Siani's Pot-Pourri

Whatnot

2009-07-07T09:29:00.002+01:00

I've been quite busy recently, so I've not had much time for blogging. On Saturday, I took a break from everything, and had my first night out in months. I went to see my friend's band perform at a local pub, and had a pretty good night.

My cousin, Wayne, has just been offered a flat by Coastal Housing, which he's moving into in the next week. After he's moved all his stuff to the new place, I'm going to have a massive spring clean and do a bit of decorating. Not that he's wrecked the decor, or anything like that. The place needs a lick of paint, and it would be hard to work around all of Wayne's stuff, as well as my usual clutter.

I've started taking driving lessons again, after a gap of a few years. My first lesson, last night, went pretty well - far better than I expected. My main issue is forgetting to change gear - but I guess that will become second nature after while. Remembering to change gear, I mean. I don't want forgetting to become second nature.

Oh well. That's about it for now. Hopefully, I'll have something interesting to blog about soon.

Find Hotels With Twitter

2009-07-03T13:06:00.002+01:00

I absolutely love Twitter. It has many uses not immediately apparent. I've recently discovered it's an excellent online tool for discovering good hotels. People often tweet about their experience of a hotel they've stayed at, offering other Twitter users reliable and independent advice about where to stay and where to avoid.

Twitter is also used by some of the biggest online hotel providers, including Expedia, Last Minute, and Laterooms.com. I was recently able to find a great local hotel deal for a friend, by first checking out hotel providers on Twitter, then looking for comments about that hotel, by Twitter users who had stayed there. Give it a try. It's free, quick and easy!

Help Llys Nini provide a Safe Haven

2009-07-03T12:12:00.003+01:00

I can't remember whether or not I've blogged about my new job as a volunteer fundraiser at RSPCA Llys Nini Animal Centre, here in Swansea. I know I announced it on Facebook. I'm working with my long-time pal, Alison Lenihan, better known as Lenny. We're trying to raise awareness about our Safe Haven scheme.

I was shocked to discover that Llys Nini, although affiliated to the RSPCA, is independently funded. The centre receives no funding from the RSPCA, the government, or any other official body. It costs at least £1500 a day to run the centre - by my estimations, that amounts to at least £547,500 a year. Llys Nini is wholly dependent on the generosity of local individuals and companies, as well as funds raised via the local RSPCA charity shops.

The centre provides an essential lifeline for unwanted, neglected, abused and abandoned animals. Some of the animals are given up voluntarily, but many of them are seized by RSPCA inspectors due to wilful neglect or cruelty.

If you love animals, please consider supporting Llys Nini's Safe Haven scheme, by sponsoring a dog kennel or cat pen at the centre. I know money's very tight for most of us right now. But, from as little as £1.25 a week - the price of a tea or coffee - you can help save the life of an unwanted cat or dog. You'll get a certificate detailing which animal space you're sponsoring, and you will be most welcome to pop into Llys Nini, at any time during visiting hours, to visit the animal occupying your space. Your name will also appear on a plaque outside the dog kennel or cat pen you're sponsoring.

If you love animals, especially if you live in south or west Wales, please give Llys Nini's Safe Haven scheme serious consideration. Without your help and support, the centre will be unable to continue saving lives, and rehoming abandoned pets. I would love to take home at least one of the dogs currently at the centre. Sadly, I don't have the time, money or space to welcome another animal into my home at the moment, so I've decided to become a Safe Haven sponsor. Remember - you can help from as little as £1.25 a month. That's not a lot to save a life, is it?

Dog Shampoo

2009-07-03T00:03:00.002+01:00

I'm fortunate enough to have a happy, well adjusted dog in almost every possible way. But I face a real conundrum when trying to select a suitable dog shampoo to bathe my Jake with. Luckily, as he's a Shih Tzu/Lhasa Apso mix, he's a low odor dog, but he still needs regular bathing, as he enjoys a good mud bath every now and then. However, most of the dog shampoos on the market play havoc with his skin and coat.

