The city all brings it back into the right proportion. I am big and the countryside is small. I am cool and we should all save some water. Birmingham indeed has the best water of the world, it is the only water there is.

Before I go all crazy and say stupid things I would like to say thanks to Welsh Water, Severn Trent Water, Canon Hill Park, Elan Valley Trust…

Going from a silent grey sunday morning in Rhayader into the crazy shopping scene in the center of Birmingham. And I went thru the fog so there was nothing in between. So many people!! And then the day continues with doors and streets and phones and a nice diner with music. Did someone really say that there was nothing to see in Rhayader but just a couple of houses and a B&B? Please, I need another glass of water otherwise I will faint!! (greetings from Katie to Matt and John!)…

Yes, it is true. I am Back Home in Birminham. Preparing for the diner we will have here tonight!!

The final episode of my stay, part 1: preparations and sprouts, the kick of with soup, bread, things to put on, dressings, Rebecca and all the others bringing drinks and food too, TJ doing a couple a good songs, live drawing by David, Shiatsu by Jaqi, focus and stories, I think we had a good time!!! thank u, Rhayader!! And tomorrow I will be in Birmingham having another glass of Welsh water.…

I am thinking of the PeerGrouP doing a project at home in the Netherlands, I go back to a previous At Home adress in Rhayader, finally find the alotments, enjoy the first Xmas preparations, get asked to stay or wonder about what would staying be like, everybody is stepping up to the next fase. Starting to share new info. Information that might have been handy three weeks ago ;-) I'll be back!!…

When thinking of how to finish this stay I think of having a stiff drink, preferbly slogin. But we are not there yet. First I discovered a Inka village in the Elan Valley and when I got on top there where many stones and on one of them was the inscribsion 'girls enter here'. Of course I went in. The guard wasn't paying much attention anyway. And indeed there they were. At Home at my new adress!!…

Get out of bed, run down the stairs, open the door to the kitchen and say hello. The breakfast was really lovely, thank you. Run out and see old men walking around with poppies and medals on their jackets. The men sang and the town followed. After this quit impressive moment I went to the laundrette and was told heart warming stories by this mum and het daughter. Here in Rhayader there is quit a bit of 'stove heat'.…

At the end of a day out and about I ended up in the Lion Royal Hotel where I was invited to help out on a birthday party. I was put up into the haunted room 4, which must be the room just before the rest of the building where no man has been been going to. Mary, the hotel owner and magical boss in many ways, wasnt feeling well at all. But I did because of all the work I could therefore do. Attending bar, showing people into their rooms, etc. And finally asked to move to the less haunted room…

Today is a complex day. I was staying with farmers, went out on their hills, went down again, grabbing the suitcase and moving to the next adress. I went to the charityfair and then into the countryside accidentally becoming a spectator of the Wales Rally. Topping of the day with a drive along the old mountainroad. But this was only the first half of the day.…

At Home: finally it really rained. I mean, it was pouring. Earlier on the day the Wales Rally 2011 were driving straight thru town. We had a lovely meal at my new home in the country. By then it was pouring, roads floaded, wooden ships with identical twins came by asking for two dogs, two sheep and two cows. The rest could have drowned if not Stella safed us. Then we went of to Dolau to see Village Social. …

To start the day one can look out of the window and a street appears. Others might take a shower (and if this is a detailed picture imagine how wonderful your day will start).

Then you fly off into the world to talk to others. Like with Mr. Julian Gibson Watt at his estate in Radnorshire. I am grateful for all the stories people…

After sunday's lunch I could not stop myself of trying to find out where this Degmo farm for the Somali people was Yusuf told me about. Well, just a half hours drive near New Radnor. It was a great visit, very inspiring. Hamish and I will try to see what the future might bring. And to Yusuf: whenever I will have the oppurtunity to visit it together we will go there. And have fun. Make butter and look at the people around us. You will do the poetry I hope!…

If you want to know the state of being of a town or village you have got to visit the local choir. There you can see all the small things needed to enjoy and to communicate. So indeed this choir can use some young blood. I am invited to join. The mrs. is taking care of strict organisation for the concerts to come. Make a small joke about email or female. Cough. Go to the toilet when everyone is singing. They know as we all know that older men got to go when they got to go. The room is bright…

Back Home: the first real morning frost feels good. I stay in and do the office work. In the evening I attend the World Food Cafe of the Transitiontown group. Keyquestion: how can we establish network to increase the availability of locally produced food for the local community. Answer: if you want to change something local you need a whole country to vote. The national rules shut down the local developments. It was a pleasant evening!…

What do I want? I have as many options as pebbles on the beach but when she flies off back home I am just sad. Luckily I ended up in an area of Cardiff with a lot of smiling Somali people who offered me lunch on ead day (the end of the hadj) and topped it of with giving me some Qat. I can go on and on now and I will!! (Special thanks to Abdul and Yusuf the Poet) …

I have returned to the first adress in Rhayader. I have thought about starting the Great Oatmeal Porridge Competition. But it allready exists. 

Dear Rhian and all the others!

How wonderful to be in contact. One never really is shure using a blog. Is anybody reading. Would I read this. It is like be in Rhayader and answering everyday if I already have a good idea what to do here in the future.

I think I am spinning wool in many moods. Spinning information into long threads which will make just one ball of wool. It will contain many things. And I could make a dress out of it or throw it towards the cat. 

But I am…

During research for a new play it is important to see what kind a local knowledgde there is to find and use. What ideas and specialities there are. Because you might use text or images about them. Maybe working with actors but then you have to have a dress designer as well. I think it might be worthwhile to study the material wool. Because this might be something that people in Rhayader can relate to. What do you recon?…

I am 'back' home now. On a new adress in Rhayader. Staying with Liz and James on their farm. We had a good meal and a nice chat. I told them all about my visit to the office of NTW where I shared the applejuice with the crew. Had a mail from my first 'home' in Birmingham that she was going to make applejuice as well. …