31 December 2022
New year approaching, time for a review I think, yeah, it’s been great.
30 December 2022
Again nothing to write home about, which in a way is a good thing, nice peaceful, satisfying life, and the footy is great since the hiatus.
29 December 2022
Doing my room up before the carpets come. It isn’t the biggest room in the house, of course, but I nabbed it as soon as I saw it. The configuration of the tv, guitars etc is going to be different and – although I have very little stuff in there – I am going to trim it down further. You can’t quite see the Little Orme out to sea from it, however, the light and the sunsets are very fine. Always good to freshen up a space with a bit of decorating. Oh, I’ve gone back to clean shaving, been doing it for a couple of weeks, feels much better actually, it’s only laziness that stops blok es doing it.
28 December 2022
Sorry Friedrich but god didn’t die it was never there in the first place, we made it just like we make everything else. Life is pretty simple, it has a great deal of buffering ,yet the value of it, the meaning, is self determined. Today, for example, I was determined to complete a tricky campaign on Railway Empire Mid West, I failed, but it got me thinking about how I could do it better tomorrow.
27 December 2022
Wooah, the footy was bloody great. Got all four matches in and they were all bangers, and, managed to eat, drink herbal tea, piss, play me game and pick a few minor seventh chords as well, oh and I palnted some irises too. One little point, no good slouching around watchinh footy ar the like, you need to keep at maximum attention throughout, to this end I sit intermittently in the lotus position (honestly) as this keeps the posture and the internals in a properly relaxed position. Don’t slouch!
26 December 2022
Once upon a time I was either too busy or too tired to watch Match of the Day on a Saturday night, or, when it started, on Sunday mornings. Now, that means generally and specifically, I can and will watch every match I fancy. Specifically – that is today – there are four good matches on and I intend to indulge in all of them. The logistics require careful attention. In between each event there are – in addition to dietary and toilet considerations – my Railway Empire gamd and guitar practice. Regarding the latter I am inclined against just picking the instrument up for the sake of it, much better, I believe, to dedicate a specific attention period and concentrate fully.
25 December 2022
Yeah xmas is okay but, like the World cup, it should be every four years, two at best.
24 December 2022
Xmas eve, Carols crew are arriving today so it’s a bit of a shift round, the house is big so it’s straightforward. Adam and Daniel are going (reluctantly) to Preston and Katie is staying in Manchester. Apart from that it’s up, yoga, fruit, brew, this, guitar, PS4 and (maybe) a walk)
23 December 2022
The Man city v Liverpool game from the other night was a cracker. Got to note that, although the World cup was great, the quality of any Prem game is usually better, and although this was an EFL the standard was sky high, full card in a few days. Build up to xmas, it’s not a bad time really. Watching a few youtube videos of the sea fishermen from round here and they are catching…nowt! The latest one – and it’s worth noting they are usually shot only days previously – had them on the pier. Big baits, not a nibble, maybe in summer but certainly not in winter, makes my ideas on small hooks and light flapping baits seem worth developing.
22 December 2022
Again it’s short, just the same stuff. Coming round to the idea that online game play of a certain type is interesting and fun, more for the future there. Might get out into the garden later, after guitar, oh no I can’t, got to go shopping, ah well.
21 December 2022
Just a walk into the village, guitar, bit of gardening that sort of thing, oh and I missed a Man Utd match – EFL – didn’t think it would be so soon, however, it’s Man City v Liverpool next so I’ll watch that, bit weird after the fantastic World Cup.
20 December 2022
Just been for a walk around the back of Penryhn bay, not done it before so it’s inetersting to see a different viewpoint. Apart from that it’s guitar and PS4 gaming. The later should not be underrated as an aquisitor of skill, the game I am tackling at the moment is a railway management game and it is very interesting. Funny thing that about learning and trying to whack skills on, you don’t have to do things the established way, I mean I ask you, would the Chinese have invented chess if they had an Xbox.
19 December 2022
Even though I haven’t been fishing for a bit, just over a week, I’m still thinking about it. Not the pool, I know how to fish that now and I am confident of catching well on a given day, however, sea – and particularly pier – fishing is a categorically different proposition. I have had succeses this year, in particular catching good bags of doggies early on in the season, but the main interest for me is catching good fish on the lightest tackle possible. To this end there is a lot more to think about, to try and to modify. At the moment I am weighing up the efficay of three rods, the big Penn for dogfish, rays, tope etc, the LRF rig (my favourite) for wrasse, pouting, pollack and the minis, and the spinning rig for mackerel, bass, pollack,whiting etc. Lots to go at there and this is likely to be my fishing interest for the year.
18 December 2022
The pundits are calling it the greatest ever final. Given the context, and that World Cup football is the biggest event in sport. this statement is hard to counter. Argentina won, against France 3-3 on penalties. Lionel Messi lifted the trophy, it is not begrudged.
And the lads were 25 yesterday too.
17 December 2022
Still brassic. Carol’s brother and family are coming from Preston for a xmas visit so that is the day.
16 December 2022
Don’t talk about it much but a good part of my (our) day is given to meal preparation. As a whole food vegan processed produce – to call it food is incorrect – is excluded from what I consume. It will give an idea to state some of the factory made slurry that I don’t poison myself with. Bread (other than rye or genuine wholegrain) cakes (other than homemade) margarine or butter as spread, pasta, rice, biscuits, crisps, pizza, any fast food (obviously) fruit juice, frozen foods, dairy and whatever else there is along these lines. So an apple isn’t processed in my opinion, but apple juice is. Can you do that? didn’t think so. Every week we get a big box of wonderful fruit and vegetable that the supermarkets can’t, or usually won’t take and we work out meals from there. Once your diet is right – and it doesn’t take long to fix – your blood is right, and once that is right everything works well.
So today it’s up at six-thirty, couple of pieces of fruit before yoga, bit of the stuff you are reading now, then guitar practice, breakfast is oats, crushed nuts, mixed seeds. Lunch is a piece of rye toast with some of the stuff I made yesterday, mushroom and sun-dried tomato pate, guacamole, or coleslaw. Tell you what though I do have a yearning for chippy meals so I have perfected my own chip shop curry sauce which is bang on, if I’m on my own for the evening meal I’ll whack a few chips on and get some of that on it, delicious. Lots of fruit during the day if I get peckish, along with nuts and dates. Carol makes some amazing vegan dishes too, oh and there is usually cooked beans, pulses and lentils available, nice with a bit of chilli sauce (shop bought till I’m sorry to say).
15 December 2022
Apart from fishing tackle and basic foodstuff shopping for Carol’s xmas present is an unusual activity for me. Of course I do press the ‘buy now’ button on Amazon fairly often but for hardly anything that isn’t pragmatic. I nearly bought a new pair of slippers for a treat, but I don’t have four feet so they wouldn’t be good value.
14 December 2022
Uneventful few days but, surprisingly, not at all frustrating. I’m at the stage where I feel I’ve done the stuff my core wanted me to do and, crucially, I am rich in time with a decent life standard so, with this always in mind, I should be able to sit back and watch the world go by.
13 December 2022
Don’t think we had a frost in the first year but it’s been crispy the last few days. Really it is not bad in terms of conditions to go fishing, it didn’t stop me on the Ribble and I cycled there and back, yet I don’t feel inclined to stand on the pier freezing my feet off trying to catch a few whiting. I will go soon but when it nudges up to 6-7-8 degrees, same with the pond, good fishing though it is, the frost slows things down markedly.
12 December 2022
Really should carry on reading P G Wodehouse, I’m over halfway through his ninety-odd books but I just can’t put my attention to fiction, regardless of how brilliant it is. Practical stuff, however, still fascinates me and probably always will. I mean ideas are great but, well, here’s an example…Simon Schama, I like his books and still have them in the attic, he has a new TV series out which I am watching called a HIstory of Now. Essentially it involve trawling over the old news greatest hits of everything that’s gone wrong in the Western world and why we should be worried about it all happening again. There was one phrase which bothered me and it’s this…”in these increasingly divided times”. Politicians use phrases like these all the time, but I take issue with a professional historian using such a false statement. Yes, he can point to this or that, but I will trump that with fifty points of progression that should make him slightly pink with shame about bottom feeding for gravitas. Pessimism is not historical truth.
11 December 2022
Another walk to the village and another set of dramatic colours over the Orme and out in the other direction. The pictures never do it justice so I have it in the back of my mind to start painting again. I can see the images but whether I can come even slightly close to reproduction is another thing, that wo’nt stop me trying though.
Normal stuff is good. Putting the tree and the xmas decorations together, well not me obviously, few guitar sessions, ps4 and a good film tonight. Also going to get some paint and paper for my little room, decorating that is.
10 December 2022
Close match, we played on the front foot and did well, however, there was always a feeling (for me) that we wouldn’t win it, and we didn’t. Three more matches to go and then the premier league resumes, glad about that, the World Cup is a pudding after the season.
I am aware of how artists see the same place with different perceptions according to time and light. Well every day I walk along the sea front the changes are so evident that it takes you by surprise. This place is special, what a wonderful experience, everyday.
9 December 2022
Just been for the xmas tree – a real one of course, seven foot tall – and it’s being delivered later on today. A couple of quarter final matches today with a couple more tomorrow. To be straight it has been a lot of football, and a very good competition, but I am getting a little over-egged with it, is that possible?
8 December 2022
With the World Cup matches tailing off it’s getting back to spreading the days out. Normally it’s the outdoor stuff but the time of year and the cold has meant that has tailed off a bit too. Saying that I have been fishing once a week and go for a walk daily, and do a bit of gardening every few days. It is understandable why many people carry on working when they don’t have too, little more I would say than dumb self-abuse, but if you have nothing worthwhile to fill your days then, yes, it can be a big problem. Well I do. Whether or not the things I do are worthwhile is a value judgement and, well again, I’ve learned not to value the background hum of what’s right or not. Build the Empire State building out of matchsticks if you want, mmm, is it possible…nah.
7 December 2022
Although it is still very cold, it is calm and lovely and I’m getting itchy feet to go fishing or golfing. If the pier was free, (yeah) I think I would go during the day for a couple of hours, but it just isn’t worth it if they snag you, and it is really cold on there. So, thinking on, minimal tackle, and a couple of hours on the pond seems a fair idea, maybe tomorrow. I’m enjoying the new PS4 game and, got to say, I am very pleased with the guitar progress. When we move again, or even before that when the money gets a bit more fluid, I will get myself a good blues/jazzer, the acoustic I like although maybe I will also splash out on a genuine classica/spanish and the Fender is good for rock ( which I don’t do at the moment).
6 December 2022
I always went along with the paradigm that you have to sweat your way to health and fitness. Obviously, if – like the lads – you have a sport that you aspire to excell at, a great deal of hard work is de rigeur. Normally though it is a fallacy. If you like walking up mountains or lugging fishing tackle miles through the countryside, as I do, then this is all well and good too, but dragging yourself to a sterile (they aren’t) gym, or sitting at home on a pelaton bike is a couple of clicks away from useless, if your diet is poor. Fix that by eating real, whole food and your organism becomes healthy (like you couldn’t imagine) and, consequently, fit and active. The National ‘Health’ Service cannot cope with the amount of sick people.
5 December 2022
The quarter finals are upon us so let’s see who are still in the bingo bag. France against us, that is a close one, different mentality arrived at through experience, I hope, Brazil, Croatia, Argentina, Netherlands, Morocco and Portugal, all decent teams but all beatable. Katie is coming up today to get her hair done so I will meet her at Colwyn Bay and we will have a nice few hours, walk there and again later.
4 December 2022
Who initiated the idea that en suite bedrooms are a luxury? essentially you are sleeping in a toilet. Eventually we may move into the large front bedroom, which has one with a shower, but it won’t be used. Two things that shoulld be kept outdoors, dogs and bogs.
Beginning to realise that winter is a period of gentle hiatus for the outdoor stuff I like to do, fishing, gardening, walking and golf, so there is little point chomping at the bit trying to force the issue. Much better, I think, is to enable the indoor activities so that they don’t lead to frustration. Here’s an example. I can’t play guitar for more than an hour or two (at most) a day, so then what? With the world cup it’s easy, two matches a day but that isn’t sustainable, neither is watching PrimeNet – good though that is. PS4 games, however, are fantastic for chipping away the hours, and don’t tell me they are not great ’cause they are. Just like the theatre is tripe compared to a good film, PS4 (or 5 or Xbox) wipes the floor with all the other ‘rated’ mono-puzzles – chess, sudoku, crosswords etc. And I’m only just into my second ever game, so loads of stuff to go at here…soon be spring!
3 December 2022
What was I thinking, all through the world cup I have been rooting for Uruguay, why? fuck knows, and I was until half way through the first half against Ghana. Won’t say too much because football is so intense it cannot be anything else but forcefully partisan, yet, Loius Suarez is a true representative of winning at all costs. South Korea, however, seem nice lads, so it was with a hearty ‘hurrah’ that I cheered the last minute goal that saw them through and the Uruguayans on the plane (it wasn’t a ‘hurrah’ it was a ‘fuck off back to South America you cheating twats’). Still feel poorly.
2 December 2022
Bastard times two! Firstly I am laid up with the flu – it is the real kind not just a sniffle – and second I decided not to watch the second half of the Japan v Spain game or the Germany v Costa Rica match because, on the one hand, I was feeling like bin waste and, after watching the first half I thought it was all over. Mmm. Not going to do that again. Still feel poorly.
1 December 2022
Nine holes of golf with Carol, lovely day and very pleasant it wass too. Got to say though I had an eye on the clock for the world cup matches, still in the group stages but there has been a fair few upsets so far, more to come I reckon.
31 November 2022
Nice day again but staying in. I’ve been fishing and played golf so it’s a day doing the normal stuff. I managed to record myself playing and (trying) to sing Dear Prudence it’s not an easy song to do but I managed it so that it is recognisable, made a couple of mistakes and I could have done it through again, however, it was the first recording and, really, who’s going to listen to it apart from me, so it’ll do.
30 November 2022
In truth I didn’t expect anything much different, but you never know. We beat the Welsh 3-0 but it could have been more and it was little else than a high-tempo pass around. I’m glad, also I have finally overcome the error of well-wishing teams from the surrounding borders. I know I live in Wales, as do 30-40 percent of the population (English) and I believe that the percieved national population do not like this. Certainly this is reflected in the international sporting zone where glee is an open sentiment when England do not do well. That is why I don’t applaud a ‘Great Britain’, because there isn’t one. England is the greatest all-round sporting nation on the earth, we should be lauding this from the high points, but we aren’t like that really, won’t stop us doing it though. Last sixteen match is against Senegal and the, probably, France.
29 November 2022
Lovely day so, as the morning World Cup matches have finished it’s out and about again. Nothing different really, bit of this, bit of that, booked nine holes at half eleven.
28 November 2022
Might start painting and drawing again, this time with oils or acrylics, got the feeling coming on. Been fishing, cold, usual stuff although I only stayed till twelve and then back for the footy, great match between Ghana and South Korea. My net is a bit stinky when I get on the bus, not nice, so either I sort it out or I default to ‘fuck ’em’.
27 November 2022
Sunday and ditto. Got a nine holer done in the afternoon and then straight back into the football. Missed the Belgium match, they lost 2-0 to Morocco, this comp is throwing up some suprises, the main gist is that all the team that have qualified are organised and know they can play, no David and Goliath anymore at the finals, better for it.
26 November 2022
Getting into the railway game on the ps4 in between the footy. There are a few other countries to play on separate games so it should run for a bit. Still can’t quite appreciate why I haven’t got the new golf game, well I can actually, it’s because I started competing on line with all that entails. These ps4 games are brilliant really, it’s only the mental blockage that we (oldies) reckon they are not for us, well, here’s a thing I’m not an us (phew nearly missed the punctuation there, anus) Looking foward to the metaverse.
25 November 2022
These are ditto days I’m afraid. Still a bit of me that thinks I should be doing something, like hoovering, but I don’t. Nope not true, can’t shake it off, I’ve just done the hoovering – and planted some spring bulbs, and dusted my room, so now (9.45) I can settle to the first match of the day (already done my guitar practice, obviously)
24 November 2022
There was a time when I was so busy I couldn’t even sit down to watch MOTD all the way through, I would skim it, or come into the room if the lads shouted that something had happened. The idea of watching a full game would not have been concieved. But now, having done a bit and getting to grips with the concept of time (all things must pass) I can now watch three or four games a day and enjoy them. However, it is not that easy, for instance you can’t slob it. What I mean by that is that you have to sit up, which is something that needs to be practiced. This isn’t for the back as such it’s for the internal organs, if you slob then your internals – which are all in their own sacks – press against each other and you get uncomfortable quickly, the blood flow is wrong and you start to fidget. I sit like Buddha, it’s hard at first but then, as the head and neck are upright, you tend to remain comfortable and alert. So don’t slouch.
Ordered the carpets yesterday, big house so they weren’t cheap, but we got them on interest free. We’ve sacked the roof and kitchen off again, for now, maybe we won’t have to do them before we move again, hope so.
23 November 2022
Plenty of time for all the politics and social issues to be talked about, however, this is a World Cup football tournament and I am enjoying it. Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia and today four matches all of which I may watch.
Okay I watched three, all pretty good but the one I was bouncing about was Germany v Japan. The first half was all Germany and they could have put the match to bed, but they didn’t, and how many times have we seen that eh? Japan made a couple of substitutions and then they went for it, what a second half, 2-1 Japan.
And for the rest of the day, normal stuff, guitar practice and my new PS4 game Railway Empire, good fun. Same again tomorrow, love the idea of playing the World Cup in winter, just go for a lovely walk and then here we go!