He has a very long, dense coat, which requires regular trips to the dog groomer, to prevent him from becoming tangled up. Sadly, even the high quality shampoo used at the grooming salon, makes him itch like crazy for several days after his visit. Perfumed shampoos are the worst for irritating his skin. Also, when his coat is long, most shampoos leave a sticky residue, which causes his fur to mat close to his skin. So how do I get a sweet-smelling dog, without irritating the poor fellow's sensitive skin, or tangling up his coat?

Since becoming a volunteer worker at an animal shelter, I've discovered that the best shampoos to use for bathing dogs, are made from high quality natural ingredients. Dinovite produces a great range of natural, Dogosuds dog shampoos at very competitive prices. Made from natural, therapeutic grade essential oils, such as lavender, tea tree and peppermint, Dogosuds shampoos also come in a variety of bottle sizes. There is even an unscented option, with yucca extract, which has soothing and healing properties. Lavender, tea tree and peppermint are all effective, natural flea repellants, which also have anti-fungal and antibacterial properties, as well as a long-lasting, fresh scent. Should you live in an area where your dog has regular run-ins with skunks - Dogosuds shampoos are also effective at eradicating skunk odor.

There's nothing worse than an itchy, smelly, tangled-up dog. He suffers, and so do you. Dinovite dog shampoos are chemical and irritant-free. Although they produce a nice, rich lather, they also rinse out very easily, and leave behind no sticky residue to clog up your dog's coat. Why not give your dog a treat today, and give him a lovely, itch-free Dogosuds bath?

Busy bee

2009-07-02T23:36:00.006+01:00

Apologies for the lack of posts here over the last few days. My laptop is out of action, so I'm having to borrow Wayne's. I don't have access to any of my files or software, and it's driving me nuts. I don't really like Wayne's computer. The touchpad is weird - it's too close to the edge of the laptop, and I keep resting my hand on it, so the computer then does weird things. Also, it has an Intel Celeron processor - yuk! I much prefer my AMD Turion dual core processor, even if it does get a little hot on times.

On the subject of hot - I thought the warm weather was wonderful when it first arrived. Now, I'm just so sick of this stupid heatwave. I can't sleep because night time temperatures are so high. To add insult to injury, it's absolutely peeing down outside, yet it's really muggy, humid and oppressive. I really wish we could have an almighty great thunderstorm to cool everything right down. But it's not all bad. My strawberry plants, salad crops, flowers and herbs are having a whale of a time, and have put on an impressive spurt of lush growth almost overnight. I've put down organic-approved, pet-safe slug killer, so hopefully, none of that lush growth will get chomped by slimy little beggars.

Poor little Jake hates the heat. Luckily, I took him to the groomer last week, just before the weather really heated up, so his coat is nice and short now. Look:

Please click to enlarge, so you can see how gorgeous my boy is. I've been taking him to work with me at the Llys Nini Animal Centre, and he's a big hit up there, even if he does try to guard the office.

Oh well, that's all for now. Hopefully, I'll have my own laptop back soon, repaired and ready to go.

Damn you, Acer

2009-06-24T18:36:00.002+01:00

I called Acer on Saturday, about my laptop problem. It seemed to be an issue with the power adapter. They asked me to email them proof of purchase, and they would get right back to me. They didn't. I've bought a new power adapter, as I got sick of waiting for them to sort things out. Well, it turns out it's the laptop, not the adapter, that's at fault. It still won't charge up, and is now dead, as the battery is empty. Been trying all day to get sense out of Acer. There's only about six weeks of waranty left on it. I'm having nightmare visions of the warranty expiring before I can arrange the repair. They really are a shower of sh*te. Never, ever will I buy another Acer laptop, however cheap and tempting it looks.

