6. Living Alone in Wales - A Day for the House (January 2024)

[@apace903]

Just found your channel. Its so calm and comfortable. All the brst😊

[@mhairiabbas]

Get a large flask and boil the kettle once and fill the flask. Have hot water wherever you want

[@elizabethdarley8646]

Oooh! How brilliant!

[@susanthomas5464]

I have a fast boiling Russell Hobs kettle and after I make a drink I pour the rest in a flask 😍

[@Angel-002]

I've just said the same thing before I saw your comment. Great minds😂

[@TheNails3]

I do that. It's the best way!

[@jennydenston5680]

A tiered garden is very attractive, specially with that stone wall. Plenty of space for plant pots as well

[@jdm0101]

I'm, just thinking about your neighbours "Hey Gwen, he's out there talking to himself again!" hahahahahaha! Good video Sean

[@ChrisJonty]

Absolutely loving these vlogs Sean, such a homely feel. Glad to see you and the cats settling in so well!

[@mrwibbles20]

Must be nice to have a place to yourself for a change.

[@zzydny]

"Something quite big?" A Welsh dresser, of course! Definitely an electric kettle. It is cheaper to run than to use the stove. The back garden is charmingly old-fashioned just as it is..

[@cherryrotella3714]

I bought a quick boiling kettle. Heats a cup of water in 45 seconds as opposed to my previous kettle took 1 minute 35 seconds. Much cheaper

[@carolwhite6979]

your garden may be small, but it is unique and full of opportunity to create a magical space! I can see a patio table chairs, and colourful pots overflowing with flowers and tomatoes, peppers and an abundance of herbs!

[@barrybridgeford530]

Yes Carol has the idea! Collect all kinds of containers, half-barrels and bulk soil over the next couple of months. By April you'll have the making s of a super patio kitchen garden for leafy greens and such. BTW what's on the other side of the house?

[@Lucysmom26]

Agreed, I think that little garden is very charming and am jealous of it!

[@Angel-002]

He can also have troughs on the walls & hanging baskets. I have herbs growing in troughs on the walls too & there's a tumbling cherry tomato plant I put into a hanging basket & I have lettuce in another one. I also have strawberries that grow in containers down the walls. It helps with slugs & snails getting to them when they are in hanging baskets & containers too.

[@emmafarr770]

Moving into a new home is very stressful. There is a lot of work and you are doing it all by yourself. Take your time, just breathe. It looks like a lovely house.😊

[@marie34K]

I was boiling water in a small pan on the hob , until I read about how to reduce your bills . They studied all the different possible ways of boiling water and the electric kettle came first by far , only boil just what you need for a cup ( or what you need for something else ) . Don’t ever boil more than you need . You’ll save plenty . And if you buy one during the sales or at a second hand shop more savings 😊

[@hitchjack]

An induction hob is actually more efficient than an electric kettle.

[@ingeleonora-denouden6222]

Good advice. Except for the second hand. I found out that second-hand electric devices are cheap in reality. They break down soon, can not be repaired or they use more electricity because of something that's wrong inside ...

[@marie34K]

@@hitchjack not true . My hob is induction , but my kettle is faster . I bought a 1 litre kettle ,wattage 700 , my hob is 2700 ...so I save money after one or 2 years using the kettle . And my kettle is now 15 years old , bought during sales .

[@munchkinheaven7877]

@@ingeleonora-denouden6222 The only charity shop I know that tests kettles and gives them a certification is The Heart Foundation, very cheap to buy from them, but maybe, as has been suggested buy new in the sales.

[@munchkinheaven7877]

I would put the table and chairs beside the radiator and the sofa where the table is, it is out of the draughts and not stopping the heat from the radiator going into the room, also if you put your TV opposite the sofa in the corner it’s all ergonomically situated.

[@kathymeurell1314]

I think it's fascinating to see how people in other countries live. I downsized a year ago from a 4 bedroom house to a 2 bedroom condominium. My second bedroom looked just like your extra room for a few months, filled with extra furniture, boxes, books... Just work on it a little at a time and you'll get there! Love your new place.

[@gailgulliver8970]

Thank you Sean its cheaper to boil get a kettle 3mins to boil on the hob 8 mins a bit to long .