22 November 2022
Not bad actually. Of course I have worked on my methods through the season but, compared to yesterday it was chalk and cheese. I have been listening to an Alan Partridge audio book and I cannot shake the Partridge voice while I am writing this, hope it goes, otherwise it could turn into a pastiche, or a pasty, is a pastiche a French pasty, and do they have a Poundbakery franchice in France? I would wager not (see!)
Anyway I nearly stayed longer but the World Cup beckoned and I got a couple of matches in, pretty decent so far, more games today, no tomorrow actually, well no it is today.
21 November 2022
All the other stuff aside the football World Cup is the greatest sporting event in the history of the modern era, and the new one starts today, Actually it’s tomorrow, when I’m writing not the World Cup, and we have played our first match which resulted in a bulldozer performance (well done lads!) against Iran. It is worth a note that there are no mug teams in the World Cup finals, but we are more skillful, experienced, fitter and organised than most of the other teams, have we got it in the heart and head, maybe.
Actually the competition started on Sunday but who cares about Quatar v Equador. USA v Wales was a game of two halves and, consequently, an entertaining draw. More tomorrow, going fishing in the morning, well now really.
20 November 2022
Swift nine holes this afternoon, normal stuff till then. The guitar continues to improve and (gulp) I’m quite plesed with the progress of my singing. Why should anyone assume that you can either sing (and play) naturally, it takes A LOT of practice, and if I run through a song – at the moment it’s Dear Prudence – over and over daily for a decent period of time it gets better, who would have thought eh.
19 November 2022
I think the pier fishing has reached an end for the season, the conditions were perfect, just no fish moving. This happens when it gets colder, there may be whiting about but I’m not catching four ounce fish with six ounce weights, so I will turn my attention back to Clobryn for a spot of winter coarse angling, still yearn for a decent bit of river fishing but that’s just being greedy.
18 November 2022
Friday, thinking of changig this blog/diary to another location, it means moving everything but I’ve got the time so why not. Today, can’t remeber what I did, not going daft just much of the same same really.
17 November 2022
Kind of a hiatus mid-season footy-wise, of course it’s because of the World cup, find myself oddly unexcited by it, but I expect all that to change over the weekend. We have decided to jiggle about with the finances in order to plonk a new roof on (which it kind of needs)and a new kitchen (which it doesn’t but would be nice) We can do this because the house has rocketed up in price since we bought it due to a confluence of positive actions. So we went to have a look at kitchens – nice – and we have already had the roof qoutes so that’s the next bit of stuff for the new year. In the meantime it’s guitar, fishing, golf, walks and kiting (yes the new beach and prom is nearing completion. This is the view thirty seconds from our front door.
16 November 2022
If you would have asked me last year what I would say if I could get loads of bites and, consequently, loads of fish, on super light tackle off Llandudno pier I would have said yep, thanks a bunch I’ll take it. But I still want action on the second rod, pollack, whiting, doggies etc and I’m not getting it. truth is nobody does consistently but that is no reason why I shouldn’t now is it? So, on the pier again, much colder than previously, and after a bit of rig tweaking, I was getting plenty of wrasse, but nothing off the other rod. I’m going to keep thinking and trying new rigs, I have had plenty of pollack in the last few weeks but no mackerel and just the odd whiting – and surprisingly – no pouting. Can’t forget it is sea fishing and one day can be very different from the next.
15 November 2022
Just a normal day in the beautiful backwater of Rhos on Sea. The guitar playing has reached a decent level of competence, I keep looking at other guitars but yo do have to realise that – in this era of instant information – people are still peddling stuff in order to make their way in the world. Just as in science, or other empirical practices, objectivity is a conditional fallacy, therefore, watch what the youtubers are pushing, get the info and use it for your own ends (and don’t believe any of this either)
14 November 2022
Just bought a new PS4 game, Railway Empire, building the train network across the USA, I know stupid computer game and all that but, you know what, it’s fun and it does get you thinking. Finishing off the bedroom today, it is looking really good.
13 November 2022
And time creeps on, well it does but that’s okay because the days are pretty much full. Last day of the premier league till after the world cup with Man Utd taking on Fulham, the Londoners nearly did City last week so it could be bumpy. That’s what is so great about this footy and why Im not that bothered about the world cup, yesterdays match betweem City and Bournmouth was unbelievable, the Cherries did them with the last kick of the ball, priceless. Anyway, before that a quick nine holes.
12 November 2022
I was a bit worried. Only took the LRF tackle and reckoned on two to three hours fishing till the pull of the tide made it too difficult. So I got there at the normalish time – about seven – and it was all locked up. So I had a coffe on a bench and at about half past the lads opened up. Even at that time though the tide was making and I though it might be difficult. It certainly wasn’t as good as the tide tide retreating but I did catch a few wrasee (and a few others se photos).
So then I thought I would have a spin with my own little sabikis, first cast wallop! into a nice pollack, boy do they go on the light tackle. I am working a formulae out for sea fishing based on catch weight v sinker weight and hooks, could be interesting. Back at twelve to see City beaten (oh yes indeed) by Brentford in the last seconds of play, wonderful. Two more matches today and then the last match before the World Cup is Man Utd tomorrow.
11 November 2022
Actually today is not tomorrow, it’s Friday not Saturday, so I’ll prepare the gear for tomorrow and sneak a round of golf in, well haf a round. I did watch the T20 semi live in the morning and it was a good spectacle, havn’t been reaal into it as I have been watching a lot of footy but this may be another go to sport. We won, and comfortably against India who are very highly rated in this format, final on Sunday , starts at eight, I will be there at five to.
10 November 2022
The weather picks up again from tomorrow, although it has been mild for the time of year. So, tomorrow is Saturday, it’s calm and the tide is hight about oneish, therfore I’m intending to take the minimum of tackle and have a few hours LRF fishing. It’s not guess work anymore and, although the ‘big boys’ (usually the bellys as well as their fishing methods) think the only way to do it is lobbing six ounce weights to catch four ounce fish – or wait all day for a bass – I want to have fun and catch a lot of fish. This is easy at a coarse commercial but virtually unheard of at sea, and certainly not in winter. So it’s a challenge and one that I am winning. There will be a lot of people on the pier tomorrow and, although they can’t get down to the fishing platform, they tend to want to talk, might wear my full balacalava, that will put them off. Next week looks good most days so I will take the full compliment of tackle and have a full day, without paying of course.
Last day of the premier league tomorrow so I will record the footy and watch it when I get back, two games on Sky as well, another reason for not staying too long at the pier.
9 November 2022
Just got back from a walk up the first level of the Little Orme, great walk with amazing views, had a look at the seals on the way back. Half way through another ‘classic’ foreign film, a Japanese flick from the 50’s called Sansho The Bailiff going to finish it off later although there is a good footy match on. Might watch the T20 semi tomorrow morning.
8 November 2022
Finished my part of the bedroom decorating, it’s a biggish house and the rooms are correspondingly sized, so it takes a bit of time. Don’t care much for the process but I can do it okay – even wallpapering – it’s basically straightforward if you think about it. Would not liked to have done it for a living though, but then again I can’t think of anything I would have liked to do, professional fisherman maybe, yeah that would have been good, lot of shit to put up with though, sponsors and that, nah sack it.
7 November 2022
So, apart from the chord melody jazz pieces I on my way with the Beatles numbers. Not, I might say just plonking down the right chords in the right places but trying to learn the songs in a sympathetic manner. Preferably this is in the chord melody finger style – which enables the song to be identified without vocals – or if this isn’t feasible, then trying to get the voice part tolerable. So far its Eleanor Rigby, Blackbird, Michelle, Babys in Black, Taxman and Old Brown Shoe (working on Dear Prudence) I’ve recorded each one on video so I can say to myself right that ones done move on, not bothered what people might think of them, really couldn’t give a shit, but I am confident that I can pick an acoustic up and do the songs reasonably well, or at least identifiably well. So there.
6 November 2022
The streaming services – unlike my sinuses – never fail to please. Even though the weather is poor for doing outside stuff we are cracking on nicely with the decorating and then, when we stop, it’s guitar again and then a series or a film. I have started the (obviously arbitary) top 50 Time magaazine films of all time, actually foreign film of all time as I have watched the English language ones. The first was an unusual outing called M, a pre-war German flick by Fritz Lang and starring Peter Lorre. Good, yes, and with the requisite human themes, but, nah no buts it was good.
5 November 2022
Bad day with the sinuses, streaming and sneezing, which was unpleasant as we decided to start the decorating. Anyway it’s up and running. Doesn’t look too great for the weather over the next week which is ruling the fishing out. Good programme of matches on tomorrow so just a bit of decorating and then two games.
4 November 2022
Although I am strongly inclined to accept a fair amount of Buddist ideas, I am equally aware that the pedlars of such thoughts do not usually play the game in the world they claim to know about. They are, we should never forget, preachers and as such their words are never a gospel and should be picked at like a bowl of mixed nuts.
Spent the day in waiting – and then hanging around – for a roofer to do a small job on the fascia board. If I could have got that high I would have done the job, as it turned out it looks as though a kid did it(which he was actually) and fleeced us for a hundred and fifty quid. Am I that bothered, not really. Went for a walk up the Bryn after he had gone and then, in the evening a grand firework display on the prom.
3 November 2022
Watching the dawn break on a lovely calm, clear morning at the end of Llandudno pier. The tide is full in and racing so might be a couple of hours before the type of fishing I like to do is at it’s best. That’s the thing about sea fishing, which is the opposite thing to catching a hundred pound of carp on a commercial (and thinking your good) you are always up against the challenge of actually landing a fish, many peope don’t. And I am not really interested in hauling in a five ounce whiting on a six ounce rig, or – as I have done – catching doggie after doggie, what I am trying to do is to catch regularly on super-light tackle. This is easier said than done, but I am having some success. What you have to manage are mainly tides and snags. If the tide is racing (as it is today) the logic is to dump out a huge weight in order to hold the bottom, but then the crabs just pick the bait off or, if you’re lucky you might pull a whiting, dab or doggie in – on the snooker cue thick rod you need for the weight, nah. Or you might get a pollack. Now they are good sport, especially on light tackle, but, they are predators and like to chase a bait which I have found I can do with light spinning. Trouble is with this is that the line can tangle so at the moment I am working on rigs that are super-light and free from tangles, not easy but I will do it. In between tides it’s wrasse (and the odd pollack) over the side and over the snags, not easy but I am tweaking the tackle and style of fishing to suit.
Just got back. No pollack today which is the first for a bit but I had a lot of nice wrasse, thirty maybe, and I didn’t pay again so more money for tackle.
2 November 2022
Have I reverted to starting the diary entries with what the weather is doing, yes, well today I have. It’s blustery and wet, that’s all you get, if you’re a dog and you’re ill go to the vet, hang on, not just yet, not till the skin on the custard is set, can’t walk on that can you Jesus, I’ll bet.
1 November 2022
World vegan day, don’t realy know what these days mean, the idea is to raise awareness I suppose but why when the whole world has ‘awareness and information at the click of a button. It’s an economy of course, like everything else that appears stupid, something for people to do and get bothered about. Do people want to know that animals live in hell and are then eaten , or kept alive until their liquids cannot be drunk anymore, mmm I bet they don’t. More to the point do I care whether people know or not, nah not really, making people ill (the food industry) is the biggest economy in history, closely followed by the pharmacutical industry and the ‘health’ service which work closely with the illness creators to treat symptoms, ha!
Just got back from a crafty twelve holer, played consistently okay which is quite satisfying if anything ever is. Tried recording Old Brown Shoe with electric guitars overdubed, I got an okay guitar sound but I couldn’t manage to synch it all up so, bollocks, I got the acoustic out again and just did it all the way through. It sounds alright, the idea here is to learn a piece and then record it, not to get it ‘perfect’ but efficiently okay so that I can say to myself, yeah you can play that piece/song. Pleased with it.
31 October 2022
Two pollack landed and two lost, plenty of nice wrasse again and a couple of mini species. Fishing at sea is always a bit of a challenge but I am getting to grips with this aspect of it, really enjoying it too great fun on super light tackle and my new home made sabiki rigs worked. Any footy tonight? don’t know but as you’ve asked I shall take a look – if not the new SAS drama has started and as Carol’s brother is staying for a few days I have (even more) free rein. Is it rein, or reign, defo not rain, obviously, nah rein sounds right.
30 October 2022
And footy again today, Utd v West Ham, I like Moyes but not that much. Going for our Sunday morning walk up the Bryn, bit of rain about but still warm.
29 October 2022
When its coasting, normal life, in a decent house in a beautiful place, has a lot going for it. Of course the feeling is always there that, as everyone is going to snuff it, what’s the bleeding point, well, there is a point because its pretty good. Not electrifying philosophy this but, then again, the wise words are always there but nobody reads them (well I have, obviously). So, off to BQ to have a look at sinks and worktops, paint too, then back for the footy.
28 October 2022
Slipped a quick nine holes in the afternoon, played well too, I think I might be getting the idea. Thing is you can’t keep fluking the shots, you have to know how the ball gets airbourne in all lies, might be getting it.
27 October 2022
Weather has prevented another session on the pier, not to worry I’ve got me gear to sort through. it’s surprising how much gardening we have here, in a relatively small area, but we do have four sides to garden – with a lot of containers – so it does take some work. Off to by a few winter plants this morning, cyclamen, heathers that sort of thing, and this afternoon, well not decided, might watch a film.
27 October 2022
Got sucked into playing ps4 golf competition online everyday, yet another little compulsion, well I’ve sacked it, not to say I won’t play it again but I was playing it to maintain a level. Just shows eh how things can get at you, once you realise though just bin it, if you want to. I can rarely understand it when individuals – faced with punishing personal compulsions – flop out the same weasly excuses without even trying to get the better of them, anyway it’s up to them I’ve started to be amused by it. Done my morning guitar practice, I will do the sfternoon one between 4 and 5 pm, then two football matches…must stick to my routine!
26 October 2022
Have I got the pier fishing sussed? no, of course not, it’s sea fishing so you never will do, however, I’ve made big inroads into making it more successful for how I want it, and yesterday was another step in that direction. The tide was right in the middle of the session, about twelveish, this means that for a couple of hours it races through too fast for the light rig off the side. I knew this and took the big rod but, as it turned out, I didn’t use it. Instead I set the heavier spinning rod up for pollack and, while the tide was making, had a spin with the LRF rod – just with a small sabiki. Straight off a whiting, then ( like last time) a few pollack hits (landed a couple) in addition to this I had a weaver and a dragonet which makes two new species. After that it was the pollack rig and wrasse. What this means is that I can now standardise my tackle and rigs to make the fishing methods slicker and, hopefully, successful.
25 October 2022
Played golf yesterday, first time for a couple of weeks, I did okay which is always what i’ve wanted to do. Club golfing is weird, you play against your own handicap score and against the same people week after week – unless you play against a group of similar players from different clubs. So it’s really a social club with a focus on you as an individual, play badly and you feel bad, play well and someone else feels bad. So I’ve changed the approach. I’m done with that getting better all the time malarkey, I will play each shot with a proper set up and then – good, bad or okay, I’ll take the next one. And then I’ll enjoy playing. Unfortunately I can’t do this and play competitions…or can I?
24 October 2022
Sojourn into Llandudno for some paint in readiness for the decorating, also, I’m going this morning to be back and sitting comfortably for two decent footy matches. Nothing much else today, you know, good food, guitar, sorting fishing tackle out.
23 October 2022
Saturday. Walk up the Bryn early on and then get the jobs done to settle down to a full day of sport. Footy first, maybe two matches certainly Man Utd v Chelsea, then massive UFC main event , I’ll miss the prelims but the main starts at seven, so, the lads will be watching with their cohorts and I will bother them on Whats app.
22 October 2022
Normal day today and boy is the weather still nice, about 14 degrees – it has been for a bit – which means the garden looks as though it is nowhere near ready to sneak into winter. There is an auction going on somewhere in Rhos so we are going to the viewing, probably a load of tat but it’s something to do. Still giving the golf a break and I@m not really missing it, when I get back into it I’m just going out for a game and not pushing myself to constantly try to get better.
21 October 2022
No need to yearn for a spot of river fishing because I’ve got it on my doorstep. Should have had a hundred fish today although thirty odd will certainly suffice for what was a fantastic session on the pier. And all on super-light tackle. One aspect I am going to try to improve is the hook strength, I lost, perhaps half a dozen good fish through snaps – not good enough – they were probably pollack but could well have been small bass. Well that’s not always a bad thing because it gives me something to work on which I am doing already.
Bit of gardening etc today, and we are nearly ready to decorate and snag list the house, not that it isn’t lovely but you can always try to make things better can’t you?
20 October 2022
Brew, Brekkie and off.
19 October 2022
Haircut and sort my tackle out for tomorrow, should do a bit of gardening as well, really, but, nah, another day. Did another Beatles song, Baby You Can Drive My Car learnt it in a few goes and then did it. Some good matches on tonight (it’s tomorrow) first half of Liverpool and then the whole of Utd (well done lads superb performance and result)
18 October 2022
Sixty three, yeah, doing alright. Supposed to have a walk on Anglesey but, as it’s my birthday I managed to wangle out of it and have a session on the pier, I would have done anyway, birthday or not. Interesting session. The walk from off the bus, on a clear, calm morning before sunrise was magical. The bass hunting Frenchman was there, haven’t seen him since last year and, initially I thought bollocks, because he does tend to want to own the place. He is a nice chap, always on the go, so I said to him ‘you fish there foor the bass and I’ll have this section for the wrasse’. He tried to point me to the far end of the pier, saying it was better for wrasse there but I ignored him. Things were going to plan until a few pollack and mackerel started showing and I though, better have a go at this. So with my ultra light tackle – much better than pulling fish out with a snooker cue – I cast out a tiny hook with a baited sabiki (actually it was a size 10 corn hair rig) Gout one on the second cast which put up a great tussle, didn’t manage to pull it up, but then again, what am I going to do with it other than throw it back. I landed the next one and, with the help of the Sandbach Frenchmans drop net, pulled out quite a nice one. Couple or three more after that and I was well pleased, well not really as I am rarely at that stage, should be though. Got a new species too, the dreaded weaver. The other blokes could not believe I was pulling out so many wrasse with compost worms, well they live and learn.
