BXProject

[Philhod]

We must fix a date. Whereabouts do you reside exactly Matt?

Blaenau FFestiniog or something isn't it

Well don't worry, someone's got to live there

[Bx Bandit]

eh! Don't be dissin the Wales boyo!

[Philhod]

You've obviously never been Bandit

It used to be one of the most horrible places on earth when the slate mines were still working.
There was the quarry /mine, then mountains of spoil and even bigger mountains of slates. You felt you were at the bottom of a ravine.
Everywhere was covered in grey dust and when it rained....................................

Hopefully, now all that is gone, it may have improved somewhat

[Bx Bandit]

I think I have been tbh, but it's wales, so it's fucking cool!

[Philhod]

Yer right there Bandit about 12 degrees in mid summer as I recall

[Bx Bandit]

naff off going for dinner, back in a bit!

[Vanny]

i've been down't mine in Blenaeu (tis tourist attraction mind)

[Philhod]

Thank god for that then They must have cleaned it up a bit then Or the HSE would be on them in a flasH!!!

[mat_the_cat]

i've been down't mine in Blenaeu (tis a bit shit and overpriced mind)

Edited for accuracy.

There was the quarry /mine, then mountains of spoil and even bigger mountains of slates. You felt you were at the bottom of a ravine.

Yep. That's Blaenau alight. Fortunately we live a couple of miles outside the town - it's in the middle of some pine woods so we share our access track with the logging lorries. Which is a real pain when they are logging, as they tend to start about 5. No more logging for a few years though.

when it rained

What do you mean "when"? Today is the first day since the end of October when the roads have started to dry out. There's a saying in Blaenau that if the sun comes out the locals throw stones at it.

But joking aside it's a great place, rarely feels crowded and the notorious reputation of everyone being anti English is just a myth now (although the house was torched twice in the 80s). The fact that it's an unpopular place to live meant we could afford a nicer house than we'd have got elsewhere too, that and the fact the postcode the estate agents gave us put the house between a power station and a plastic factory meant there wasn't much other interest to compete against!

About setting a date - how much notice do you need?

[Philhod]

The locals used to have a saying.

When you look over towards Capel Curig and it's clear, it means it's going to rain.
If it's not clear it is raining.

From next Friday I will be in Eastern Sweden. I'll be back in England on the 8th of Jan, so I'll be up for whatever anytime after. I have quite a bit of work appearing, so a couple of weeks notice would do for me.

[jonathan_dyane]

There was the quarry /mine, then mountains of spoil and even bigger mountains of slates. You felt you were at the bottom of a ravine.

Yep. That's Blaenau alight. Fortunately we live a couple of miles outside the town - it's in the middle of some pine woods so we share our access track with the logging lorries. Which is a real pain when they are logging, as they tend to start about 5. No more logging for a few years though.

I ended up in Blaenau about 10 years ago and rather liked it, in a grey sort of way....

[docchevron132]

About setting a date - how much notice do you need?

as much as possible really, I tend to get booked up about three weeks in advance at the mo, which is good and bad in equal measure really..

[Vanny]

If you like grey places, try the Midlands

[Bx Bandit]

/\ OFFS, Mr Grumbleweed strikes again I'm going to call you Eeyore from now on!

Yeah I need a fair bit of notice too really, along the lines of 3-4 weeks ideally.

[Philhod]

I'm going to call you Eeyore from now on!

I know. Anyone would think he'd been SENT to Coventry

[mat_the_cat]

Yeah I need a fair bit of notice too really, along the lines of 3-4 weeks ideally.

Kind of rules out planning it round the weather then...
Question is, if my missus is there, can I rely on you all not mentioning Stratford? What's it worth???

How about April? Should be warm enough to camp, especially with a thick beer jacket. Mind you, the house should be a bit more habitable by then as well (although unlikely to be finished!) Probably the best plan is if Smiffy camps outside and the rest of us sleep inside, might not be able to hear him snoring then.

[Bx Bandit]

I know it makes it less spontaneous, but with kids, trust me, every weekend gets used up before you (i.e. me) have a say in the matter. If you want to pen in April, that's fine with me, but not the weekend near the 20th as it'll be my boys birthday.

[Vanny]

oh dear, never mind

[Philhod]

That used to be the old saying,when someone you didn't like managed to injure themselves at work!

Oh dear, how sad, never mind

[Bx Bandit]

oh dear, never mind

never mind what?