[@weavenut]

I would not block the radiator with the sofa, it needs to be able to radiate the heat, also there is always in a system on e radiator without a control to turn of for system safe

[@judithhobson5868]

a nice amount of plastic to make a cold frame

[@barbarajones9111]

Just what I was thinking😊

[@tenminutetokyo2643]

I dig the carpet. Very nice.

[@louise8582]

Hi Sean, you mention that you feel the house is cold, but in your videos you are always wearing just a t- shirt! , wrap up in layers and add a woolly jumper on top, invest in some really cosy baffies , add a house coat on top if required and get yourself a really thick fleece blanket for when you’re sitting down on the sofa in the evening, it will make a huge difference! I know that it’s expensive, but if you can get yourself an appointment with a really good physiotherapist regarding your knees, they’ll be able to give you the correct advice on exercises to do for them and just as important, what not to do. ( my father was told he needed a knee replacement, I suggested the physio first and yes you’ve guessed right, no knee replacement required and a stronger fitter father than before ) I’m so glad that you finally managed to escape London and return home and with your own space too to do as you want when you want. Looking forward to all your videos about your new home, garden, surroundings and life in your beautiful Welsh valley.

[@emb54]

What a lovely garden. Looks like you have some space to grow a few little things right there.

[@annwright7552]

You also might like to check out local auctioneers for household sales, often good bargains on quality furniture etc

[@claudiaebert7842]

You see, Sean, it's great that you've managed a few more steps again. You already have a new mattress, soon a bed, and a refrigerator. Perfect. I hope your knee is slowly getting better. Maybe you should start with shorter hikes and only slowly increase the duration of your tours. Once you're done in the house, you can still take care of your garden. There will definitely be room for a few flowers and pots. But wait until spring comes and you'll surely see what surprises your garden has in store for you. 😊

[@wilmabaker4500]

Good morning ,bundle up and stay warm,be happy in your new home.

[@deeannh17]

You’ll have less cleaning to do if you leave your shoes by the door and wear slippers or clean thick socks in the house. Keep your coat and cap near the door so you won’t be cold going outside. Keep a stool there to put your shoes or Wellies on when you get them. I have arthritis pain in my hands sometimes (Im 53) and I tried gluten-free for a few weeks and the pain went away. Maybe try that for a few days for when your knee bothers you to see if it works for you, too. 😊

[@ingeleonora-denouden6222]

I agree on both advices. If you have two doors, you need two coats/jackets and two pairs of shoes/clogs/wellies, so there's always something to put on when you go outside in cold weather. And a diet can help for pains (I'm not sure about which diet, I thought it was lactose-free)

[@Angel-002]

Strange you mention going gluten free because last year by "accident" I cut out carbs & found the pain & swelling in my knees went completely!! I need knee replacements, but I'm too young. I don't eat a lot of bread, but do enjoy cheese & crackers so when I ran out of crackers I also ran out of bread around the same time. I eat a lot of salads so I never really noticed until I saw the swelling & pain had gone from my knees!! Over Christmas I had potatoes, crackers, bread, crisps etc & the pain & swelling came back!! I've now cut carbs out again & hoping that it goes away again. I didn't have any headaches either & felt so much better. I've stopped having processed foods too this time & hoping to see a big difference (I looked into different "diets" when I noticed a difference & I have IBS too so when I was eating "clean foods" everything was so much better). I've mentioned it to a couple of people I know have trouble with arthritis & their knees, but they don't seem to believe me & have said "that can't be right otherwise doctors would tell us". I've told them to do some research, but they haven't🤷‍♀️ Can't help some folk 😁

[@deeannh17]

@@Angel-002 I was in the hospital for a week and they have me chemicals and liquid food every day like Jello and I just did not want to eat anything with chemicals or sugar when I got back home and that’s when I tried gluten-free. I was afraid to eat the chemicals in commercial bread and I was afraid to eat a lot of foods that came already made. The detox made me feel better in my joints.

[@tybash1]

Looking cozy Sean :) you have a lovely little house! Hello from rainy Washington state USA! Can’t wait for spring and gardening!

[@apace903]

I would put the couch on that long wall. Dont block radiator. Doors open will help heat move around the house. Keep that in mind placing furniture.😊

[@Ann65.]