17 October 2022
It adds up doesn’t it? blood feeds the brain, the gut feeds the blood, food feeds the gut. Processed meats are categorised – by the World Health Authority – as a primary carcinogen. This means that eating processed meat (the stuff in supermarkets is all processed) is the same as smoking cigarettes. Other processed foods are catching up, white bread, pasta sauce, crisps, pizza – it’s a long, long list – which means the equation runs more like this. Slow poison in the gut, fat and sugar in the blood, not feeling too great, weight gain, bits of illness, visit to the docs, medication, more poison in the gut, NHS. Nah, skip that thanks, I’ll stick to eating real food.
Nice walk up the Brynn earier and, yes, looks like the timing is right for the big match.
16 October 2022
Mmm, yes we have golf booked for 12ish but really I would rather go for a walk up the Bryn and then watch Villa v Chelsea. That might happen though as we have visitors dropping in sometime this afternoon so the golf might be off. Worryingly the visit could clash with Liverpool v City which is at half four – and I can’t record it because I’m on someone else’s Sky, so I’m trusting to fate on this one. Stunning morning here, just glorious.
Playing scales with a metronome is a step or two up. I can now play any major key with modal variants, the natural minor key, minor pentatonic (with the blues variant) and – yesterday – started the melodic minor scale which, if you know the major and natural minor, is fairly straightforward, flatten the 3rd on the way up and play a minor scale on the way down.
15 October 2022
The tomatoes have done really well, not bought one all summer which shows that, even from a small area you can grow good crops if the conditions are right. We are still waiting for an allotment to become free, might be a good while yet, the veggie area I made hasn’t done great for a couple of reasons, first I didn’t create the right depth of soil (the plan was to buid it up over the next couple of years) and second, well, it was just too shady. The kale did well though and I love that. As for the rest of the planting areas (mostly containers) the climate here means that we are still 70-80 percent colour, this, added to supplementary planting means that the seasons blend, which is bang on.
Not sure if I have fallen out of love with golf or if I ever liked it in the first place. I still like the idea that in pleasant weather I can decide and then be on the first tee within half an hour. And the course itself is in a stunning setting. But the game itsef, meh. I’ve got alright at it but never seem to have the proper drop on it, we’ll see.
14 October 2022
Started fishing just as the sun was rising over the Little Orme, it was worth coming just for that. Minimal tackle, just the new lrf rod, one real, a few weights/hooks and a pot full of worms. First cast, bang, must have had twenty odd in a couple to three hours. On the last cast – as the tide was making – I rigged up a bigger hook with a piece of lug and connected with something very big which teared off at pace and resulted in the first lost weight of the day. It was probably a bass but I couldn’t hold it and the rachet was too firm, might even have been a seal. Great session and so satisfying to know that the method is nearly there, just a couple of tweaks I reckon.
13 October 2022
Interesting session on the pier, a couple of lads already on fishing the left hand side who obviously knew what they were doing and had a species hunt on the agenda. The big rods are all right but, in reality, the probability is that – if you do get a bite – it is going to be a dogfish or a small whiting. I’ve had numerous doggies this year but I lobbed the big rod out anyway (missed a great run first cast) but, really, my interest was in the light rod wrasse fishing. Although I’ve caught a few over the last year I was still a fair way from being satisfied with the method and bait. Anyway, one of the lads suggested I use maggots to which I replied that I don’t even use them for coarse fishing anymore, well, he had some and I tried them on a small hook. Straight off into a fish and – when I had my weight right – it was nearly a bite a cast after that. I’m going to try again tomorrow with my compost worms, reckon they will nail it.
12 October 2022
All living entities are creatures of complusion, mostly we are too – that’s why you buy shiny things from adverts – in addition we have two brain functions that set us apart, and these are why we are called human beings and not human creatures. Memory and imagination are the most advanced evolutionary products in the universe, they are super-powers. Unfortunately, without the quite useful addition of an operating manual these two giants are rarely employed. No, that’s not true, they often are, but not well. Do you think back to past ‘mistakes’ and cringe, or bring forth a fictitious future where the bogey man breaks in? How often, daily, several times daily? If they really get hold, then you’re in trouble, padded cell or – same thing – mood medication or, same thing, doing something dangerous or very stupid. Or, same thing again, not realising anything like your potential in this life, never seeing life for what it probably is, mistaking pleasure for joy.
Memory and imagination are extremely difficult to control and there is no fault to not being able too. We are all human beings in the same situation with the same faculties. But, inevitably, we are evolving so we might want to give it a go. Sitting still for half an hour and not being compulsive is an achievement.
Right, half eight, been up for an hour so it’s first guitar practice. I’ve just begun scale practice with a little metronome, much better.
10 October 2022
Good footy over the weekend, Arsenal beat Liverpool and Man Utd played well and beat Everton, not a good day for the Merseybeats. Just got back fro a session on the pool, about ten other anglers ther which, for the time of year is a lot, the match guys were out with kepnets to get some roach and crucians for testing prior to the fish swap. Surprisingly there was very little being caught and the peg I like to fish on was the one that was available so I thought I was in with a shout. It took a while to get them feeding , but with my new mix I’m pretty confident now. The blokes next to me managed two tiny roach between them which is no surprise given their tactics, I had plenty of roach, a number of skimmers and two big f1s so, on a quietish day I was pretty chuffed . Had to tackle down to a 20 with just a tiny piece of worm, meat didn’t work today, last week it was the other way round. I reckon because evrybody uses maggot, bread or pellets the fish in a small water get bery used to the baits, no-one (yet) fishes with brandlings and I have an unlimited supply.
Turning my attention back to the pier, there are mackerel being caught, although you do have to measure a you tube video with the amount of sea anglers that don’t catch. Even the ones that post edit many hours into a few minutes, often leaving out (for obvious reasons) the blank sessions. So, I might give them a tenner and have a bash, not done too badly so far this year and the latter end is usually better.
9 October 2022
Nice day. Off for a walk up the Bryn and then – after guitar practice of course – settling down to three interesting footy matches. In particular, Arsenal v Lliverpool in that I am watching the Amazon documentary about the Gunners which I find fascinating. I used to well-wish Liverpool but that has passed so, come on North London. Man Utd after that v Everton so no mixed feelings there.
8 October 2022
I think the Saturday Texas scramble, for me, is coming to an end. Okay, I played badkly today, which was disappointing given the progress of the past few weeks , but I don’t think that explains all of it. If Carol didn’t play it then I certainly wouldn’t, that is one reason but, more than that, I just don’t enjoy participating in things like this with other people, I am a loner, when I’m there – and I have won the comp many times – I have to put on an act. It was the same with the walking group back in Preston, unless I made conversation, which I am good at, nobody asked anything about me. Same yesterday. I played with two individuals who knew each other and the last time I did they talked amongst themselves, until I interjected. Well fuck that, what do I need that for, and I wasn’t playing well so, I thought, right, not enjoying this. There are ways to tail these things off without being abrubt.
7 October 2022
I mentioned The Allman Brothers the other week, specifically the live album which is extremely good. There is a difference between then and now which is clear when listening to live performances. Naturally warm analogue gear, real voices (not auto tuned) and bands that can not only play but have been raised through the professional circuit to the highest level. Slade were the greatest of the 70s rock and roll bands. Don’t be misled into thinking they were (just?) a hugely succesful chart band, in fact they could blow any band of the stage at any time. Slade Alive, the live album from this era proves the point.
Got a game in yesterday then watched a very entertaining footy match between England (women) and the USA. We beat them 2-1 and deserved the win.
6 October 2022
Yes it was a great film, everything about it satisfying and stimulating. Watching something like this in comparison to the regular Hollywood swill is directly comparable to the food I now eat with the American diet, guess which one makes you feel good. Also this has given me a whole winter watch list for when the weather is whimsy. Don’t get me wrong I consume anything decent that streams, recently it has been Fauda (on Netflix) which was boffing and, of course, tomorrow it’s the Amazon ROP episode.
We did manage a walk to the Little Orme, really pleasant and we chat all the time about all sorts.
5 October 2022
Weather poor but we planned most of the day in. Another film on the agenda not, this time, LOR (the final instalment is my private viewing) we are going to watch Pain and Glory which Adam has been pressing me to watch for ages. The reason I haven’t is that I would have to pay for it and upwards of £3.49 I view as economic chaos. Anyway we were (or he was) prepared to pay for itbut we found it free on YouTube. So that, and another Champions cup match is the theme today, we will get a walk in at some point as well I’m sure.
4 October 2022
Picked the boy up just before 12 at the station, although at the level of ju jitsui he is at, he could have picked me up and armlocked me in five seconds. Great to see him though and he is doing fab, suit job in Manchester, steady relationship, his own pad (with Dan) training six days a week, good skill all round. We walked back along the fron to have a look at the new beach and, after a coffee and a bite, settled down to watch Two Towers. Before tea (and footy) we managed a gap between showers to hike up to the old fort. The kids got me a present too, a graphic novel, not my first choice of literature but I have just finished the first series on streaming and thought it was great, so this is interesting, lot of work goes into these books, and it’s a good story.
3 October 2022
Just got back fro a session at Clobryn, the refined method of feeding worked a treat and it’s a fraction of the cost of expensive groundbaits. Only two of us fishing, the chap opposite had half a dozen or so but I must have had fifty plus. Carol is back today and Adam is visiting tomorrow, the weather is looking a bit dicey for the following few days but there is always plenty to do.
Haven’t said a lot about the whole food vegan diet which is odd as there is a great deal about it that is interesting. The human body can withstand plenty of abuse over long periods, smoking, drinking, idleness, worry, but poor diet seems to be the one that is so universal it is taken as normal. I cannot go into a ‘food’ supermarket without seeing the array of packaged produce as anything but long term slow death. I will probably snuff it next week, who knows, but until the date of departure I feel fucking fantastic.
2 October 2022
Invigorating to get up (always early) and see the light streaming through the front of the house. Being so close to the sea front the weather window her – although a bit breezy sometimes – is very often much brighter than a short distance inland. And it perks you up, no doubt about that. So, a breakfast of oats, chopped nuts, omega seeds and blueberries, then an hour of guitar practice and it’s off up the Little Orme with a minor detour to have a look at the seal colony.
Fabulous walk, it always is, about an hour and a half, quite a few bods looking at the seals but nobody walking up the Orme. Didn’t think I would stop watching the City v Utd match at half time but 4-0 for the wrong team was enough. So straight on BRS booked a slot and fifteen minutes later I was teeing off. Had a good nine holes as well, lovely day, about 18-19 stableford with no duffs.
1 October 2022
Writing in real time for a change. Pleasantish day, I’m not playing the Texas today because Carol is in England as well as Arsenal v Spurs at midday, also the weather is a bit rum this afternoon. Anyway just been for a brisk walk up Bryn Euryn which is a Welsh hillside fort and nature reserve a few minutes walk from our house, nevertheless, it’s a stiff walk and the views over Snowdonia towards Conway – and the other way towards Prestatyn – are stunning. Fell on my arse on the way down going to quickly.
30 September 2022
Bit more wintry today, strong winds and pelting down so, again few jobs, guitar etc.
29 September 2022
Bit wintry today, should I play or should I stay, for once it’s the latter, a few jobs in plenty of guitar practice and a bit of streaming.
28 September 2022
Session at Clobryn, none of the bigger carp of course because they are not there any more, but plenty of crucians, loads of little roach and about a dozen f1’s. It is good fun but I am itching to get on a decent river, I’m keeping an eye on the weather later in the week/early next for a session on the pier. Didn’t think it was likely but I am becoming intrigued with the whole Lord of the Rings mythology. My reticence is that it is a bit sixth form – but, of course, it isn’t – which is probably down to the fantasy element of it, orks, black riders and the like, but it is, nevertheless a work of supreme imagination and, as such, warrants an extended box set.
Nobody watches cd’s or blu-ray’s these days, unless you play bingo and eat Morrisons meals for one, but they are worth having a look at. LOR, for instance (extended edition) is a fiver to rent on the streamers and a tenner to buy, £30 all in. Well I have just got all three for £9 with extra feature discs which – for once in my tele-visual experience – I intend to watch.
27 September 2022
Got caught in a sea squal while playing golf. I don’t know if it’s true that the Innuit people have a vocabulary just for snow but it should be that the British have one for when it’s pissing down. There you go that’s a start, pissing down, spitting is another good one, well a squall is like a swarm of hungry liquid locusts determined to break your spirit. It didn’t quite do that but it did make us walk off after six, pity because we were both playing decently.
I’ve done that garge/workshop, it’s always good to have a re-jig with an eye on getting rid off stuff you don’t need. Over the summer we hab=ve been putting items out at the front for people to take and everything has gone.
26 September 2022
One of the maxims of modern life has to be ‘it’s never as easy as they make it look on YouTube’. So, with that in mind, off we go to try out the power kite. I went for the biggest one – which means the hardest to fly – with the thinking that if I want to step up through the size/difficulty range it won’t cost as much. Pretty sound rationale that, except, yep, it’s much more difficult to start flying the thing. Anyway, after a few whoaas, and wheees the thing took to the air and we both had some fun, actually it is good fun and I’m loking forward to the next ‘lift off’.
25 September 2022
I’m coming to the end of the frustration period of playing golf, meaning, I think, that I know how the ball will be hit when I take every shot. There is a way to go, and if you don’t keep it up it may fade away, but it is, nevertheless, a much more satisfying position to be in than constantly having a question mark over your head. This is why scales are so crucial in playing an instrument. My team won again.
24 September 2022
Elite sportspeople recognise when they are facing a sub-standard opponent and they do not hesitate. If an elite sports team has an obviously sub-standard member – not just one in poor form – it will deflate performance. This is what happens when Manchester United play Harry Maguire, and then he gets chosen to start for England?
It’s Saturday, not bad weather, so it’s Texas Scramble, I quite enjoy thos format for the moment.
23 September 2022
Off to Grape Tree for some lovely dried bean, legumes, nuts, seeds and stuff, this and the fresh fruit and vegetables we get from the farmers Oddbox is about what we eat. None of that crappy bread that the food industry is allowed to sell either, I still use it for fishing bait but that’s it.
Just got back from a game of golf and I’m still bursting with energy, I’m contemplating a run but I haven’t done any since the last 10k, might start it again through the winter.
22 September 2022
When they were about eight I put on the Queens of the Stone Age album Songs For The Deaf in the car on the way back to the Lake District where we were living at the time. It blew their minds, I could see it in their faces, real rock and roll, a straight shot into the blood and hooked forever. They have found all sorts of great music since then but they very often return to the seventies for the true taste of the west. So do I, of course, and, although I thought I was pretty well in tune with the diamonds, I have been listening to some stuff which makes me think I could enjoy a new wave of interest. Steve Marriot and The Small Faces (in that order) Steve Marriot and Humble Pie (in that order) the live Allman Brothers album (fucking hell!) Lightning Hopkins, and, i’m sure, others to follow.
What brought me to this is that the lads suggested Black Sabbath, now I past on all that long-haired rock at the time, prefering glam, then, of course, two years of fire with real punk, then ugh, the eighties. Well it is still there, I’ve listened to a bit of Sabbath and although I can discern genuine seminal elements I can’t find it’s rock heart so, in this case.
21 September 2022
The fishery is open again so, half past eightish, bit of guitar then off. Still waiting for an nhs dentist, give it another three months then it will have to be private.
20 September 2022
Usual kind of day, guitar practice without fail, golf again, and this evening I though I would try a short sea fishing session into the evening down in the little harbour.
Just got back. Decided to cycle there as it’s easier with the gear, it is only a shortish walk (for me). Didn’t catch anything – didn’t really expect to – but it was so peaceful and interesting fishing into darkness, the bats swooping round me were a bit spooky though.
19 September 2022
Thought that the flu-like symptoms might be around for a while but sprang up this morning and straight into the yoga, so that’s that then. Lord of The Rings then, what’s all that about? I’ve been talking to the kids about it, especially the lads who seem expert on all the various land/people/cultures and it is a complex world. This is a result of the excellent new streaming film being shown, Power of the Ring which makes me think I should watch the extended films.
Played a round of golf after the start of the queens funeral. I am against the idea of the monarchy, staunchly so in the past, but now I’m less interested with structural matters, played okay though.
18 September 2022
Bad with the Covid jab, well a couple of footy matches will help the sitting around.
17 September 2022
Bloody said I wouldn’t have anothe Covid jab after the reaction last time, but I forgot, or I thought it wouldn’t happen again. It did. Soon as I got back I started to feel a bit tender and, as I never get ill (touch wood) it is not a feeling I am cool with. Bollocks. Anyway managed to play the Texas Scramble, my team didn’t do well at all though I played decently, I’m pretty sure the men’s captain – who is married to the ladies captain both of who do the picking) has taken against me as I have stopped playing the seniors comps. Don’t care because I often win or place second regardless of who I’m teamed with.
16 Septemer 2022
Number 12 to Llandudno and then a number 25 to Snowdonia, all free of course, except we are going to Bodnant Gardens with another of our free entry passes to National Trust places. Well it was fantastic, boy if this was in England it would be lauded over. The property, still a private residence, was built in the most lovely spot and around it the gardens have been established. We will go again in late spring.
15 September 2022
Well I got on no problem – no padlock – and, really, nothing has changed except they have put the price up, which they don’t collect anyway. Oh it’s the pier by the way, I’m still working out the best method for LRF fishing, when it’s breezy, as it was today, it is nearly impossible to fish with very light tackle so I’m going to get some gear together specifically for wrasse, pollack, minis etc. This means on and off in a couple of hours or so and then – with the heavier rigs – fish at Rhos in the twilight. Didn’t blank today either even though it was difficult and a very short session.