Damn you, Acer

2009-06-20T15:38:00.002+01:00

My laptop's power cord died a death overnight. I've changed the fuse, but nothing happened. I've got 50 minutes of battery power left. Ugh. Luckily, the laptop is still under warranty, so I'm just waiting for Dabs.com to send me a copy of my e-receipt, to forward on to Acer. I should have known better than to get another Acer. Grr. I should still be around, as I can use Wayne's laptop until I get the new power cord.

Web Hosting Geeks

2009-06-19T12:37:00.002+01:00

You may remember, a few months ago, that I had plans to start my own podcast. After some research, many of the free podcast hosting services left a lot to be desired. So if this project is to be a success, I need to get dedicated hosting.

Trouble is, there are so many web hosts around, from large, professional operations, to chancers hosting sites on an old server in their spare bedroom. It's hard to tell which is which, simply by visiting their websites. Yet the choice of web hosting service is crucial to the success of any online project. Visitors need fast and reliable access to your website, or they go elsewhere.

I've just started looking for webhosting, and the Web Hosting Geeks site has saved a lot of time. It's a must for anyone planning their own website. I really like the site's independent reviews of a wide range of web hosting services. Their Top 10 handpicks the very best web hosts, focusing on those that offer free domain name registration, along with unlimited traffic and web space. It takes many tedious hours of research to hunt down these hosts independently. Why waste all that time when you can visit Web Hosting Geeks?

Another great feature of the site, is the listing of top web hosts by hosting category. Of particular interest to bloggers, is the Best Blog Hosting list. The site also offers guides to the best forum hosts and the best dedicated hosting, amongst many other useful categories. The site's blog is also a valuable resource. I'm often confused by the options offered by web hosts, especially when it comes to deciding which web hosting platform to choose. The Web Hosting Geeks blog provides a lot of useful, easy-to-understand technical information for those of us who don't understand the pros and cons of Linux, Windows or Unix hosting platforms.

So, if you need a web host, check out Web Hosting Geeks, and save yourself a heap of time and money. Finding the right web host can be a tedious and protracted process, so let Web Hosting Geeks do all the hard work for you.

I'm still around

2009-06-18T11:48:00.002+01:00

Apologies for the lack of posts here recently - I've been a bit busy with various things. Remember me mentioning that I had been mistakenly told the creep who stole my bag had been sentenced to 2½ years in jail, when he hadn't? Well, he has been sentenced now:

Three year jail term for knifepoint robbery

I've also been working on a new article, Strange Days: Ghosts of the Skirrid Mountain Inn. Please feel free to check it out, if you have a few free minutes.

From next week, I'll be doing voluntary work up at the RSPCA's Llys Nini Animal Centre, alongside my old pal, Alison Lenihan, or Lenny, as most people know her. I'll be involved in fundraising, for a very worthy cause, Llys Nini's Safe Haven scheme. If you can spare a pound a week, why not pledge your support? For less than the price of a cup of coffee at your favourite coffee shop, you could help ease the suffering of poor, abandoned, often sick, animals. That's bound to leave you with a nicer taste in your mouth than anything Starbucks can offer you, isn't it? Go on, you know you want to :).

Anyway, that's what's been going on in my life. How are you, and what have you been up to?

Microspec CRM software

2009-06-14T16:11:00.003+01:00

Probably one of the most crucial aspects of running any business, whatever its size, is Customer Relationship Management (CRM). The contact management features of most office suites are often rather basic, so what can you do to enhance your business's CRM implementation? Dedicated CRM software such as Sage's Act 6, which can be integrated with Microsoft Office, would offer a significant enhancement of your CRM system. A free trial means you can try before you buy.

Another key aspect of running a business, is the management of financial data. Using spreadsheet software to manage your business finances, is an outmoded and inefficient system of data management. For optimum efficiency, consider one of the Datafile financial systems. Available in four versions, whether you're a sole trader, or manage the finances of a major corporation, Datafile can help streamline your financial data management.

If your small to medium-sized business is heavily reliant upon Microsoft Office, Microsoft CRM solutions could be the best option for you. It is integrable with MS Office and MS Business Solutions, and its interface is very similar to MS Outlook - which means less disruption as you and your colleagues get used to the new system. Whatever you decide, don't allow your current Customer Relationship Management system to let you down.

