Wales

Rain. Hills. Holloways. Hedgerows.

Acorns. Sheep. Beech Trees. Crows.

Mud. Mares. Mushrooms. More hills.

....

I stayed in a village ( I suppose it's either a large village or small town) in west Wales with my old friend Scott. Lampeter is the name of the town, and I was informed that historically, it was a place where nothing ever happened. Population is about 3,000, including the students who attend its small university, Trinity Saint David. Nestled into the loping green hills of Ceredigion, Lampeter was famous for having a ridiculously large ratio of pubs to people, which has sadly decreased since its heyday a couple hundred years ago.

           My friend's home was a proper 'house of trousers', (aka bachelor pad) of 4 male inhabitants. Music, mild disorder, dishes, cooking, eating, dishes, and a steady flow of entries and exits through the front door at the bottom of the stairs. Most days we sat on the living room floor or on floral couches watching the mutable weather, and noting the going-round of arms on the clock tower. There was always tea, and if not tea, cider. In that lovely way of good roommates and friends, there was always company. Even if people were going about individual pursuits, we had constant communal breaks for conversation, food, Breaking Bad, going to the shop, etc.

          The greatest affliction in this town is a pervasive malaise, locally termed “Lampathy”. One would rise at noon, drink tea, eat toast, then realize it was 2pm and raining, and because it was raining (it rains everyday in Wales) decide to drink more tea. If the rain stopped, one might go for a walk out through cow and sheep pastures and beneath twisted beeches and along roads spattered with acorns. Then one might return, stop by the veg shed for some produce, wander up to the door behind the pub (for my friends lived above a pub), tromp up the stairs, yank off one's boots and jumpers, put on the kettle, and think about making dinner. Clearly, I am joking about the dreadfulness of this lifestyle. I found it quite pleasing.