Deep in the Black Mountains, November slips by in a blaze of burning colour and vibrant hues of glowing reds.
I attended the November the 5th Bonfire Night at the spooky Baskerville Hall near Hay-On-Wye with my daughter and her school friends...they came second in the guy competition. Einstein was his name and he looked suitably distinguished and genius-like! The Mayor of Hay was the judge - surprised she had time to get away, what with all the furore caused by the town imploding against the imminent arrival of the retail development.
The bonfire was lit with a live firework and we were nearly blown up as it exploded almost into the crowd... the girls all thought it funny but I, along with other mothers, went a whiter shade of pale. Apparently, the noise rattled windows three miles away in Hay town centre...I actually thought I was going to die.
Had to go down to the Radnor Arms afterwards for a stiff drink...
We just got a little kitten from the Hay Cats Protection - she is called Lily and is a grey tabby. She was actually found at Baskerville Hall - one of 30 feral cats. She has a very loud scream which pierces right through you, but she is adorable and very feisty.
I had my pony clipped out last week...he has gone from a shaggy hairy mammoth to a sleek moleskin-coloured beauty. I can now gallop flat out all over the Begwyns and he doesn't sweat at all. I jump the gorse bushes - it's exhilarating and gets the adrenalin going...especially if I am on my own with no-one to rescue me if I fall off. The only downside being I now have to get up extra early to muck-out and turn out daily, rain or shine.
Unfortunately I will have to miss my Sunday morning riding girls club this week - we ride for three to four hours every week all over the hills and around the Ffynnon Gynydd Common. I am DJing at the Crunch Festival at the Globe in Hay-On-Wye on Saturday night with my band Client and don't think I will be able to drag myself out of bed at the unearthly hour we start at.
Back to the retail development story before I sign off. The public in Hay have organised a support group on Facebook, Plan B for Hay, and are starting to get the local press engaged.
The people hoping to gain financially are also trying to muster up local support, one going on record to say no big supermarket is coming at all to Hay...it's going to get nasty I think. However, the people of Ledbury have just kicked plans for a new Tesco out after a big fight. The people of Hay are no push-overs and are asking for a public enquiry.....Maybe time to get Westminster involved after all.