Birthday boy and house fires

2009-06-08T15:03:00.001+01:00

It was Jake’s birthday yesterday. He’s now two, bless him. He looked a bit bemused when I sang Happy Birthday to him, a la Marilyn Monroe singing to the president (but without looking like her, alas). But he graciously accepted a handful of mini doggie biscuits.

I took the little man for his birthday walk, which he enjoyed, followed by at least twenty high speed laps of the front lawn, before I finally got him indoors. I hasten to add that it was Jake only who did the high speed laps.

I got stuck into cooking a late Sunday dinner. Wayne had been asked to do extra hours at work, after I’d got the meat out of the freezer. I decided to cook an evening roast dinner, so we could eat together. As I was preparing the vegetables, Jake suddenly launched himself at the back door, in an absolute fury of barking and growling. I opened the door to see what was there, expecting to see either a strange cat, or one of the cheeky brats from along the street, invading the back garden. But no, Jake raced up the back steps to the back gate, growling and barking like a mini Cujo.

I could hear the static, hiss and tinny voices emitted by an emergency services radio. I then spotted a ladder and blue lights looming just above my neighbour’s garden wall. I could hear a lot of activity, men calling out instructions to one another, with radios going nuts, as I spotted a policeman running past, through the slats of my fence.

Uh oh, I thought, another dumped and torched stolen car. Nothing new there. However, there was very little smoke for a car fire, so curiosity got the better of me. I scooped Jake up, to stop him getting out on to the road, and stuck my head out through the back gate. There were two or three fire engines, police vehicles, as well as ladders up against a couple of the houses. I couldn’t see very well past some trees, and as there was no-one available to make enquiries of, I returned indoors, to check on my dinner.

I popped out again, a while later, to put a bag of veggie peelings in the green recycling bin. I heard a raised and angry voice in the street. So, I went out for another nose. Some dippy woman was giving a poor fireman hell. Apparently, she’d continued to drive along the narrow road, despite seeing it blocked by emergency vehicles, until she could advance no further. She finally got the message, went into reverse, and promptly scraped her car along a stationary vehicle.

Somehow, that was the fault of the fire brigade, for having the audacity to park their vehicles in the road, whilst responding to an emergency call. She expected them, en route to a call-out, to stop, and cordon off the road, to warn drivers of an obstruction, thereby wasting valuable time that could be used for saving lives. Silly moo.

Anyway, I got talking to the fireman, and learnt that there were two house fires in progress, just down the road from me. Luckily, no-one was hurt, the fires were confined to the roof spaces of both houses, and brought under control before the flames could travel along the rest of the terrace. Phew! Jake thoroughly enjoyed himself, barking at all the activity, and scaring the wits out of a poor fireman, by lunging at him, teeth bared. Anyway, that’s all for now. Sorry about the long post.

Criminal Justice System sucks!

2009-06-04T13:44:00.001+01:00

Just had a call from the Witness Care Unit. They got their facts all jumbled. The pig who mugged me hasn't been sentenced. He's due for sentencing on June 10th. Why the hell can't these people get it right? That said, this gives me a chance to get a victim impact statement written up, which the judge will consider when sentencing this horrible man.

Siani's veggie spaghetti and 'meatballs' recipe

2009-06-03T22:20:00.004+01:00

Made a really nice dinner tonight, which was totally vegetarian. It was pretty simple to make. And because I'm feeling generous, here's my recipe.

Veggie Spaghetti and Meatballs

(serves 4)

1 bag Swedish-style Quorn balls
1 medium onion
1 green pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tin chopped tomatoes with herbs
1 carton of passata
2 dried chillis, crumbled
½ tsp oregano
2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil
2 tsps Marigold salt-reduced veggie bouillon powder
salt and pepper to taste (optional)
1 500 g packet of dried spaghetti
100-125 g grated Cheddar cheese

Heat half the oil in a frying pan, and gently cook the Quorn balls until they're browned all over, and heated through. Remove from the pan. Add the rest of the oil to the pan, chop the onion and green pepper, and cook until the onion starts to brown.

