Post comment Love - 21st-24th November 2025

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

We'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter, tag us and we'll RT. You can find us on twitter here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby 

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

I was sad to see the pictures of Monmouth this week after the flash flooding when the River Monnow breached suddenly on Monday night. It's where I did my first parkrun the other week, where my family lived for nearly 20 years, where we had our flat when we lived abroad and where I visit regularly to see close friends of which one had a rental property that has been flooded. The town has suffered badly.

Tuesday morning the Severn had flooded local roads and on Wednesday morning I drove to work in the snow which cleared up quickly. There is a lot more flooding to come. It's really cold at the moment with bitter winds.

I'm off to the football tomorrow, I'll be travelling to Birmingham on the train and wrapping up warm. On Sunday I'm out for breakfast at a local garden centre with a friend and spending the rest of the day cleaning the house.

My last week to get the house sorted before Peter comes home from his holiday in Turkey. Just a few things to drop off with various people, but I think I'm all done now apart from putting the Christmas decorations up which may or may not be done on Monday night. They're behind the sofa so not in the way.

I've written most of the Christmas cards, not many to post this year. I've sent all the cards and gifts that go abroad and we've got child 4 and his family visiting mid December, although we took all their gifts over to them in October and child 2 and his family are coming Christmas Eve till Boxing Day, so I've plenty of time to finish buying their gifts and get them wrapped and under the tree.

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One Daily Positive - Week 37 Dubai to Wales

Struggling with the 3 hour time difference and waking up at 4am, there's no wifi in the flat and the coffee shop doesn't open till 8am. I've spent the time writing #postcardsofkindness, parceling up nearly 1000 postcards to send off to various primary schools and groups around the UK for them to write. I inherited these postcards from my late father 2 years ago, along with his stamp collection. I'm carefully researching the unfranked stamps to make sure they're not worth more than their face value before using them to send the cards in the post.

Loving the weather here, been wearing a short sleeve dress and flip flops last 2 days, had the windows open in the flat at night and been outside as much as possible. You have no idea what it feels like to be able to wander around freely outdoors.

Catching up with my friends and family also. Everyone I visit lives in Monmouth or the Forest of Dean our former home from 1994-2002. Everyone I visit round here I've known since then, apart from the mum of the twins who I met the night my father died and was the most amazing support to me and child 5 that night and the months afterwards.

I'm so busy catching up with gossip and lives I forget to take photos.

251 Sunday Off to the dog park to meet up with a few friends that I won't see for the next 6-8 weeks, went for a swim in the afternoon and did the last washing and ironing before I left.

The road moved overnight, one lane to the left back where we started 2 years ago before they started to build the new metro system. At one point the road curved in front of the buildings on the right.

252 Monday Hairdressers for a cut and a gel mani and pedi, getting ready for the wedding on the 28th. Dropped some donations off with a friend to hand around her community, an early dinner and bed.

Sunset over Al Furjan, the scene in front of me was empty 2 years ago.

253 Tuesday Off to the airport for a 7am flight. Went straight to my niece's house to visit The Things and meet Thing 4 for the first time. Grabbed some food on the walk back to the flat and unpacked having an early night.

254 Wednesday A lazy morning and coffee shop visit, collected mum and off to Child 2 and 2a where child 1 came to visit with her carers, then off to 2's baby shower for the evening with family and friends. Baby due on the 20th.

255 Thursday Spent the morning with 2a, visited my nephew, partner and their 3 month old baby. Coffee out late afternoon, visited the Things and an early night.

256 Friday Picked my friend up and off to her daughters and granddaughter for the day, dropped her at work in the afternoon and had a walk round the town where I went to school in Ross-on-Wye. Popped into to friend, her husband and the twins who live in Monmouth, then spent an hour nattering to a mate on the phone.

Palma violet gin £6.99 in Home Bargains

257 Saturday Off to the Onion Fair in Newent to meet up with some friends, then off to visit 2 and 2a, then calling in at another friends on the way back.

Never tire of this view of Monmouth Castle from the flat.

On the blog this week:

Summer gardening in Dubai

The final part of my road trip to Australia with child 3

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One Daily Positive - Week 9

What a week for weather. Monday and Tuesday I didn't wear a coat, was still wrapped up a lot warmer than most of the population in the South West and Wales were though. By Wednesday I was defrosting the car and it was -1c, but still warm in the day (coat on) and then.......

I've been getting a lot of rest and sleep despite having to sort out issues with current tenants and dealing with neighbours who rent one of the flats who seem to think they can use the communal hallway to store their stuff in. They also leave the communal door on the catch when they go out.

