Venturing Further Afield.

I've been on a mini adventure today. By nature I'm more of a 'village mouse' preferring to stay near home. Even a 45 minute drive seems like a long way to travel these days.

But today I needed to take my overheating digital piano to a music shop in Newtown, a town 50 miles away. About an hour and half's drive each way.

When I looked at the map I had a choice of two routes. Imagine the shape of a lemon with Borth at one end and Newtown at the other. I chose the southern route as it consisted of just two main roads one of which was part of our route to and from Devon. I may try the other way next time to see what that mountain scenery is like in that direction.

I stopped to take photos (in the rain) one the way home on the first road where I was passed by many trucks carrying logs newly felled from the hillsides.

This mountain road is mostly 50 mph as it winds its way ever upwards. Some of the bends seemed to go round so far it was a wonder that the road didn't end up back where it had started.

With the route being so simple I didn't bother taking the satnav. Instead I had a look at the junctions on Google and wrote down the road numbers just in case. I have to say the road signage in Wales is very good and I would have got to Newtown even if I hadn't checked the route beforehand. Then when you get to the towns the signs also have helpful information like 'town centre'.

I went to the music shop first to leave the piano. Fingers crossed that the chap will be able to fix it.

Then I went back to the centre of town. There was a large empty pay and display car park but I managed to find a free 1 hour space in the main shopping street. I had a wander up and down but only came across one charity shop. (I saw two more as I drove out so I'll check them out next time I'm there.)

The charity shop was where I found these four melamine bowls (£1). I've been looking for two small melamine or even plastic bowls to take with us the next time we go to Crete. The apartment only has large dinner plates and very large pasta bowls but sometimes you only need a small bowl. 

I found the metal plate shelving rack in the 'Waste Not' shop run by a not for profit group. Turned on its side it will be ideal for storing baking trays in the deep drawer below the oven.

In the same place I found a wooden frame just the right size for a charcoal drawing I bought this year. I've been carrying a matching piece of paper around in my purse for quite some time as I looked everywhere for a frame.

I also found a bakery that had a tempting selection of cakes in the window. I chose a brownie (not too good) and a very sticky Chelsea bun to share with Pete which was better.

All that driving was tiring but revived by a mug of tea I did the ironing after which it almost time to get ready for choir. It's been a very wet evening and driving home this evening the visibility was really bad. I pulled over for an ambulance on blue lights and managed to miss the turning for a quiet lane I usually use. Instead I had to drive on an unfamiliar road, hardly able to see and come home the long way.