Crumble in the dried chillis, cook for a minute or so, add the crushed garlic, and cook for another two minutes. Pour in the passata, water and tinned tomatoes, then add the oregano and bouillon powder. Stir thoroughly, bring to the boil, then transfer the sauce to a saucepan. Add the cooked Quorn balls and water, and simmer the sauce for 15-20 minutes, until thickened, making sure the onion and green pepper are cooked.

Keeping the sauce and Quorn balls simmering, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the packet of spaghetti, bring back to the boil, add a few drops of olive oil to prevent the strands clumping together, and cook for 10-12 minutes, until it is al dente. Drain the spaghetti, return to the large pan it was cooked in, then blend in the sauce and Quorn balls. Add the grated Cheddar to the pan, and stir it all together well, over a low heat, until it is piping hot and the cheese is melted. Add seasoning to taste, if required. Serve and enjoy!

Variation: add a glass of red wine to the sauce, instead of the water.

Pain in the neck

2009-06-02T12:12:00.004+01:00

Sorry for the lack of posts here lately. I've had a nasty flare-up of my spinal arthritis and cervical spondylosis, and didn't want to write a pile of 'woe is me' type posts. It's still very painful, but rather than sit around feeling sorry for myself, I'm off to do something positive. I'm going to ask the lady who lives downstairs to look after Jake for a couple of hours, whilst I go to town in search of orthopaedic pillows and essential oils. I think doing something positive is a lot more empowering against a painful medical complaint, than simply sitting around whingeing about it.

Trendy ergonomic office furniture?

2009-05-31T18:17:00.004+01:00

As regular readers of this blog know, I have cervical spondylosis, a form of spinal arthritis. It makes sitting at a desk to use a computer very painful and difficult. It also means I have to take great care in my choice of Home Office Furniture. I usually go for ergonomically designed office furniture, as it eases the pressure on my spine, and keeps me in the correct typing position.

Unfortunately, not all ergonomic furniture is especially nice to look at. However, Spacify offers a range of ergonomic furniture, such as the chair shown (right), which is trendy, easy on the eye, and offers comfort and support exactly where needed.

T-Shirt weather!

2009-05-30T16:31:00.002+01:00

I've lost interest in knitting now the warm weather's here. I might get into customising my own T-shirts instead. I have some nice design ideas that would be ideal for T-shirt printing. Let's hope this gorgeous weather lasts long enough for me to wear them.

Cancer and asbestos exposure

2009-05-21T15:32:00.001+01:00

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer which affects the body's mesothelial cells. These cells form a protective layer around the outer surfaces of most of our internal organs. This protective lining is referred to as the mesothelium. Mesothelioma is a very aggressive cancer, which is almost always fatal. It is also one of the most avoidable forms of cancer. The overwhelming majority of incidents of the disease can be linked to exposure to asbestos.

Workers in numerous industries are at risk of contracting cancer from asbestos exposure. Workers in the construction, demolition and ship-building industries are most at risk. However, there have also been numerous cases of mesothelioma in individuals who have not contacted asbestos in the workplace. They contracted it through regular contact with affected workers. For example, wives have been known to develop the disease after regularly washing their husbands' asbestos-impregnated work clothing. It is also possible to contract mesothelioma by working in buildings which contain high levels of asbestos in their structures. Such buildings may include schools, hospitals and office blocks.

If you, or a loved one, has been diagnosed with cancer as a result of workplace asbestos exposure, you may be entitled to compensation. The best thing you can do, in the circumstances, is to hire an experienced and tenacious Mesothelioma Lawyer. No amount of money in the world can ever compensate adequately for the contraction of such a pernicious and avoidable disease. But it can help to pay for the latest, most advanced medical treatments and palliative care. So, if you, or a loved one, has contracted cancer from asbestos exposure, remember - you have rights, and can get help to enforce your rights.

