Fire!

Ever since it was discovered fire has provided light, warmth, fuel and most importantly, something for boys to do when they get bored!!

Tonight, Raoul, Will and myself dusted off the fire pit at Raoul's house and got down to what we do best . . . Burning stuff!






It's a start. . .






Big flame. . .






Green wood to make crackling noises. . .






Will and his homemade Olympic torch. . .






Will, er. . . Smoking the Olympic torch. . .






Raoul poking the fire. . .






Fire from Will's bottom. . .






Will the fire breathing Dragon!!!!

As you can see we had much fun and Raoul and myself would like to congratulate Will on gaining his level 2 firestarters qualification.

Please note that all firestarting sessions have strict safety guidelines and regulations! Do not attempt to try any of the activities at home.

We also made a hot air balloon out of a bin liner, metal wire, a piece of sock and some meths! It was sweet! Well, at least the second one was. The first one caught on fire a few feet off the ground. The second one went about 200 feet up!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

They say that as you get older Christmas loses its magic. But for me it seems, that the more advanced I get in years (and I don't think I'm that advanced yet!) the more I get excited. For sure, the older you get, the smaller the number of presents received, but, you also experience more of what Christmas is really about. Dr Seuss, through the Grinch, once said, "And the Grinch, with his Grinch feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more." Dr Seuss was trying to remind us that christmas means a little bit more; more than the giving or receiving of presents; more than the decorations or fancy gift wrap or delicious food. Now I couldn't tell you what Dr Seuss believed about Jesus, but, he most certainly believed that there was more to Christmas than all the packaging we put on it . . .

"For God so loved the world that he sent his only son. So that whoever believes in him may have eternal life" john 3:16 the bible

That's what I believe the more is. . .

It's been a while...

This was actually meant to be posted about a week ago but I forgot!!! So here it is...

So it would appear that the last time i posted anything on this blog was almost exactly two years ago. "Almost exactly" now that's a strange thing to say, why would I even say that. It's like in football when the commentator says "OOh, that was so close, he had the goalkeeper beaten there, so nearly a goal!" Yeah, but so nearly doesn't cut it! The ball didn't go between the big white sticks so no goal. "He had the goalkeeper beaten!" No he didn't! The ball didn't go in! You could kick at the corner flag and say "He had the goalkeeper beaten" but that doesn't mean he is.

Anyway, that doesn't have much to do with anything except that life can be full of "almost exactly" moments. We can come so close to the things we were made to do and miss. I'm pretty bored of living like that now. My life is full of moments when I talked about the things I would do. Then months and years later I remember what I said and, oh, will you look at that, it's not happened. One of those things is this blog which is the reason I am writing here again. I'm doing this mainly for me (selfish I know!!), so that I have a place that I can keep track of what I said I'd do and actually get on and do it!You're welcome to share the journey with me though... I like company...

Ever heard of Caerphilly Mountain? Well you have now.

Today was spent with my cousin Steve. The plan was to go to the model shop in Caerphilly to get a glow plug to start his diesel powered radio controlled car. However, once we'd picked up the car part we made our way back towards Cardiff and Penarth a slightly different way to normal apparently. So I guess that means, but for a moment, we were lost. Although I would say that I never really get lost as such, I just sometimes couldn't tell you exactly where I was!

Now it became evident fairly quickly that we were going up Caerphilly mountain. We arrived at this conclusion based upon the sudden steepness of the road and the sign that literally said 'Mountain' and was pointing the way we were heading, up!!

As we neared the top we saw a useful sign to Cardiff but decided to park and walk the remaining half a mile to the top to check out the views, which we were fantastic. On our short journey we managed to take a few shots of the views, ourselves and random strangers!





The view from the top of Caerphilly Mountain





Random couple walking down but up the mountain





Steve catching the view of Cardiff Bay and Penarth Head





Steve catching some more views





Steve walking down to go up!





A lonely tree and an old quarry way in the distance. Not really sure you can see the quarry but it is there, really, it is.





Steve and the trig point that tells us we're at the highest point of the mountain





Glorious sky





The sun shining down on Caerphilly Castle, which by the way is the largest castle in Wales





Angel of the . . . Er . . . Caerphilly Mountain? Oh ok, it's Steve standing on the trig point.





Yep, you guessed it! That's me standing on the trig point. Cool picture though, right?

Oh and the radio controlled car's starter battery was dead anyway. So it didn't work!!

All did not end badly though. We were greeted back in Penarth by a nice meal cooked by Grandma and shared with Mum (Auntie Linda to Steve) Uncle Dave (Dad to Steve) and of course the cook, Grandma (also Grandma to Steve!)

Currently in the car with Mum heading back into England along the M4. . . Until next time, goodbye Wales. . .

Family

Today I visited my cousin Jen and her two children, Imogen (3) and Samuel (5 months) who are both very cute indeed. Much fun was has cuddling, playing with the tea set and eating mince pies. Unforfunatly we didn't get to see Les as he had an accident on his bike last night and so was asleep in bed.


Cake Uncle Pete?


Samuel has finally given into the Octopus toy


Imogen the beautiful fairy princess


Cousin Jen with baby Samuel

Feeling very different all of a sudden

Possibly my favourite way of travelling is by train. I have many memories of times that I have spent on trains; some good and some bad. There was the time that I went all the way to the French Alps and spent an hour lying on the platform at Lyon with my good friend Will, as we waited for our next train. Another time a lady, who perhaps had comsumed a little too much beverage, decided that going to the toilet to be sick was not an avenue she wanted to explore, being sick right there on the floor, apparently, was a much better option!? Then of course there was the time I got to Ascot just in time to see the last train to Camberley leaving. There's nothing quite like the feeling of realizing that your only option of getting home is a ten mile walk. There is also nothing quite like the feeling of being rescued by a very good friend, you know who you are!

However, I never thought I would experience what I am going through right now. Allow me to paint a picture - I get on an empty
train and am quickly joined by 2 girls who have lots of shopping bags. Over the next 20 minutes the train fills up, not just with more women and girls, bags! Lots of bags, bags with make up in, bags with hair products in, bags with clothes in, bags with perfume in, bags with nail varnish in. I think you get the picture. What I didn't realize was that the Clothes Show had just finished at the NEC in Birmingham. So, I am now sat in 'Coach C' that should probably be renamed 'The Clothes Show Tour Bus!'

Seriously, I am finding it hard to breathe right now as the air is becoming less oxygen and nitrogen and more perfume and nail varnish. This may well be the last thing I write on here (which would be a shame as I've only just started blogging again!) as I am becoming more intoxicated by the second.

It is safe to say that I will smell very nice when I leave this train. . .