31 08 2010

The image today is of the ingenious re-purposing of a tree stump in  St. Faith's churchyard, Llanfoist.....PEACE

Location : Address not available
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30 08 2010

The day began with a cycle ride into Abergavenny on a beautiful late summer day.... I was lucky to catch a cycle race going through town........ no I didn't join in. they were going far to fast for the likes of me!!!!

The Bridgend pub in Gilwern holds a Blues festival on August Bank Holiday every year. Where else is there a music event at a pub on a canal towpath?

You can walk to the event or better,  arrive by canal boat or as did by bike. I must admit that following a small drink that the final half mile home was tough!!!!!

Location : 48 Main Rd, Gilwern, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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29 08 2010

Look who is back in Wales!!!! Following his trip with Laura to the US........Mini-Dylan has come home again.  :-)

Location : Llanfoist, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7,
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28 08 2010

This bench with its marvelous panoramic view of Abergavenny comes as a great relief after 4 miles of cycling along the canal towpath....ahead is the return journey which doesn't seem so bad after all.

Location : Abergavenny, Gwent NP7 0ES,
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27 08 2010

Get your kicks on Route 66.....

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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26 08 2010

We received wonderfully thoughtful gifts from Laura on her return yesterday,  as you can see.

A Hollywood Star for Debbie and a Twitter book for yours truly.

Thank you Laura.

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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25 08 2010

The eagle has landed! Laura finally emerges into the Arrivals area at Heathrow Terminal 4 following a 24 hour journey from Kansas via JFK New York landing finally on British soil at 10.29am.....
Welcome home Laura :-)

Following her time a Camp Lake Hubert in Minnesota Laura joined a fantastic trekking holiday taking in Boulder Colorado, The Grand Canyon, Las Vegas,  Los Angeles, Yosemite National Park and San Francisco... we can't wait to see the pictures.

24 08 2010

With our daughter returning from the US tomorrow morning. Today was not the best day to find out that our washing machine is beyond economic repair. We have just spent £600 on a replacement which may take over a week to arrive! !

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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23 08 2010

It rained and rained and then it rained some more!!! We realise that this is as nothing compared with the ordeal of those in Pakistan ( see the DEC appeal ) however it can be quite frightening. This is the view from the upstairs window of daughter Emily's house this morning........ blue sky later in the day saw the flood eventually subside.

22 08 2010

Off to feed the ducks.......

Where are those ducks??

Aha! There they are.

21 08 2010

As I cycled along the canal towpath this morning I happened across this unfortunate occurrence. Recent rain appears to have weakened this tree's root system, and as you can see it has fallen across the waterway. I presume that canal  pleasure craft will have been prevented from moving until the blockage was cleared.

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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20 08 2010

I love Abergavenny..............it is home!

19 08 2010 (231/365.... I think?)

It was inevitable I think that the first time I turned up for pre-season training the weather decided to become pretty un-summery!

Two hours of intense training later I was reduced to a wet and sweaty version of my former self !!!!!!!

Most of this is due to the rain......... honestly. I will probably pay for my over exuberance tomorrow or Saturday.

18 08 2010

Above is almost my cycle route this evening...... Google Maps would not allow me to show the actual route along the canal and local cycle ways. You can see the canal picked out by the ribbon like line of trees to the south of the marked route. It was 5 miles each way giving me a good 10 mile round trip........ it was quite unfortunate to find that I had a slow puncture in my rear tyre at half distance.......I had to re inflate my tyre three times on the return journey..... which also happened to be mostly uphill!!!!!
The main consolation was that the sun was out and it was a great day to be outside.  

17 08 2010

Today, the sun setting colourfully in the western sky on a late summer afternoon. 

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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16 08 2010

An interesting lunch today, a Mexican chicken toasted wrap with chilli jam and cheese. It was extremely tasty. I would recommend it as a taste choice.

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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15 08 2010

Blog posted on the return journey from Legoland Windsor.

Location : Burghfield, Reading, West Berkshire RG30 3UQ,
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14 08 2010

It would appear that my recent return to the bicycle as a means of getting fit is not unusual........I would appear to have become a Mamil!!!!!!!! ( Middle aged man in lycra)

I apologise to anyone of a nervous disposition or with certain moral standards for the sight of a grown man in lycra...... who should know better! I also apologise for the legs, they don't get out much!

