Exploring northern Wales

Sky and countryside when we first entered Wales

One lane road leading to the bottom of the waterfall and the B&B

In front of the Tan-y-Pistyall B&B Pistyll Rhaeadr.

All the white dots are sheep

One lane road going along the mountain

Another one lane road along the mountain

Bodnant Gardens, The Laburnum Arch.  Only blooms once a year for a couple of weeks.  We happened to be there at the right time.  I met a lady that went last year and just missed, so she had to wait a whole year to see it this year.

Cowyn Castle

Lake Vyrnwy - What a house on the lake!

Pistyll-Rhaeadr

Tan-y-Rhaeadr, B&B at Pistyll Rhaeadr

Church at Welshpool

Wales is such a beautiful country.  Beautiful mountains with sheep and cattle grazing over the VERY green fields!   You will be able to see from the pictures that many of the roads are narrow one lane roads on the side of a mountain!  Me not liking heights was a little scary driving!  The sun peeked out when we were arriving there Friday and maybe a couple of times Saturday, but it was pretty much cool, windy and a light sprinkle the entire time.

We decided that we would go straight to our B&B - Tan-y-Pistyll and check in before we got dinner.  It was down the mountain at the bottom of a four mail one lane road.  Of course, there wasn't anything to eat down there.  So we turned around after we checked in and went back down the road, January from the B&B suggested a pub called the Plough, we arrived there at 9:10 p.m.  They stopped serving at 9:00, so a man I met there had the girl call the other put in the village and they had already stopped serving, so he told us of a cafe that he thought was open.  He was a very nice man, he pointed to where he lives and said if the cafe is close come to my house and we will find something.  The cafe was open, but I swear, they literally microwaved out food.  I Stephen got "homemade lasagna" aka Stouffers frozen.  I had chicken kiev, I swear I have bought the same microwave chicken kiev at Sam's.  I shouldn't complain, it was food and we were hungry!  We told January where we went, she had never been there.  Stephen said how weird is it to only have three restaurants in your village and you haven't been to all of them?

Saturday morning I got up and read my book on the balcony overlooking the waterfall.  It was so beautiful and peaceful.  It would have been nice if it was a little warmer, but it was still beautiful.  After breakfast, we spent the day driving over the mountains to Bodnant Gardens, Cowyn Castle, and Vyrwyn Lake.  Let me tell you also, Wales is not the place that you want to let your gas light come on in the car!  Which mine did.  We looked on the GPS to find a gas station, it directed us to two different gas stations and they were both closed.  Of course it was 7:30 on a Saturday night.  Finally we went to number three on the list and it was open.  I was so relieved.  The gas light was blinking by then!

Sunday morning we got up and had breakfast and walked down to the waterfall.  We didn't climb to the top, with my ankle I didn't want to take any chances.  Stephen climbed part of the way up and took a few pictures.  The rocks were wet and slippery so he didn't go all the way.

My last briefing

Stephen and I had a wonderful weekend in Wales. I will be posting pictures soon!

Today I gave my last VA benefit briefing.  Part of me is glad because that means that it is almost time for me to head back home.  Another part of me is sad because that means that means that it is almost time for me to head home!  I will not be getting to do what I love most about this job, the personal contact with service member and veterans.  I feel so passionate about making sure that they are aware of the benefits that they are entitled for service to our great country!

The briefing today was probably one of my most fun groups!  They had a great questions and comments and were so eager to learn all they could.  I have practically memorized the slide presentation but, I must say that I think I am getting tired because toward the end of my briefing when I was talking about education benefits, what I meant to say is "active duty service members are not entitled" what I actually said was "active duty service members are not intelligent".  Of course as soon as I came out of my mouth I was shocked and totally embarrassed.  Thank God it was a great group because they thought it will hilarious!  I don't have a clue where that came from!

Stephen made it!

I picked Stephen up this morning at the bus station in Mildenhall!  He left home Tuesday morning at 10:30 a.m, and landed at 6:35 a.m. this morning.  He was about 5 or 6 hours late leaving Chicago, then there was a medical emergency so they had to land in Newfoundland.  After they sat on the plane for a couple of hours there, they flew to Boston.  The pilots had been working too many hours to continue to London.  He  hung around the airport in Boston for several hours until he was put 7:05 p.m. when he departed via British Airways. 

Yesterday I didn't even bother to check to make sure that the plane was on time.  I was so anxious to see him I hurried off to the bus station.  When he didn't get off the bus that he was supposed to be on, I almost panicked.  We had not come up with plan B.  I didn't even know if he thought to bring my phone number with him.  I called one of my friends and she got on the internet to check United Airlines, his flight said contact airlines for arrival time.  That scared me too!  My first thing to ask her, was had she heard of any plane crashes!  When I go in touch with the airlines it was 11:00 a.m., they told me the plane was supposed to arrive at 9:30, but it didn't and she didn't know the status of the plane at that time.  I went back to my office and continued to call the airline to try and get information.  About 2:00 p.m. Stephen called me on Skype, I immediately asked where he was and he said Boston!  WHAT???  All I cared about was the fact that he was safe!

Needless to say, when he arrived today he was tired!  He ate lunch and took a nap.  When I got off work, we ordered pizza and stayed in tonight.  It was so nice just to have him here with me!  I made him watch American Idol with me.  He made jokes the entire time - it was great!

We are going tomorrow after work to Pistyll Rhaedar, Wales for the weekend.  You should Google it.  There is a bed and breakfast at the bottom of the waterfall.  It looks wonderful!  I will post pictures next week.

Going away lunch

I had a wonderful farewell luncheon today with my Mildenhall friends.  They presented me with a beautiful picture of Ely Cathedral.  I feel very honored, the Director of the Airman and Family Readiness Center said she has been here almost three years and they have never had a luncheon or given a gift to any VA representative.  They have been a great group to work with, especially Angela, Nelz and Vic.  Thank you all!

Happy Mothers Day!

I hope all of you mothers out there have had a wonderful day!  It is has been a beautiful sunny day here at Lakenheath.  There has been a spring bazaar going on this weekend at Mildenhall, they had some beautiful things and great food.  I bought myself a beautiful pansy service for four tea set, it is beautiful with purple and yellow pansies.  It's is perfect for me kitchen!

Yesterday I went to a going away party for a couple of my co-workers at Mildenhall.  It is hard to believe that I only have two more days at my RAF Mildenhall office.  They are having a going away potluck for me Tuesday.

Stephen arrives on Wednesday, I can't wait!   I will be home 21 days from today!  Look forward to seeing you all then!

It's cold again!

We had a couple of weeks of beautiful spring weather, but it didn't last.  The temperatures have dropped back into the low 50's.  It has been dry and sunny, which is more than I can say for Arkansas.  I have been following all the tornados and flooding, it is terrible.  I'm saying prayers for all of those affected.  Only 27 more British days to go!

York

York Castle

One of the many gates to the city.

Walls around the city.  There is a sidewalk along the top of the wall.

York Minster built in 1100.

Purple guy - I couldn't resist!

York is a really neat city.  They have a wall around the city that you can actually walk on.  York Minster is a really big church.  They have an ordnance that was passed that no building can be taller than the church bell towers.