Mugger sentenced

2009-05-21T15:22:00.002+01:00

I've just been told that John Mylan, the man who mugged me, has received a 2½ year prison sentence. Alas, chances are, if he behaves himself inside, he'll be released on licence after serving half of that. So by August 2010, chances are I could come face-to-face with him somewhere again.

I think it's appalling that this person is eligible for early release. He was out on licence after a number of previous muggings, when he attacked me and some others. It's obvious that being on licence has no impact on this man's criminal behaviour, so he should be made to serve his full time. I'm also a little bit annoyed that I was never offered the opportunity to submit a victim impact statement to the court.

Never mind. At least he's off the streets for now. I hope he gets the treatment he needs for his drug problem, and decides to sort himself out. He could have hurt me physically, but he chose not to, so maybe there's hope for him yet. I certainly hope so, because I'd hate to think of him leaving anyone else with the psychological scars he's inflicted upon me.

Strange orb in the sky, strange man at the door

2009-05-21T12:35:00.005+01:00

There's a strange, glowing orb in the sky. It's so bright, I can't look directly at it. It's giving off a bit of heat as well. The alien object looks a bit sneaky to me, as it occasionally hides behind clouds. I seem to have a dim, distant memory of seeing the orb before, possibly sometime in a past life. Yes, the sun is shining! Kind of. But for how long, is anyone's guess, as there's also a lot of cloud around.

A strange man rang my doorbell a few minutes ago. Strange as in unfamiliar, and strange as in peculiar. I didn't answer, as he looked quite scary - a typical druggie type. Jake usually ignores the doorbell, and only barks at people when I open the door. But shortly after the bell rang, he launched a furious, aggressive barking session, and kept pawing my leg.

I peeped out through the window, and the weird, scruffy man, with a duffle bag on his back, was staring right up at my living room window. When he heard Jake, he started on his way. It occurred to me that my living windows are open. Was this a would-be burglar, ringing the bell to ascertain whether anyone's home or not?

Jake may only be a little dog, weighing a whole 22.6 pounds, but he has a good bark on him, which belies his small stature. For that reason alone, he's worth his weight in gold. He sounds more like a Staffordshire Bull Terrier than a Shih Tzu or Lhasa Apso. Whereas hardly anyone would be scared of either a Lhasa or a Shih Tzu, not many burglars would mess with a Staffy. Oh well, time to close my windows, and head off to the bakery.

Air Conditioning

2009-05-20T15:16:00.002+01:00

Are you happy with the air quality and ambient temperature in your home? Is the air too dry? Too dusty? Is too much moist air causing condensation and damp mould growth? Maybe there's too much noise outdoors to allow you to open your windows? Or maybe you have to keep your windows closed to reduce the amount of allergens introduced into your home?

Have you ever considered air conditioning? Aircon247.com can supply all your air conditioning needs, within the UK, and internationally. You'd be surprised how air conditioning solutions can contribute to the comfort and enjoyability of your home. Whether you have a problem with heating, cooling or air quality, Aircon247 has the right solution for you.

Apex Payday Loans

2009-05-20T00:17:00.002+01:00

Do you often find yourself short of cash in the run-up to pay day? It's something that happens to most of us at one time or another, especially when unexpected bills need to be settled.

An Apex Faxless Payday Loan is an easy, convenient solution to such a problem. Almost everyone is eligible for such a loan, and your pay day advance could be approved within the hour. It's a far better solution than asking friends or family for a loan, and revealing your cash flow problems to them. Needing a pay day loan is certainly nothing to be embarrassed about, and you can borrow up to $1500. Applications can be made online, promising you a fast decision, and no intrusive credit checks. An Apex Payday loan could be just what you need, when you most need it.

