The Big O

You just had to be there. 

It was a wonderful experience. 

We felt proud to be hosting and proud to be British.  The officials, army and volunteers were all very polite, cheerful, helpful and efficient. 

The swimming heats themselves ran smoothly (though there was no obvious lane numbering so it took us a while to work out who was where).  We were up in the gods.  It was very steep so we didn't suffer with other people's heads in the way and we were directly overlooking the pool, almost a bird's eye view.  We cheered for everyone, went mad when a Brit was in the line up and nearly had apoplexy when a member of Team GB finished in the top three.  We saw an Olympic Record being broken by Emily Seebohm of Australia in the 100m backstroke. We watched Rebecca Adlington qualify for the 400m freestyle final (she went on to win a bronze medal).

We even managed to survive the underground to get to the London Eye. 

It was one of those days I'd like to repeat all over again.

London Olympics 2012, Sun 29th July - Swimming Heats

Hwyl fawr i Ysgol Gymunedol Maenclochog

Yesterday was the end of an era.  G10 has finished primary school. She walked out of the doors for the very last time.

I've always been a bit aggrieved that she arrived early (she's never been early for anything since).  If she had been born when she was due, she'd still have another year there.  As it is she started school just as she turned four, and has left primary when she is still 10.  I look at her now, she seems so young and I feel sad that she's having to leave the warm arms of such a supportive and wonderful environment.  Saying a final goodbye to the teachers, staff and helpers that are like family to her and leaving many friends that just happen to be demarcated into a younger year, including her BFF.  It must be a wrench. 

Sometimes you don't fully appreciate what you have until you lose it.  Cruel world.

G10 though seems fine.

Last day, emerging after sleepover at school.

There are thieves in our neighbourhood!

Bare - and a tad on the dry side!

But they haven't stolen my little bit of sunshine...

Books, Books and more Books

I'm in love, again.  I can't stop thinking about it, handling it and I take it to bed early, just to be alone with it.  I'm not having an illicit affair, it's the touch screen Kindle.  I wasn't really bothered about having an e-reader before I had one, but now I wouldn't go back.  Since the 15th June when it was given to me by J it's been difficult for anyone to tear me away from it.  I've read prolifically, all of the books below and downloaded many more - just tantalisingly 'there' waiting to be read.  If I had to choose three that I'd recommend from my recent read list I'd say Eye of the Needle, The Hunger Games (a children's book - G10 has now read and relished) and The Importance of Being Earnest.  A lot of the books are free, including many classics.

Lovely jubbly...

Eye of the Needle
Broadmoor Revealed: Victorian Crime and the Lunatic Asylum

Perfect Crime
The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Phoenix Conspiracy

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Black Beauty

What Katy Did

The Importance of Being Earnest

Catching Fire
The Hunger Games

Why do I love it? It's so very light. I can read in bed without the pages flopping about as I prop it up on a pillow. I never lose my page. Ever. I can look up words I don't know, at a touch. I can read free books. What is there not to like?

Now, tonight I'm going to the first evening of a book club (organised by our very own Preseli Mags.)  We are discussing The Time Traveler's Wife and horror of horror's I couldnt' download it onto the Kindle.  I know we have free copies from our World Book Night event, but I'm so obsessed I didn't think I could actually regress back to the paper version.  I did, I coped. Just.  I hope it's not too intellectual an evening, I read only for my own pleasure and almost as soon as I've finished a book I forget the detail. I've been promised it won't be, (any excuse for a social) but just in case I started reading it Monday and finished this morning - at least it'll be fresh in my mind :)