It’s so nice to see how well you are settling in Sean. Remember ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’ - work at your own pace. You’re so right - much too cold atm for kitties to be anywhere except cosily sleeping - and playing indoors!

[@pennythompson4790]

Its really starting to take shape nowxx

[@duringthemeanwhilst]

leave the space in front of the radiators free for heat to circulate. you can also put tin foil behind them to reflect more heat into the room 🙂

[@richardhart7652]

That clear plastic will make a good cold frame cover,for free

[@weareyounique4234]

Wow! 6 hour hike! I’m trying to get myself motivated to go out for walks.. think I’ll start slowly

[@paulmagus2133]

I have same knee problems but when climbing hills the muscles from stomack and back downwards get stronger and start helping to support the joints in the knee, easing the pains .movement is your friend . loved the walk in the hills

[@stevehitchman9591]

Too Good To Waste is the charity shop of choice in Treorchy for furniture.

[@ourfloridagarden4191]

Happy the cats are having fun in their new home. Adorable playing with the ball and exploring.

[@caravb5906]

A lot of people wear hooded fleeces and woolly hats in the house. You can always whip it off if you get visitors. Double up on socks and slippers and fingerless gloves and hot wired jackets that u charge and then wear. Years ago window cleaners used to wear their wife's tights. The modern equivalent is base layers under trousers. You are doing all the right things. The best cookery book i found was the one by a girl called Jack. Low cost nourishing meals. The other tip instead of using the boiler to wash dishes, fill kettle, put boiling water, washing up liquid and vinegar on dishes and leave to steep. Then after ten minutes wash the dishes and leave to drain before drying. A bread maker is useful especially if someone is a distance from the shop or its a bad winter. To avoid waste do a batch cook and freeze single portions for future meals. Frozen veg are just as good as fresh in soups and stews. Lettuce and cucumber at night help you sleep and make a good snack before bed in a low calorie sandwich. Xxx

[@steveandsherilyn7543]

My dad used to suffer with his knees and on the advice of one of his workmates he started to take cod liver oil tablets. After two or three weeks he started to notice an improvement. Eventually he had a knee replacement but they did seem to alleviate the pain for a time. I have heard other people say the same thing but others said it never helped at all so a bit of a mixed bag. If you haven’t already tried it it might be worth trying them out, it can’t hurt anything and you might be one of the lucky ones! 😃. Enjoying watching your videos, take care. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@WelshAmericanChannel]

Hello from the Welsh American Channel. Just want to let you know that we Welsh Americans are also interested in what is going on in Wales and your new home. Cymru am byth!

[@grungeandgardening]

I'm cracking up Sean. I didn't expect that comment 😂 🐓 🏀 brilliant!

[@bybeccalewis]

I've just found your channel, I loved back to Wales after 35 years of living in England. It's the best decision of my life. I'm sure you will love being home. I'm really enjoying your videos I wish you all the best from Pembrokshire.

[@sammycrangle1000]

I know the video is a couple of months old but i injoyed watching it thank you

[@johnbluett6079]

Got electric kettle with glass front so I can see exactly how much water I need for a cup of tea .

[@nicola4789]

For those days where you would need additional heat in your house, an oil filled radiator works very well and it is economical. You must have them there. I just love your garden with all the old stones and bricks. I live in Nova Scotia and it is something we never see here. It must create such a unique atmosphere. Enjoy!

[@thunderhead180]

I feel very inspired by your adventures. I'm in Canada in southern British Columbia and I really want to get out and do more outdoors.

[@ingeleonora-denouden6222]

I do too. This morning, in gorgeous sunshine and a little freezing, I went for a walk around the park in my neighbourhood, inspired by Sean. I'm looking forward to longer walks. There are no mountains here, but there are nice walking paths in the countryside (within walking distance)

[@thetweegarden]

Your comment when covering the window made me burst out laughing Sean! I almost spat my tea out! 😂😂. You’ve made a huge life changing move and it’s going to take its toll eventually. Be kind to yourself and take time to rest. You’re doing a great job turning the house into a home. Also I’m sure you’ll work wonders with the garden! You’re on nobody’s timescale but your own. ❤

[@thetweegarden]

Oh and yes an electric kettle and toaster will save you money. 😊

[@susanyates4233]

Not impressed by your comment when you fitted the curtains.

