31 10 2010

I seem to have managed to avoid Halloween this year, there is now a huge marketing campaign around this rather pagan festival..... the weirdest product that I saw this year was a container of 'edible spider-web' of all things.... I am sure there will be those who have found others!
My image today is of the present that my granddaughter was smitten by in John Lewis today.......a three foot high automated Shetland pony!!

30 10 2010

I should make today's image a guess what shot. It is actually a picture of my Audi dashboard as it reached 100,000 miles today on the 200 mile round trip to Pemroke for our hockey match against Carew. ...... sadly the image although interesting is flawed as was our game plan today where we unfortunately lost 8-2 with ten players and no goalkeeper! 

Location : Cosheston, Pembroke Dock, Dyfed SA72 4SS,
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29 10 2010

Today's image is of the last remains of a very drinkable 2005 Rioja which I picked up this week. It is the end of a whirlwind week, which began with a trip to Den Haag from which we returned on Tuesday, encompassed my final decision on our departmental relocation to The Netherlands in 2011, and will end with a 120 mile round trip tomorrow to play hockey in Haverfordwest ( West Wales)
I found out today that I will be in situ in our temporary office in Parkstraat, Den Haag by January 14th!!!! Time to brush up my Dutch.

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It is a time of very mixed emotions, as those who know me would I am sure state that I am very much a 'local boy' having returned home to bring up our family in the 1980's and now with grandchildren living locally ( I have still not told them about my move!!!!).... also being steeped in local history.
However for my career I firmly believe that it is the wisest choice to go with the flow and move on,  I feel that I have unfinished business to complete.
Also the thought of looking for employment in the current climate was quite a daunting prospect.
It will also give me added impetus to develop an online diary of my life as an expat in 2011....... watch this space.

28 10 2010

It is with regret that I reflect today on the passing of Dr William (Bill) Griffiths ( wikipedia entry) 1922-2010. Bill was an innovator as a player as you can read from his biography above, he can be seen in the centre of the front row of the above image as captain of Wales in a match against England at Abergavenny Cricket Club in 1949, a year after winning his Olympic Silver medal at the London Games as a member of the Great Britain Hockey Team.
Bill was President of Abergavenny HC when I took over as Chairman in 2000 until I had to accept his request to step down in 2007 after 40 years at the helm, he was always a wise head in often difficult times, in later years I remember very well Bill turning up to watch hisgrandson Michael begin his hockey career as a junior...... Michael is now captain of Abergavenny 2nd XI following in his granddad's footsteps.
My abiding memory of Bill was that he dutifully turned up for every club AGM to listen attentively through many an overlong speech, mild irritation came from Bill as we moved to the presentations as the photographer often insisted on Bill sitting in a chair surrounded by those lucky enough to receive rewards...... Bill would whisper to me not to allow Malcolm the photographer to sit him in the chair as in the local paper image it irritated Bill hugely for making him look tiny surrounded by the young award winners....... I often failed to get to the photograph party on time...... much to the annoyance of our President...... sorry Bill :-)

A gentleman

27 10 2010 An important day!!

An interesting and enigmatic image taken from our recent trip to Den Haag. It was back into the office today for work, I must admit my mind was still turning to other things. The main reason for this is that as some may know, my job has been scheduled to relocate as our department moves to The Hague in the first quarter of 2011, indeed we began the 6 month decision process in some 3 months ago and have today reached the end of the process with a decision to relocate or take an enhanced redundancy payment to be made.

This has not been an easy decision for any of our team to make, however we have all had to weigh up the pros and cons for our own situation......... my decision made today is to grasp the opportunity and go for it. I felt that in many ways it is too big an opportunity to miss out on.... time will tell.
Having finally made a decision which has been many months in the making, I feel a degree of relief tinged with the excitement and anticipation of working abroad very soon.

26 10 2010

On Tuesday we had a look around Den Haag this included a visit to the Escher Exhibition in the city. The exhibition is brilliantly housed in an old palace complete with a myriad of staircases and mirrors echoing Escher's own work.

 The city has a very small town feel which belies its size and working population.

25 10 2010

Today we travelled from Den Haag to Amsterdam for the day, we had an interesting cultural day managing a canal boat trip, lunch in the 'red light' district followed by a visit to the Anne Frank House Museum.

Which is a poignant place for any of us living freely to encounter

We returned by the Sneltrain (fast train) to Den Haag for a good meal in one of the many fine restaurants in the city.

24 10 2010

Today we arrived in plenty of time at Bristol Airport for our hop over to Schiphol.

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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23 10 2010

Dylan the tiny dragon prepares for his short trip to The Hague and Amsterdam tomorrow. He will be flying with his mentors Paul and Debbie for a short fact finding trip.

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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22 10 2010

An October Friday lunchtime in Cardiff.