14 September 2022
Normal sort of day, bit of gardening, sorting stuff out, couple of sessions on the guitar and 15 holes of golf. Another couple of Champions Cup matches tonight, Europa tomorrow and then the international break, Maguire and Shaw are in the squad which is a confidence buster.
13 September
There is a woman at the golf club – one of Carol’s friends – who is miserable about her appearance and general health, She attributes this to the menapause and, accordingly, places her faith in the general practitioners of the health service. This individual is wealthy, not that old, and has been diagnosed with a fatty liver. She is now on a variety of medication. She will get worse and, more than likely, will become a type 2 diabetic. None of the doctors she will see – some of them specialist, private and costly – will talk to her about eating properly. Shame that.
The fishery is still closed, shouldn’t be too long now, however, I am turning my attention back to sea fishing. I was going to try a short session on the pier before the cafe opens and then realised the pathetic aspect of a 62 year old man trying to nick on and off without paying. Of course it isn’t the money but it is the principle of someon charging me to fish in the sea. So, I will have a full day session soon (when the tide is right) and supplement this with two hour evening sessions at the Cayley to see how the new groynes have changed the fishing, I reckon it could be good, got to give it a fair shot though.
12 September 2022
Yoga actually means the process of attaining union, what it doesn’t mean is what is generally thought of as bending yourself into rubber people. Like virtually all aspects of modern gym life it’s a waste of time and money. You cannot exercise off a bad diet and you cannot do yoga in two hours a week.
Sit up straight, walk everywhere possible…see now you are doing yoga.
Of course the exercise is important as well, I do a few every morning before making the tea, it’s just that you can do it without all the bumfluffery that comes with the idea. Yoga means union, sit up straight and walk everywhere you can – in all weather.
11 September 2022
Not once have I failed to acknowledge how wonderful this place is. Just a walk along the prom into the village is peppered with visitors on a lovely Sunday morning, some taking panoramic photos of the superb views towards the Little Orme or the other direction towards Rhyl. Not sure what today is offering, I’ve done my morning practice, yoga and guitar, had a light breakfast and when we get back coffee and a bit of messing about in the garden. The tomatoes and cucumbers have been great thanks to the little plastic greenhouse Carol got off Next Door Neighbour, the veggie patch hasn’t done well so it will be re-worked as a nursery section. Oddly the garage with it’s old windows is a brilliant area for cuttings, herbs etc and the chillies are ready for eating.
No football again today because of the queen, so probably a quick nine holes on my own as Carol is away for a golf trip with the ladies section tomorrow somewhere in Cheshire.
10 September 2022
Superb weather, we’ve had a good run for a few weeks actually. Just got back from the Texas Scramble , didn’t win but I played well, sitting outside the clubhouse with the other players felt like the Med (again) Still no sign of the fishery opening so I may have to discard my principles and pay at Llandudno, however, I reckon an early morning mini session before the cafe opens will do the trick for free. Still weighing up buying a sport kite for messing about with on the new stretch of beach.
9 September 2022
Nothing extraordinary today – there never is thank goodness – oh actually the queens dead and there is a new king so that’s something on the grand scale I suppose. At the other end of the telescope it’s guitar and golf. The vegan whole food diet is still going storng, it isn’t the cure for life’s intermittent angst but it’s better to be healthy I reckon.
8 September 2022
Day in, wow that doesn’t happen much, recorded another song (very basic and just to mark development)
7 September 2022
Clobryn is still closed, found out from one of the members that a few of the bigger carp were lost in the thunderstorms, that’s a pity but it happens in managed fisheries. Anyway still lots of stuff to do, guitar, of course, which has become the main daily activity, and golf obviously. Speaking of that I had an interesting round yesterday with three decent players, held my own and – with a bit more work – could nip their heels in a comp.
6 September 2022
Smashing day out at Penryhn Castle, Carol got tickets for free and, as the bus is free of course, it cost us the price of a cuppa and a jacket spud. What a place this is, Victorian splendour at it’s height, superbly presented by the National Trust.
5 September 2022
Sweet session on the pond, usual stuff and managed to get five or six carp, only one out for the other half dozen anglers, got the hang of this now I think.
4 September 2022
Came second in the scramble with the best score ever, the team that beat us scrapped through with point something of a digit. Anyway Man Utd V Arsenal today, well it’s a few days on and they won well, wow, how did they get good from such a low position, football eh bloody hell.
3 September 2022
I’ve missed a day somewhere, anyway, Carol is at Gill’s and I’ve got the Scramble in the afternoon. After that Im watching Liverpool V Everton (good luck toffees) and then another match followed by GMT UFC fight night. Shot a genuine 42 yesterday, really good play.
2 September 2022
Shouldn’t really have gone to the pool today, I should have known from what someone told me that last week was packed on the same day and it was this time. Nevertheless I caught steadily with a number of F1’s and a good carp, until the Bolton miseries came with all their gear – I asked them if they were fishing or invading Russia – it didn’t go down too well. That was bad enough for my margin fishing but then one of the ridiculous match fishers arrived and decided to march all his gear past me – he very nearly fell in with the lot, shame he didn’t, and the, of course, he pulls little roach and crucians from the surface, in out, in out, well that was enough for me, pointless way to fish, effective for small fish but crude and blingy.
1 September 2022
When even walking to the local shops is such a breathtaking experience in terms of views, air quality, well being etc, you know you are onto something special. The new beach is finished now and the new promenade is nearly done, visitors comment how lucky thw people who live in Rhos are, and they are right. Golf again today, swoft nine, the score is gravitating around 45 so that is what I hoped for, shot making is getting better. Still thinking of a kite.
31 August 2022
Instant win! as the fellows from the pool say. Usual catch rate today, three carp and some F!’s that could be mistaken for carp, maybe they are actually, which means double figures. Oh the instant win was the goldfish, yeah!!
30 August 2022
Off to Rhyl for the air show, which means a full day of travelling, walking around a mass of strange, mostly sugar- nourished people, waiting for somthing to happen in the skies. As it transpired it was a perfect day in terms of weather which meant it was a good day out, strange lot of people though, I wonder if they thought the same about us?
29 August 2022
Man Utd play again today v Southhampton, I’ll get the first half in before the Texas Scramble and then I’ll scoot back before the presentation which – incidentally because I’m already back – our team won again. What a brilliant day!
28 August 2022
Usual sort of day, we aren’t walking this week as it’s bank holiday and right at the end of the holiday season, but we will get nine holes in at some point.
27 August 2022
Fishing again, third time this week and the general method worked a treat again, feed with the hemp mix, trickle small cubes of meat and then dob some bread. Boy do those carp take off from the margins when they are hooked, not as many big carp today – four I think – but plenty of F1s and, of course, loads of crucians and silvers. The last fish, biggest of the sessions, broke the landing net handle, however, straight back into the workshop, cut it down, inserted a metal bank stick and up and running for next time. Oh and some of the other members made a point of talking to me, good grief I think I’m in, ha.
26 August 2022
What’s new pussycat? well, nothing really, lovely weather, amazing place to live and live I shall. Really pleased with the guitar progress, picking up new stuff quickly and overcoming any obstacles from the psat that might inhibit me, that, in itself is a major upgrade, and if you want to be better than others then upgrade yourself.
25 August 2022
Just got back from one of the most memorable sessions fishing, yes I know it’s a small commercial water but, nevertheless, it’s deep and the fish still need catching and the big ones are very easily spooked. So, after watching a couple of other anglers catch a couple og bigger carp I thought I’d adopt their methods as a supplement to mine and boy did it work. Nine, maybe ten, carp between five and eight plus pounds in a few hours together with the usual F1’s crucians and nice roach. Oh and the tougher terminal tackle worked a treat.
24 August 2022
Man Utd played Liverpool last night and I started watching the match with trepidation, expecting the inevitable debacle and post-mortem. Ten Hag dropped Ronaldo and Maguire which proved a catalyst for the other players to show what they could do – and the did do it – 2-1, what a turnaround!
23 August 2022
Alright I’ve managed to up the catch ratio to match quality through tweaking the tackle and adopting the right feed and baits (no maggots, casters or pellets) but I’m still a bit off with getting the bigger carp. I justify this by telling myself that I don’t really fish for them but tha’s not really true. I hooked a couple today but they pulled out so it’s time to upgrade the terminal tackle.
22 August 2022
Sunday, we usually have a bit of a walk along the prom in the morning and, yes, that’s what we’ll do. The rest of the day is doing the same stuff, good stuff, pleasant way to shell your peas.
21 August 2022
Footy and golf today. As I’m writing this retro, so to speak, I won’t mention the footy as my teams got wiped in FPL, however golf I played well again and we won, t’riffic.
19 August 2022
Just got back from a superb walk up and around the Great Orme from another direction, stunning.
18 August 2022
The kids are at a funeral today for their mothers brother who dropped dead a couple of weeks ago at 56/7. Sad event for them and a hassle having to get to Newcastle via Preston. Usual day for me up early, biit of P G Wodehouse, good breakfast (super healthy of course) and maybe a swift nine holes, nice.
17 August 2022
Off to the pool for a session, as usual just got back, really good. The guitar playing is improving steadily, the maain reason for this – apart from practising everyday sometimes twice – is that I am recording every piece I learn, what this does is imprints the piece on memory through the rigour of having to get it right.
16 August 2022
Same as yesterday really, grand as ‘owt!
15 August 2022
The pool is closed until Wednesday due to the hot weather, fair enough, so a swift nine holer will fit the bill. A few weeks ago I set myself a longish term target of going round nine in 45 I’m not that far off and with a bit more quality round the greens I should do it soon. Well actually I have done it a few times but I would like it to become the norm.
14 August 2022
The guitar is going well. What I’m doing now is learning a piece and then recording it, not that bothered about the recording quality – although it isn’t too bad – what I’m trying to get is the idea that I can play a piece with a good technique. I’m putting them on BT cloud (parkermlp8@aol.com 1colossus1) and so far I’ve got about seven including some Beatles played chord melody.
13 August 2022
No Saturday golf today as – can you believe it – it’s too hot, wow, actually it probably is given the state of some of the players. So, off for a morning stroll and a coffee. Two footy matches today, one tomorrow and one on Monday.
12 August 2022
Proper Med day, half past eight, t-shirts and shorts off to Colwyn bay to check up on the new glorious beach they are putting in. Had a bit of a disagreement with a bloke on the prom who was moaning about how it would all affect the car drivers and I said (or words to the effect of) why don’t you get yourself a coal fire and a betamax video, ha he didn’t like that and went off in a huff to buy a Daily Mail. Youngish bloke as well which suggests age is not a pre-requisite for idiocy.
11 August 2022
Too warm to do much however – and again I’ve just got back – we have a golf tourney which thankfully is in the morning. It’s ladies against seniors and I am pitched with an incredible octoganarian against the lady captain and another fair player.We did well and, although I wasn’t great on the greens I hit well and consistently, exactly as I planned over the last few weeks , gonna try to build on that.
10 August 2022
Flipping ace this weather! Off for another session on the pond, actually I’ve just got back, a fish a cast nearly, certainly a bite a cast, lost the two carp I hooked – no fault of mine, the hook just pinged – and back by three.
9 August 2022
We set off on another Mediterranean morningwith the intention to cycle over the hill to Llandudno and back. Carol, unfortunately, got a puncture at the top of the hill so, instead of walking back, we locked the bikes up and carried on for a pleasant walk and a coffee, great way to spend the morning. And, the lock is gone of the pier, the sign is still up but the combination lock is not, interesting!
8 August 2022
Session on the pond, what a lovely place it is and really easy to get to, the fishing is amazing and if this was a canal or a river and I was watching a clip of myself on YouTube I would be trying pretty keenly to find the place.
7 August 2022
Game of golf with Carol, just nine holes as the weather has broken good. There is a lot of work going on down the prom. In essence what they are doing is making this place the best sea resort on North Wales and one of the best in the UK. Sand is being pumped from off-shore to amalagamate with the miles of sandy beach at Colwyn, groins have neen established to keep it in place, and the promenade is being rebuilt to ultra modern standards – one way traffic, prpoer cycle way, pedestrian priority etc. What this means in terms of life quality (for us) is that it just keeps getting better, in terms of property prices, well, we are in a very sound financial position which is compounding.
6 August 2022
No Saturday golf today as it is the open week, however, the Premier starts today (actually it started last night with Arsenal v Palace) New for this season is the Fantasy Football which I’m playing with the lads – and about seven million other people, it seems interesting and good fun.
5 August 2022
Off for a walk in the countryside. The variety of choice in our area on North Wales is exceptional, today we are off to Aber Falls which means a couple of buses (free of course) and then straight onto the walk itself.
4 August 2022
Think I mentioned it’s open week at the club which means for me that I won’t be playing much, well saying that I’ve just got back from playing nine holes with Carol starting about sixish, weather great and I played well, about 46 with good consistency and I know what to work on which is important.
I’ve started recording my guitar playing and I am pleased with the results so far. The intention is to be able to play pieces like a pro would, ie without nerves and with efficiency, the more I do the better it gets (no surprise there then) tomorrow I will do Blackbird – not an easy piece – in one take and it will sound fine.
3 August 2022
Smashed another session at Clobryn. Last year I had a session where I met the treasurer and he was – as I thought then – catching lots of fish, well he was catching a lot more than me that’s forsure. Today he was opposite me and , although he was there before me, I knew my method and baits would heavily outcatch both him and the other blokes there. I caught steadily from the off and didn’t stop for over four hours and, most importantly, using worm over meat, I had the carp in my swim, four in total, good ones, lost one near the side and maybe a couple before I had real contact.
2 August 2022
Day in doing odd bits. I’ve started recording myself playing pieces on the guitar. What I am trying to do is to qualm the nerves of doing a piece through with minimal mistakes and done properly, as it were, under exam conditions. So far I’ve done three and they are okay, eventually I intend to have a music room set up to do it a bit more professionally. Also it’s good for posterity.
1 August 2022
Had another session on the north shore and I can’t see myself doing it again. Nothing doing all the way along, a lovely place to fish and a grand cycle ride even with all the gear, however, it’s not much fun when you have little confidence of catching. Still weighing up other options, Holyhead would be good but it is a bit of a trek and there is a train fare so, maybe, Rhyl next, yeah I think so.
31 July 2022
Went for a lovely walk this morning, straight out of the front door a few hundred yards and into Bryn Eurin nature reserve. We still haven’t heard about the allotment, and actually I haven’t thought about it much, up the hill and again fabulous views. It’s a decent walk this one gets the lungs going.
30 July 2022
Saturday scramble. I know – and they do too – that I’m probably a bit better than my handicap, also, as I’m not playing comps where the card counts, my score is not being adjusted. The conclusion is (maybe) that I’m protecting my handicap. This is ironic becaues I don’t actually play comps anymore and don’t intend too, and the idea that I would protect the handicap for the Saturday match – to win a couple of golf balls – is bonkers. However I came second last week and won this week, it is a bit of a lottery though.
29 July 2022
I was going to have a mini session on the pier in the late afternoon yesterday, but when I got there – through the throngs of tourists – the pier had put a lock on the gate with a notice that the daily charge for fishing is now £10! Well that’s that then. Pity in a way but it does get me out of this particular comfort zone and – after all I live in the premium part of North Wales so, uhm, there are options. Anyway, straight back, check the clock (4.28) get changed and I’m on the golf course for 4.47, ha. Playing well too, managing a level of consistency that is crucial to doing something well, what I will do now is play, think, and tweak.
28 July 2022
Don’t know if I mentioned it but Carol and her mum are visiting for a few days in Preston, it’s virtually a year since we moved and I have been back to England the grand total of one day, and that was a strain. It is so good here.
27 July 2022
Yep, got the summer method worked out at Clobryn and boy am I getting some fish weights. Last year when I started – probably about the middle of August I was chuffed to get two or three crucians, and when I landed a small F! I got the camera out. Now (I’ve just got back from a four hour session) I am catching a hundred or so of which the great majority are landing net fish, in addition I have bagged at least one carp per session. The method certainly gets some strange looks, I know the tipped whip works – and its good fun – but what is so great is my new little LRF wand with a home made balanced waggler. That, together with a bait box full of composter worms and small chunks of meat is unbelievable fishing. If I was myself as a kid watching this I would be very pleased with myself, good skimmers and quality roach too.
26 July 2022
Usual stuff, although my new method at Clobryn with the LRF rod has proved surprisingly effective – even better than the pole/whip. So fishing, golf and gardening, and here are a few pics.
25 July 2022
The lads went to London a couple of days ago to watch the UFC, it was good but our fighter Tom Aspinall twisted his knee after 15 seconds which put a damper on events.
24 July 2022
Bit windy but not bothered, we are doing a swift nine joles and then I’ll do the usual which is a bit of gardening, more guitar and just simply living nicely. It’s nearly a year since we came here and it has exceeded our hopes and they were pretty high so, all in all, fab.
House prices rpond here have – excuse the pun – gone through the roof. The place itself is about as good as you can get on this lovely coastand it’s getting better, multi million pound development along the front from Colwyn Bay, can’t be bad. We have made a significant investment by purchasing this property.
23 July 2022
Saturday, oh yeah Florida – or is it Texas scarmble, don’t know the difference apart from one is four person and the other is three, not bothered either it’s just about hitting balls on grass. Actually it’s Friday, haha, can’t remember what I did, that’s a good thing actually and no I’m not going senile. And I’m writing this on Tuesday so I can tell you I came second tomorrow.
