At the moment I have in my possession keys to 4 different houses that I have lived in in the last two years. By the end of the week I will have one less..

I knew it had to come some time (time moves on and all that) but back in October the next 9 months seemed never-ending. Finally, I have (almost) moved out of my flat, with all but my computer, tv and a bookcase left. Although I moaned about it lots, this place has also been my home, such as it is, for these last few months. And though I’m not sad to be leaving it, it does look awfully empty now, and a bit lost. I suppose you get used to how a place looks with your things in it, your pictures on the walls, and without them it seems so different. Anyway, on to pastures knew, and the next exciting chapter in the life of this folkie begins.

Since it’s now the end of term (for most student types), people are gradually leaving (for the summer, or for good in some cases- sob!) and those of us left are shifting between houses (and within them!), so that right now you never quite know where some people are living, and there are some houses with more people than rooms since some have moved in before others have left!!! One day I will stop moving each year, and stay put, but for the next month or two I shall be living out of suitcases and boxes, and learning to deal with that too!

But, even when you don’t have summer holidays as such, in university circles there’s always the ‘what are you doing in the summer’ question, and my mind still works in academic rather than calendar years! So, aside from playing musical houses, I’m looking forward to this years Cropredy (amazing line up this year, and a few friends who’ll be there too! Anyone else out there?) and Greenbelt in August, with maybe a visit to the Pontardawe festival also, because two festivals isn’t nearly enough!!! I’d love to make it to Cambridge and/or Sidmouth too, but travelling costs and limited time available mean I have to draw the line somewhere…

Oh, and I’m finally biting the bullet and arranging some driving lessons. Haven’t actually spoken to anyone yet, but I’ve made phone calls, and left messages I promise! If I’ve said it here, maybe it will hold me to it!!! This is something I’ve been meaning to do for so long, but have always been lacking a sufficient amount of motivation! Well, if I’m going to get the sort of job I want, I’m going to have to do it. I always said back when I was 17 that when I had to do it, I would. Hmm. Still not tempting. I have a feeling this blog may begin to echo Yay’s of recent months with driving updates!!

Well, I thought I didn’t have much to post, but I think I managed a fair amount of rambling there..

I heard this at the folk festival and its been going round in my head recently, possibly triggered by the experiences of friends (and maybe myself, but I’m not telling), in a figurative rather than literal sense. And it just reminded me and Strawberry of part of last year Although I’m not entirely certain there can be a wrong man when there isn’t a right one. Or that its partiularly relevant when one doesn’t receieve roses from either. Not a complaint, merely an observation. Some lyrics just strike a chord (sorry!) sometimes, that’s all.

Roses from the wrong man
Poetry written in the wrong hand
She waits for one
She hears from another who
Tells her how much he loves her with
Roses from the wrong man

Words and music by Christine Lavin

Ok, so it’s now been another week since I said I’d post, but hey, better late than never I suppose!

Um, yes, the Gower Folk Festival last weekend was just fantastic. A whole two days of fabulous music at the Gower Heritage Centre in Parkmill- a perfect venue with a covered courtyard for the music and space for the bar nearby (with some vg real ales!). An amazing variety of acts from well-established folkies like Steve Tilston and Spiers and Boden, to recent folk music graduates Crosscurrent and some Swedish folk thrown in for good measure. Its always a little scary (but exciting too!) how many really talented people there are in a small area like Swansea and Gower. The second day started with a general sing around, where members of the Halfpenny Folk Club (the festival organisers) and other local musicians shared songs/tunes etc. These were not high-profile professionals, but ordinary people with a love of folk music. While this in itself was a little scary, given how good some of these people were, it was also inspiring to a folkie with a dream of being able to do that too one day I’m not convinced I’d ever have the confidence to get up and sing, let alone play (since my attempts to produce anything other than scratchiness from the fiddle frequently fail!), but it’s a nice thought. To one day be able to get up and sing and/or play the music that I love so much, with people who love it too. Now, there’s an ambition, and, I suppose, not a wholly unrealistic one.

In slightly more mundane news, I’ve spent much of the last week packing (and will continue to do so for a few days yet) since my contract ends at the end of the month, and then I have to move out! Yay! Usually this is not a good thing- packing everything away and leaving the place that’s been home for the last 9 months. But this year I’m happy to leave! I never thought, back in October, when the bed was lumpy, the neigbours noisy and the shower was, well, not great (lost for words without swearing too much!), that I would get through the full 9 months, and this week at the end of June seemed an awfully long way away! But, like so many other things, I made it through and lived to tell the tale So, at the end of the week I’ll be off to stay with Richard for a month or so, until the room I’ve been promised in Wood’s house becomes free! I’m not someone who deals well with upheaval and being unsettled, just looking at my room with its piles of folders and stacked boxes makes me feel a bit lost (that stage where you’re not really sure where anything is, just that its in a box somewhere), but for this short time, I will manage. And look forward to being able to unpack my things and leave them where they are! Thanks to all who’ve helped (or offered to help) with the housing situation. I don’t know what I’d have done otherwise!

Phew! What a week! I didn’t find time last weekend to mention that I was heading off to Snowdonia for a few days with the hiking club, and since I got back on Thursday its just been non-stop!