I  must say that I have taken to my return to two wheels with a degree of enthusiasm that even I have found surprising. My motive is twofold, my increasingly sedentary day job and lifestyle has caused an inevitable weight gain...... and the growth of a tummy! My grandson commented about it recently and this made me see that it really has to GO! My secondary motive is that I am making a concerted effort to return to my hockey playing next season for Abergavenny HC and to do this the way I want to I will need to be competitive. 

Let's here it for the Mamil's !!!!!!!!!!!!

13 08 2010

Friday 13th......however I had a good day today,  rounded off with a 7 mile bike ride.

Location : Church Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,

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12 08 2010

Twitter...... what is all the fuss about? on Prezi

A very attentive group of 31 IB staff attended my 'Beginners Twitter Guide' today, give as part of the Peterson Symposium series of up-skilling workshops. Thanks go to @kloza and the team for all of their support. I look forward to the wiki series to come next month.

11 08 2010

No comment required today......... sssh!! don't wake them up yet!

10 08 2010

Prezi still in action - time to stop tinkering now and let the work breathe!  Just a list of required resources,  then I'm out of here.

I did find a new thing to me today called Chirbit,  audio for social media apps.

Location : Abergavenny, Gwent NP7 0ES,

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09 08 2010

What a long day at the keyboard....... the modern day coalface!!!! Having spent all day in work rewriting and developing one Moodle course for online workshop developers..... yes a whole day on one site, my eyes were just about popping as I left at 4.10pm
At least I had the energy for a 5 mile cycle ride on my return home...... completed just before the heavens opened!
From around 7pm to now...... 10.05pm ( update 10.15!!!) according to my little on-screen clock I have been working on a Prezi presentation  that I am giving to IB staff on Thursday 12th August ( in the morning between 10.00 and 11.30 am UK time) as part of the follow up to the Peterson Symposium.... the title rather predictably 'Twitter..... what is all the fuss about?' you can see a screenshot of a tantalising part of the Prezi above.... it will be posted in full following the presentation on Thursday.
I would dearly like to spread the word to the educational Twitter-world (IB teachers and others are most welcome) to join in and tell what will be a room of IB academic staff many new to Twitter of the many and varied uses of Twitter in an educational setting. We will be using the hashtag #ibtweetup for the presentation and I plan to use Twitterfall to aggregate the tweets that come in and use this as part of my presentation...... and now....... bedtime!

08 08 2010

A Right Royal Picnic at the Castle

Today was the day of Cardiff Festival 2010 'Right Royal Picnic' at Cardiff Castle. A great day out for all the family.

A very enjoyable day it was as well with many people in their 'royal outfits'. Amongst the fun and games... music and performers....

....the highlight of the afternoon was the Great Balloon Race in which 500+ balloons were set free at 3.00pm

5..........4.........3.........2...........1.......... GO!!!!

..... and away they go....

Up.........

up............

.......and away.....

they fly to......

who knows where?

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

07 08 2010

Today my sister delivered a special cake for Debbie and I, it is as you can quite clearly see a cupcake.........but quite a large cupcake...... beautifully wrapped.... Thank you very much Angela. I am sure that this will taste fabulous. I will need to watch my new healthy lifestyle regime, I guess there is going to be the need for some pain in order to enjoy the gain!!!!

06 08 2010

Today is Debbie's Birthday - Happy Birthday my dear! It is also our 27th wedding anniversary, we received the card above from youngest daughter Laura (Harri) presently in the US prior to her return to the UK later this month........ I really don't know what she is alluding to with this card? Who am I trying to kid?
Mind you she did send her mum thus birthday card!

Perhaps it may be an idea to extend the stay Harri!!!!!!

05 08 2010

This was a painful part of my journey today, particularly unwise  to pass this way on both outbound and homebound journey.............. silly me...... ouch!

Location : Cardiff, South Glamorgan CF23 8RT,

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04 08 2010

Lunchtime drink at Starbucks Cardiff Gate today. Blog post courtesy of free wi-fi.

Location : Pentwyn Link Rd, St Mellons, Cardiff CF23 8,

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03 08 2010

This amazing tree root complex was on my cycle journey today. Look closely and you should be able to make out the mystical face of a wood nymph!

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02 08 2010

Croeso i Eisteddfod 2010 yn Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent.

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01 08 2010

Blog post from The Maes - the Eisteddfod Field in Ebbw Vale. Wales cultural event of the year will be in Ebbw Vale until 7th August.

A great day out for all of the family.

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