Welsh words...&.....Llandudno walk

Beautifull day today, so after a few hours getting the gardens "up to scratch", took the dogs for a walk around Llandudno great Orme (see pic). Got to thinking about how hard the Welsh language is to learn and definitely how difficult it is to pronounce . I do have a favourite Welsh word and that is ymholiadau (pronounced um-holly-add-eye); it only means "enquiries", but I love the way it trips over the tongue.

Dog fight at the Gop Hill corral.

Didn't go to the Welsh Mountain Zoo, as time was not on our side after two night shifts. We did however had a scenic drive up to Henllan ( See Pic of Henllan Church which is all tower and no Church), for a cup of tea and biccies with my brother and his wife. It has started to get very cold at night so was glad to get home and bank up the fire and forify the Chicken coop against firework noise!!!

Went for a walk to Llanasa with the dogs which was nice, however the afternoon was marred slightly by a very bad tempered Boarder terrier which lives on a farm just under the Gop. Now I have met this little thug before when out walking, and what he lacks in size he definitely makes up with aggression and bad humour; so I was hoping that we all could walk past the farm without his usual peformance. How wrong I was!!!!, out he came like a small hairy bullet, eyes bright yellow! coat bristling! Finlay as usual bounced forward in his happy- go -lucky way, and all hell let loose. The terrier went for him, and still on the lead he fought back. Meg (hysterical by this time) jumped in and Immediately we all got tied up in a knot of fur, legs leads and barking. Free of a lead the little bastard got in several bites, and was not put off in his attack ,even though I managed to kick him twice; he only backed off when Maddie steam rollered in and did what I could only describe as a "chest butt". Sticking out her chest like Barbara Winsor she bounced forward and just ran into him. If I wasnt so angry I would have laughed as it looked so funny. The terrier seemed to bounce backwards down the lane! and seemed so surprised by this unusual behaviour he backed off .

Reality tv........the better side

Saturday again and I am hooked on proper relality Tv. Strictly Come Dancing, is back for a third season, and like grannies all over the nation I have my favourites !, which I secretly cheer for from the advantage of the dog sofa. Mark Ramprakash is top of my list , Sexy, talented and a quiet gentleman, he has the "X" factor, and will capture the public vote as we all love an unassuming hero. Bottom of the list is Claire King, who is cultivating the persona of a real old slaggy slapper. (Hummm trying to pull my punches there!) True she is playing a role akin to Jodie Foster's character in The Accused (1988). But that strutting hooker tough girl is really irritating!. Another fav of mine is Jan Ravens ; who looks like someone's mum! She and campy partner Anton du Beke ( if that is not a movie character name, then nothing is), spend the programme giggling and having fun, which of course is what the whole thing is all about.

The whole programme is wonderfull....

The Departed.

Leonardo dicaprio is not one of my favouite actors, for that matter nor is Matt Damon and I certainly cannot stand Jack Nicholson. So The Departed (2006), which starred all three was not the first choice of a movie. Thankfully this underworld thriller is a triumph for director Martin Scorsese, and a tour-de-force for DiCaprio. I was riveted, as the actor stole the limelight from Nicholson, with ease. Mark Wahlberg, (pictured) also performed well as a foul mouthed special agent!

Cut down most of a massive thorn bush , which blocked light from the garden, and while I was doing that met the coal man, who thought I was Dr Burton. As he let his elderly sidekick unload 6 large bags of coal ( this man was approximately 5 feet high! covered in dirt and was a ringer for John Rhys-Davies in Lord of the rings!) , he told me the entire health story of his wife ( Mental Illness and paranoia), Brothers ( Cancer) and Brother-in-law (Prostate),

Mad , I must be.......Zoo visits at my age

Done my bit for the community this morning by laying a couple of tons of hard core down for the new paths of the Graveyard. Well I was one of only three volunteers that turned up, but hey we got it done, and my fellow worker helped me move the chicken coop on the empty land behind the cottage! True that land is not ours but I am sure the owners wont mind too much until we can move them into the field. They seem to like their new home as they now have grass underfoot and have full sunshine most of the day.

Off to the market garden for some bargins in a moment with Janet; to fill the gap left by the coop . Then later Chris and I are off to see The Departed (if the rubber band at Llandudo Junction Cinema has been fixed). Working Friday and Saturday night, then for a treat we are going to Colwyn Bay Welsh Mountain Zoo! ( http://www.welshmountainzoo.org/)

Well I had wanted to visit Penhryn Castle near Bangor (http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-penrhyncastle/) but it is closed for the winter. I used to love the Zoo as a child , as it seemed rather amateurish compared to the likes of Chester Zoo, and had a certain charm about it! ....just read a story about an ASBO kid from Colwyn Bay who went up to the zoo and fed one of the pet zoo's rabbits to the aligator! sicko

Meeting Mike, Laura Linney,John Highfield and Carol Channing

Whistle stop visit to Sheffield to catch up with Mike. Which was lovely. As I don't get over very often doubled up the night out with Jane. ( don't have a picture of Jane so here is her look-a-like Laura Linney) Both are having a hard time( thats why I went up to lend some morale support), so we all had a moan albeit a short one. John Highfield turned up unexpectedly, with affable despot Gale in tow. You always know when Gale is around as she hurls herself into unexpected chorus' of show tunes and funny stories. She reminds me of a young Carol Channing! Never a dull moment! Great to see them all!!!!

Big Thinks, University and Sheffield

I have spoken at length with my Tutor today and a representative from student services and have decieded to leave University. On balance I am happy with my decision, as the lession (amid many) I have learnt by moving to Wales, is that it is the more simple things, such as home, garden, which make me feel happy now. Having said that that, things are not just black or white; simple or complicated they are just different and perhaps all this is just a symptom of a mid life crisis.? who knows.....

Nu summed things up when she said- generally, by and large things have to be more fun than not! and that slightly skewed "balance" is vital I think.

Anyhow feeling thoughtfull, I am off home now, then up to Sheffield to see Mike for an emotional romp!

Big hugs to Chris. He makes the important things better x

Royle Family

The much lauded one off Royle Family was aired on BBC tonight, and I must admit it had lost alot of its bite amid a thick veneer of sentimentality and heavy handedness. Denise seemed to have grown up a little and I wondered if that was a reflection of Caroline Aherne's personal journey over the past few years?
Nana's ( Liz Smith) death also felt all too much;but there was a gem of a scene between her and the wonderfull Sue Johnson. Amid the painfull and banal banter between demanding 80 year old and harrassed housewife, Nana take a moment to thank her daughter for her love and care over the last year. The two actresses milked the scene within an inch of its life. ! I was in floods