Sorry about the quality of photo's as I've actually been with people and occupied.

55 Sunday Out for coffee and blogging, popped in to see 2 and 2a and drove to Keynsham to visit my MIL for the night. I randomly stopped at friends we used to see an awful lot of when the kids were growing up, between 1996 and 2002, when we moved to Malvern and them to Yate. We've kept in touch over the past 16 years and just pick up where we last left off. The last time we saw each other was in 2013 on a beach in Bream Sands.

Misty morning in Monmouth

56 Monday MIL and I met with niece for a coffee, then headed off to a retail park. I drove back via Cirencester to collect child 5 from work and take him out for dinner, before getting home at 9pm and straight to bed.

Clear blue skies in Cirencester.

57 Tuesday Coffee meet up with Instagram friend @rubbishwife followed by spending the afternoon with Thing 1 for ice cream, shopping treat and the park, called in the pub to see child 3 on the way home, cooked dinner and in bed by 8pm.

58 Wednesday Woke at 3am, was nice to be able to chat with Peter for a while before he had to go to work, I sorted paperwork and by 8am I was drinking coffee in the near by town of Abergavenny, did some shopping, called in at the community centre to see Indigo Wilderness and spent the afternoon with Things 1, 2 & 3 and my niece at the park, we took a picnic.

I may ahve bought 1 Easter egg too many.

59 Thursday I was so ill all day, couldn't get out of bed until after mid day, finally managed a bath and got out for an hour just to get some fresh air and make sure I was able to sleep. Had a lovely early mothers day gift from 4 and 4a through the post.

60 Friday Child 3 has been working in the local pub while he's visiting from Australia. Sadly the landlady died in tragic circumstances a couple of weeks ago and it was the funeral today. I drove son to the Crematorium, half the town was in attendance, then immediately whisked him back to the pub so he could open up for the wake. Met friends for lunch, popped in at mums, saw the Things and had an early night.

61 Saturday Met Mum for coffee, visited child 1 in Gloucester and stopped at a friends on the way back for the evening. Another gift from 4 and 4a for Mother's Day.

On the blog this week:

I was a child of the 70's who parented in the 90's, there was little difference between my childhood and that of my children, I dread to think how my kids will manage under the glare of social media.

When I'm in the UK I stay in our flat in Monmouth, it's a small town but you'd be surprised at what you can do in Monmouth Town.

An InLinkz Link-up

Things to do in Monmouth South Wales.

There's a lot to do in Monmouth in South Wales. Since buying a flat here I n October 2016, I've been spending summer there, escaping the heat in my home town Dubai.

We chose Monmouth to put down UK roots as my parents lived there for 18 years, sadly my father died, but my mum has remained local. Monmouth has a population of around 9,000.

As well as being a pretty market town, Monmouth has good road links to the Forest of Dean, Ross-on-Wye for the M50/M5, the Wye Valley and Chepstow for the Severn bridge crossing to Bristol and Newport for the M4. There's a fairly decent local bus service and the National Express now stops there.

Entering Monmouth either by car brings you into either the top or the bottom of the town, with ample car parking both ends. Visitors usually favour the parking by Waitrose as it's easier to find.

Monmouth is a pretty town, with its share of high street stores and an abundance of local shops and weekly market stalls. It also has its fair share of coffee and charity shops and pubs with accommodation and a newly opened Premier Inn.

I'm going to start my tour of Monmouth at the Medieval Monnow Bridge across the River Monnow. Monnow Bridge was still open to traffic up until early 2000's. It was erected in 1180 from stone, previously it was wood and the remnants remain today.

If you walk through the Gate and cross the round about to the left, you'll find this lovely little fairy door.

Located behind the Bridge is the Church of St Thomas the Martyr dating in parts from 1180, although the exterior was largely rebuilt in the 19th century. It is one of 24 buildings on the Monmouth heritage Trail, marked with blue plaques.

Looking up the town on the right are the public toilets with a wealth of literature about what is on in the town and outside the Robin Hood Pub is the information on the rest of Monmouth Heritage Trail.

On a nice day, you can grab fish and chips and picnic by the river or follow the Monnow to where it meets the Wye, passing allotments and open space good for walking a dog in.

Alternatively at the back of Waitrose car park you'll find Chippenfield park with plenty of open space, shaded areas, benches, a children's park and the Nelson Gardens. There's a very strong connection with Lord/Admiral Nelson and Lady Hamilton here, despite only spending a few days here, in 1802, this is evidenced by the gardens, museum and the Kymin. Monmouth is also 35 miles from the sea as the crow flies, but the Royal Forest of Dean near by supplied timber for the battle against the Spanish Armada.

