A new era?

I never did get round to posting this but I thought you might want to read it anyway …

“17th April

In case you didn’t receive my e-mail, I am standing for Swansea council at the coming Local Elections on May 3rd.  Whilst not wishing to count my chickens etc the ward is supposedly a safe seat.  In the next couple of weeks I will be doing a lot of walking the streets, knocking on doors, preparing leaflets etc but if I’m ‘lucky’ the real work will begin after the elections.

So it might be a while before you get the next personal blog off me, but if you are worried about getting withdrawal symptoms (!!) I will be posting to my political blog at http://www.lesleywaltonpolitics.blogspot.co.uk/ from time to time,

But to finish this one, another cat anecdote …

When Jeff & I came back from Mid Wales on Saturday they were nowhere to be found.  Looked all over the house but to no avail.  Went out into the garden – ditto.  So finished unpacking the car and putting things away, then we both went out the back door again.  Although I thought it a long shot as still not sure they were used to them, I called out their names ‘Gaby’, ‘Moni’, Richie’.  And one by one they appeared from nowhere in that order!  And my happiness was made complete later that evening when Monica came up as usual to snuggle round my neck.  Sometimes it’s actually good to come home.”

Since I wrote the above I've been elected so have set up another blog ("oh no, not another one!").  On the off chance you might be interested in what I do as a councillor go to http://www.lesleywaltoncouncillor.blogspot.co.uk/ as I thought I'd write a piece each week (but don't count on it!)


Les X

A Cat's Progress

Thought I’d start the New Year with an update on our kitten-cats. You know they say ‘ a dog is not just for Christmas’ but is this still true for cats? Only joking!

They are of course into everything, eat anything – before now Moni has nicked potato off my plate, and on a Saturday morning it’s a race to who gets to the scrambled egg first although Richie usually wins, and Gabi has a fondness for plants and so far has, fortunately for her, proved that none of ours are poisonous!

After Woody died in the summer it just didn’t feel right getting any more at the time but it seemed perfect timing to get them now as presents for each other. A friend of ours, Judy, does a lot of work on behalf of the Cats Protection League, part of which is looking after abandoned kittens & cats, which is where we got them. At the time she had two very small ‘fluff balls’ who kept hiding, and two other males who were beautiful pale ginger tabbies. But we had always said we wanted black & white – apparently they are not the ‘flavour of the month’ which I find quite baffling.

Adding in something new this year, as I get older I get more and more intolerant, with the emphasis on the ‘rant’! So each month I’m going to include a Grumpy Gripe and here’s the first …

There have been a number of TV series called Grumpy Old Men’s Guide to … which gets me shouting at the set as I reckon that the average age of the ‘old’ men on it is less than 50. But worse, far worse, is the Grumpy Old Women counterpart when at least one of them is barely 30!

Les X

House of Cats Continued …

Now have Richie S. Peeps – all black, and whilst a bit more timid than the other two, he’s just as inquisitive.

Isn't he lovely!

Les X

Houses of Commons, Lords, and Cats!

This blog is a bit late for the end of November, but who’s counting … Jeff & I had a very interesting trip to the Houses of Parliament early November, as lunch guests of our MP, Geraint Davies. We then went into the public gallery in the House of Commons, where the MPs were discussing various issues concerning the Welsh Government. We also managed a visit to the House of lords, to hear the tail end of a debate about TV advertising. I was surprised how interesting I found it, but it probably helped that I could relate to both matters. And the Lords still has some great traditions like the speaker sitting on the Woolsack, and at the end of the session proceeding out behind the mace. Well worth a visit if you are that way inclined.

Before we came back to Swansea we had a chance to take in Westminster at night, and took some pics of each other, as well as other views when we took a leisurely stroll over Westminster Bridge & back,
including the London Eye.

That’s the ‘dry’ bit over & done with, now for the fun, as we have two, soon to be three, new additions to the household : Gabriela Matilda, Monica Blaze, and Richie Peeps (no, the Peeps wasn’t our idea!) : Two girls and a boy all around about 6 months old, not related but the girls are very similar, both black & white.

So far the girls appear to be settling in well, that is if the fact that they have knocked over a vase of flowers, broken a plate, tried to get in the fridge amongst other things, is anything to go by! The names? Well, they had already been given Matilda, Blaze & Peeps, but when we went to choose them the girls were being very cheeky so you can probably work out the rest. On the other hand Richie is partly after Dad but not really sure why I thought of it. He’s all black and sadly lost an eye during a very severe bout of cat flu, but he’s still cute and gets on well with the girls. And as there are three of us, one cat each!

Les X

Autumn Break

Just a few days away over half term break and yet again in Mid Wales but with a difference … we stayed in Barmouth, not Tywyn. Had a pleasant drive, and found a road we’ve never been on before from Brecon up to Newbridge-on-Wye. Finally over Nat y Moch Reservoirs with its fine views of Cardigan Bay in the distance as you drive down the other side.

Our lovely guest house was just round the corner from the harbour. (And better still, less than 10 minutes walk from the best pub! First evening was open mike night and as it happened the co-owner was playing his sax, and persuaded me to sing. Did Fever which went down very well despite, or possibly because of, all the interesting words I made up!)

One slight disappointment was that the train line was closed as they were doing repairs to the bridge over the Mawddach Estuary which put paid to our planned ride round the coastline. But we actually managed to do a bit of walking instead (“surely not?” you all cry in unison!) Firstly just round Barmouth, with a ferry trip over to & back from Penryn Point. And the next day we used a book from the B&B and picked a walk which was, needless to say, one of the shor test, easiest, and all on the flat, but with the possibilities for seeing birds - we were lucky enough to see some Jays, and more unusually Reed Bunting in winter plumage.

On the way ho me we went via Penmaenpool, a good vantage point for birds on the river where it is still tidal, which was very evident and we’d certainly never seen the banks so flooded before. And of course we dropped in on the Talyllyn Railway, Wharf Station to be precise. Saw Edward Thomas pull in whilst we sipped coffee, sitting on the platform in the sunshine.

Les X

PS Because of Jeff’s late start and working til 9 in the evening, we tend not to get up too early, so it was quite a shock to the system having to get up each morning so as not to miss breakfast. I need another holiday to get over it!

... and a Peacock!

Sunday was as usual wonderfully restful with a great breakfast cooked by Harry (who, and quite rightly, ate a lot of it too but apparently not as much as his Dad!) But the highlight without a doubt was a visit by the Glover's new ‘pet’ who over recent weeks has taken a shine not only to the garden but also likes to go and sit on the kitchen floor - well, whatever turns you on! Les X

A Party ...

Another lovely weekend in Leicester, this time to celebrate both Rich & Ros’ 60th birthdays.

The ‘surprise ’ party on Saturday wasn’t exactly, as they both knew there was something on, but they didn’t know what, or who had been invited. Son Harry kept them in suspense a while longer by taking them on a circular tour lasting about 20 minutes when the direct route would have taken about 3! So I know they were both pleased (and probably a bit relieved!) to find many family & friends waiting to congratulate them, and a great evening of food, drink, chatter - and skittles! - was had by all. Les X