Rain rain go away. Come back another day...

Just when the boat is fixed the heavens open. Oh, I didn't tell you about that did I. Well here's a story...

Father's Day beckons and I had failed to find anything that I wanted to buy my Dad. That is apart from one of those hilarious cards that seem funny at the time of buying, but never seem as funny as they once had appeared when the person actually opens it. So hail a day full of 'Oh what to do'.

A bright light sparks and it is then and there arranged to head out onto the Estuary taking my Dad and Mart's Dad (along with the Mother's of course) for a spot of lunch down to Lawrenny Arms. Don't be so silly. How can something so incredibly simple turn into a pure disaster?

So there we are all smiles and glee, bobbing along the channel choking on a horrific cloud of black smoke appearing from the engine. Fair play though the oil seeping into the water presented us with a marvellous display of all the colours of the rainbow. Hmm, that's not meant to happen.

Turns out the turbo was burning the oil instead of using it?! I say that line with a little caution as it actually means nothing to me and so I am not 100% whether it is complete rubbish or not. But whatever the diagnosis our lunch date was cut short and we had to drive around instead.

So that is what I mean by my opening line. Typical!

I can't believe Jacko is dead. It is the first ever time that I have heard Chris Moyles speaking with such sincerity in his voice and genuine emotion on his Radion One breakfast show. Well done Moylesy you did well that morning. That is all my comment really. I can't think of much else to say without stating the obvious that every person in this world already knows...

He is and always will be THE King of Pop.

Russell Crowe Actually Eats!

Well you will never guess. The man himself Mr Russell Crowe descended on The Carew Inn last night whilst he is down in our beautiful Pembrokeshire filming the new Robyn Hood epic! After the initial OH MY GOD, I got to thinking..it's not really that unusual for him to be eating and drinking on his day off really is it? Well that's all I seem to do anyway - only difference being I wouldn't be seen footing a bill for £450 (that is only if I wasn't paying mind!)...

Amaaaaaazzzzzzinggggggggg!

Oh yes they were absolutely amazing, simple as. I tell you something though, that Liam is one man gone bonkers - he is so eccentric it is actually quite hard to believe. For most of the evening he stood dressed in his long, green anorak (I know you would never have thought he was a millionaire or anything) balancing a tambourine on his head and nose. He looked like something out of the Saw movie. And bless old Noel in the background, he seems to be so humble compared to loopy fruit Liam in the front. It is quite funny actually because when Liam sings, Noel is his backing singer and plays the guitar, but then when all attention turns to Noel to bang out a tune poor old Liam has nothing to do. So, off he trots casually walking off the stage disappearing for half an hour leaving Noel to hold the fort. Classic. Noel singing Don't look back in Anger though was something that I will truly never forget - he had a tear in his eye too, very genuine.
And then came the Circus act that was Take That. They really did deliver one superb performance that was highly impressive.
I mean I do like the old stripped stage myself, you know singer/band standing on stage singing live - throwing a few naughty words around the place occasionally, actually playing an instrument with heartfelt emotion, that kind of thing. But I just can't say that I didn't enjoy Take That and their amazing set and show - it was fantastic.

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it!

Morning, morning and welcome another joyous day. I am very excited. I feel as though I am bubbling up inside and ready to burst like a tin of baked beans in a microwave! Oh, I tell you what I did do once (under the influence of my immature partner) - opened a tin of baked beans, stuck a firework inside and wham, bam thank you mam...baked beans all over my little red Metro's windscreen! Fantastic filming moment...

So yes, going back to the fact that I am very excited. I am only going to see the attitude in trousers otherwise known as the ace, the awesome OASIS tomorrow! Not only do we get those scruffy dudes on a stage nearby, they are throwing both The Enemy and Kasabian into the mix...talk about rocking the Millennium Stadium, the place will be buzzing! I am trying my best to contain my excitement and not think about it, but why does that always make it worse? The more you don't want to think about it the more you do. And the rock show doesn't end there ladies and gentleman, as next Wednesday the Stadium also presents Barlow and Co touring with their Circus. No wonder I am bouncing around the place.

'Natalie, your not getting paid this month,' Natalie replies: 'Haha, never mind not to worry...I'm still smiling like a Cheshire cat!'

That's all I wanted to tell you really, oh and that I got back in the saddle last night after around 2 years of walking on just the two legs for a change. It really is surprising though how much you still remember about Horse Riding, it's just like riding a bike and being an elephant, or an elephant riding a bike - never forget. I did enjoy myself and wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be, so I think I am going to be riding a little grey pony called Whizzard for a little while, you know just whilst I'm still young and all that. Why not...

I have come a cropper off the Wake board twice in the last 2 weeks now too, think I was getting a little bit too clever and head planted the water pretty sharp on both occasions. I have woken up with a sore head and neck for a few days now - but I'll never learn. To be honest, I don't think I'll be able to stand up straight if we headed out tonight, my legs will be shaking too much with all the excitement waiting to burst, so might just go for a beverage instead. Oh the decisions...

It's a beautiful day!

And boy isn't it blinking beautiful.

The sun is shining the skies are blue and I am trying my 100% best to entertain myself, keep myself and busy and pretend that it is tipping down with rain - but it just isn't working. How can I possibly convince myself it is dismal outside when everyone that is walking through the office doors today are wearing Dolce and Gabanna shades, bright blue flip flops and have a casual jumper tied around their necks to look really hip, cool and summery.