[@d.d.mac.3773]

@@susanyates4233 Oh, lighten up. 🤣 He's a man and he's not here to worry about your sensitivities.

[@ingeleonora-denouden6222]

What a lovely little garden! I mean: with your help this will become a lovely cottage garden. I like the terraces and the stones, and the 'snow on the mountain' (will find out what's the Dutch name for it).

[@missmaryhdream6560]

Good afternoon, you could save the plastic, for your shed to line, the gaps, or make closh x happy New House 🏡 black cat x ❤and all those lucky things x

[@judyholdsworth7096]

I’m a new subscriber but I’m really enjoying your channel. Thank you. You have so many gifts. I think the whole moving process is physically and emotionally exhausting so you need to be very kind to yourself. I see so much potential in your yard and look forward to sharing your Return to Wales journey. I agree with the boil and flask your hot water suggestion. You could also try making your own bone broth for your joints. Make a batch and scoop out half a cup to heat up and consume each day. Take care 🇦🇺

[@sambalina8856]

Hi Sean, recently subscribed and enjoying your channel… FYI stoves use higher AMPs of electricity, therefore very expensive.. you will cover your costs in no time if you purchase an electric kettle and toaster.. would be cheaper to buy in Cardiff.. I buy local as much as possible but when you are on a tight budget, you have to put yourself first, financially. Cheers from Queensland, Australia 😊

[@DiSWRwow77]

I agree. My kettle is a brand that is sold in Tesco that is a quick boil and energy efficient. Seeing you like your tea it will be more cost effective and safer 4 the cats.

[@barbararey-constantin5679]

Greetings from California. I just subscribed to your channel. I would like to learn more about Wales. It's beautiful that you will restore that lovely house into a home. God bless you.

[@DebbieRobb-tt5he]

Good luck with the mattress Sean. My very expensive bed gives me a back ache every morning. 😒 You are doing so well. It's so refreshing to see you so upbeat and fitting into your new life.

[@theresevh]

I don't know how I found your channel, but I'm quite liking it! I live in Vancouver, BC, Canada. We are having a snowy week so I've decided to just stay home. I love your new place, it's very nice and cozy! Thank you for sharing with us.

[@judimantos904]

Suggestions: every time you go upstairs bring something up, don’t go empty handed!, warm up your muscles before you hike and wear an elastic knee brace for support.

[@simongostick5443]

Love the walled garden.. it’ll look amazing with some pots in there

[@caravb5906]

You have a beautiful cottage. Love green for curtains. Good taste. You could get screw in rods to hang the curtains. Admire the fact you are doing it all yourself

[@melissasue4257]

Oh! What a nice home you have! Can’t wait to see how everything progresses. I’m glad your kitties are settling in too. Thank you for sharing your adventures. Give that knee a little rest.

[@davidanderson8407]

Looks like you are making slow and steady progress on your new life Sean. I have problems with my Knee and I have found that the stick on magnets do help with the pain.

[@annieknight71]

I love your channel because for years I’ve wanted to move to Wales. I have more relatives there than her in the US. Here I have only 3 people and to visit my daughter would be only a hour or two more flight time. She lives in Florida and I live the Northwest Washington. Now I’ll see how someone is getting on there.

[@joannapocock6055]

Hello, Sean, I'm so happy for you! Everything is falling into place and the cats are settling down. All we need now is some snow and a cup of tea, of course, to make everything perfect!

[@rickyandtheothers5835]

Adore seeing Wales, gorgeous video, greetings from Australia 🇦🇺

[@christinesimpkin570]

You are right Sean, it is exhausting but you are doing so great. I am glad Topsy and Amber are settling and having night scampers😊 That's absolutely fantastic. Take your time and suit yourself 🤝🏻

[@SardiPax]

Usually one radiator in a house doesn't have a Thermostatic valve because (to a degree) it always needs to be open. I believe this is usually at the end of the loop so the circulation pump can work even if all the controlled radiators have shut off. There's normally a couple of manual valves but these often break if not used for a long time and you try to adjust them, plus you shouldn't really change them unless you need to rebalance the system.

[@seanjamescameron]

Thank you, that's good to know.