22 July 2022
The pier has gone right off, nothing on the big rods whatsoever. However, I bought a good LRF rod, both as a new method for fishing Clobryn and for the pier. Afeer fiddling about with various terminal tackle/baits I got a pouting, two wrasse, a scorpion (might even have been a dragonet) and a blenny. What this means is that I can now fish down the sides with a bit more finesse and confidence while waiting for the big rods to do, well anything. Actually just as I was about to pack them up there was a hell of a clatter and the smaller of the two rods was off the tripod and heading seawards, I thought woowh here we go, but no, bloody seagull which I had to cut free, better watch that in future nearly lost a rod and reel.
21 July 2022
Normal day, love it here, walk to the golf course, nine holes, nip to the tackle shop for some bait.
20 July 2022
I remember last year when I first started fishing Clobryn and the two members opposite me would not stop yacking about how good they were . I did catch then, but not enough and no real biggish ones. Well that’s been rectified, I normally don’t fish it on a Wednesday but as it was closed on Monday due to the heat I went today. And now I reckon I have the method to do well on this water, they were there of course, but a bit quieter as I was pulling them out, had a carp of about, well, decent size, lost a couple more and had a tench too! Also I’m going to have a go at a new method even though my existing one works, don’t rest on your laurels.
19 July 2022
Now where are we, oh yeah, Tuesday, still scorching hot, the third day of three actually freakish days of very hot weather, so hot that I haven’t played golf or gone fishing. Well, I did try to have a couple of hours on the pond but when I got there it had been closed – quite rightly – to protect the stock. Nevertheless we did get nine holes in later on in the day when it had cooled down a little, not much though.
18 July 2022
Up and at ’em most mornings about sixish, busy almost every day with all the stuff previousy mentioned. Actually forgot that last Friday we went to Betws-Y-Coed (free train) and had a lovely, stiffish walk to the little lake on top.
17 July 2022
Eight ocklock in the morning and it’s too hot to do much. I don’t bother sunbathing like I used to, mainly because it’s a shared house and I don’t feel relaxed enough to do so, but I still trapse around in shorts and vest so my visible tan is pretty good. Going to watch the final day of the open golf today, Rory is in a good position fot his first major for nearly a decade.
16 July 2022
Saturday stableford, I’m begining to think that this is a bit of a joke golf game. As I have given the othe comps up I will stick to this one because it shows my face to the club, it’s no more than that really. The weather is hotting up, tomorrow is the three day el scorchio!
15 July 2022
There is a period of weather due – three days duration – that is aberrant. Going from 17-19 degrees, at best, to over 30, what the hell eh, anyway what that means is although it seems pretty good for doing stuff, in fact, it isn’t. Too hot. So today I’m doing something, not fishing, so it is probably golf. The guitar is coming on steadily, I am now playing fairly complex song arrangements over real time backing tracks, fingerpicking style, so much more scope and a really pro sound, not just a strummer anymore.
14 July 2022
It just doesn’t rain much here, love it! Off for a solitary nine holes, actually I’ve just got back, played a 43 and hit the ball quite well. However I want to kid myself that it doesn’t matter I am competitive with myself and want to get to around 20ish handicap, it will take some doing but I can envisgae it.
13 July 2022
Saw a dolphin patrolling less than a hundred metres from the pier, up and down, maybe that is why no one caught a thing – except for a solitary dogfish – first blank of the year and a surprising one as I though the catch rates would increase as the weather got warmer. That’s fishing for you eh. Still, I have got the hang of Colbryn and I am going to order a little LRF rod for the pier and as a margin rod for the pond, should be fun.
12 July 2022
Full days although I am struggling to remember what I did today, probably a short round of golf. The whole food lifestyle is amazing, no meat or dairy obviously and lovely fruit and vegetables delivered directly from the gorwers with as little intervention as possible (ie supermarkets) We get the delivery everyweek and it has been a great success, don’t even eat crappy bread anymore only rye and as little of that as feasible. Feel fucking great, hardly ever tired during the day, energy levels good and consistent, and the way I feel is positive and calm.
11 July 2022
Oh yeah I went fishing. Early start on the pond, got to say it’s only smallish but what a great fishery, always catch and, now I’ve got the methods sussed (watch it!) I’m confident about getting a bagful most times, especially in summer. Today was the same – and that’s the problem if there is one – with loads of decent sized fish for sport including nice roach and skimmers. Stll thinking about the Wye.
10 July 2022
Out on the bike while Carol plays a singles comp. Went to North shore to see if there was any tackle retrievable – ther wasn’t – so then, although it was heaving, cycled to the pier to have a look who was on, full compliment but no one was catching. Then off the the West shore to have a look at it for fishing, yeah it seems alright, sandy expanse, but why change from the pier when there is a great chance of catching anything out there, and you get to try different techniques. So maybe I will try it, maybe. Decided to take the longer route back around the outskirts of Llandudno, quite hilly but, I have to say, never broke a sweat, pretty fit and healthy.
9 July 2022
Texas scramble so it must be Saturdy, nice day too about 18-19 and part sun so it’s shorts and t. Actually I played well, bit waywatrd off the drives but second shots were longish and a few approach shots were nice. Overall we should have won comfortablybut we blew it on the 8th and 9th which are normall bankers in a fourball, anyway second again is alright. Still not doing any other comp.
8 July 2022
Surprisingly poor session on the pier. No bites at all from the normal spot so I moved to the right hand side and had a couple of takes and a doggie. What was good though was that I had a couple of long-tailed sea scorpions on the LRF rig with jelly worms.
7 July 2022
Stopped playing in the Tuesday morning seniors comp. Had a couple of rounds with Carol over the previous couple of days but today Wednesday) Carol is playing in a ladies match and I’m having a day in. We are off to the pictures tonight to watch- off all things – Top Gun 2. Actually that was last night, the film was as you would expect but the walk back from Colwyn Bay, which we have done mny times, was exceptional, with a sunset the like of which I cannot adequetly describe.
6 July 2022
Guitar continues to be gratifying in terms of knowledge and applicability. That’ts just a long-winded version of saying that i’m getting good. Which that is too. Don’t know if i’ve mentioned it but I am making my own backing tracks(which are on the little go-pro camera) so I can practice my soloing (jazz and blues) In addition I can play several pieces fairly well and confidently. Also I have started learning Beatles songs as chord melody, this is particularly gratifying as I seem to pick them up quite quickly. Partly this is because I know the songs well together with being able to play reasonably complex chord sets. Lot of hours practice though and I always start with scale warm ups.
5 July 2022
It is lovely just having a couple of days around the house, plenty to occupy the active bod, and the cricket – test match cricket – has become fascinating again, so I’m going to watch that this morning. Usual other stuff as well as sorting my fishing gear out, knock some rigs up etc.
4 July 2022
What a surprise! A session at Colbryn, a fishery that I have decried as a bit boring, samey at best, and one that I thought I could easily outwit. Well perhaps the later is true but it’s neither of the former. What a session, one of the best fishing days I can remember. One aspect to this skill-pastime is that you are constantly thinking and (excuse pun) jigging. Last time out there was a couple of old gagees across from me who were fishing with meat and. I thought, well if that works it could slove a few niggles. Maggots, for instance, are a great all round bait, but in a fishery with lots of small fish it is – in summer especially – hard to catch anything else. Bread is the sam, and because it is used so much the fish are wary of it, corn is a big fish bait and you can be waiting a while for bites – which I don’t like to do. Paste is good but the drawback is that it gets taken off the hook easily and you can waste time fishing with no bait. Worms from my composter are really good and I wouldn’t go without them but the meat, whooh, cut into small chunks it was a bite a cast with everything interested. This, coupled with my new supplementary touch ledger rig – used as an additional bottom method with the pole rig mid water, it was a day that I used to only read about as a youngster. The usual fish were caught, crucians, F1’s but also some high quality roach and skimmers, especially the roach a few of which were approaching the pound mark, brilliant.
Got home at about two , watched the cricket, and then nine holes of golf in the early evening in lovely weather, triffic!
3 July 2022
Started watching the cricket live – on a a day I’m not at it that is. It takes me back to my childhood when I used to nick off school on the first day of the test match, or when it was summer holidays and there was nobody in the house, on my own, watching a lttle telly, engrossed in the commentary. It’s like that now although I have to pratice the mindset that it is fine to enjoy it just for itself, noone is going to spoil it, and you don’t have to be doing anything else. So today is one of those days, not all day of course, plenty of other things to be doing, tee hee.
2 July 2022
Texas Scramble, yeah it’s good fun, but it is difficult to gauge how you are playing and it is pot luck regrading who wins, an odd put here and there usually decides it. I’ve mentioned recently that I’m stopping competitions for the good reason that I don’t like them. Instead I’m scoring every nine holes, it is interesting to compare the scores and I think there is a gradual improvement. On Friday (yesterday) I did the front nine in 44 which is my year target score of 90 over 18. After the scramble I carried on to do the back nine which – excluding the 18th which I gave myself a 5 – I did in 44 again, played well too with only one or two lazy duff shots.
1 July 2022
Can’t say it’s cracking the flags but it is a pleasant, dry climate. The plants thrive her, much better than the old mill town. Maybe the air quality is a factor. Obviously lots of light is essential and with it being dry that means less cloud cover, but what about the lack of pollution, it has to be imprtant – I know it is for me – so why not the soil and the plants? I reckon so.
31 June 2022
What I probably mean is that when I am doing a thing I am begining to waver the thought of doing something else, that constant – unpleasant pull to the next activity. In the morning – at other times too – I can now just sit (still) and try to stop the whoosh of thought, it is a very productive thing to do doing nothing, trying tio control the pressing mind, not easy but it’s a neat trick.
30 June 2022
I’ve actually got to the relaxing stage, meaning I don’t have to compress a week into a day. Meaning, also, that I can watch the cricket on the box even if it is a nice day and I might have jobs to do. Still got to do the morning yoga though, oh and two sessions of guitar practice, and the plants of course, maybe golf four, five times a week, the fishing is twice weekly now, of course, nice to get a little bike ride in, yes the Welsh Coastal walk, that’s still progressing. But apart from that.
29 June 2022
Can you believe it! Here I am all nicely set up with rigs for all species – and doing well with the old doggies – when an old fella from Bolton asks if he can fish next to me. I said yes through politness although, as there was only me fishing, he could have gone on the right hand side. So he baits up a feather rig with lug and pow! first cast he is into a bass – right where I was fishing! ha! Actually, I wasn’t in the slightest jealous, I thought well, that’s fishing for you (actually I was a little , tiny bit green) After that it was all me pulling out doggie after doggie and, down the side, I snuck in a couple of minis on the light rig, rock gobies I think. Also, didn’t lose any tackle which is a first.
28 June 2022
Bit of prep for tomorrows session on the pier, walk to the shops for bait etc. Still entranced by the beauty of the place and the fact that it instills the feeling of being on a pleasant holiday every day.
27 June 2022
Weather wise, much better. Short trip to the pond to try a new method which – having just got back – I have to say worked a treat. Double hook drop ledgering, easy to fish, no tangles, hit most bites, no bounce off, can use two baits. It’s actually one I saw someone on the Tubetv use for LRF fishing and it works great. Got a bit bored though, sea fishing – while it gets far less bites – is a different game entirely, better in many ways.
And then, get back, something to eat and straight out with Carol for nine holes of golf, phew.
26 June 2022
Here’s a change from the old routine. Howling, rainy day and the third test match is on telly (Sky Sports, got a login) I remember when I was a kid and I used to nick off the hated school to watch the opening day on a black and white TV (Richie Benaud and Jim Laker commentary) The feeling that time – for a few hours – was just my own, worthwhile, without any other bothering me, that was when I reaslised that I could be on my own. Well today I’m snuck up in my room with the headphones on watching a very much better telly, eating great food, no one really impacting, feeling relaxed and free. Still got that niggle though, you know, that, I should be doing something, something useful, creative, productive. It’s a mind trick, an internalised ethics, well we’ll see about that.
25 June 2022
Texas Scramble, I’ve stopped playing with the seniors because, well, I don’t really enjoy it, but I’m still doing this one because, well, I quite like it. Our fourball came second on a windy day
24 June 2022
Another pleasant day and we are actually out on our bikes for a bit of a ride. Only going to the garden centre for a few supplementaries but it is good to be back in the saddle. Anyway, I’ll get those in and then off to the golf course, Carol is playing with one of the lady members and I’m tagging along at the back or in front, shorts and tee-shirts.
23 June 2022
Because we don’t go far afield for our daily dose of the good life the journal, I know, is getting a bit regular. Well not a lot wrong with that I say. What do people strive for anyway eh? I always knew that my dissatisfaction was borne through an intollerance of pointless work, money work, work that has no goal. Now that things are in tune I can monotonise and still be grateful for a sense of fulfilment, is that not what the point is, eh?
22 June 2022
One of those can’t remember what I did days, well, it’s still good weather and we have both got tans. Previously – as in the life in the mill town – I would pursue an even body tan if the weather was good but now, when I’m outdoors for long periods I am actually covering up. Anyway, if fishing was yesterday it’s gardening and golf today , keep meaning to take pictures of the garden, everythingi s growing better in this good climate so I will get round to it soon.
21 June 2022
Session on the pier, the weather couldn’t be better, wonderful. Got a pollack with my new rig but, after a few sessions with many anglers and rods, I have only seen a couple of pin pouting and two tiny scorpion fish caught, other than, of course, the many dogfish. So, my wrasse, blenny, pollack and whiting are all species catches. The good thing about today was that I got talking to a bloke who fishes West shore, he obviously knew what he was doing so I pricked my ears up. The upshot is I am going to give it a few goesas it seems likely. What a change from when I first started sea fishing properly last August, got some good experience, new species and a good few more places locally to try.
20 June 2022
When it’s like this everyday is like a holiday in the Med. Golf this morning (actually just got back) after I decided on Monday not to play in the seniors again, this one is a cup competition and I already comitted to it. I played with two blokes who couldn’t be any more different than the ones I played with on Monday, and, consequentely, it was a very pleasant game. We all played decently and I came a creditable 14th out of 44 with 23 points. Said it before but what a place to live this is. Still not playing the seniors again though.
19 June 2022
The choices are broad. After a lovely day messing about doing this and that in the garden areas – and it is gratifyng how many peopl make the comment about how lovely it all is – we decided to go for a stroll. We could have climbed Bryn Eurin (which I am looking at right now, or strolled to Colwyn Bay, cycled along the prom, nipped around Great Orme, or a good few others we don’t know about yet. However, we decided just to have a nice walk to Little Orme and then back along the prom to the village and then back past the cricket club. It was fab.
In the evening the last day of the US open was on and a couple of our blokes were in the mix. We stayed up till midnight to watch a thrilling run in with Matt Fitzpatrick coming out on top, great player and a brilliant result.
18 June 2022
Usual Saturday, golf comp and then taking the day as it comes, lovely.
17 June 2022
Playing golf this evening with Carol about sixish, so before that it’s guitar and gardening. Do yoga every morning and meditate a bit. Couple of points about that, regarding the yoga, it isn’t about how strtchy you can be but how much in unison you can get yourself to start the day. If your mind flitting about all excited, which it can be first thing, it’s not a bad thing to rein it in a bit and get it working with the body. With meditation I insist on sitting still as a pre-requisite to the closing of the eyes bit. How can you calm the mind if you can’t calm the fidgets? All of this hasn’t yet led to a blissful exisitence yet, as with many aspects of being human – you tend to underplay how better than before it is.
16 June 2022
Not quite getting the bites from the minis I expected at this time of year, especially now the water has warmed up a bit and the weather is pleasant and calm. As usual I try a variety of methods in order to get some success, with the heavier rigs I have (I reckon) got it sorted, but the lighter fishing still evades. Saying that nobody else is getting anything else than an irregular pollack or pouting and, actually, I’ve had an odd one or two myself. So’, it’s a lovely day and I’m pulling out dogfish for fun, well into double figures and maybe approaching twenty, as I’ve said some individual regard them as a pest, they seem to be the ones that like to blank and pull out a bass every three visits. Got some more ideas for rigs and baits for the minis, mmm.
15 June 2022
I’ve said it a few time but it really is like the Med today. Carol is out playing a comp so I’m tagging along before for a quick nine holes (48again) and then off to the village for a stroll, a mooch and to purchase some bait for tomorrow.
14 June 2022
Off to the pier on a lovely calm morning. I stayed a while as there was only me fishing, it is the beginning of the holiday season and the place has the potential to become crowded so, when it isn’t, it’s worth lingering. Dogfish on a regular basis, not hard to catch and I run out of how many I land. Can’t understand why the smaller fish are not showing yet, it must be the water temperature, but I will still keep trying different methods which I am convinced is the right way to go. Missed the seniors golf comp deliberatly, not really into the faux competetive side of the game, I prefer to be my own template.
13 June 2022
Monday, like I said I’m a bit behind, nothing unusual about that but, with all the daily outdoors, I can’t always recal whether it’s golf, fishing or something else. No, it is/was golf and I am trying to be consistent in the scoring with the aim of shooting a regular 90. Well I got to 48 on the front (which I regard as the trickiest) leaving me with an around 20ish handicap.
12 June 2022
Bean vegan for a few months now (ha, pun on been) and I feel great, do yoga every morning, not for long but for long enough to stretch and to get things in tune. All of this – or anything really – doesn’t resolve the anxty nature of life but it does punch back and I like that. You’re going to snuff it, always worth remembering this, it’s a positive thought, so why give in to not trying, pointless. And I will tell you something for sure, compulsing your way around, or buying shiny things, or eating fancy, processed dog food, is not the right way, telling you.
11 June 2022
Been windy for a while, had a nine hole yesterday and it’s the Texas Scramble this afternoon. Almost decided not to get into the competion side of the club anymore, cut it back starting with the Tuesday Stableford, can’t see the point of it, same set of blokes playing each other on the same course, same format – usually the same two or three – and some seem to score differently when I play with them than when they in their usual groups, for some reason. However, this doesn’t mean I am taking it easy, just the opposite, I am getting better in certain aspects of the game and I intend to get my game down to around the 90 mark consistently.
