WESTWARD HO! HO! HO!

how remiss of me
not to mention that i would be incognito
abroad again
even before i got to tell ya all about my happy hols
so here i am back in the beautiful wilds of cymru
nestled in a green valley cloaked in mist
which lifts from time to time
to reveal a dark hulking mountain
bathed in evening sunlight
this week i am not on my hols
but here to look, listen and learn
the centre for alternative technology
known as cat
is a visionary place
set up by a bunch of crazy idealists in the early 70s
in the wake of the first energy crisis
30-odd years on those nutcases are being proved right
but still only a minority are listening
for this visit
eco refurbishment is the name of the game
the art of turning a draughty victorian terrace
heating the street instead of its occupants
into a warm comfortable well-insulated home
powered by renewable energy
at least that's the dream
hmmmm...
as usual
the reality turns out to be
a lot more messy and difficult than i expected
its a cliche of course
but the more i learn
the more i realise there is to learn
a little knowledge is a useful/dangerous thing
(please delete as appropriate)
a renewable energy consultant also called dave
leads us around the various energy installations on site
wow! does this young cat know his stuff!
he gives us the lowdown on evacuated tubes
selective surfaces
woodpellet hoppers
twin-coil cylinders
drainback versus fully-filled
efficiency isn't what you have
it's about what you need and how you use it
listening to dave talk
i start to get that same feeling
as when i watch a virtuoso guitar player
effortlessly tossing off a lightening lick or solo
that feeling of wonderment
at how a fellow human being
born with the same raw materials
could ever achieve such mastery, skill and dexterity
it's enough to make me want to give up and go home!
the key of course is to mind the ego
not to drown in inferiority
but to cherish his skill
because what is good for him is good for the rest of us
and the knowledge he has can be passed on
learnt and applied by others
that's civilization i guess...
tomorrow i head homewards
to reunite with my dear ones
and to prepare for the closing weekend of the climatefest
wish me luck amigos
adios!