colleagues

I have been reprimanded by those who dined with me in Cardiff at the Spice Root and whom I mentioned in my last blog post. They say I should have been more upbeat about them and indeed I should. They are: the illustrious Maggie 'Bad Cop' Smith and her most outstanding partner in crime Janine 'Adore-Dogs' Griffiths.

Swansea and Cardiff

I went down by car to Cardiff on Wednesday to meet with staff and then travel across to Swansea in preparation for the annual Wales conference about volunteering, which I was chairing. I stayed in a mediocre hotel called the Ibis, which was a bit scruffy. Thursday was the conference, which went well overall with numerous volunteers talking about their experiences, their learning, their motivations, their contributions and what management they received. The Liberty Stadium is an excellent venue.
On Thursday evening I was back in Cardiff at the Express by Holiday Inn (a better one than the Ibis) and liked up with two colleagues for an entertaining evening over an Indian meal. Excellent!
Friday was a meeting of the Social Justice and Local Government Forum preparing for our meeting with the Welsh Minister in November, followed by a terrible ploughman's lunch and the journey home in the afternoon/early evening. I took a new route to keep my spirits up and broke the journey at a couple of castles. Got home about 9.00pm. Rosie was at a party and Jennie was out.
Busy times.

Volunteer Centres in North Wales

I had an enjoyable and constructive time meeting with the managers of all the Volunteer Centres in North Wales yesterday in Wrexham. I even managed to find a car parking space easily which is a bit of a miracle. We discussed lots of things, including the Department for Work and Pensions volunteering programme.

I had heard that the town centre of Wrexham was being taken over by charity shops so I had a quick look - Red Cross, Barnardo's, British Heart Foundation (one furniture, one other stuff) and some local charities were evident. I am not sure 'taken over' was right, but the proportion is high.

Gardening and our groundsmen

Yesterday, for me, was a day outside in the garden in the sunshine. I managed to cut back all the small hedges whilst the hens scratched about by my feet and, at times, they were dangerously close to the electric trimmer. Harriet Hen was nearly decapitated, but somehow managed to duck at the last moment. Silly bird! She lays good eggs so it would have been a pity to lose her.

I left the border hedge which is far too tall to deal with from the ground. We will ask our groundsmen to give it its annual wash, cut and perm when they have time and before our dear neighbour goes through his yearly ritual of telling us he cannot see the sea any more.

Now, I mentioned groundsmen. Don't misunderstand this. They come to us for about half an hour a fortnight in the growing season, mob handed, to mow the lawns and perform very occasional other tasks, such as causing irritating bald patches on the lawn where the rotating blade of the mower has been set too low for the brow of a slope. They are not really gardeners because they don't have anything to do with designing, planting, nurturing or the suchlike. They mow and chop and that seems to be about the extent of it. However, we wouldn't be without them.

Barbeque and God

We went next door for a barbeque yesterday, arriving at about 1.45pm and leaving at just before 11.00pm. What a sunny and warm day! This was a gathering of Chris' family and friends, which happens at this time of year to celebrate the life of his late wife.

Much hilarity, many drinks, a few disagreements and a big discussion on God and religion all intermingled. Once this theological debate started it kept some of us occupied for rather too long probably. Suffice it to say we ranged over creation, evolution, the Bible, the big bang and "Mister God, This is Anna" amongst a plethora of other things. I recommend that book, by Fynn, by the way.

Today is also a beautiful day.

Blood Brothers

We went to see a performance of Blood Brothers at Venue Cymru last Thursday evening with Jennie's performing arts school and there was a standing ovation at the end. It was well deserved. The only surprise for me was that I thought I was going to a stage version of Band of Brothers, the world war two TV mini-series following some paratroopers through the war. We all make mistakes.

Top Dog of the Day

I have always said privately how much I love our finance department at work and now I am flattered to have been asked by its Director when I am going to resume blogging. At least, I think it was flattery. On the other hand, maybe he just has some sort of masochistic compulsion to read my ramblings and hates them with a vengeance. Who knows? Anyway, I like to think he adores my handiwork.

On the basis of that, and his encouraging response to questions about expenditure I want to incur (and make no mistake it is never easy for accountants to be encouraging about expenditure), he is top dog for today.

For the sake of clarity, I have not said how much I love our finance department because it varies and I keep it for private conversations . Suffice it to say that the Director has the Top Dog of the Day award.