10 June 2022
Quite behind with the journal, about five or six days, go fishing a lot, play loads of golf, practice guitar seriously (twice a day usually, read a bit and, whow, I have discovered a blues player called Sam ‘lightnin’ Hopkins (1912-1982) This bloke is the best, just does it all on his own, he was fairly well known in his day but should be mainstream knowledge in popu;ar music. So, I am learning his style of guitar because it is right up my street, seem to pick it up alright but it needs lots of practice like anything.
Katie is off back to Manchester this morning, Jamie is picking her up about nine.
9 June 2022
Bit windy but pleasant otherwise and I couldn’t resist, so off we go to the end of the pier. Tried another method with the light tackle, got a few knocks but lost about three rigs and got fed up, not easy to watch the other two rods while fishing at the other side. Not giving up though, and I got a small wrasse on the mackerel spinner so that was encouraging. Usual run of dogfish, I got well over a dozen so that is some catch and I nearly got something different in but it wriggled off before I could see it, that was on the spinner too. It is the mystery of sea fishing that is so enticing, obviously just being there is fantasic in itself. Wow if the younger me could get a glimpse of my life now, yep, well chuffed.
8 June 2022
Another pleasant day, wow it’s a good old life here. Another game of golf, just a practice session but probably a full round, usual stuff for the rest of the day.
7 June 2022
Lovely morning, golf with the seniors, not sure how regularly i’m going to do this, don’t like the ups and downs of result based playing. Saying that I have exceeded what I wanted to do at golf up to the moment, doesn’t stop you wanting to do progressivly better though. Katie is off back to Manchester on Friday, it’s been ace having her here, loads of fun, she will continue to do well.
6 June 2022
Busy day. Just got back from fishing at Clobryn, caught loads and it is good fun, but, it is a bit straightforward, why those blokes take so much tackle is beyond me but it is a buyers game, as so many other pastimes are. Actually we’ve just got babk from golf, 18 holes in the Bilten cup, we got obviously well beaten but it couldn’t have been any other way. We got half our handicap and we were playing against a 9 and an 18 – in addition to me being of the white tees, actually we played well and halved four or five holes. Not doing that again, good experience though.
5 June 2022
Just kind of a normal day, bit rainy – for once – how about the diet then? Well, couple of months into the vegan diet, strange thing about things going well, I don’t tend to notice it, certainly far less than when something is slightly not as right in y perception as it should be. What I mean is that, thinking on, I feel great, energetic throughout the day, up at the crack of dawn, healthy body and mind. So there, vegan diet, not quite that simple it is a healthy, whole food vegan diet, big difference.
4 June 2022
Texas scramble, just got back, nice round again did okay, good consistency. England v Hungary in the Nations cup, shambles, the team played like it was a testamonial and there are players in that side who will get found out (Maguire, Pickford) not good.
3 June 2022
Same kind of day, walk to the village for some fishing weights and then a late game of golf , sixish, nine holes. Oh, and how about this, not only did I get good at the PS4 golf – top ten finishes a normalish result – but I just secured my first win. Now, that might not seem much, just a video game you say, well it takes a bagful of applied practice to compete online, try it then, Fifa, motorsport, Scrabble, see how easy you find it, you will give up (if you ever get to that point).
2 June 2022
Apparantly it’s the platignum jubilee or something, big deal and complete apathy on my part. Actually if I did spend a bit of attention on the sponging parasites I would have known that the buses weren’t running as regulary, meaning, my fishing trip to Corbryn had to be abandoned. Not to worry, back to the house, changed, golf clubs out and a swift nine holes. Got invited to tag along with Derek and a couple of other blokes. I was determined to play better than Tuesday and, well, I certainly did. This is what I was working towards, the best I have played from start to finish, scored – I reckon – about 20-22 points on the front nine which would be an easy win, rinse and repeat (I hope).
1 June 2022
Just the normalish day, fine weather and a day without fishing or golf means poncing about in shorts and a vest doing this and that, great.
31 May 2022
Walking to golf, the weather is improving and forecasts good for the rest of the week. But, ugh, bothering myself about playing well and scoring a decent card, well, as it happens I didn’t play well and it did bother me. What I get from this is that I know what to do it just takes a bit of time for the experience to become second nature and then, I reckon, it will be more enjoyable. Until that point, however, there will be ups and downs, but always with an eye on getting effortlessly alright.
30 May 2022
I went anyway. The weather was not perfectly forecast, bit of rain not too much breeze, so I thought couple or four hours then back. There was a lad already there but not in the prime spot so I plonked my gear there. Turned out he lived and worked in Preston, actually lived in Deepdale if you can believe it, and he was a nice lad. He didn’t catch anything as there was nothing taking feathers or small baits so I let him reel in a dogfish so he could take a photo to show his daughter. Normal catch, numerous doggies but nothing else showing, two lads from the Wirral – keen seafishermen – same thing.
29 May 2022
Sunday. Been up since quarter to six, just sitting quietly, not thinking about much in particular, getting this updated, watching the morning grow over the sea out of the window to my right. I’ve had a couple of low energy days this week and you half expect – being not a spring chicken – for that to be it, but yesterday and now, fine bags of energy and feeling very healthy.
28 May 2022
Writing the day after Liverpool lost the Champions cup to a resolute Real Madrid side. Football is another of those fluctuating yoyos that can – if you are not mindful – put you up or down at a whim. Now I’m not a true follower of any one team but what a slavery that is to be so pull-hooked by a thing (it is great though!)
27 May 2022
Off to buy a few more plants, then a swift nine holes in the late evening. Oh I remember what we did yesterday. Went for another part of the Wales coastal path, from Caernarfon to, well, further along, bit windy but always good.
26 May 2022
Oops, just can’t remember what I did today. Not golf, I know that, but while we are on the subject I am aware that the game fluctuates – not pleasantly – between poles of alright and not alright. A bad day and you think, uh oh, need to do this or that, a good day and you think you’re great. This is why I place the game fourth – or even fifth – down the list of personal activities. Might as well go through them eh?
I still love walking on designated trails in England and Wales. It was a revelation to me when I started over twenty years ago and what I have gained from it are rich memories, physical well-being and future potential.
Guitar playing is a daily business for me, My technique has developed beyond that which I thought I could do and the theory is interesting and directly applicable.
Fishing is in my nature, fundemental to my love of the outdoors and a pastime I think about many times a day. Since moving to Wales sea fishing, surprisingly, has taken my interest but it is really coarse fishing (excluding carp) that bangs my gong and I still intend ti fish some of the great rivers of England before I snuff it.
Gardening, all aspects, for all of the reasons everyone who is repeatedly struck by the miracle of plant growth knows. Number one.
25 May 2022
Was going to try a bit of fishing when the tide was in at Rhos but I’m a bit knacked so it’s just a day doing bits and bobs.
24 May 2022
Well, I was supposed to play with someone in the seniors comp but, as it turned out, we were in different groups. It was half past nine and almost everyone had gone out, the last three blokes out were in my group so I tagged along with them. My game started okay (no nerves) and, with concentration, got better. I scatched the 18th but it didn’t matter as by that time I had accrued enough points to win the match.
23 May 2022
Wish I had put the thermals on. It was lovely on the pier when I started but then the breeze got up and, I have to say, I prefer calm weather when I’m fishing. Nevertheless the fish kept coming and I lost count of the number of dogfish (why don’t the stupids like catching them?) even, gulp, on my light fishing gear which, incidentally worked really well.
22 May 2022
Going for our Sunday afternoon game of crown green bowls at the local club, £25 per year membership and it’s like you have a private green to yourselves. I think the idea is that eventually you play in one of the teams but, with everything else, that is unfeasable, so we just play and it is a great way to spend an hour or so. Football Premier last day today with some edgy matches being contested, Man Utd are playing for a place in the Europa cup, what a terrible state they are in, some have hope for the new manager, I’m not so sure as I think they have lost the basics.
21 May 2022
Didn’t play as well as I have done but, nevertheless, we finished a healthy second. Before golf we toodled off to the plant sale in the village and you never come away empty handed from those, not if you’re a gardener. So, tomorrow, there are jobs to do. Love it round here.
20 May 2022
Guitar, of course, every day – most days twice. After that jobs in the garden. I’m surprised, actually, how much time I’m spending planting and such like, it does go to show that proper gardening – even if you don’t have a big space, can be extremely rewarding when you apply intention. Hardly anyone does though, as far as I can see. Quick nine holes this afternoon.
19 May 2022
Well that was a fine day! Originally we intended to continue the saunter around Anglesey but the transport to our next starting point was a bit long, so we are leaving that one till we can do a stopover. Instead we continued along the mainland coastal path from Menai to Caernarfon, and it was lovely, woodland coastal walking – reminding me of the start of the SWCP – and great views across to the big island.
18 May 2022
Very low water when I got there, don’t think I had seen it so low. Anyway a couple or three hours and hopefully a few bites and not a blank. Well the weather was fantastic, Almost daily I equate the experience of living here with the feeling of holidays in the Med and today was one of ’em. I’m experimenting with a few rigs etc for the LRF method, it’s okay watching YouTube vids, they help of course, but the idea surely is to apply what you glean to your own requirements. And dropping a rig over the side of Llandudno end pier is not as straightforward as it seems, not if you want to catch something that is. Firstly there are only a couple of positions that you can fish from, right and left side. Then, if the tide is moving, the right side sweeps your rig into the pier (good, that’s where the fish are) but gets snagged on the infrastructe (bad). On the left, you are less likely to get snagged – because the flow takes your rig out and away, but this means the fish won’t follow it. So you need a rig that can find the bottom fast but not be so heavy that you lose connection with the end tackle, and, of course the idea is to keep everything super light. After a few casts I thought I was snagged until a nice little fight started, I thought it was a wrasse but it turned out to be a little pollack, quite pleasing. Got a doggie as well, not as many as usual but different tide pattern.
17 May 2022
Played a Florida Scramble over twelve holes this morning in a team of three, we did okay and I played alright so it’s all good. Some of the players get agitated if they or the team don’t do as well as they think they should but, really, there isn’t a great deal of fun in doing it like that. I am content with the standard of golf I have achieved (even though my handicap is going south) because I can now get round a course with minimal duffing, and, most importantly, I can enjoy it.
Straight out again after golf for a lovely walk along the prom to the shops to get some baot for tomorrow.
16 May 2022
The tide is high at about half eleven so I’m going for about twelvish. Actually I’ve just got back, good session again, and once again the fish were feeding abaout two hours after high, whether this was because of the difficulty of holding the bottom with the racing tide I don’t know but I dam not going to throw out 8oz weights, better just to time the fishing right. Nothing on the light tackle, not sure if the fish are actually there yet, I’ll keep at it and keep tweaking to see how it develops .
15 May 2022
Sunday, er em, can’t remember what I did but it was probabaly the same stuff, all good, oh yeah managed to do a backing track on video to practice the jazz scales with, worked out pretty well and I can do them with different time signatures and chords etc, useful.
14 May 2022
Keep thinking the good shots I’m playing are going to stop and there will be a duffer popping its nose up, however, the last two rounds have been categorically good. I am getting to the stage where I can show up play alright and not think too much about it. I do like the game very much and where we play is outstanding in most respects, but I don’t want to bother my noggin with nonsense ups and downs about how well I played or where I finished in the comp, don’t ever want to come last though, that would not do.
Getting the bits and bobs together for the LRF fishing. Surprisingly i’ve not thought about fishing on the pond for a while now, this is because tweaking the methods on the pier has proved a winner and I now find this really interesting. I’m looking at visiting Hollyhead to fish off the breakwater, it’s an hour and a bit on the train and probably a tenner which isn’t bad.
13 May 2022
Friday, usual stuff, another word about the guitaring. I’m listening to a blues bloke calle Lightnin’ Hopkins (who is seminally great) and, I thought, lets have a go at that and – with the help of Youtube and all the practice I’ve put in – I picked it all up very quickly. In other words my playing is getting much better. I’m trying to play my own backing tracks for jazz, however, when I press play on the video I get all nervous and the fingers don’t work right, I will break that blockage down through mental application and repetition.
12 May 2022
Just been to the village with Katie, lovely day, she’s got her own place in Manchester and is moving there in a few weeks, and she bough me coffee and cake.
11 May 2022
Another game of golf, played well, bit of other stuff and footy tonight – third game in a row thanks to a new Sky sports login!
10 May 2022
Phew! nine hole comp with the seniors and then nine holes with David and Carol, then down to the harbour to check out the possibility of a late evening session. The fishing on the pier has taken hold so I want to try to hone the methods, so why ignore what is almost outside the front door. I am so grateful to be here and the fishing is getting good, sea fishing – I am begining to realise – doesn’t have to be throwing big weights out and hoping, it can have a good deal of finesse, and, hopefully, a good bit of success. So the process begins…it’s already good fun!
9 May 2022
Didn’t think so a few weeks back but the pier fishing has been great, just got back from another session. Cannot really comprehend why other fishermen tend to be against dogfish, probably because they are like most other people in general, unable to think together with repeating what they have listened to. My reply – when I am landing another two-pounder and they are catching nothing – is that they are sea barbel and very welcome. Caught from the first cast and genuinly lost count of how many, great place, and always the chance of anything turning up(better get a drop noet I think, or make one) I caught on all three rods, the quiver rod produced a new species for me, a common blenny, which I thought was a weever fish. I am now thinking of getting into LRF (light rock fishing) which , although I didn’t know it was a thing, has always been my inclination.
8 May 2022
Done my scales, learning melodic minor, diatonics and seventh arrpegios, and I am sitting outside at the front on a mighty swell day cleaning the spring bulbs. Carol won the Texas with her team yesterday, well done, and later on we’ll go for a game of bowls and a plant based ice cream, Session on the pier in the morning and all the tackle and bait is sorted, garden areas are looking good and the little greenhouse area is doing it’s job.
7 May 2022
There was a time – around when I was walking the hills – that I felt very fit and strong with great stamina, physically I’m in not much worse nick, probably fifteen percent less allround which, nevertheless, is still good. What is better is my equillibrium and overall health. I don’t drink and haven’t done for a long time, and, because I am now a healthy eating vegan, my health is extremely good (temptimg fate here I know) Added to this being in this part of Wales, dry, bright and with pure air, has helped me to begin to overcome the misery of wrong thinking. Why let your mind be infested with doubt, insecurity and pinches from the past, living half alive and half down, no, I’m having a right good clean up, a proper tidy, makes you feel much better.
6 May 2022
Three days straight for golf. Today it is a practice round with Carol and tomorrow the Texas scramble, lovely way to serve up a portion of the days. Getting my tackle and baot ready for another pier session, I’ve kind of concluded that high tide and beyond isn’t the best for catching, the tide rips through and, although I’m sure it brings more fish in, it is difficult to hold the tackle down. On the shore it is different but the pier is so far out is almost like being on a boat, and as I like fishing for wrasse as well, calmer waters help. This, and the coarse pit, have been great for my angling requirements, especially as the first half season has been about sussing methods out. last session at the pit, in the late afternoon must have resulted in around twenty smallish carp in addition to the usual roach, skimmers and crucians. When I was a kid, and even in later years, I would have thought this was great, and I do now actually.
5 May 2022
I suppose it was okay, the match against Abegele, well it wasn’t a match against them as such but a match with them. We came third and I played okay but I have to ask myself what the point of it was, more of a social occasion I reckon which, for many, is a warthwhile use of a day, but I don’t care for it and I won’t be doing it again. Unless, and it is a healthy unless, I get a lift to and from another course and can play a round for fifteen quid, but then again, can I be bothered?
4 May 2022
Not doing a lot today, bit of gardening, you know, that sort of stuff. I am trying to video record myself playing Venus by Television, I know the track well and can play the parts so I am putting down a backing track and will then play the bits over the top. It can be a bit frustrating but that is why people rehearse.
Playing golf in the team tomorrow, I’m still berating myself for saying yes, if I was aware that it was fifteen quid with a meal after I would unhesitatingly declined. Not doing it again, unless it is at another course and I get a lifet, and even then.
3 May 2022
The tide is in at about twelve oclock so I’m going about tennish in order to try to get the corner spot. It doesn’t matter really. I suppose, but I do get it in my head that certain spots are better than others, especially after the good session last week. One of the plusses of the left corner of the pier is that it is snag free meaning, of course, that you don’t get the hassle of pulling into problems and regularly tackling up. Anyway, nobody else on, get my gear set up and first cast, bang bang. Missed the bite because I was trying to film it with the head cam, however, next cast I’m in and I managed a reasonable recording, I’m learning about the fishing on the pier, tides, baits etc and this session – which I thought would get lively when the tide started – actually slackened off. This, I reckon, is because the tide races through quickly and keeps the bait high in the water, so next session I will fish just after the tide and see how that is. Overall what an enjoyable days fishing, a fair few doggies and a whiting, no wrasse or minis yet but they will show when the weather warms.
2 May 2022
I never thought it was possible, well maybe but certainly highy unlikely. I can play Venus by Television, and to prove it for the posterity I am recording it on video. Not, might I just say, the basic chord pattern but all the bits played by Richard and Tom, bit more practice and it is working. Learning jazz, bits of theory and fingerpicking has initiated a fundemental change in my appreciation of playing. Now I need to overcome all the blockages from the past. Confidence comes through practice, repetition and rehearsal. Wish I’d done this very early on and just, just maybe.
1 May 2022
Bank Holiday weekend and we don’t tend to do much as the crowds are out, can’t blame them really as it’s might fine around here. Preparing the sea tackle for a session next week, this is based on a good sess last week. Instead of loads of different rigs – and this applies to coarse fishing too – I reckon that once you get the general drift of what works then my method is Standardise and Repeat. I am also trying to apply this to golf, why not? if it works and you know what to do it makes the game easier for you, to the point (and this is the aim) that it looks effortless and easy. Well that’s the idea and I don’t see anything wrong with it, why keep repeating guesswork, mistakes and frustration.
