We watched a lot of sport this month. We seem as though we spent weekends getting up early for an 8.30am kick off (our time), followed by a 10.30am match, then a 2.30pm match. It was really interesting listening to northern hemisphere commentary, particularly of the All Black matches. While the commentators were one eyed, at least they were fair. Pity the Welsh got smashed, but at least Deans is working his magic over the Wallabies. There's hope for the team – at least we shouldn't be too embarrassingly third in the Tri Nations.
Apart from that, we watched a bit of the Churchill Cup and IRB Junior World Cup, Kathy watched (or had on) a lot of the cricket which was played this month, and we attempted to see another Twenty20 match. We turned up to the game, and the heavens opened after a few overs. Apparently the game resumed after an hour or so. It was drier at the pub. Speaking of which, Kathy had a magic moment – one of the blokes Matt used to go to Voorburg Group meetings with (Tim) was there with a mate of his (another Tim), and they sat either side of Kathy and sang. In Welsh. It was fantastic!! Best moment of the month for her.
Matt's aunt Val has been over from Canada this month, staying with the family in Barry.
Val, Gaynor and Kathy
We trekked out there one Saturday for a family and friends BBQ. Mind you, the trip out there was a drama. We had a slow start to the day because of the rugby, so weren't quite ready when Les turned up in his Jag to pick us up. Turns out it was a good thing. See, the Jag drinks it's petrol as though it's drier than a dead dingo's donger – so Les doesn't take it on long trips (it takes about 30 mins to drive between our place and theirs. So when he got here, the thing was overheating more than a little. Turns out the fans weren't working, or something (the car nerds out there will be saying “so, what's surprising about that – it's a Jag”. True, but it's the sports coupe and they've apparently done many things to improve the reliability of their cars. (Apparently). After waiting for ages for the Jaguar roadside assistance folks to turn up and have a look (long enough for Kathy to watch the whole of the first half of the second test in Sth. Africa) he decided that he really can't fix it here and it would have to go back to the workshop. Les wasn't impressed – he'd just had it serviced. So, we wait while Les tries to get Gaynor on the phone to come and pick us up, then head off up the road to meet her along the way – about an hour or so after Les had originally turned up. Kathy suggested a shot gun would help Les to put the car out of its misery. Still, the BBQ was good fun and we enjoyed catching up with Grant and Sarah at lunch the next day.
The following weekend we met up with Matt's other cousin, Linda and her husband Phil. It was a really good afternoon, and we had lots of fun just sitting and chatting (and drinking – hey, this is Wales!). They're waiting to become grandparents any tick of the clock as this is written – very exciting. We haven't caught up with Matt's other aunt and and uncle yet, but it turns out that has not been a bad thing, as they've both been poorly. Linda's planning a family get together some time in July, depending on arrival of grandson.
Then, on Sunday we went to Cardiff Castle for a joust they were hosting.
Perils of jousting - shattered lances
Man, did the wind blow! Poor Matt left his hat at home (it was also sunny) as he didn't want it to blow away, so got badly sunburnt instead. This was the first time the Castle had held a joust, so some activities were a bit thin on the ground, but the kids who were there had a great time, and the jousting was a lot of fun to watch. We don't know how historically accurate it was, and we don't care – the main thing is everyone had fun, and the skills displayed by the erstwhile knights were spectacular. Most of the participants were re-creationists, so were a little, shall we say, intense, but they were quite happy to answer the millions of questions kids in the crowds seemed to keep asking of them.
The last weekend of the month saw us trek out to the St. Fagans Natural History Museum. It's huge! In 2 hours, all we saw was the house (or castle as people insisted on calling it, even though there hadn't been a castle there for centuries), most of the gardens attached to the house and 3 of the exhibits. It's important to point out here that this is a museum of buildings and ways of living – there's one similar in Switzerland Kathy's been to, and apparently there's also one in Sweden. So, we saw the wool mill and weaving house which has a huge big hand loom – they prepare, die, card and spin all their wool), a grain store and a fishing exhibition. As we'd walked there (it's 3 miles from home), we were starting to feel a bit weary (and hungry), so as it's so close and it's free entry we decided to return another day. The chap who showed us around the mill suggested at least 4 trips are necessary to see the whole lot, and said that in the couple of weeks before Christmas they have special openings where all the buildings are lit up and decorated. You have to pay for those ones, of course, but it would so be worth visiting!
So, notable meals and things this month:
A very nice dinner at our local Italian cafe, where Kathy had cockles in her pasta sauce.
Antipasti for lunch at a place called Signor Valentino, which is in Cardiff Bay
mackerel (yummy fish, and cheap as)
Tapas (again), but at pica pica (which is near the Stadium) – yummy and they do lunch deals
British asparagus (sorry Aussie produces – these ones are better)
British strawberries (the local ones were particularly delic.), raspberries and goseberries
More goat's cheese than you could shake a stick at
South African and Californian wines
1 comment:
what happened to the other one?
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