The Rivers Of London

Now I have never been a fan of the Harry Potter kind of fantasy..its just does not float my boat so to speak, but I have enjoyed the Rivers Of London which is a sort of mongrel  novel made up of part  real life police murder investigation  and part apprentice wizard adventure.
It sounds a terrible mismatch of genres doesn't it? but the humour and detail within the writing is so entertaining, the story by first time writer Ben Aaronovitch, is a real page turner....if you are a fan of either kind of novel I would recommend you give it  go
I particularly enjoyed this quote when Aaronovich described a difficult Chief Inspector

...like many Northerners with issues he moved to London as a cheap alternative to psychotherapy".......

Anyhow Chris managed the animals perfectly well. He was attacked by both male turkeys last night (I have never gotten to the bottom of just why they don't like him) but no blood was spilt....and he sorted Albert's apparent Chlamydia eye infection  out at the vets without incident 
Mind you he looks shattered with all the responsibility of it all

London Highs

The Grand Staircase at St Pancras

I am presently sipping tea in an empty yet beautifully appointed house in Ealing!

Last night Nuala and I indulged in too much wine, not enough food (I had the belly pork which was lovely but oh so small a portion) and I must say a great deal of laughter.

It has been way, way too long since we caught up properly and it showed.

Nu on her last Welsh Visit

Her story of how she felt that she almost died white water rafting in Botswana had me sobbing with laughter (Much to the amusement of people sat next to us in the sun in Trafalgar Square...and the afternoon and evening pretty much carried on in a similar vein I must say.

We shared a bottle of wine in Covent Garden, took the guided tour of the new St Pancras Hotel which was delight and finished the night putting the world to rights over a lovely meal in the old booking Hall restaurant.

(where I remember buying tickets to get back to Sheffield!)

Now I don't want to sound all mushy here.... but the trip was just what I needed....lovely time!

Right....off to face the great London public on the tube

Have you got a clean hankie?

You wouldn't think I am almost 50. Chris has just given me a lecture on the perils of the " big city" And Nuala has just checked if I understand about tube tickets Do I look like a bloody country mouse so much nowadays? answers on a postcard please"..."

Cat's Eye

Animals always get sick at weekends...... thus is the rule of a pet version of sod's law
Our vet has an overly expensive "locum" system which means shit loads of wonga need to be handed over before any thermometer has been shoved up a furry arsehole.
Albert looks as though he has an eye infection, its either that or some strange strain of influenza. Suffice to say that he has been hiding away in the living room and on the bedroom window seat looking a little like Mike Tyson in the 13th round. He is still eating, ( a tin of sardines in tomato sauce this morning) and will have to wait until tomorrow's surgery to see his vet.
Chris is slightly miffed as for a change he will have to take Albert for his once over rather than me, for I will be off to London for a couple of days catch up with my best friend Nuala.
I was due to visit her in December, but my brother's funeral kind of got into the way, and with the gloominess of all that, the depressing nature of winter itself and acute best friend withdrawals....I am in dire need of the boost that only a best friend can give you.
So tomorrow, albeit briefly, we will march around arm in arm, chatting and laughing an chatting some more.It's been far too long.

.So Chris will be animal caring.... poor sweetie!
and tomorrow there will be a great deal of huffing and puffing going on in Trelawnyd I can tell you. The prospect of the vet trip has already been greeted with huge amounts of eye rolling and theatrical groaning.....
I am praying that Boris behaves too......March is when turkey testosterone is almost at its highest and I may need to remind you that Boris HATES Chris with a vengeance.
There may be some bloodshed by the time I return on Tuesday!
Watch this space.....


                                               ***********************************
Oh I have had to be weighed in today  weight this morning 14 stone 7 lbs
Weight lost last week 2lbs
Total weight loss since January 1 stone 7 lbs

SUNRISE SUNSET

I have nothing really to say today
Enjoy this if you have a minute

We Bloggers are sad geeks

evidence as follows

Grey Hairs

In Trelawnyd I think both figures should be standing a little more upright

Before I lived in Wales, I think I viewed the "older person" with a certain disdain.
I know this sounds a little harsh, but I think it was a product of not really knowing many OAPs in my day to day Yorkshire life, save for the occasional exasperated wait behind a knackered old grey hair in the queue at the supermarket!
This morning I have moved 6 massive bags of sawdust from one part of the field to another, and nearly put my back out doing it. The RFWF* who delivered them to me is way past 70, and without any fuss or fanfare he was able to lob all six from a trailer and over a five bar gate as easily  as I could lift a bag of shopping out of the berlingto.

Stan and wife Kit ( she of the famous homemade slippers!)

Every morning when out for a two and a half mile power walk with the dogs, I meet up with Stan (above) who come rain or come shine will be completing the same route. He's in his mid eighties.
Auntie Glad, at 92 ,will be off for her weekly shop in Rhyl on the bus today, and has more energy than the slumped teenage girl in the bus queue next to her would ever possess ...and Pat, my animal helper wouldn't hesitate to wrestle my next heavy piglet to the ground in order to administer some medication....


No, living in a village with a predominantly ageing population, has given me a healthy regard for the capabilities of people who previously I would have dismissed as being frail and invisible.


Interestingly I note that the Russian entry in this year's Eurovision Song Contest comprises of six old babushkas!

and even the UK has dug out veteran crooner Engelbert Humperdinck to front our entry!

You're never too old.........
I will leave you with this thought

*Red Faced Welsh Farmer

Local News

A brief egg delivery later, a chance couple of meetings and today's previous "rant" about rudeness is blown out of the window to make room for a couple of requests for local publicity!!!

So apologies to the non Trelawnyd readers for the big up of the following forthcoming events

 The Nasareth Chapel is the red brick chapel on London Road, and as I recall I had a very nice frugal lunch there last year (should be frugal lunch be nice I wonder?)

The second Big up is for affable local despot Jason Randa from Ty Wynne (yes he who has a monster wasps nest in his attic) well in support of the Cancer Unit at Glan Clwyd Hospital, Jason and some chums will be embarking on the 3 peaks challenge on July 7th (The Three peaks being Ben Nevis, Scarfel Pike and our own Mount Snowdon)

It will be a challenge certainly as I have only seen him walk to the Spar shop and back in way of training.......

Details can be seen at

http://www.justgiving.com/Jason-Randa0

Please give it a look

And finally although the Parish Church has not asked me, and flush with local community good will, I thought I would big up their next bingo session over at the memorial Hall.....

it's all go here!