So, on Monday 15 enthusiatic students headed up to Snowdonia National Park in north wales, home of Wales’ tallest mountain (also higher than any mountain in England, as postcards reminded us!!!), which is traditionally the object of the first days walk. However, having climbed this before, me and a friend decided on an alternative, taking in some of the mountains on the opposite side of the valley, most notably Tryfan and Glyder Fawr. Some amazing scrambling and good views most of the way! The following day, not to be outdone, while the main group climbed Tryfan, we were joined by another two and decided to take on the Snowdon horseshoe- where the summit is reached by traversing Crib Goch- a knife-edge ridge with a sheer drop either side and decending via Lliwedd. I’m not sure fun is the best word for this, but it was! A fantastic day, which makes you realise just what it is about these mountains that you love, and why, even after tiring yourself out climbing them, you still enjoy it, and come back for more!!! Now, that was about my limit, and, since we were leaving the next day, I was almost going to have a restful morning, but people had other ideas. Since our friends who’d joined us for Snowdon had missed out on Tryfan, they decided they were going to just ‘nip up’ it in the morning, to be back down for lunch time. Hmm. I was feeling tired, but couldn’t miss out on another walk, and so I gave in, and we set off early, going up by a different route this time, and making it up and down in 3 hours, just in time to head to Pete’s Eats in Llanberis for lunch! After keeping up with 3 rather speedy men for two days of strenuous ridge walking and scrambling, I was quite pleased with myself, and almost not annoyed by the jokes about my apparent lack of femininity Hmm. So it was a tired but very contented folkie that arrived home on Thursday

Since then I’ve been indulging the folkie part of me at the Gower Folk Festival, but that will have to wait till the next post, since I’ve been here too long already, and work calls!

Thankfully this involved music bought and listened to recently, rather than choosing favourite/most meaningful songs, so was easier than predicted

Total Volume of music on your computer:
Um, a couple of albums I copied off a friend last year, can’t remember what. Am I really old fashioned in having my music as tapes and cd’s?? Good job really, cos if the question was how many cd’s, I’d be here forever..

The last album you purchased was:
Show of Hands: Cold Cuts- vg as usual for SoH!

Song Playing right now:
Kate Rusby- The fairest of all yarrow. Quite possibly one of the best folk songs ever, imho. Not sure why, but the guitar bit at the beginning never fails to send a tingle down my spine.

Seven songs you've been listening to a lot recently, from several genres: (hmm, so tempted to change this one, seven songs that mean a lot to me. Might well do that at some point anyway).

Kirsty Macoll: There’s a guy works down the chip shop swears he’s elvis- great fun, and sometimes rings true a little too!
Badly Drawn Boy: Silent sigh (from the About a Boy soundtrack). Amazing lyrics.
“There’s nothing you could never do, to ever let me down. So remember that I’ll always love you.”
E2K: Itue, Stitue, Statue. Again, the lyrics do it for me on this one. “In the space between the seconds, the hours slide away.”
Kate Rusby: The Daughter of Megan. Always listening to this one, just is one of the most touching and honest love songs, without being soppy or cheesy. Very high on my list of favourites.
Van Morrison: Be Thou My Vision. He has such a great voice, and it’s one I’ve known since I was ickle, and this is just one of the best hymns I know. Which reminds me, I must give that cd back at some point
Fleetwood Mac: Everywhere- I’ve no idea why, I just felt the need for a bit of upbeat catchyness recently.
Barenaked Ladies: One Week- fabulous, great music to walk to!

Tag Three more:
Jack, Dee and Shifty Gnome. Hopefully they will read this, if not, poke them and send them in this direction?

Yes, its been a while since I posted properly, and I am aware I’ve been tagged again. I will get to it, but as Jen predicted, it will take me a while to formulate that one.

Today I met up with a friend who I lived with in my first year at Swansea, and who’s recently got engaged. That’s two of my old flatmates getting married soonish. Eek. The number of people I know at the moment who are younger than me can tend to make me feel old (relatively speaking), but this is friends my age making me feel awfully young. I’m still working on just being me, with no idea about anything that permanent, and they’re planning weddings and know who they’re gonna spend the rest of their lives with. Not scary so much as just wierd.

Anyway, I’ve also been helping some friends with decorating their hallway today (so much quicker and more fun when there’s a group of you!). I’ve always enjoyed decorating and bits of DIY (ever since my dad let me paint a bit of wall behind the fridge- where it wouldn’t show- when I was younger!) and I think I knew about how to apply different types of paint long before I had a clue about make up, and I’m probably still better at the first. Today made me realise how much I want to have my own place someday. To be able to choose what colour to paint my bedroom, rather than how best to cover up the lovely ’student-house magnolia’, and decide what furniture I want, instead of covering everything with throws and rugs. And to have a bathroom that I can actually enjoy having a bath in. But also to settle, to be somewhere until I want to leave, not till the contract ends. To know that whenever I come home I won’t have to worry about whether my flatmate will have taken over the living room with her boyfriend, or have left the kitchen in such a state that I can’t cook dinner. Somewhere that feels like home, not just a place that I live. Someday, I will, someday

And I’m not going to comment on the similar thoughts that friends getting engaged could induce. No point in having too many unrealistic aims