[@margaretalice6343]

There is always one radiator that can’t be turned off cos if the heating kicks in it needs a radiator to heat Always need one radiator on

[@LauraRidgway-nn8rh]

Can imagine a nice kitchen pot garden... plenty of space to grow food and have a small seating area Paradise in the valleys

[@LazyDaisyDay88]

I think your terraced garden has HUGE potential to be absolutely beautiful. Can't wait to see what you do with it!

[@jeanettemac6214]

As a single person I have found having a small slow cooker really useful. An air fryer. Sandwich toaster. Normal toaster. Prefer electric kettle Also have a portable gas camping stove/one ring. Useful in a power cut, like a wind up radio/charger.

[@Lucysmom26]

The recent 'settling into Wales' videos have such a cozy feel to them, really enjoying them all and invested in your journey! Also, that garden is charming af, I would very much love to have similar.

[@lyndapet1]

Your washing would dry more if you pegged it single layer so air can circulate between the front and back of the garment

[@JohnPValentine]

I think electric kettles are more efficient because the energy goes more directly into heating the water quickly. We are very happy with the Bodum “Bistro” electric kettle. It’s a little pricy, but it’s glass and it has a very low minimum water level compared to other kettles (so you can efficiently boil just one serving of water). It has lasted us years.

[@tvtoms]

Great stuff, Sean. It's nice to see you getting along really well there. It's impressive to see the house coming together and those views from around the place are really nice!

[@turbostream7925]

A nice little area in the garden for a small veg patch next to the wall sean. You could fit in a few rows of onions and beets easily.

[@seanjamescameron]

Was thinking a salad bed, I love spinach.

[@adelia988]

Clothes rack is the name you were looking for. Those hot water bottles were once used everywhere before the rubber ones. I wouldn’t put the sofa blocking the radiator you need the heat to circulate. Yes I remember the snow being that high in Bristol outskirts too. The garden is just enough to take care of, the concrete is easy to clean and pots can be scattered around. Cardiff is great for film as dr who was made there, although not much good lately.

[@karenandriancontainergardening]

Hi Sean. Yeah! You did it. Yes, time waits for no one! Yes, I can't wait for spring to get here. Do not block the heater, Sean, because the heat will take longer to warm up the room. I love electric kettles, gert one. Enjoy setting up and take care

[@nancya.nelson5810]

Would enjoy a tour of your home, to get a sense of layout. It looks very nice.

[@jonnygreen65]

Had no idea you worked in the same industry as me. The TV Industry in Wales is thriving!

[@gigis.garden]

i have bad knees and i have just started taking vegetarian cod liver oil and it has made a real difference to them

[@jeanettemac6214]

Hi Sean. I have only recently found your channel. So lovely to see the new home, and how you are settling in. It is such a culture shock after London, even though you have lived in Wales before. It makes you realise how frantic London can be. I hope to escape eventually! I wish you and the cats every happiness. Make sure you get a rest after the move. It's one of the most stressful things we can do. Looking forward to the new chapter.

[@seanjamescameron]

Tried to watch some of my old videos but they all seem too noisey.

[@stevendowden2579]

another enjoyable video sean

[@MarleneCurrie-j5e]

Your videos are priceless, don't know whether to laugh, cry or be shocked. You certainly know how to keep your viewers interested. Keep going love them. Look after your back and knee. Sending good wishes.

[@michaelibk418]

You could mount a small shelf on the wall beside the bed if there is no space for a cabinet.

[@judeh2646]

Having osteo and rheumatoid arthritis, the stairs in my apartment can cause me issues from time to time. I take the stairs one step at a time like a small child does, less of an impact on my knee joints that way.

[@Libertad123_]

Just subscribed, I married an amazing Welsh (last year) and submerging myself in the language and all things Welsh. Good content, really enjoy your videos and the Welsh Valentine's day I was able to convey the sentiment. It was very appreciated.

[@Angel-002]

If you fill a flask up with the water you boil it saves you having to wait each time you want a cuppa. It will also save on electric. Just a thought.

[@OurEcoLife]

I was given a plug in metre by the electricity company and the kettle uses a lot less energy than you might think. Certainly less than a hob running for 8 minutes. You can get little individual covers for the electric hobs, if you are worried about the cats burning themselves on the hob. Also the concrete outside suits a potted herb garden, some of which need to go in pots anyway. You've got the making of a little kitchen garden there. It's the walled Victorian kitchen garden in miniature so with some planning, you can make the most of the microclimate provided by the concrete. Now you've got an excuse to go back and watch it again. All the best.

