Newport (Ymerodraeth State of Mind)

Dan this one's for you....

1.2 million hits on You Tube, trailed on ITN and Sky.

This is how to get Wales on the map... Great lyrics

A more meaningful politics

MySociety is a democracy website promoting popular participation in local and national issues that affect everyone. It has nothing to do with the tired old world of party politics with its 19th century polarised political bickering and point scoring but instead aims to empower people through encouraging participation in real political issues irrespective of any other partisan affiliation.

Many of their websites will already be familiar (www.theyworkforyou.com and perhaps www.fixmystreet.com) but others will be less familiar but no less interesting

Their website says: "mySociety runs most of the best-known democracy and transparency websites in the UK, sites like TheyWorkForYou and WriteToThem.
mySociety is a not-for-profit company that builds websites of a democratic bent for other people, such as the No 10 Downing Street Petitions Website, for the Prime Minister’s Office.

mySociety has two missions. The first is to be a charitable project which builds websites that give people simple, tangible benefits in the civic and community aspects of their lives. The second is to teach the public and voluntary sectors, through demonstration, how to use the internet most efficiently to improve lives."

A boy called Rhys...

I thought to get everyone's grey matter going by posing a riddle (with a pertinent family theme). Suggested answers in the comments. Solution on Saturday at the Christening.

A family has two children, and the youngest child is a boy named Rhys. What is the probability that the other child is a girl?

For a bonus point, what is the probability of the other child being a girl if the youngest is a boy (of any name)?

Day out to Alex and Morag's country home

On Friday I went to visit Morag and Alex at their country house up in the highlands on Loch Tay. They have a lovely four bedroomed house almost on the banks of Loch Tay two hours from Glasgow.

Idea for Jonathan and Chris's Wedding Transport

Wedding transport Shropshire style! Who needs a limo when you could have a John Deere. There was even a second small seat for the groom. Its a long climb up to the cab in a wedding dress.

Hazards of being a young cyclist

John Colin came off his new bike in our drive and brought up an apple-shaped lump on his forehead this evening. He is recovering well!

Bad experience with The Electric Transport Shop

At the end of 2009 I was missold batteries costing over £300 by Eddie Kehoe and Jamie McAlley of The Electric Transport Shop in Cambridge. I had to take them to court and despite recently winning my case I've yet to receive a refund.


Poor advice, poor communication and no customer service ethos whatsoever. Avoid.

The Hall - before and after

Moving the monks into the hallway yesterday (as part of the dining room refurbishment) I recalled what the hall looked like when we moved in and the work we did last summer. I thought to share some before and after pictures!

More pictures on my flickr pages

Quarrier's Village - Street Names

"The village was founded as the Orphan Homes of Scotland in 1876 by Glasgow shoe-maker and philanthropist William Quarrier on the site of the former Nittingshill Farm. Quarrier had a vision of a community allowing the young people in his care to thrive, set in a countryside environment and housed in a number of grand residences under a house-mother and father". (Wikipedia)

All the street signs have a religious theme to them - faith and hope, but sadly no charity street!

A lovely afternoon at Worthen Show

We combined a first birthday party with a trip to the village show. Daniel was"roped" into the tug-of-war team and Megan competed in some of the races.



Megan shows some concern that Charlie hasn't quite grasped the rules of Egg and Spoon!

Beeston Carnival again! Credit Union stall

 

The local branch of the Nottingham Credit Union were out in force again today at the annual Beeston Carnival in Broadgate Park. We set out a decent stall focussing on a display of money boxes, with children's activities including Janet's face-painting, and simple money advice.

The video the Israeli military didn't want you to see

Six Israeli soldiers armed with assault rifles and kitted out in bulletproof vests are doing a combination of the Macarena and the chicken dance to the catchy dance track, before twirling in pairs and skipping out of camera shot while holding hands.

Hebron is home to about 160,000 Muslims, but some 500 Israeli settlers live in the centre of the city with a heavy Israeli security detail.

The soldiers have since all been reprimanded by their superiors...

Red Sky at Night

Red sky at night, shepherd's delight.
Red sky in the morning, your barn is on fire!

A miracle of nature

 

This single rose in our back garden has both yellow and white blooms on the same stem. [A genuine photograph, I promise.]

Skip-lorry jams traffic in Devonshire Avenue

 

A full skip was removed from the drive at No 17 this lunchtime. The lorry got stuck between the gate-posts, damaging both stone fineals and tearing a large branch from a protected beech-tree. The No 18 bus was stuck for 15 minutes with a queue of cars behind it. The neighbour patiently consulted lawyers on her mobile!

Show Me The Bats

 

I spent an hour this late evening watching the bats fly out of the barn roof. Despite the camera on a tripod and a remote control, I was unable to capture a single one despite taking a hundred photos. They are definitely there though; we don't mind them until they come inside!

A sneak preview of the wedding venue

 

We visited Pollockshields Burgh Hall where Jonathan and Chris will be married in October. A suitably grand venue set in a Glasgow park.

Dan marks the end of his GCSEs

 


Dan took his 23rd and final GCSE exam today. He's spent the last 8 weeks revising hard so it was an enormous relief to have reached the end. The celebrations started at lunchtime at Highfields Park and will continue all week culminating in the Year 11 end of year Prom on Thursday evening.

Here he is ceremoniously burning his exam timetable.

Congratulations on finishing school Dan

PS Louisa was pretty chuffed too!

It's Like Painting the Forth Bridge!

 

I painted the post and rails before the uprights went on. It is taking much longer than I thought to get the uprights painted - all 120 of them - front and back. Needs to be done by the Christening in a month.
This fence will stop young children cimbing the bank and falling over the cliff!

Late Evening Visit to Chirk Bank

 

Last night I went to visit a pal of mine who lives on the canal at Chirk. It was very pleasant to walk along the tow path at nine o clock.

Is this still in fashion?

Janet asks our Nigerian visitors, Aisha and Sakina from Kano, whether the dresses she wore in the 1960s in Ilesha are still in vogue.

Pick-your-own at Tyn-y-waen

Looks like there will be a bumper crop of strawberries on the smallholding this year. We could have opened a pick-your-own!

The pitter patter of tiny wings!!

Mummy Woodpecker and Daddy Woodpecker show Baby Woodpecker where the nuts are!

Wedding Entrance

Chris and I have been discussing our wedding and we thought we'd kick off with something like this! It will require a little chorography practice. Y'all up for it?

A walk in Pollok Park

And on Sunday we all went for a walk in Pollok Park

An Arab Emporium in Strathbungo

We all spent Saturday afternoon selling junk (sorry antiques!) at Strathbungo's annual summer community festival - Bungo in the Back Lanes.

We created an Arab emporium from a gazebo and some old Afghan carpets with our wares strung up all over the place and in the lane. We took 80 quid in the end for stuff we didn't much use. It was great fun and we did a brisk trade. John was a star roping in passer-bys with offers of free money!