesterday was the first chance I had to get there.
I'm not naturally a morning person, but I decided to take the early bus in (6.59am), which got me to the railway station at just after 8am. I bought tickets for my upcoming holiday, and then headed into the town centre to see if any shops were open so early.
The newsagents was, and when the lad behind the counter saw the archaeology magazine I was buying, he took the opportunity to tell me all about the History Channel programme he'd seen about Ancient Aliens building the pyramids, and how he was convinced that Atlantis was actually somewhere under the Black Sea.*
I had gift vouchers for Marks & Spencers, which opens promptly at 8am, and I pretty much had the place to myself for browsing. I also managed to get into Primark for cheap leggings and long-sleeved tshirts before a queue built up outside, so it was well worth getting up early.
I noticed a lot of empty shops, including famous names like Laura Ashley, Monsoon and Hotters shoes, and I was disappointed to find the shutters down on Cult Vintage - I was hoping to get some more vintage silk blouses. However, they are not closed for good - just re-locating across the way to another empty shop, so I'm looking forward to them re-opening. I did manage to get into Debenhams before they close down for good.
Another thing I really needed was a new alarm clock - after my old one broke I started using my travel alarm clock, but it has a very annoying tick. Fortunately Hinds the jewellers had a perfect replacement, with a button on top to light up the clock face when you want to see the time in the middle of the night. The girl who served me was looking forward to her first ComicCon - she had planned to go last year, but of course everything was cancelled.
There were a few stalls in the square, including Monkhide Wine. I treated myself to a bottle of mead. They also had Elderflower wine and fruit liqueurs. The mead is delicious, and they have a website at www.monkhide.com
I came home laden with new clothes and most of the essential items on my list. I also couldn't resist popping into Waterstones, where I found the latest Becky Chambers book 'the galaxy, and the ground within', and the latest Rivers of London book What Abigail Did Last Summer by Ben Aaronovitch, so it was a pretty successful trip.
*Note: Ancient Aliens did not build the pyramids, and Atlantis is almost certainly not somewhere under the Black Sea.
On Castle Street a new gallery has opened. As I passed I heard a family admiring a life-sized statue of a barn owl inside, and I was very taken by the glass dragons in the window:
It's a lovely sunny day, and the Thursday market has all the non-food stalls back - leather, vintage clothes, plants, socks, old tools and knick-knacks.
The little shop by the Clock Tower has opened too, and they have a table outside today showing off their wares. They are Welsh Farmers' Lavender, and they sell creams and balms made with lavender. The farm is somewhere near Builth Wells, and they have a website at welshlavender.com
On the Hay Community Facebook page, Steve Like has made the announcement that he is tendering his resignation to the Post Office, and that therefore the Post Office will be closing, probably by mid-June.
He's been trying to retire for several years. The Post Office has been on the market, but no-one has come forward to buy it, and he was also exploring the possibility of leasing the business - that seems to have fallen through at the last minute.
The ATM at the Post Office will continue to be refilled for now, but will also have to go eventually.
(There is a cash machine at the back of the Co-op).
It's very sad that there seems to be no way of keeping the Post Office open. The loss of the Post Office will have an impact on all the local businesses that send parcels (not just bookshops), as well as all the people who pay bills at the Post Office counter. And, of course, all the staff will lose their jobs. Post coming into Hay will have to be sorted elsewhere, too, which will have an impact on our local postmen and women.
I wish Steve Like a long and happy retirement. I'm sure this was a difficult decision for him to make.
I had no idea there was a gin distillery in Hay until I got the Brecon & Radnor Express this week.
Under the Public Notices column is an application from Little Knapp Distillery of Lion Street for a premises license to sell alcohol, with extended hours over the period of Hay Festival.
They have a website at www.littleknappdistillery.com
They are very much a craft distillery - they make London Dry Gin in batches of up to only 25 bottles. Their brands are Wild Knapp Gin and Doctor Beaky, and they flavour the gin with fruit, herbs and flowers from the land around the distillery (which is in a shed in their back garden).
As Hay gets ready to open up to visitors again on 12th April, there's been some local concern about the traffic restrictions that will be put in place in the centre of town.
Traffic restrictions, to aid social distancing, were put in place last year during the easing of the lockdown - that's when the flower boxes started appearing round town as well.
Once again, there will be pedestrianised areas and pick up points for collecting goods from local businesses at the edges of the restricted area.
Yesterday I saw Trudy, the Mayor, standing in the street outside Londis with a couple of local business owners, discussing the changes and why the council has had to bring them in, and she's also had a letter published in the Brecon and Radnor explaining what they are doing and why they are doing it.
There will be, for example, ten parking spaces in the main car park which will be free for people who stay for an hour or less, so they can just pop to the shops quickly. They are also only closing the roads from noon onwards, so anyone who needs access to the centre of town can use their car in the mornings.
The Council is not trying to kill local businesses, as some opponents of the scheme have claimed.
When the last bank in Hay closed, several people made the suggestion that the banks should get together and share a premises so that the people of Hay would still be able to do the banking that they need to do.
Well, they're not exactly sharing, but they are taking it in turns.
From Thursday 15th April, between 10am and 3pm, a community banking expert will be at the Parish Hall as part of the Access to Cash scheme.
On 15th April, it's Barclays.
On 22nd April, HSBC will be there.
On 29th April, NatWest will be there.
I follow a lot of Good Omens fans on Twitter, which means I get to see a lot of photos of Michael Sheen and David Tennant in my time line - (I know, what a hardship!). Here's one that caught my eye - Michael Sheen is carrying two cones of Shepherd's ice cream!
I think he's at some sort of charity football event.