Hmm, I am not jealous at all.

Tomorrow, I am happy to announce with one big fat smile on my face that it is going to be a scorcher standing at 23 degrees and I will be catching the rays all day.

So recently my little home County of Pembrokeshire has had some attention paid to one of it's beautiful quaint villages for a very special reason. It has hit the Welsh news of late that pretty place, Solva has been left a staggering amount of money in the region of £400,000 from a 90 year old widow as a thank you for the welcome she had received once she had retired to the area.

Isn't that an extremely sweet, generous and thoughtful gesture? Seriously that there just makes me smile. My grin grew incredibly after also reading that Margaret left a sum of £3,000 to whoever agreed to looking after her ginger tom Brutus to save him being destroyed or going into a cattery. Now that is my kind of heartfelt woman. Thank you Margaret for reassuring me that genuine kindness still lives on amongst us in Pembrokeshire.

Don't all you cherubs forget good old Father's Day now on Sunday June 21st! For fantastic unique gift ideas as an alternative to socks look no further than old reliables Activity Wales - give us a call: 01437 766 888 or surf the site...

Sore Toes Big Smile...

I did it. Wondering what I've done?

The Pembrokeshire Dawn Walk on Sunday 17th May - aren't you just so proud?! It has taken me until now to recover and sit down long enough (without my legs aching) to post an entry to you all...unfortunately though mum didn't make it.

After a few weeks on sick leave with a poorly back and then catching the FLU when her leave was just about to come to an end, mum didn't really feel it appropriate to then go ahead and walk 26 miles and jump with joy (if she still had the energy) when she reached the finish line! Going back to the FLU for a sec, I did say that she should have notified the Doctor's surgery that she had flu like symptoms and watch them all panic and put our house under quarantine! We had a giggle and then became mature again.

So, mum found herself playing taxi instead at 5 o'clock in the morning and packing the scrummy picnic for when her old faithful hubbie and daughter returned sore and aching after a morning stroll. God it rained though...the rain was lashing against my so-called waterproof jacket - god they are a con, you have to fork out hundreds to get a decent one I'm sure and the constant wind blowing a gale didn't help matters! Though in saying that it did come in handy, as when you were attacked by the rain...it then stopped and you were blow dried by the wind.

As we were walking graciously along dad pipes up noting that the heel of his left foot was starting to hurt, so we take a rest stop and off comes the shoe and sopping sock - absolutely soaking! Not much seems to be happening with the foot so on pops the shoe and sock and away we go. Haha, oh little did we know...

7 hours later we arrive at our destination which looked as though it was surrounded by a beaming bright golden cloud, or so it appeared through our worshiping glare, we were so happy to see Cresselly Cricket Club it felt blinking terrific! I thought mum was taking the mickey when she asked dad and I to walk back to the finish line to have a photo...oh how wrong was I, as if we hadn't walked enough we then had to then retrace our last few steps to fake a smile and look as though we were feeling on top of the world after a 26 mile 'stroll'!

And the fun just didn't stop there...off come the shoes and socks and dad revealing his corns and bunions (only joking) and reveals something rather nasty.

Dad had complained that the heel on his right foot had been hurting - correct?

Hmm, well he failed to mention that the underneath of his left foot had rapidly begun to peel away. He didn't feel the need to let me know this as he felt that if he had removed his shoe and sock off his left foot instead of his right that he would have been so repulsed by the sight that he wouldn't have possibly been able to carry on any further. He most definitely made the right decision to keep stum.

You know when I sock gets wet and sometimes gathers at your toes in one big clump? Well that's what my dads skin had managed to do. All skin clumped together revealing complete bare raw and bleeding skin on the underneath of his foot - Urggh. Being a postman walking around 13 miles a day, he thought it best to leave off work for a few days and stand in a bowl of salt water instead - I think again he made the right decision!

I am glad we did it though and think that I could well be (along with mum) in the queue for next year!

Can anyone hear that trumpet, or is it just me?!

Afternoon all...I don't know about you, but I am hearing a rather loud trumpet sound ringing in my ears constantly, it started yesterday morning and I just can't seem to shake it! Thinking on it, trumpet's don't actually ring do they? I suppose they just trump...

Ok, I am sorry but all this trumpet malarky is just a bit too much and I must pack it in really as you lot haven't got a clue what I am banging on about. Excuse me for my ignorance, but I will now let you all in on a small secret, I've been told I must.

Yesterday was a glorious day for me, though I do think I generally feel that every day is glorious and new, but Monday 11th May was just simply extra glorious.

I am now to share a letter with you, which you can choose to read if you really want to, or you can just skip and move on and discover another website to entertain you when you are supposed to be working! Let me clear my throat and begin...

Dear Activity Wales,

I felt the need to write in and congratulate you and thank you for your help and advice.

I've now booked my activities with you and have dealt with Natalie throughout. Her patience and advice and cheerful attitude has been brilliant. She is a real credit to you.

I'll certainly be telling everyone about it - please pass on my compliments to her!

We're now looking forward to our summer activity holiday. Cheers! Mark Leader.

I've now hit the exact same predicament that I found myself in after reading this yesterday morning for the first time. I have nothing to say! Well I do, I just don't really know what to say...enjoy this moment guys, it doesn't happen very often!

I am extremely overjoyed that Mark took the time to write to Activity Wales and comment as he did, it certainly brightened up my day and I am sure his kind words will continue to do so for a very long time! Thank you Mark!

P.S I am still smiling....