Bob's the word

A lovely walk with Louie, Theo, and their families yesterday afternoon, followed by my early birthday tea. Husband did the shopping and, as a result, we have leftovers for lunch and dinner today, and quite possibly tomorrow too!

Although I might need something to nibble on when watching Wales play Argentina this afternoon.

And then we're off to see Bob Dylan this evening!

I surprised myself by being quite chatty with people after church today. I say after church but it's really just church continuing in a different setting when we go into the hall for tea and coffee. And our writing group continues to grow.

Also I found a ball on the floor of the hall so I took it into the little back store room where I noticed a pile of books. Nobody seems to know where they come from so I asked if I could take one. I watched The Magpie Murders on television. It was a bit confusing, sort of time shifting but I enjoyed it. The author, Anthony Horowitz also wrote Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue, which we've just started watching but it's a bit slow and we might not bother with the rest.

(Ingenious, suspenseful, sleek, character-driven - just some of the words used to describe the series in reviews so maybe we're in the minority. The best bit so far is seeing Sister Michael as an American redneck wife.)

And peace ever after

Have booked tickets for Owain and Henry in Cardiff in November next year! But this time I was sensible and took out cancellation insurance!

* * * * *

For the church newsletter I've been visiting the different groups that meet in the church hall and featuring one a week so everyone in the church knows what goes on. As a newcomer I didn't have a clue and there are other newcomers now.

Fiddle blankets

Yesterday it was the turn of the Forget-me-not group, a get-together for those with dementia and their carers. A lovely group, all very appreciative of the chance to meet others to chat, to find support, and to have talks, crafts, and sing-songs. Yesterday it was all about remembrance and I ended up staying for the sing-along of old wartime favourites.

I'd never realised quite how moving The White Cliffs of Dover must have been for people living through it. 

There'll be love and laughter
And peace ever after
Tomorrow
When the world is free.

And even now there's a poignancy to it as we look about world.

My favourite man

He's become my new favourite man!

Husband has dropped to second place.

He just came in and said, "I've spent all morning arguing with Amazon about your birthday present." (It's my birthday next week.)

I said, "That's because you can't buy dogs from Amazon!"

"You are heading for a very disappointing birthday if you continue to believe you're getting a dog."

"Ah, but it could be like in Traitors and you're lying to me!"

He shook his head and walked away.

* * * * *

Wales start their Autumn International Campaign on Sunday against Argentina. It's quite possible they could lose all four matches. I am preparing myself for that. What we have to look for, Husband says, is improvement, hope for the future, promise.

I'm sure there was something else - oh yes, Daughter has booked flights for us i.e. Daughter and me, to Iceland at the end of January! Very exciting!

Be ruthless!

Letter from insurance company saying, "Please read the policy carefully." I ask Husband, "Do I actually have to do that?"
"Nah, just the personal bit."
"Well, they've got that wrong but I told them and she said it's okay. So I'll make sure I keep that email."

* * * * *

I was in Rough Edges, our charity shop, yesterday with two volunteers doing some more clearing. On our own - without the regular volunteers who want to keep everything -we could be ruthless! Admittedly the place looks worse than when we started as there are now piles for metal salvage, plastic recycling, charity shop, and others, all over the floor. But we know what they are.

One of the corners I did was the 'sports' corner. 

It may not look very neat but you didn't see it before I started!

* * * * *

I looked at my desk yesterday and realised it was a visual representation of my brain.

Notes on all sorts of things everywhere.

* * * * *

There's a company called Better Tights and I've bought um, well, tights from them before. I received a marketing email saying some tights were on sale. Saw some teal ones I liked and then went all christmassy and bought sparkly ones as well.

* * * * *

Also am in very bad mood with party wall surveyor. Both Stu and I have been trying to contact him all week and he hasn't responded. And he's been paid. All he has to do is give one of us a ring or a quick email to let us know where we are.

Blowing away the cobwebs

A windy but dry and mild walk with Daughter and Louie today.

I could not remember the name of these shells.

They are gooseneck barnacles and are considered a delicacy in Spain and Portugal. Don't know what these fungi are either. Must look out for an identification course to do.

The Welsh word for recyclable is fioddiraddadwy. I would like it to be noted that should the opportunity ever arise for me to use it I will say recyclable instead. 

A successful class

I count exercise class a success today as only one small fart escaped during sit-ups. And it's the last week of this circuit. Hooray. Any circuit that includes a ski squat, plank and burpees has to be bad. There was a lot of weight work as well, but the sort that doesn't look too bad until you've done several other weights before it.

Then I met up with our new young pastor. I'd messaged him about his talk on Sunday - which had been great but really got me thinking - and he suggested we meet up to chat. Bless him, I think some of the more challenging things he's said have upset some of the old-timers, and he's had to apologise. He didn't have to apologise to me; I loved the challenge. I was a bit apprehensive beforehand as I always am before a social meeting but it was relaxed and open. We chatted for nearly two hours.

And I have to say, no leader in my previous church ever invited me to chat over concerns, or over anything really. The only time one of them sought me out was to tell me off.

Since then I've come home and made blueberry muffins for Zac's but I think I overcooked them slightly. (I had to taste one obviously.)

It's a horrible grey and very wet day today, so I think I might go and watch some Leonard and Hungry Paul. Husband is cooking dinner so I can relax.

Not wired for insurance

Having spent the morning reading insurance policies for Zac's, trying to contact people, trying to make arrangements, I realise I have too many email accounts, too many whatsapp group chats, and not enough brain storage.

I need some fresh air - but it's pouring with rain.

Lovely walk on the beach yesterday with Elder Son and family including Theo. He's not quite brave enough to face the little waves yet.

Cats and birds

Yesterday afternoon we'd been invited to a celebration of the life of Son-in-law's younger brother. It was being held in St Elli's on the sea front on the outskirts of Llanelli. It was wild and windy when we got there but the restaurant was beautiful. And the food delicious.

His mum did a wonderful tribute to him; I don't know how she managed. And it was a fitting farewell.

Each guest received a beautiful little bag of mementoes.

The sky outside looked very dramatic, rather like a fierce cat I think.

And speaking of cats I've just finished reading The Cat Who Saved the Library by Sosuke Natsukawa. I've read a lot of Japanese books recently (in English of course!) and this, the latest, is quite different from the others. It's a fantastical, surreal story about the battle to save books from a power that would rid the world of dangerous books, all books, in fact, because of what they do to your imagination.

The force sometimes known as the Grey Man says, "Imagination is the worst evil of all. It is the ability to think about others, to put yourselves in their shoes. It is a terrifying force that can only destroy your true potential."

And, "I've seen how empathy and compassion render people helpless. Look at the successful people in the world. Not one of them has even a scrap of imagination. The thing they have in common is that they are determined to mow down other people without mercy."

At one point the Grey Man invents a machine that produces neo-books, books that are easily understandable and repetitive, and "most readers will be hooked." 

Art copying life or vice versa as we find bookshops full of celebrity authors and big names, and, especially in the run-up to Christmas those gimmicky books (yes, I've fallen for them too). 

Books as dangerous weapons that need censoring have featured before in 1984 and Fahrenheit 451, neither of which I have read. I shall order 1984 now.