Keith contemplating life, the meaning of life and everything -( or maybe wondering how the invaders reached the castle).
A Welsh weekend
Last night was my first visit to an eisteddfod. Look here. Llangollen is quite close and Keith had never been either, so off we went and had an enjoyable evening with a very varied programme, culminating in the finals for the 'Choir of the World'.
More Welsh choirs here.. The winning choir was a barbershop group More details on them here.. Their performance was excellent - they did a 'special' version of 'Undermilk Wood', first performed on 'The Two Ronnies' years ago - utterly brilliant!
Today we ventured over to Harlech.
here. The beach there is lovely but slightly spoiled by the fact that the carpark is some distance away and the walk from there to the beach is made more difficult for anyone not very mobile or with babies or toddlers in tow as it passes through a golf course and the last part is very soft sand.
Turning our attention to the castle, we noticed that the sea is some distance away and wondered how any hordes of invaders who happened to be passing would manage to reach the castle undetected. Historians would have us believe that in the 13th century, the sea was much closer, but I don't go along with that. It seems quite clear to me that, on disembarking, they keyed the castle's postcode into their PDA's, typed in 'Attack' and Bob's your uncle! The sat. nav. on their PDA's would probably even warn them to avoid low flying golf balls. These historians make such heavy weather of things!
More Welsh choirs here.. The winning choir was a barbershop group More details on them here.. Their performance was excellent - they did a 'special' version of 'Undermilk Wood', first performed on 'The Two Ronnies' years ago - utterly brilliant!
Today we ventured over to Harlech.
here. The beach there is lovely but slightly spoiled by the fact that the carpark is some distance away and the walk from there to the beach is made more difficult for anyone not very mobile or with babies or toddlers in tow as it passes through a golf course and the last part is very soft sand.
Turning our attention to the castle, we noticed that the sea is some distance away and wondered how any hordes of invaders who happened to be passing would manage to reach the castle undetected. Historians would have us believe that in the 13th century, the sea was much closer, but I don't go along with that. It seems quite clear to me that, on disembarking, they keyed the castle's postcode into their PDA's, typed in 'Attack' and Bob's your uncle! The sat. nav. on their PDA's would probably even warn them to avoid low flying golf balls. These historians make such heavy weather of things!
Hope this doesn't include spiders!
I was still half asleep when I heard this little gem on the radio this morning, so I wasn't sure if I had actually heard it or had been dreaming.
Don't get me wrong. I am completely in agreement with any improvement on legal action that can be taken towards those so-called humans who mistreat animals - and there are some horrific accounts of cruelty. Where I feel I have to suspend belief is at the mention of what we in school call minibeasts. O.K. I have a friend who spent last year in New Zealand travelling around and working in return for board and lodging. One of his many jobs was that of digging and he made supreme efforts to avoid plunging his spade into any worms in the vacinity - an action which I find highly commendable; after all, worms are essential to any healthy patch of soil.
But,will this legislation mean that when I had all guns (sorry, nozzles) blazing at the greenfly on my rosebush in an attempt to annihilate them and save the roses that I could have been falling foul of the law???
And what about that spider which I bravely dispatched to the next life, having found it dangling on my shower curtain. (AND I did it without screaming!)Or the ones that I have, in the past, attacked with hairspray, stamped on, hoovered up?
That is where the RSPCA and I must part company. Caerpillars, slugs, snails, worms - I can go along with protection of these to a greater or lesser degree, but SPIDERS???
No, sorry, if it means a few nights in the clink, so be it - If there is a spider within loudhailing distance of me, one of us has got to go.......and it ain't gonna be me!!!
Don't get me wrong. I am completely in agreement with any improvement on legal action that can be taken towards those so-called humans who mistreat animals - and there are some horrific accounts of cruelty. Where I feel I have to suspend belief is at the mention of what we in school call minibeasts. O.K. I have a friend who spent last year in New Zealand travelling around and working in return for board and lodging. One of his many jobs was that of digging and he made supreme efforts to avoid plunging his spade into any worms in the vacinity - an action which I find highly commendable; after all, worms are essential to any healthy patch of soil.
But,will this legislation mean that when I had all guns (sorry, nozzles) blazing at the greenfly on my rosebush in an attempt to annihilate them and save the roses that I could have been falling foul of the law???
And what about that spider which I bravely dispatched to the next life, having found it dangling on my shower curtain. (AND I did it without screaming!)Or the ones that I have, in the past, attacked with hairspray, stamped on, hoovered up?
That is where the RSPCA and I must part company. Caerpillars, slugs, snails, worms - I can go along with protection of these to a greater or lesser degree, but SPIDERS???
No, sorry, if it means a few nights in the clink, so be it - If there is a spider within loudhailing distance of me, one of us has got to go.......and it ain't gonna be me!!!
The tooth
The other day Keith lost a piece of one of his molars. It broke off but he found the piece and kept it. Why? Who knows!
Rather than ring the dentist and get an emergency appointment (that's what normal people do!) he bore the discomfort and pain of the rough surface of the remaining bit of tooth scraping against his tongue - not exactly in silence, but reasonably stoically. He remained resistant to all pleas to ring the dentist, preferring instead to search for his own solution to the problem, which was................ (you won't believe this!).......... to stick the tooth back together again. Being an avid aero-modeller, he decided to apply these principles to the problem of his tooth.
So, 5 minutes upstairs with a tube of Araldite, and the job was done - yes, no kidding!
He retired to bed, his head buzzing with plans to advertise his dental services to the public at large.