30 April 2022
Adam and Daniel have just got back from a city break in Prague, well done lads squeeze the lemon! Katie is off back to Manchester at the beginning of June, smasshing it! Texas scramble day today, never thought it would happen but I look forward to playing a round with different people every week, well, actually, twice a week with the Tuesday seniors. Got roped into playing a match this Thursday, at home against Abergelle, don’t think I’ll do it again as it’s fifteen quid with a meal included which I probably can’t and won’t eat, first and last time I expect, you never know though.
29 April 2022
This vegan game is alright, it’s been nearly a month and in that time I would say I’ve had a little bit of goats cheese but nothing else dairy, and certainly nothing that has ever had eyes. Think I’ve lost a bit of weight, but that could be a combination of diet and activity, the energy levels are high and, overall, I feel pretty good, pretty pretty good. We get a fruit and vegetable delivery once a week from a new company called Oddbox, the name gives a clue, it is very good, great quality and ethically bang on.
28 April 2022
A little bit about guitaring. I’ve been practising daily, usually twice daily, for about two years now so you would have expected significant improvement and I am pleased to say there has been. Not just in the playing either, I know the rudiments of musical theory and can apply this to the fretboard. I can play over a 2-5-1 jazz progression and have a goodish knowledge of diatonic scales and the triads that can be used from them. One imprtant benefit gained from all this is that I appreciate music as such an important medium and not just as the titivation of nice tunes. I hope there is much more appreciation to come.
27 April 2022
Just got back from a session on the pier, absolutely great. What a place to live this is. On the bus just before nine and I am tackling up before half past. There was one bloke there already and he said he had caught a couple of doggies, so I set up the big rod and lobbed it out with one of my home-made simple one hook rigs and a squid/lug bait prepared at home. Good bite straight away but missed it, the next one I hit and it was a decent sized doggie, chuffed with that. Overall I had three or four doggies and a good sized whiting, also a starfish and the biggest crab I have ever seen. Got some more good pointers which will see me in good stead for the sessions ahead. Had to pay this time, blah! not bothered though, great few hours and lovely weather.
26 April 2022
Seniors comp, every Tuesday, just got back and I could have putted better, but the fact remains that almost everyon who exits a course feels they leave shots out there. The great thing is though is that I start to play at half eightish pleasant in itself – and I am back doing other stuff at elevenish. Champions cup the next two nights, Man City V Real tonight and Liverpool V Villareal tomorrow, also West Ham in the Europa on Thursday.
25 April 2022
Yep, I recall what we did yesterday, game of bowls at the club. I played golf in the Texas with a bloke called Dave who said he played baowls on Sunday morning with a few mates, Carol and me went down at about elevenish and it was a full blown comp, so we came back about an hour later and had a twenty-one up which I sneaked with a four part margin.
Off to the cheap stores this morning to fill up on some bulk purchases and then back, bit of lunch, and off to golf for another nine holer. Golf is playing a big part of our weekly lives, for me this could be not as great as it sounds as I tend to yoyo with how I should be playing, however, two things, I’m playing alright and second, I’m not beating myself up any more. So there!
24 April 2022
Sunday, must have done something but can’t remember what, probably some gardening, oh yes, I remember planted some spinach and spring onions in the veggie patch. All the seeds are in and I have begung to pot on stuff, even though it is early in the season the dryness and brightness of the weather feels like it is a month or so further on, all good.
23 April 2022
Can’t believe we didn’t win again at the Texas scramble, best score we’ve done – 28 – and we finished third, oh well, it was another enjoyable outing though, great weather too. Speaking of the latter I’m thinking of moving the water butt into a different part of the garden although I reckon this will be futile as the rainfall we get, being in such close proximity to the sea, is actually very small. Each morning I sit in the window seat with the sea to my left and Bryn Eurin to my right and compare the differing cloud patterns. Yes, i know, what an exciting life eh? It is evident though that the clouds pass over, or more acurately, are further formed, as they glide inland. Even a few hundred yards has a pronounced effect. It’s great here, like a holiday.
22 April 2022
Another round of golf, on my on this time as Carol is playing in a ladies comp. Never thought that I would take to playing in company but now, after only a few months, it seems pleasant and normal. That’s not to say I’m welcoming a new group of friends with open arms because I’m not, but Carol is, and has, and it is great for her. Tomorrow is the Texas scramble and I am looking forward to it, Tuesday is always the seniors comp and that is good too. And, gulp, I am getting better, the other day, for instance I went onto the practice area and was very well pleased at how I shot my pitching wedge, the key now is to remember the important aspects of the set up.
The war in Ukraine is still main news and Man Utd have got even worse.
21 April 2022
Surprised at how much gardening and growing I’m getting done. Some of it, obviously, is because it’s our first year but even so I’ve now got a nice little veggie patch and plenty of containers to manage, really need to take some photos, I’ll remind myself.
20 April 2022
Off to the garden centres to get some plants, roses for the front tubs (maybe) but mainly for round the back. Another great thing abiout living round here is the proximity – and access – to the stores, today, for instance, it’s just hopping on a bus and straight back, just a couple of hours. The rest of the day is just the usual.
19 April 2022
Same problem again, can’t even remember if it was a nice day, actually it was because it hasn’t rained for a while. Oh it’s coming back, game of golf with Carol and a bit of gardening. Just a quick word on the guitar progress, got to say I’m very pleased, reaching the point where I am thinking about the theory of music without just learning it by rote. This is a completely different perception of knowledge, actually starting to know something rather than just remembering patterns, I think I’m at that stage, hope I am, it feels better and the playing is better too. A lot of work and hours to this point and thousands more to follow.
18 April 2022
One of the signs that life is good now is that I write the journal a few days hence and, often, I can’t recall what I did. If you do very little the odd bit tends to stand out and, as such, is easy to recall. Anyway, it’s a Sunday I know that, and I’m pretty sure we didn’t play golf, gardening is always a good bet – especially at this time of year – so I probably did this, and went for a walk or something.
17 April 2022
Won the golf again yesterday, that’s three scarmbles on the trot, not that successful at the stableford yet bet I’m working on it. When I first started playing the individual comps – and I’ve only played fiveish – I just wanted to score a few points, now, because I’ve done alright, I want to start getting progressivly better scores, bound to be disappointment round the corner with that modus.
Getting up in the morning between six and seven. Light streaming in, blue sky, blue sea, clean air, quiet.
16 April 2022
Texas scaramble this afternoon, weather glorious again so a bit of gardening and then, well, something else, then this or that, then golf. Oh, fotty before golf, first half anyway, and then footy when I get back, Man City V Liverpool in the FA cup.
15 April 2022
Bank holiday is here, good Friday or something, I can never remember what day the Christians celebrate the death of their king, it might be today or Sunday, anyway couldn’t give a skittle. It’s a lovely day, really lovely and today I am giving praise to the sun and all it’s offspring. Specifically I am putting the other trellis up which allows me to work all of the morning into the afternoon with the great one- lord of lords, beaming down on my vest and shorts. Should have taken some pictures of the garden areas for a before and after comparison but. I reckon, there is a bit too much of the happy-snappy stuff going on these days so, in a bit, I’ll nip round with the old Nikon and do an update. Cherrio for now.
14 April 2022
Oh yes fishing. Couldn’t remember what it was today even though it’s only a few days post event. The forecast suggested thirteenish degrees but it didn’t feel it, nonetheless, it was a great session, and what made it great was that I resisted the urge – eventually – to fish for bites and stuck out with my home-made paste. At the end of the session i was hitting the decent fish one a cast in the margins and it was great sport. And, I didn’t buy any live maggots which augers well for the future summer sessions.
Just read a list, I think it was on a website or in the horrible paper that eventually finds it’s way from the other rooms into the bin after Sunday, asking the subject to tick the boxes that made them the most worried. Perrenial ones like the cost of living, the nhs, war in Ukraine etc, I must be doing okay because – with genuine heart – I could tick none of them. Existentially there may have been supplementary sections I may have suggested, but the ones available were just too day-to-day for me to be included. Job done for a bit then.
13 April 2022
Scored alright at the seniors comp, sixteen points which was three more than last week, beginning to enjoy just playing which is the aim of the game surely. It is evident when playing with others that, overwhelmingly, they seem disappointed with the game they are playing, always thinking they have a template to fit which, as I know, is nonsense but also, which I know, is hard to shake. Well it’s better to try to shake it than not and that, my friend, is the path to success.
12 April 2022
Didn’t think it would rain that much, but it certainly did. However, having been a bit lucky with a couple of holes, I scored sixteen points putting me well over half way up the mens seniour competition. No, nevermind luck, I’m begining to feel that my game is changing, more distance for sure and with it greater ball striking confidence. Next stage is more control with the irons which I have avoided because of lack of confidence, we’ll soon change that though.
11 April 2022
Not a bad week ahead in terms of weather, so, golf today, golf tomorrow, golf Wednesday and fishing Thursday. Been a fortnight since (bit of cheese) giving up dairy and – got to say – I feel t’riffic, upstairs and downstairs.
10 April 2022
Wrecked me a bit did that trip to Manchester, don’t quite understand why but I feel drained by the travelling and the day as a whole. Loved seeing the lads, of course, and the meal with them me, Katie and Jamie was great but you can’t get away from the fact that it is nearly seven hours of traveling, long day. Nevertheless, bit of gardening and our first session on the bowling green.
9 April 2022
Off to Manchester to see the lads, Katie and Jamie will meet us for lunch and the plan is, mett up, eat, have a laugh and back on the train. It’s been a while since I saw Adam and Daniel close up, bur we converse regularly and, it is pleasant to say, we have a good cameraderie. However, being old and quiet, I am not looking forward to five hours travelling for a four hour meet up. Next time I will suggest we all get the train to Chester and have a saunter around the place, the kids are busy with one thing and another but I reckon that could be a goer.
8 April 2022
One of the spring days that launches you back to November, windy, cold and biting drizzle. Good thing is that we can adjust our days and have a day inside plus a bit of food shopping. Guitar is going very well , I know a few jazz standards in addition to being able to solo (well mostly scales) over 2 5 1 progressions in random keys, with a bit of thought. Golf in the morning, eighteen hole stableford.
7 April 2022
No fishing this week, as I have already mentioned, but plenty of other stuff to be getting on with. I probably shoulh take some pics of the garden areas, we have transformed them since we got here and there is still a bit to do. Not forgetting, also, that we are the waiting list for the allotment.
6 April 2022
Put a score in of twelve, could have been better and it could have been worse, it placed me at fifth. Eventually – like the fishing – I hope the ups and downs of percieved success will abate, it should do because, at the least, I have made progress in the consistency of ball striking. The affect on mood of playing well or badly is really a nonsense, what would be better is to look at yourself with an objectivity and to try to improve a skill. I do try to do this but it doesn’t always work, and, if things go well, objectivity excludes a pat on the back. Anyway I’m playing an eighteen hole stableford comp on Friday, it seems that competitions are the only way to get an early morning round in, and the weather is cold but fine on Friday so it should be lovely to play.
Been about a week since giving up dairy, don’t know if I feel better or not, I did when the meat eating stopped but with dairy. I think, it might be the gradual build up of not-so-greatness in the system that you might benefit from not having. Don’t miss it though (bit of cheese) and that is the easy way of improving diet.
5 April 2022
Our threeball team won the Texas scramble on Saturday, that puts me on a played two won two record for that competition. This morning I’m playing in the seniors comp, still a bit nervous about coming last but, gulp, my ball striking seems to have taken a turn for the better since the introduction of the new driver and fairway wood, bit of work round the greens and I should have some control over the scores I’m putting in. Big night for the Champions cup tonight, Man Utd are out, of course, which is not a bad thing this time as it would save them a tonking at the hands of the good teams, Liverpool and Man City play Benfica and Atletico respectively.
4 April 2022
Carol is playing a full eihteen holes in a womens open competition today, not the best weather for it so I’m giving the activities a rest today. Probably potter about with the seedlings or something, play some jazz guitar and stream.
3 April 2022
Quite a bit of gardening today, I’m nicely suprised by how much there is to do with only a smallish area. Today we are putting the clematis in round the front and back. When we arrived I took down the unpleasant, windblown conifer hedge, for obvious reasons, and now I have done the same to the side which – with a bit of a neck raise – affords a glimpse of the sea from our front lounge. However, doing this has exposed next doors bins which, again for obvious reasons, need to be hidden. So it is going to be trellis with climbing plants, should be lovely.
2 April 2022
Just played the Texas scramble at the golf club, not sure but I think we might have won again, not with Carol this time as couples don’t play together. I am starting to play in the way I would like but there is still a decent amount of progress available. The idea is to manage the improvements while retaining the good bits of my game. It is a difficlt sport but I have regained my enthusiasm for it, the secret may be to relax about it, and isn’t that the secret to most stuff?
1 April 2022
Carol’s brother is going today but before that it’s another nine holes on a nippy day. Lots of gardening to do over the next few days, the little faux greenhouse is working a treat with virtually everything coming up quicker than I’ve ever managed it. I think this climate is conducive to growing better than the old mill town, we’ll see, but there is more light and less rain so that is all good.
30 March 2022
Bit of a nothing day in that no golf, fishing etc. we are now members of the bowls club and have all the gear so this is another one to get the hang of, should be fun.
29 March 2022
A lot of anglers on the pond this morning, so many in fact that I nearly turned around and had a re-think. There was a peg or two around the other side and I set up with the waggler and caught the normal stuff. The lads across from me were fishing with so much stuff it is comical, but then again isn’t that the power of the marketing economy. Saying that I do like to tweak the terminal tackle a bitand have decided that tying my own hooks is a bit of a faff (although I can do it and it works on the pier) so I’m going to get good hooks to nylon and stick to 16, or eighteen maybe in winter. Also I will have to tinker with th paste mix as it does come of too easily, bought a new paste float after I said to myself no more floats!
28 March 2022
Weather continues to improve and it’s polo shirt weather on the golf course, Carol’s vrother is coming for a few days so we are off for a front nine in the afternoon
27 March 2022
Round of golf with a couple of members of the club, glorious weather and we both played quite well, progress starting to show through. Bit of gardening when we got back and the usual guitar practice.
26 March 2022
Saturday. Got to think back, oh yes, went to the bowling club to see about membership, turns out it’s a lovely place (just around the corner from us) and – as we have found many time since coming here – friendly people. Of course there is a synergy with friendliness, approach it right and you, normally, get a good response. We did, so we joined. I’ve thought about this game for a few years now, and even with the other activities, the proximity and clement weather will give us plenty of opportunity to get to grips with it. And they gave us a set of spare bowls each to start us off, just need a jack now and a couple of matts.
25 March 2022
Great day again, both in terms of weather and doing stuff. Bit of gardening in the morning and in the afternoon decided to try another session at Corbryn. This time I’m leaving the box at home and travelling just with the rod bag and the net bag, also I’m taking the new paste mix with me. Stayed for about three hours and, just as I thought, by half past four the five or six anglers had packed in for home. Nobody was catching and a couple of lads I talked too said it was a waste of time. Well not for me it wasn’t. I got a chair and sauntered round the other side, my reasoning here is that the noise the other fishermen made on the near side was enough to push the fish out and away. As it was warm the carp were well up in the water, clearly visible in the margins. With the new method I started catching roach and skimmers from the off which always gives you confidence, then, I tried to tempt some of the small carp in the margins with a bait slowly lowered in, and almost straight away I hooked one which is the first time I have actually seen a fish take my bait like a fly fisherman might. Alternating maggot and paste I caught steadily just a few feet out and then I hooked into a proper carp, great scrap which I am pleased to say – on light tackle and a 16 hook – I landed after about ten minutes.
24 March 2022
Now this was a day. Continuing our walk around the coastline of Wales we decided to take in the island of Anglesey. A couple or three free buses and in over an hour we were off again where we left off last time. The weather was (is) lovely, clear and just warm enough to leave the coats at home, so off we go. Well, if the photos reflect the deep satisfaction of the views they can do the talking for me. It wasn’t just country walking either, the place is interesting to stride through, varied and different to the adjacent mainland.
23 March 2022
Best day of the year in term of weather, T-shirts and shorts for certain. When the day is as pleasant as this it feels lto me like a continental holiday, except, in some ways, better, in that I can pursue on hand my outdoor hobbies. So I trundle of to the golf course – which is of course on hand – to engage a quick nine holes, this is, of course after the guitar practice, a good read, nice breakfast and a spot of seed planting. And then I’m still back at just after two, played well an’all.
22 March 2022
Good session, just got back, no-one was catching when I got there and straight away I got into them, including the F!’s. All told I must have had nearly a hundred fish, a lot of small roach I admit, but I do like the immediacy of catching silvers, got quite a few skimmers too. Mal fished next to me and absolutely walloped the F!’s under his feet on paste, I’ve got some coming so it’s a different method fo summer I reckon, got to try new stuff ain’t ya.
21 March 2022
Oh yes golf again, Carol is having a lesson so I will play a few holes and then she will catch up for the last few. Not playing the senior comp again tomorrow, I’ve played golf for three days out of five so I fancy another session on the pond, getting a bit repetetive, I know, but it’s only March and it feels great. Oh yes, better day.
20 March 2022
Bad day. It shouldn’t have been given the weather and the fact that we I have the time and capacity to do any of my hobbies, but it was a bad day. Tried to stop myself going into the misery of things seeming not right, usually I can, but not today. Bad day.
