Its cold and wet…so toga up and join in the Mountain Bike Chariot Racing….

 

After all the excitement of Christmas and New Year, January can feel a bit dull and sluggish.  The weather doesn’t help.  But here in Llanwrtyd Wells we have the cure.  This weekend (the second one in January) every year we hold the World Mountain Bike Chariot Racing and the Roman Saturnalia Feast and Party

There’s nothing quite like dressing in a skirt when the temperatures dip below freezing!

The premise is 2 mountain bikes, joined by  fixed t-bar with an oil drum chariot at the back; teams of 3 race round the circuit in heats of 4 chariots a time.  Each heat winner moves to the next round until we have our finalists.  The final, as if the racers are not wet and muddy enough, comprises two laps.

 

In the evening at Green Events H/Q, also head office of the Brecknockshire Branch of the Monster Raving Loony Party, there is a toga party complete with Roman Feast.

 

Sadly you’ve missed your chance this year but there’s always 2019… enough time to get fitted for your Centurion outfit and find yourself a team.  Join us and wash away the winter blues with a fun packed weekend of crazy in the UK’s smallest town.

The World Mountain Bike Chariot Racing is the first event of the year run by Green Events Ltd, throughout the year they run a calendar of events, both quirky and mainstream, including World Bog Snorkelling, Real Ale Wobble, Man v Horse Marathon and Real Ale Ramble.  Bi-annually in the same small town of Llanwryd Wells, Powys you can find the 2 week festival of the World Alternative Games

Life: Mine: It’s full: Very full

I’m a woman.  I’m self-employed.  I’m fairly ‘alternative’ and, am told, slightly ‘eccentric’.  I wear many hats.  Not all suit me…

Life gets confusing and chaotic……

Here’s perhaps why….

I’m an artist, I occasionally do pet portraits, I often do stained glass commissions. I do have an Etsy shop, which I manage in a very ad hoc way.  I promise to keep a stock of my designs but the artistic bit of me is really only interested in the bespoke commissions and one-off designs , so I struggle to find time to hold stock.  So I make my designs to order.

I teach stained glass.  It’s a new string to my bow.  I love it.  I find it immensely satisfying and it brings me huge amount of joy.

I run a B&B.  This involves being really nice to (mostly) lovely people, talking (a lot), keeping the place clean, ironing sheets (even though I’d never iron my own) and cooking really gorgeous breakfasts.  I do this with my hubby.  We love working together.  It works.  Coming to stay at Cerdyn Villa is like staying with friends (so we’re told) and that, my lovelies was the plan so things her are going well

I manage our business website and various tourism pages on social media.  Some of these pages… “www.cerdynvilla.wales” is our lifestyle hub (ooo fancy!), it leads you off to “Pink Butterfly Art and Glass” – my Etsy shop; “Pink Butterfly at Cerdyn Villa” -our FB page combining our B&B and my art; http://www.cerdynvilla.co.uk – our B&B website; “rose-tinted Ramblings” – my blog; “Home of Bog Snorkelling” – the tourism FB page for our town; “@Berni_Benton” – my twitter account

I’m a gardener – I look after six people’s gardens.  Mostly elderly ladies, some of whom like to garden with me and its as much about the company as the weeding and pruning.  I LOVE weeding (does that make me odd?  I don’t care, I LOVE IT!)

I work shifts in the local cafe and cover for the owners if they go away.  Sometimes I even bake some cakes!

I blog.  For fun, but mainly to keep me sane and promote my work(s) (not necessarily at the same time). Its called Rose Tinted Rambling, but you know that because you are here now.  It’s mainly a brain dumping ground.  Most thoughts evolve whilst I’m either ironing or weeding and I can’t rest until they’re typed.  So there! I try to categorise to avoid you haven’t to read the ‘boring shit’  but I’d say there’s pretty much something for everyone here.

I  advocate for a local elderly lady and manage her finances. It’s my ‘pay-it-forward” – we should all have one.  It’s great to give back.

I volunteer, Working to help run the weird and wacky events in Llanwrtyd – I am the commentator at the World Bog Snorkelling and Man v Horse.  They gave me the job because, and I quote “if the PA system breaks I’d still be loud enough for everyone to hear”.  Hubby said he could hear me from the house last year and I was three-quarters  of a mile away….

… I hasten to add the mic was working that day.

I am responsible for keeping our household accounts.  Although hubby takes my figures and does the scary bit of filling in the returns and sending them off

I do all the food shopping, planning and feeding. Sometimes I do this well.  Other times we eat out!

I ‘manage’ a tenanted house with 5 flats.  Not for fun, at all, but because the landlords were neighbours but now live in Spain.

We keep hens, that means they have a house that needs cleaning

I’m a mum………

………………………………………….

……..in my spare time (!!)

I do a bit of yoga and belly dancing

I look after my own garden (sometimes I get dressed before I start)

I’m a member of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party (say hello to Lady Lily the Pink).  I even stood for the Welsh Assembly

I soak in a bubble bath

I enjoy a good live band

I read the occasional book.  mostly I read blogs  and watch TED talks

I snuggle on the sofa with my Hubby and watch Netflix

I play board games with my boy(s) – son and hubby

I eat out with friends

I eat in with friends

I drink out with friends

I drink in with friends

Sometimes I just drink…….

I love my life, but planning is difficult.  Impossible actually.  So it appears chaotic.  and sometimes it really is.  It also appears disorganised.  But actually it rarely is.  ….

….it just feels it

Logistically its a massive challenge.  It’s so far removed from the 9-5 life I used to lead.  I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Steam punk – homemade hat from corrugated card and some odds and sods

Happy Residents of the Neuadd OAP Home

Dancing on the table (again) in The Neuadd Arms – think it was by request on this occasion!

See I’ve definitely shrunk!!

Really really red

Theres nothing more beautiful than being free and sharing time amongst good friends (Midsummer Nights Dream Party – I had been really ill with anxiety and panic attacks – my friends saved me)

quick quick

my son – see main text for all the reasons he makes me feel great

 

Reflections from Me

Even the Red Bull crowd think we’re crazy! ….

We are lucky enough to be eccentrics in the eccentric capital of Wales , running our B&B ( Cerdyn Villa) from the teeny-weeny town (smallest in the UK) of Llanwrtyd Wells and enjoy being actively involved in the weird and wacky events we run.
Last year we had a visitor to the World Alternative Games from RedBull TV, Here’s what they tried….
come along and see for yourselves….

Red Bull TV at the Bogs