Rycote Park

Saturday was another splendid occasion at Rycote Park, Thame, to celebrate the 25th wedding anniversary of Bernard and Sarah Taylor. He and I were at Prep School together and he has a very successful career in company mergers and acquisitions. At least, I think that is what it is.

Bernard and Sarah have renovated the house and grounds into a most attractive estate, and the chapel is looked after by English Heritage and is open to the public at certain times.

On arrival we were ushered into a large marquee where we were greeted and mixed with the 300 or so other guests. Then we went through to the dining area and sat in our alloted places at the tables. The menu said we were to start with lobster, followed by rare beef (I can't remember the exact wording), and a pudding followed by coffee. Before we had what was to prove to be the most delicious meal, we listened to a small orchestra playing music which was associated with the house. Then we ate dinner and talked to our table companions, most of whom had been at Oxford at the same time as Bernard and Sarah and knew them from there. Only John and Fiona Smith, also on the same table, had known Bernard from being a young boy. At least I knew Oxford from my school days at Teddies.

It was also good to see others who I knew from school, 3 retired Army officers, an insurance broker in the City, one Royal Naval officer, an art dealer and so on. We went in different directions but I am glad we are all in touch.

I think the thing which stuck me most was seeing Bernard's armorial flag blowing gently in the light breeze over the house and the fact that both our taxi drivers had nothing but kind words to say about the Taylors, who are clearly have a positive local reputation.

My wife looked resplendent in her long dress and it was a pleasure to get my dinner jacket out of mothballs for this. I like black tie 'dos', but they don't happen all that often for me. No complaints, this Rycote experience just adds to the rich tapestry of life.

I will write about the celebration we went to the next day when I have a little more time.

USA and personal freedom

It is ages since I phoned my family in America so I must do it soon. I need to catch up with them. I still wonder what it would have been like if we had moved over there to live and work. It isn't easy, of course, because of all the immigration restrictions. However, we adore the USA and Canada and it does make a difference having so many relatives there. It is so BIG!
One thing that nearly pushed me over the edge and forced me to leave Wales was a suggestion, made recently, that drinking alcohol should be prohibited in order to save the National Health Service some money in treatment of alcoholism and related diseases. Ridiculous! This is way out of order and an infringement of personal freedom. Refuse to treat people with self inflicted damage, fine, but don't stop them doing it in the first place. That is centralised state control gone mad.

sunny and busy

It has been another sunny day and I have been extremely busy talking with Volunteering England about the forthcoming Olympics and Paralympics in London then telephoning a colleague to discuss the volunteering grant schemes in Wales.
We had a meeting of the North East Wales Spatial Plan Officers' Group over lunch time until about 3.00pm, when I met with our Equalities Officer to discuss it. Then I talked to our Senior Advisor who deals with the Department for Work and Pensions volunteering programme in Wales.
This was all interspersed with dealing with voicemail messages and emails.
No rest for the wicked.

Mate

Call me old fashioned if you like, but I hate being called 'mate' by complete strangers. It is bad enough from someone I know, albeit I don't know many people who would do it. From a scruffy young waiter in a Pizza Hut it is insufferable. Since when was I his 'mate'? Why does he think it is alright to say that? I am his customer and, as such, he should show a modicum of respect, particularly if he wants a tip. Oh, and my beer came in a bottle with no glass to pour it into, so I had to request one. He then gave me a choice of a straight one or a bulbous one, for which I suppose I should be grateful.
I am not asking to be called 'sir' by anyone, although I have just been called that in the hotel bar here, which was reassuring after this pizza-abuse.
In fact, I don't blame the dishevelled waiter, I blame his training, or lack of it. If he calls everyone 'mate', then why should he treat me any differently? Pizza Hut should know better though, particularly if they want their customers to feel valued and not inclined to rant on their blogs.
The intelligent reader of this will realise that I predict certain people now calling me 'mate' for a while, just to try to wind me up. That's OK, it's the penalty I will pay for honesty about how I feel.

Videoconferencing in the 21st century

I nearly forgot...Cardiff office has brand new videoconference equipment which is very 21st century. I saw it this afternoon. I can't wait to see what difference it makes to our TV reception in north Wales. However, Cardiff has a huge, and I mean huge, screen to see the one or two people we tend to have our end. We have an ordinary TV screen to see up to 12 people or so with whom I frequently videoconference when they are in Cardiff. This is not entirely sensible in my view. We need a big screen to see the bigger group. They don't need such a big one to see 2 or 3 people. We will see how it all goes...
I suspect the next time I chair a meeting of the Social Justice and Local Government Forum, on my own in north Wales, they will feel I am like 'big brother' breathing down their necks in Cardiff. My image will be more than life size.
I will have more to say on this anon...after I have experienced it all.
Overall, this is a brilliant innovation - just cut out the road noise and improve the acoustics in Cardiff and things will be hugely better.

Aberystwyth and Cardiff

Yesterday I drove down to the new WCVA Aberystwyth office, which is small and modern and in an attractive location. Unfortunately the satnav (GPS) took me to the local cemetery rather than the office so I hope that isn't some sort of premonition.
We had a meeting of all our public policy staff and then I drove on down to Cardiff with Bryan, the senior research officer.
Today I have been interviewing people who want to provide support to a youth volunteering national group and tomorrow I am travelling the four plus hours back north, via a visit to another new office. This time it belongs to a County Voluntary Council.
Overall, a constructive few days so far - and the sun is shining!

The donkey and the dog and a windy Woodfest

Poor Phil Walker, a friend in Belgium, witnessed a dog he knew being killed by a donkey yesterday. He sat with the dog as it died. What can you say?

Well, it is a cold and windy day today, for June. We were going to the Woodfest today with friends but that's off. Instead we will meet them for a coffee later.

Blogging vs Facebook

I have decided that I much prefer blogging to Facebook, but the latter has its value. Blogging is cathartic and a means of simply keeping a journal which others may choose to read, or not, and whether they do or not doesn't matter hugely. Facebook seems a bit more 'in your face', with a degree of social posturing which is uncomfortable - for me, at least. However, it has been good to discover people with whom I had entirely lost contact and I am pleased to have all the Facebook friends I have.
I shall maintain Facebook, but my blog matters to me more, for now anyway.