Sleepless again

2009-05-16T01:20:00.002+01:00

Can't sleep. It's Friday night, the drunks are out, and my dog hates them. So every time he hears a drunken voice outside, he goes ballistic. I've often seen dogs reacting with hostility to drunken people. Any ideas why? Mind you, I think the fact that I opened a window a few minutes ago, and yelled 'bog off, ya monkey-faced tart', at a drunken, yodelling fish-wife, as she urinated in the middle of the road outside my house, may have contributed to his latest outburst.

What sort of woman bares all in the middle of the street and urinates, when other people are around, and cars are approaching? I can assure you that is not what we Welsh mean, when we sing the famous words, 'We'll Keep A Welcome In The Hillside'.

Jake - 1, SanDisk Flash Drive - 0

2009-05-15T23:02:00.002+01:00

My dog just killed my new 8GB USB flash drive. I'd had it less than a month, and had about 4 GB worth of data on it from my desktop PC, most of which I had yet to copy on to my laptop. I left my laptop on the settee, with the flash drive connected to a USB port on the side. Jake leapt up, and one of his paws landed squarely on the flash drive. There was a loud cracking of plastic, and the drive snapped, leaving just the USB connector, and a tiny piece of circuitry, connected to the computer. Grr.

So, I now have to buy a new drive, and transfer all that data back over again. I hope I copied it, rather than moving it. Otherwise, I'm effed. Damn dog. My fault, really, for leaving the flash drive attached.

Rustic furniture?

2009-05-15T16:39:00.002+01:00

Just a quickie! Do you prefer rustic furniture or glitzy modern stuff? I prefer the former - nice, lovingly hand-carved, traditional pieces, where you can see the grain and knots in the wood.

Socks, dogs and King Arthur

2009-05-15T14:35:00.002+01:00

Who stole the sun? The weather has been utterly horrid over the last couple of days. Wednesday was quite nice. I took Jake on a long walk, and ended up at one of my favourite coffee shops in Swansea, Sapore, which is on Plymouth Street (my other favourite is also called Sapore, which is in the Picton Arcade). I tied Jake to the bicycle rail outside the door, stepped about four feet into the shop, and his lordship launched into a volley of hysterical barking. 'No, don't leave me here, so far away from you, tied up for the whole ninety seconds or so it will take you to order your cappuccino. No! How can you be so mean? Oh! You're back already? Phew.'

Last night, I had a lovely three-course dinner at the King Arthur Hotel, in Reynoldston. The food was lovely. I started off with cockles and laverbread, topped with cheese and bacon, followed by lasagne and chips, and finished it all off with some Joe's Turkish Delight-flavoured ice cream. I went with my cousin, Wayne, his friend, Gregg, and Gregg's friend Brad, who is visiting from Kansas. As we travelled back along the North Road, even I was amazed at the sheer number of animals roaming the highway. They seemed utterly unconcerned at the car's approach. Luckily, Gregg seems a cautious driver, and kept his speed appropriate, so there were no mishaps. There were loads of foals, tiny lambs, and big herds of cattle, including some youngsters enjoying a play fight of some sort.

I just took Jake on a quick walk with me to the local bakery. As we turned the corner, I was surprised to see a Jake look-alike trotting towards me, a little Lhasa Apso, in similar colours. They sniffed each other, seemed to like each other, and I wondered if they were related. Maybe that was Jake's Lhasa Apso daddy. Who knows?

I picked up a rather nice parcel this morning - four balls of Regia sock yarn, in two different colours. Don't ask me why, but I fancy having a go at making my own socks. I've had a trial run, with bamboo yarn, but they're only fit enough to be used as bed socks, as the yarn isn't tough enough for every day footwear. But the Regia yarn I picked up on eBay comes with a ten year guarantee against falling apart, and is generally meant to be pretty tough. I got it much cheaper than I would have at my local yarn shop, too, despite paying P&P. The colours are pretty funky, too. I'll post pics if the socks turn out OK.

Oh well, that's all for now. What an exciting life I lead, eh? Never mind, it could be a heck of a lot worse.