A little slice of heaven

just to be able to get in the car and GO to some of the most unspoilt places on this planet (even though it's busy at the moment with the school holidays).  With over 50 beaches to pick from, all within half an hour to 50 minutes away, we are truly spoilt for choice.  The only fly in the ointment is trying to get us all unanimously agreeing on the destination... I think I might have missed my vocation as a mediator.

We chose Newgale and Whitesands today.  I don't know what it is about the seaside, but it makes us all so happy; any cares or worries we may have just seem to dissolve away.  To sit with the sun on your face, listening to the roar of the waves, with warm sand between your toes.  A great stress buster.

Newgale

Whitesands, we sat with a take away coffee or two for hours, just people watching...

Stayed for a while longer and had a fish supper too.

Nothing to do but watch the sun go down.

Shwmai

I've always envied people who can speak another language and play an instrument.  I've encouraged (pushed?) G8 into doing both.  She is fluent in Welsh and is learning to play the violin.  It is the best age to learn and I really do not know why both are not compulsory in school when young, because believe you me it gets much harder to do when you are older.

And I chose Welsh.  Not the easiest language to learn - don't get me going on mutations.  I've been so busy this year for one reason or another I just about made it to the Welsh lessons but did nothing in between them.  And it showed.  The tests at the end of term were just a blur, I had little idea about what was going on.  I had to cheat or hide my paper.  It was embarrassing. 

I have made myself a promise:- Bydda i trio i wneud a tipyn bach o Cymraig bob dydd yn y gwyliau nawr.  What I'm trying to say (it may not be completely grammatically correct, remember I'm a learner) is:- I'll try to do a little Welsh every day in the holiday now.  I am so far behind I really need to do this if I am not to lose the plot completely. 

Although I feel I am still such a beginner and cannot (wouldn't dare) have a conversation in Welsh (unless it's with the dog), it does feel a waste of three years to give up.  And if there is one character trait I have in abundance it is tenacity.  I am a plodder.  I get there in the end.  I hate giving up.  It will not beat me. 

Pass me that guitar.

The Aftermath.... an eclectic mix of thoughts

Well we seem to have survived the BIG party... but boy are we all exhausted.  And to top it all we have another six visitors arriving today, (J's brother and family).  I think I shall have to deploy some match sticks to hold my eye lids open. 

We are also dealing with various invasions of insects; ants and wasps to name but two.  It makes you realise that give them a year unchecked and your home would be over run with pests, vermin and various vegetation.  The Victoria Creeper on the front of the house needs a hair cut every other week this time of year, otherwise it really would literally creep into and over the house. 

We have also discovered that rats had been nestling in the loft in The Outback.  These are being dealt with but had only been noticed when the man to service the Rayburn popped his head up into the attic... "How many are there?" Her Next Door shrieked (in pure panic mode), but Boiler Man wouldn't commit himself, just grunted.  This vagueness of course toyed with her dark imaginings; we must have vast colonies up there she insists.  Although only the droppings have been sighted so far.

I also listened to the news last night about Nick Clegg's "suggestion box" and apparently there is still an archaic law that states as a British citizen you are supposed to report sightings of grey squirrels, well we'd be on the phone every half hour.  If there are any laws or regulations you'd like to do away with Nick invites you to comment, see http://yourfreedom.hmg.gov.uk/ for more on this - generally very interesting stuff.  I'm going to put my two penneth in.  Get involved or please don't moan about it.