Since then, he still hasn't rung the dentist, the bit of tooth has been in and out of his mouth more times than most of us have had hot dinners, and he was last heard muttering to himself that his next port of call would be his sander, to smooth the rough edges. Dentists of Britain, prepare to retire. With SuperKeith on hand, your services are now redundant!
Rather than ring the dentist and get an emergency appointment (that's what normal people do!) he bore the discomfort and pain of the rough surface of the remaining bit of tooth scraping against his tongue - not exactly in silence, but reasonably stoically. He remained resistant to all pleas to ring the dentist, preferring instead to search for his own solution to the problem, which was................ (you won't believe this!).......... to stick the tooth back together again. Being an avid aero-modeller, he decided to apply these principles to the problem of his tooth.
So, 5 minutes upstairs with a tube of Araldite, and the job was done - yes, no kidding!
He retired to bed, his head buzzing with plans to advertise his dental services to the public at large.
Since then, he still hasn't rung the dentist, the bit of tooth has been in and out of his mouth more times than most of us have had hot dinners, and he was last heard muttering to himself that his next port of call would be his sander, to smooth the rough edges. Dentists of Britain, prepare to retire. With SuperKeith on hand, your services are now redundant!
Traffic census!!!
The regular readers among you could be forgiven for thinking that I tend towards the obsessive where traffic holdups are concerned. Perish the thought! I am in reality a very easy-going, considerate, thoughtful driver who sets off at 6.30 each workday morning full of goodwill towards all - even BMW drivers provided they show me the same consideration!
However, even a saint's goodwill and patience would be tested when, having duly negotiated the trials of crossing the Runcorn Bridge, one is then confronted by the sudden appearance of a 30mph speed limit sign on the Runcorn Expressway and the sight of an endless line of almost stationary traffic up ahead.
"Funny," you muse, "There was no advance warning of road works here."
No, as you crawl a little further forward, it becomes evident that someone with a sadistic sense of humour has organised a traffic census for our entertainment and amusement. Incredible but true! By the time I am accosted by a face through my driver's window, the conversation goes something like this:
Good morning. How are you today? All right?
Not at the moment, no.
On your way to work, are you?
No, just thought I'd work on my tan. (With commendable effort of will I refrain from saying this!)
Yes, Trying to anyway.
Could you tell me where you are going?
(Information duly given, including postcode.)
And where have you come from?
Home, you moron, where do you think at this time on a Wednesday morning? An all night rave? (Again I refrain.)
From Wrexham.
That's a long way! (So you weren't absent from school when they did geography then?)
Yes, so I am not very impressed at being stopped like this when I am trying to get to work!
With that, was finally allowed on my way, but, come on, folks, give us a break!
However, even a saint's goodwill and patience would be tested when, having duly negotiated the trials of crossing the Runcorn Bridge, one is then confronted by the sudden appearance of a 30mph speed limit sign on the Runcorn Expressway and the sight of an endless line of almost stationary traffic up ahead.
"Funny," you muse, "There was no advance warning of road works here."
No, as you crawl a little further forward, it becomes evident that someone with a sadistic sense of humour has organised a traffic census for our entertainment and amusement. Incredible but true! By the time I am accosted by a face through my driver's window, the conversation goes something like this:
Good morning. How are you today? All right?
Not at the moment, no.
On your way to work, are you?
No, just thought I'd work on my tan. (With commendable effort of will I refrain from saying this!)
Yes, Trying to anyway.
Could you tell me where you are going?
(Information duly given, including postcode.)
And where have you come from?
Home, you moron, where do you think at this time on a Wednesday morning? An all night rave? (Again I refrain.)
From Wrexham.
That's a long way! (So you weren't absent from school when they did geography then?)
Yes, so I am not very impressed at being stopped like this when I am trying to get to work!
With that, was finally allowed on my way, but, come on, folks, give us a break!
Old age
Being an avid listener to Radio 4, which, I am told by younger colleagues and my own children, is an inevitable part of hitting middle age, I listen regularly on my way to work. This week, I have been aware of a trailer for a programme on air this evening called 'It's my story' here
Nothing unusual in that except that I was struck by the description of the retired couple who feature in tonight's programme - something on the lines of..."They live in a mobile home, which, like them, has seen better days."
My overwhelming reaction was that this was such an incredibly patronising way of describing someone!
If these people had been in their thirties or forties instead of pensioners, would the presenter have dreamt of saying anything so downright rude? Not likely.
Barring untimely death, we'll all be old one day and reliant on younger members of society and there are times when I would be quite happy to see the more insensitive among us being on the receiving end of the treatment they dish out to older people! Maybe one day they will. What goes around, comes around!
Am I being oversensitive or does anyone else feel that older people are frequently treated as second class citizens?
Feel free to use my forum if you would like to comment. (I've made it look pretty, so it's a shame for it not to be used!)
Nothing unusual in that except that I was struck by the description of the retired couple who feature in tonight's programme - something on the lines of..."They live in a mobile home, which, like them, has seen better days."
My overwhelming reaction was that this was such an incredibly patronising way of describing someone!
If these people had been in their thirties or forties instead of pensioners, would the presenter have dreamt of saying anything so downright rude? Not likely.
Barring untimely death, we'll all be old one day and reliant on younger members of society and there are times when I would be quite happy to see the more insensitive among us being on the receiving end of the treatment they dish out to older people! Maybe one day they will. What goes around, comes around!
Am I being oversensitive or does anyone else feel that older people are frequently treated as second class citizens?
Feel free to use my forum if you would like to comment. (I've made it look pretty, so it's a shame for it not to be used!)
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