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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21 10 2010

This week has been a truly enigmatic one, I do wonder where the days have gone as we head toward another weekend. Wow! Tomorrow is Friday already . The week which began in late summer early autumn warmth and has ended with frosty nights and crisp mornings.
This weekend will also be interesting following Saturday when hockey is on the cards, on Sunday afternoon Debbie and I are off to The Netherlands until Tuesday -apologies in advance for the lack of blog posts during the visit they will follow. More news on the reason for the trip in a week's time....... enigmatic again!!!

20 10 2010

An image showing many planes heading westward into the setting sun this evening.

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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19 10 2010

The first frost due saw the gritting lorries out this evening. They were correct as the image is of my car windscreen iced over on Wednesday morning.

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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18 10 2010

Autumn leaves.

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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17 10 2010

With the weather set fair for another day it was time to get the garden into shape for the coming winter...... our clocks go back by an hour in a few weeks.

Today's image is of my shed filled with assorted items including our garden furniture which will over-winter here again this year.

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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16 10 2010

Abergavenny is still being blessed with beautiful clear blue skies at present.

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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15 10 2010

I along with millions of fans surely hope that our beloved Liverpool FC has been saved from its mounting debts by the new owners New England Sports Ventures.... time will tell!

Location : Abergavenny, Gwent NP7 0ES,
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14 10 2010

Autumn leaves fringe the lane near the house this afternoon as a cold snap takes temperatures tumbling and central heating systems come to life.  Brrr! All we need now are the clocks to go back in a week or so and we will be on the countdown to Christmas!

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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14 10 2010

Autumn leaves fringe the lane near the house this afternoon as a cold snap takes temperatures tumbling and central heating systems come to life.  Brrr! All we need now are the clocks to go back in a week or so and we will be on the countdown to Christmas!

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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13 10 2010

Mmmmmm! Smell the coffee.

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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12 10 2010

A golden carpet stretches out before me.

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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11 10 210

Today the image is of furnace 1 (in the foreground ) of the Clydach Ironworks which was  built in 1793. T he 'pig iron' produced at the works would have been taken down to the nearby canal past our house on what was back in the 1790's the Llanmarch tramroad.  It would have been taken  canal barge to the docks at Newport.

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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09 10 2010

Bravo Mrs. Blitztein!

I must today congratulate the whole cast of ALOC ( Abergavenny Light Opera Company) and of course Mrs Blitztein aka Debbie for a great week of performances in the Lionel Bart musical 'Blitz' at the Abergavenny Borough Theatre - please feel free to read the whole review here [link].

All of the practice and rehearsals certainly paid off as the show wowed audiences for the week.

BRAVO!

08 10 2010

Anwen the special Teddy Bear from Sunshine's Nursery in Llanfoist visits for the weekend

Anwen comes with a wardrobe  of her clothes and her diary which is updated by the family with pictures and descriptions of the exciting activities that happen during her visit. 

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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07 10 2010

Autumn leaves at the Cardiff Gate Business Park on Thursday of this week.

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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06 10 2010

Are my beloved team about to be sold on to another group of American entrepreneurs?

Only time will tell.

Location : Maes Y Gwartha Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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05 10 2010

An autumnal collection of 'conkers' -the fruit of the Horse Chestnut tree.

Location : Abergavenny, Gwent NP7 0ES,
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04 10 2010

Back on track with blogging today phrenology, thanks for all who have been patient in waiting for me to come back on stream.  Today the image is of the disappointing score at the end of today's opening hockey match for Wales against New Zealand.!

Location : Abergavenny, Gwent NP7 0ES,
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03 10 2010

Today I actually had to drive 300 plus miles up to London to help daughter Sian move flats....... and home again in a day! My image today is a saved image of autumn berries from the Cardiff Gate Business Park taken last Thursday.

Location : Abergavenny, Gwent NP7 0ES,
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02 10 2010

Today I caught the autumn colours in the Clydach Gorge.

Location : Abergavenny, Gwent NP7 0ES,
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01 10 2010

It is October at last 10 months into the 12 month challenge. Apologies for my late posts recently we had a very intense time in Liverpool leaving little time for blogging. Today an image left from Liverpool.

Location : Abergavenny, Gwent NP7 0ES,
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30 09 2010

Back in Cardiff and autumn progresses.

Location : Church Rd, Llanelly, Monmouthshire NP7 0,
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29 09 2010

Having been a fan of Liverpool FC since the age of 10, I have had to wait too long to visit Anfield,  today was the day that I finally achieved my dream.  It was a serene experience to sit in the director's box and to be to soak in the atmosphere. .... a dream come true.

Location : Wandsworth, London SW11 3SL,
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28 09 2010

Its been a hard day's night, time to sleep like a dog!! Wow!  The genuine Cavern Club!!

Location : Wandsworth, London SW11 3SL,
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27 09 2010

A view of the historic Albert Dock Liverpool.

Location : Wandsworth, London SW11 3SL,
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