Take you time exploring Monmouth and the side streets, make sure you visit one of the many pubs in the town for food and drink. We prefer to visit the Estero Lounge near the coach station for food as it's reasonably priced and quality is ok when we meet up with family and friends and freshly cooked which is a bonus compared to the alternative chain in the town. It also has a secure garden, ample seating and is dog friendly, as are the coffee shops also.

There are some unusual style buildings in the town, which make it interesting to walk through, especially near the top where you'll find the Shire Hall located.

The Shire Hall in Agincourt Square is a Grade 1 listed building, built in 1724. Formally an Assize Court, it is now the Tourist Information Centre and offices for Monmouth Town Council. They also hold weddings there.

Monmouth is the birth place of  Charles Rolls of Rolls Royce. His statue can be found outside.

Just up the road and is Church Street. It is full of independent shops, restaurants and the Savoy Theatre. 

The Savoy Theatre was refurbished in 1928 and is a Grade 2 listed building retaining it's original features. It has been opened as a cinema since 1910 and was originally known as the Assembly Rooms constructed on the site on the Bell Inn. It was also briefly a roller skating rink at the end of the 19th century.

Next head up to St Mary's church  an Anglian  church founded as a Benedictine Priory in 1075. The current church dates mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries.

At  the eastern end of the churchyard,  is the gravestone of John Renie, his wife and two sons. Renie was a house painter who died in 1832 at the age of 33. It comprises a rectangular carved 285-letter acrostic puzzle. From the larger H on the centre square the sentence reads "Here lies John Renie" which may be read in any direction.

Exit the road side of the church and there's a slope leading you down to the caves, back up the steps and turn right into the Nelson museum.
Just past here back towards the town is Monmouth Castle and the regimental museum of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers. It is also the Birth Place of Henry V.

Head back towards the church, turn left at the traffic lights, left to Osbaston and visit the commonwealth graves, cross the road and follow the footbridge over the river Monnow, which leads you back into town.

On your walk back to your starting point, the Monnow Bridge, you'll see Bridges day centre on the right, they offer a variety of activities here and I joined in with a keep fit class, it runs on a pay as you go system, which is good for short visits.There's also a newly opened swimming pool at the secondary school, Monmouth Leisure Centre and it has soft play also.

Monmouth has many events throughout the year, from music festivals, Friday markets, street carnival, agriculture shows, seasonal boot sales, craft fairs, flower festivals and so much more. Check out the events and dates at Visit Monmouthshire.

The Kymin, Museum and Admiral Nelson Gardens in Monmouth.

I've never understood the link with Lord Admiral Nelson and the Kymin as a Naval Temple in Monmouth. Although Lydney Docks are a mere 15 miles away over the boarder in England, there was no Naval Dockyard in Wales until 1815 in Pembroke, some 10 years after Nelson's death and the HMS Victory was built in Chatham Docks in Kent. 

However the nearby Forest of Dean was declared by Lord Nelson to be the 'finest timber in the kingdom'.

Nelson visited Wales to visit Sir William Hamilton and tour his Pembrokshire estates in 1802. The Kymin at the time was a hunting lodge.

At this point Nelson and Lady Hamilton the wife of Sir William, had been having an affair for 4 years.

The Kymin was reached up a very steep and narrow, windy road, it was a nerve wracking drive but worth the trip up the hill for the views alone.

View from the Kymin of Monmouth

Originally a hunting and picnic lodge, an extension was built for someone to live in to look after the property, it's now owned by the National Trust.

Nelson Museum located at the top of town in the Old Market Hall. Entrance is free and there is a magnificent collection of Nelson material. 

The Nelson gardens are one of Monmouth's hidden secrets, located behind lloyds Bank off the high street. It can also be approached via Chippenfield Park which used to be a race course.

Entry is via a10ft-long tunnel leading to the base of the old town wall, which formed the perimeter of medieval Monmouth

It was originally the site of a tennis court in the 17th century and a bowling green in 1718.

Further Roman and Norman remains are thought to be buried deep beneath the lawn.

Maintained by a team of volunteers there is plenty of information to be discovered as you walk round the garden from the people working there and information panels.

The gardens feature a hot wall, heated by hot water in pipes to encourage more exotic plants to grow.

Pavilion

Old town wall.

There's a lot more to see in Monmouth including the Castle which was the birthplace of Henry V and the Llangattock family whose son Charles Rolls was joint founder of Rolls Royce.