A pug ugly Romeo

We went to see Northern Ballet's production of Romeo and Juliet tonight at Llandudno, and although it was not one of the company's best, it was a lovely performance. Unfortunately Romeo looked like a young version of Max Wall and had a face only his mother could have loved, so the romance of the piece was missing slightly.
Wierd not seeing Northern Ballet without Jonney Highfield as it was a favourite of our Sheffield theatre days, but nice to go with Chris as he loves "proper" ballet!
Llandudno looked lovely in the sun of the evening and we had a nice Chardonney at Osborne House before walking down the prom to the theatre. We decieded Llandudno is just like Brighton but without the coffee bars and poofs of course!

Never being bored and I am presented with a prize!

well today I have reached my weight watchers 10% weight loss and now have got rid of 23 lbs! so our leader the vivacious Ann presented me with my own special key ring! She was ever so solemn about the whole affair I almost had an attack of the giggles, apparently when I get to my chosen weight loss I receive a GOLD one....whoopie do! Having taken the piss a little, I am so grateful for going as I feel fitter and healthier than I have done so in years. Today I have walked the dogs twice up the Gop and done a 3.5 mile powerwalk to Axton with Carole and still had energy to work on the allotment. My ideal weight of 12 stone 6lbs doesn't seem so far away now!



I was asked recently if I ever get bored when I am not at work, and I can honestly say no I never have been. With holiday time I will be off work for nearly two weeks come Sunday and every day there seems not enough hours to finish what I need and plan to do. Today has been no different as I have just finished watering the vegetable patch and potting up sweetcorn and leeks (it is nearly 7pm!). My new chicken run electric netting has just arrived and I can't wait to get the whole lot set up on Saturday with Ned

Pic is of Trelawnyd from the south!

view from the "powerwalk"

This is the view of the Elizabethan house Golden Grove as seen from above Trelawnyd. The house is quite beautifull (apologies my zoom was not working) The Grand Hall was built by Sir Edward Morgan in 1580 and is in part a bed and breakfast!. Usefull when family visit? eh?

Finlay's shadow, allotment structures and what's French for "not a bag of laughs"?

The runner bean and sweat pea canes are now erected and the vegetable plot now resembles a real bone fido allotment! (you have to look carefully). Spent another long ,sunny day outside potting up beans, pumpkin seeds and tomato plants and tomorrow I intend to clear the rest of plot two ready for the herbs and soft fruit trees.

A funny thing happened to me today when I took the dogs up the Gop. I noticed Meg's shadow on the road. Now there is nothing too amazing about that except that Meg's normal slight stature was exaggerated slightly by the position of the sun and her shadow seemed more robust and certainly larger. In fact it looked remarkably like Fin and it's strange but I was comforted by the sight of it.

Went to Theatre Clwyd tonight to see the film Perfume. but got the film times wrong so ended up watching the French historical drama Gabrielle (2005) . I suppose the film was not bad but it was dour! as it chronicled the break up of an Edwardian society marriage. By the end of it, I had more than enough of it all and felt like shrieking at a morose Isabelle Huppert on the screen " Just Leave him for fu*ks sake!".

Deco sunrise

I am lucky as I have never suffered from a depressive episode; sure I have had black moods and bad days, but overall I am blessed with a somewhat robust optimism which I am sure is inherited from my pragmatic ( and slightly naive) grandmother.
I have three friends that are not as fortunate, and over the past few years I have watched fairly helplessly as they have suffered from this creeping and totally debilitating condition. Through hard work ,fate and time two have recovered to variable but manageable degrees, and as a friend that has witnessed this journey I feel that only now I can let out a small sigh of relief. One friend in particular felt lost to me for months and months as obsession and misery filled his very existence, and it was at those bleak moments that you can almost loose track of the traits that cemented your friendship in the first case. Now both have returned, and I think they are , wiser,lighter and more importantly stronger for their experiences, and with the risk of sounding like an interviewee on Woman's Hour, in some ways so do I.
Loosing Finlay put me at a realistic but for me uncharacteristic low, and bang!-- there were my friends and family, just waiting in the wings with concern and care. Two of my biggest supporters were the two friends that are beating their own depressions and that very fact speaks volumes; perhaps it is a touch of, what goes around comes around!, and I would like to think that is the case, all I really know it is just nice to have them both back

Finlay 2002-2007 and fairs fair

Completely knackered today as I have started to dig out the second vegetable bed and managed to fit in a "powerwalk" with Carole as well as two long dog walks. Picked up Chris from Colwyn Bay to get the moped serviced, and collected Fin's headstone from the undertakers. We are pleased with the result as it is simple and will weather in nicely, though I have taken it off the stone plinth so it nestles lower in the flower bed. I was quite moved when I saw the finished result!



I found it interesting that 81 year old Dorothy Evans has been jailed for 6 months (though will be serving 3) after being found guilty of harassment and breechment of several asbos -http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/6560537.stm
humm, and why not? I have always shouted long and hard for fairness in things (don't get me started again on Child places in supermarkets yet again!) In this country little old ladies are referred to (only in the media reporting of trials) as "bless her, she's far too old to be thrown into prison!lets start a petition!"
In this case I think-it's a case of - do the crime take the time.or whatever the phrase is

Best quote

"Tony Blair! Tony Blair! he puts two poems up in a bus shelter and calls it a university.!!"

Thelma Barlow as Dolly in DINNERLADIES

Close every door to me

Janet came round tonight as Ned and son Ed had gone off to the pub. We all had a bottle of wine and watched some weird programme about Joseph and the technicolour dream coat, with more gay contestants than you could shake a stick at! well it made us laugh, especially as most of the "guys" spent their time crying and hugging the opposition. we voted for Dan who decribed himself as:-

"obviously I love to sing and act, but apart from that I love to cook, go walking, read (although not as often as I should), go to the cinema and go out for dinner with friends. I love eating, and sleeping is a favourite of mine too!"

hummm.........gay or what?

Very tired today, 3 large walks, more veg planted and a bit of sunburn

normal day!