[@seanjamescameron]

I like that - my walled kitchen garden.

[@laurensouthgate2458]

You have a nice house Sean and it'll be fun to see what you do with your garden. Very interesting garden.

[@Chris-lv2en]

Thank you Sean, for another great video. Have been struck by the similarities in your cottage and garden. Mine is a Cornish miners cottage, the garden is very similar, its on two levels with brick and concrete. Best wishes.

[@jenniferspaulding5652]

Oh, what a nice garden area!!! Some trellises with berries and flowers, and some raised beds would be beautiful there. Oh, nevermime I see those are already soil filled beds. How cool it that! Seriously, a cute cottage. 😍

[@ChristineHillier67]

Hello Sean! I've just started watching your vlogs,chats etc and I love the different content that you come up with,of course I have to sit and watch with a nice cup of tea 😊glad that you and the cats are settling in

[@BlessedSaved-1x]

Love this channel. You may find it helpful to set up a small table and chair with a redactor and Stanley knife to deal with the empty boxes. Hit it for 20 mins a day till its ready to recycle. Love the ceramic hot water bottle.

[@janicecoulson5388]

We use floating shelf as a bedside cabinet

[@janej813]

Thank You, for sharing, with us. I like your new home. I do the same, wash, dry outside and finish drying in front of a heater.

[@dot222able]

Your enthusiasm shines through. Electric kettle is the way to go...you can get an electric whistler

[@karenhoffman1323]

It's amazing what an ice pack can do for knee inflammation! 15-20 minutes at different intervals, along with the other suggestions from this group.

[@anndowning1457]

Great to see you've got a fridge

[@alistairlambert3275]

Your new home looks great, hope you are enjoying the mountain air. An Englishman’s home is his castle…

[@lindatemple5454]

It might be worth your while getting an electric kettle as that would be much quicker to bring to the boil and cut down on your electricity bill as the cooker uses quite a bit. Putting the sofa in front of the radiator will definitely warm up the sofa but at the same time it will block the heat coming into the rest of the room, would the sofa fit under the window do you think.

[@mamamoomin]

Just had a thought with regards to your washing. Might be an idea to buy a clothes horse which you could put up in your bathroom (when you can't use the washing line) and crack the window open a bit. Better than drying your clothes in your bedroom as this might cause mould.

[@ColinOBear]

Like a few people on here I'm enjoying watching you settle into your new house as i did something similar about 5 years ago. Life can be difficult starting again but it can also be rewarding i feel. 🙂

[@MsBengallover]

Get a Breville hot water dispenser, it only boils enough hot water for one cup of tea so no wasted hot water . Safe for your cats too

[@oonaghbolton758]

Hello Sean, new subscriber here from Vancouver Island. I love the idea of you going back to Wales and walking the hills. Here there are bears and cougars so wandering the hills is a risk especially when you get too old to run fast ! Love your videos, thankyou .

[@BarbaraInSunnyQld]

Hi Sean with regards to boiling your kettle and the electric hob I am thinking it might pay you to consider I vesting in an induction hob for cooking. It uses much less electricity and cooks everything quicker. The only thing that might be a drawback would be the cooking utensils the bottom of the pots and pans must be magnetic.

[@janicecoulson5388]

Ninja oven all the time. Expensive layout but you save so much time and money using your oven

[@hootenanny1001]

Bought a small free standing one from LIdls for about £30. Mostly use that cors it’s brilliant

[@lyndaturner6686]

I wouldn’t put a sofa in front of the radiator it will block the heat , you will need it to circulate more. I would definitely get an electric kettle , it is much cheaper than using a solid ring electric hob. You may be shocked when your bills come in. An electric toaster is more cost effective too. Better stock up .👍❤️

[@stewart4142]

That would make a lovely potted garden. I think it's fine for a single person.

[@plotno.9]

Wonderful to see you and the cats settling down. Lovely cottage! Hope you sleep well on your new mattress! 😘🌸💕

[@floriebrown2089]

Glad to see you furnishing and settling in, nice house. Back garden nice area for some alpine plants amongst all those rocks. Rest those knees a little take it easy but don't give up on your mountain walks. Thanks for the video.