19 March 2022
Lovely day, not doing a lot but still doing a bit. Working on the garden – planting, seeds etc – the new plastic greenhouse is perfect, the temperature is around the mid sixties on cool days so, when it bumps up, it should be mid to high seventies, perfect for germinating and bringing on most plants. Just had a walk into the village along the prom, wow, everytime it gets you.
18 March 2022
Session on the pond. My heart sank when I saw all the cars there, and yes it was the normal guys who tend to talk all the way through the day, but, I got talking to them and sorted the membership out for the coming year, glad about that really. The weather is bucking up.
17 March 2022
Thursday, can’t remember what happened today, not going senile or anything it was probably the usual bit of this and that.
16 March 2022
Rainy day and not bothered. Few little jobs in the workshop, plants, seeds and then a midday film. Man Utd got knocked out of the Champions, they are in a bit of a mess and have been for a long while. Chelsea play tonight, they’ve got their own problems but at least they have a winning team, yeah I’ll watch that too.
15 March 2022
Golf today, getting a bit repetitive I know and I never thought I’d be playing so much. The new driver is doing the job I wanted – extra yards up the fairway – and the new fairway wood is edging towards its own function, just need to make sure I hit the sweet spots. Not playing the seniour competition as the chap I normally play with is in hospital with kidney stones, so, I’m doing nine holes later with Carol. This weekend we are enquiring about crown green bowling at the local club which is in throwing distance of the house, maybe do that and less fishing at the pon, which, I feel, is getting a bit samey.
14 March 2022
Had a pleasant session on the pond, virtually a fish a chuck and, although it was breezier than expected – and colder – it is still easy fishing. This, together with Llandudno pier, should do the fishing for the year and, like I said below, I’ll have a weigh up about river fishing later in the year.
13 March 2022
That wind has got uo again and, ironically, it has slightly damaged the cold frame I built down the side, ironic because it withstood two weeks of the worst stroms in recent memory, chane of direction did it. Anyway, same again, nine holes of golf followed by, well, whatever follows.
12 March 2022
The plants fro the back have arrived so it’s a pleasurable day planning (Carol) and digging. We aim to make the outside very lovely and it is progressing nicely. Liverpool V Brighton is the Sat morning game so I’ll watch that later and the rugby later after that. The war in Eastern Europe is hotting up, what a mess, but unless it comes a knocking, it is as immediate as the rest of history.
11 March 2022
Friday, pretty much a normalish day, groove on down with a bit of jazz guitar in the morning (and evening) with a round of golf and a bit of gardening thrown in. Great place to live.
10 March 2022
Started reading Wodehouse again. Part of the reason for not doing was that I struggled to find the books, or more to the point, find them for the right price. When the pensions start to roll such considerations will pass unconsidered but, for now, they still have to be. And it keeps you a bit sharper, I’ve seen people spend without thought for need or budget and it is a flabby practice, so, what I reckon, is that when the coffers are tinkling, I will have the means – and the eye – for good stuff that suits. Anyway there are a couple of sellers online that have the golden tomes of the immortal P.G. for a few quid each, so that’s good. Didn’t take to reading on a screen and ebooks are the literary yang of ready meals.
9 March 2022
The best progress has been achieved with guitar playing. I have – for the time being – put aside the formal grade lesssons to concentrate on learning the fundementals of jazz. It is, of course, a puzzle at which the accomplished ones seem so brilliant, but there is a path to this knowledge – a long one – which I am on and the journey of which I am really very much enjoying.
8 March 2022
Played satisfactorily in teh seniors Tuesday morning comp, still not content with fairway to green but I have got a new 3 wood on the way that – if it’s anything like the new driver – should do the job better. I didn’t put my card in as I played another three holes but I reckon I would have place somewhere in the middle. Between me, me and the gatepost I’ve got a feeling I might get quite a bit better at this game, I’m not going to take it that seriously though, I’ve done that before and it’s pointless.
7 March 2022
Monday, just come back from a short session on the pier, didn’t catch anything and only half expected to, then again the other four or five fishermen didn’t either. It’s most probably not a winter venue, which suits me just fine as I’m getting slightly allergic to the icy weather at the end of a big wooden plank stuck out into the Atlantic. However, the views and the ambience of the place are great and I started and finished the session with a smile.
Makes me think though that fishing in winter needs a boost, Corbryn pond is alright but it isn’t that satisfying, maybe later on in the year I’ll have another look at Hereford, if I am going to travel it makes sense to go somewhere good.
6 March 2022
Yep, the little greenhouse works a treat, or at least I think it will. I’ve put a thermometer in and it’s showing early sixties mid-morning on a chilly day so that should do, also it fits both propagators in a treat so the seeds should germinate much quicker. Golf today, nine holes, don’t know how but my enthusiasm for the game is increasing, I think maybe it is because I can feel a bit of control coming in, like the guitar or fishing, a bit of understandable progress, we’ll see, but anyway it’s more enjoyable when it’s not random.
5 March 2022
Nice day, sunlight streaming into the house, and outside on the veranda it is lovely and – not exactly warm – but pleasant enough. A few jobs just tidying up, cutting back the last of the hedges in preparation for the trellis. Katie and Jamie are in Paris for the weekend.
4 March 2022
Got a plastic greenhouse from the Rhos on Sea neighbor app, cost twenty quid but it will do the job and, better still, the person is delivering it tomorrow. So, today, I’ll have a bit of a sort out (and it will be a bit) in preparation for when it comes. Nothing much apart from that, it’s still chilly but spring ids certainly in the air, so pleasant just being here.
3 March 2022
Reading bewteen the lines the reason the electrician didn’t come today is because he doesn’t want to do the job. This means that we don’t get the socket fitted so we don’t buy the new cooker, so what? the grill doesn’t work but the rest of it does and it’s a chunk of cash that gets sat on rather than stoked. Meaning, in turn that I can have another day in relaxing, which I am getting a bronze medal at, while always aiming higher, of course.
2 March 2022
Wednesday, what am I doing today, oh yeah (retrospectivly) I was going fishing but decided not to, it is only about five to seven degrees which means, on the end of the pier with the tide in, that it is a bit frigid. So I’ve now got the tackle sprted and will wait for a better day, at least one wher it’s not blowing quite as much. All this pre-amble means I can’t be bothered so it’s a day in with a couple of little jobs.
1 March 2022
I have said for a while now that negative thoughts and emotions from other people are contagious. What is the point of it? it’s like self-harm and I don’t want to catch any of that shit. I am satisfied with my progress in life, it has not been easy and I have certainly not finished. In a way I am just about emerging from the confines of mental blockages that are such common hindrances to achieving even minor skills, but they are going and I will not allow new obstacles to be placed in my way, why would I? It is important for those who find the effort of achievement too difficult to level the field a bit, well that’s tough for them isn’t it. I am brilliant at nothing, a champion of no class, but I am lively, I have done stuff, I will do more stuff and I am pleased with my progress.
Played the seniors golf this morning, did quite well apart from the chap I played with insisted we played the front nine when it should have been the back, consequentely our cards were scratched, anyway I think I can work out my score so Ill give it a shot.
28 February 2022
Not been fishing for a couple of weeks, really the pond I fish at – which I am glad is there – doesn’t fit the bill of what real coarse fishing (in my opinion) should be, which is natural river or canal fishing. And I’m not going to get that unless I stay away for a few days. So I’m going sea fishing as the main sport, which is a lot more hit and miss but is, nevertheless, a much more realistic activity. But it is also harder and while I am not at all adverse to a bit of brisk weather I can’t say I actually relish it. So, it’s that and the golf. I played on my own yesterday and did well again, the improvements are starting to show, played seventeen holes reasonably cleany and, for once, got into a relaxed mood with playing and swinging. The guitar playing is progressing very satisfactorily also.
27 February 2022
Great day yesterday, lovely walk, the rest of the day dedicated to live sport and a treat for evening meal – chips, king prawns and curry – then a good film. Oh and covid seems to have gone, however Putin has invaded Ukraine which might escalate into some big trouble, personally I think he’s dropped a bollock.
26 February 2022
Still don’t know about golf. I would like to rech the point where I find the game reasonably tension free, sounds a bit daft I know but there is always the fear of failure, still, most times I take a shot, I’m getting better but I think casually efficient is what I’m hoping for. Off for a longish walk with Katie today, the weather is pleasant so we are going around the Great Orme.
25 February 2022
Better weather is very welcome, a good whiff of spring in the air. Got to wait in for a portion of the day as there is an electrician or something coming to do a job, but this afternoon it’s straight on the course for a half round.
24 February 2022
Thursday, bit better weather still not good enough for anything interesting outdoors, but it’s set to change tomorrow so a nine holer is on the cards. Apart from that much of the same, oh and for a few weeks now I’ve been placing top ten or twenty in the ps4 golf which is something I didn’t really think I could do, keep at it, think about getting better, it’s just a game.
23 February 2022
And again, windy and wet, but it’s on the wane. Going to do a few jobs in the garden today, specifically sorting the vegetable patch out, not that much to do but it wants sorting. I’ve found that thinking about jobs prior to tackling them is a fundemental prerequisite to ensuring they turn out alright, it’s not a guarantee but it is the right way.
22 February 2022
Normally the high winds calm down during a day and then it’s back to normal, these blustery bastards have lasted for nearly two weeks which, together with the associated cold and rain, have made playing out impracticle. However, I have grasped the opportunity as an indoor relaxation therapy fortnight and, I have to say, it has been well worth the money (free, like the busses) I have often though it strange that some people find it a requirement to fly to the Himalayas and live in a monestery to get some peace when the real trick to karma is calming the turbulence between your ears – not easy I know – but if you can do it eh?
21 February 2022
Off to the shops for provisions. It might appear a bit over blown but just waiting at the bus stop and looking out at Little Orme is such a pleasure, these things add up. The boys got their blue belts at Bjj, what a brilliant achievement, skill, effort and tenacity.
20 February 2022
50+ mph winds forecasted for all today and continuing into next week. Putting the wallpaper up which is always a longer and more anxious job than you think it’s going to be. Actually (retrospective) it turned out very well and our living room is – in fact the whole house – is on the upside of alright.
19 February 2022
This storm, or really it should be storms, are not abating, actually they are getting worse with the next few days promising some pretty wild stuff. So, with that in mind, it’s full attention on to relaxation – with a bit of decorating thrown in for variety. I’ve now got about half a dozen tunes I am fairly confident with on guitar including a few jazz standards. My next idea is to record myself playing them as chrorus-melody and use this to improvise over.
18 February 2022
Storms here, pretty bad one actually, but, as it is blowing south west I reckon we get good protection from the Ormes. Rhos on Sea is a little gem. Re-strunging the Fender, not my favourite thing to do restringing, I’ve got a bit of a hangup about it from early days, and noone ever showed me how to do it properly, today of course, there is the brilliant youtube but I’m going to just take my time and try not to get flustered. Actually I’m in retrospective mode and it went okay. I’ve now got two Roland cubes set up for electric and acoustic, with all the jazz stuff I’ve been learning the pentatonic scales were pretty straightforward.
17 February 2022
However, I do think I’m getting the hang of this indoor, wet, windy winter caper. There is always a loads of good stuff to get through on the streaming services, as well, of course, as the sport. The jazz guitar is still coming on well and today I’m re-stringing the strat with some good flat-woven jazz strings. It’s not the best guitar for jazz by a long chalk but it is a good model and well set up so – until I can get meself a jazzer this one is alright. Think I’m going to familiarise myself with pentatonic scales in preparation for learning the blues properly.
16 February 2022
Much of the same, wet and very windy, so another day in, trying to justify it but really I’m itching to get out and play.
15 February 2022
Not much happening this week with regards outdoor playing, the storms are well in and staying put for a bit. So, that leaves guitar, odd jobs in the workshop and around the house and relaxing which, as I have said below, is not the easiest pastime to accomplish. Always feel that I should be doing something tangibly constructive, you know a thing that will get the worlds attention but, really, leading a nice, satisfying, healthy, life – one wher you have achieved most of your goals and where the future offers plenty of fulfilling leisure opportunities – should be enough. It is. Just this niggling anxiety that there is more, there probably isn’t, but I know this, there could be a lot less.
14 February 2022
Off to Llandudno to look at cookers, ours has near enough packed in so it is an unavoidable expense. I don’t mind getting stuff for the house, the immediate surroundings are crucial to the way you feel about things so you want things allright. Why travel to India. live in a cave, get up at half past three, stretch your arse from pillar to post and then spend the rest of the day bored, no thanks. Few jobs to do when we get back then a bit more guitar, finish the MMA off, make a nice meal and watch a good film, karma Welsh style.
13 February 2022
I keep watching Man Utd hoping for a full match where I’m not shaking my head, I might have a longish wait. Problem seems to be that there is a culture of entitlement that has bred sloppiness and the expectation that results will come – at that level – without maximum effort. It won’t. Anyway, it’s Saturday, it’s raining and blowing, the footy is on, rugby after that, and Chelsea play in the world club final after that, all streamed to me in the luxury of this lovely house. Nice.
11 February 2022
Relaxation is a skill. The aquisition of skill comes through dedicated, concentrated, intelligent practice. The art of it is peace of mind. Everyone has a city of thoughts within themselves, with past, present and future all jostling for prominence. My goal is make the city peaceful and carefree, to dance through its streets without effort.
10 February 2022
The weather isn’t too great over the next week but today is fine but a bit breezy. The kitchen is being fitted in the annexe so there is a bit of upheaval indoors, however, the golf clubs are handy and the golf club is ten minutes walk away so off I go.
9 February 2022
The second attempt at plastic glazing the coldframe shelving outside withstood the weekend gale. In the workshop the seeds are coming through well, which means it is a good temperature and there is enough light. Spring bulbs are coming through and the indoor hyacinths are bursting with colour and fragrance.
8 February 2022
Just got back from an early competition at the club, seniors section (are you kidding?) I can play legit now as I’ve got my handicap – 27 – which, I have to say I am quite pleased with. I did ok in the competition although the computer didn’t register my card as I haven’t been imputed, think I got about 16pts. My aim now is to increase the distance from the tee – which I have been doing – and to make my approach shots more accurate, in simpler terms I intend to get better. There should be no way that some of the creaky old boys should hit it further than me, it’s only because they have been playing since the game was invented, well stuff that, I am gradually going to play in front.
7 February 2022
Monday, the kitchen in the annexe is being put in this week, cost quite a lot so it should be impressive when it’s done, although it is only small. Same again today, Carol is waiting in, uprevising, but I’m not, nine holes of golf, maybe with the new driver if it arrives.
6 February 2022
Following on from the previous bit of thought I’m having another day in. Might just add that the guitar is progressing very well indeed, I can now follow jazz standards without spending weeks practising chord shaping. Going to watch another film and a bit of sport, FA cup on telly so might watch a match or the rugby.
5 February 2022
Realised that an adjustment is required to fully appreciate the idea that I can spend time actually not doing stuff. What I mean is that there seems to be time to do things throughout the week, for instance, whereas previously there was a specific window for fishing or something else, here, it can be golf, fishing, walking or whatever else comes to mind, on a daily basis. This means that the days when there is not a lot occuring outdoors I don’t get frustrated or itchy.
4 February 2022
After fishing, golf, walking and other stuff I think I’m ready for a day off, which I am not unwilling to give myself. So, guitar – obviously – and maybe a film, and in the worshop to mess about a bit.
3 February 2022
I would say that was the best golf i’ve played, and I think I have been improving steadily since joining the club. It was a full eighteen played in breezy conditions and the last card I needed for my handicap. Of course, like most activities requiring a fair bit of effort your confidence and motivation fluctuates a bit, however, just at this moment I’m pretty enthused. Thinking about buying a decent driver, if – and it is an if – I can manage another 30-50 yards off the tee, without getting in too much trouble, this should negate the need to overthink the fairway shots. Then after that it’s practice and finesse. Shot a genuine 99 today.
2 February 2022
Off to the pond for a session, it is a bit too easy and I do miss the river fishing. Should I go to Hereford? really can’t decide, yes it would be nice to bag a netful of roach, chub and dace but I have done that on the Ribble, maybe I ought to concentrate a little more on sea fishing, or, add to the compendium of hobbies and find another one, birdwatching? nah.
1 February 2022
Quite pleased with the re-working of the loft ladder, I’m making some sheliving for the potting area in the workshop, it seems fitting that it looks oldish, good job overall. Some people might wonder about the effort involved, they might even suggest I go and buy some new shelves from a diy shop, some people eh?
31 January 2022
Monday, and there goes January. Done more in a month here than would have been thought about in the mill town, it is winter of course, but the weather has been brighter, drier and altogether more mood lifting than the closed in grey of the past. I’m very appreciative. It’s blowing a bit today, and there is a slight chance of a sea shower but off we go, swift nine holes and another card for my handicap.
30 January 2022
No false modesty here, the sausages were bang on, and packed full of nutrition too. Eating well, feeling great, and being relatively fit, healthy and strong does not equate to existential happiness, shame that, however it is better to walk along this pleasant path to whatever comes next than plod uphill through shit and stones. Talking of paths we are off this morning to continue our Welsh Coast saunter. Today is an eight or so miler from Conway to – try to get this right – Llanfairfechen, all free of course, thank you lovely Wales.
29 January 2022
Off to the shops, I never take for granted how amazing all this food on hand is, and for that reason I eat real food, meaning, that the amount of processed is very little. Fresh fruit and vegetables, all there, great quality, yes please. I’ve started to knock up some recepies again, but this time all of the stuff I like. For instance, I’ve got a thing for chip shop curry sauce, so let’s have a go, see if I can make it taste the same but with fresh ingredients, and I did it! Today I’m trying a batch of spicy veggie sausage, the trick with this is to make them bind, I’ve got an idea.
28 January 2022
I enjoy, as part of my tele-visual experience, the show Curb Your Enthusiasm. Not only is it very funny it also magnifies the awfulness of many social situations. He gets into a lot of situations he could easily have avoided. I suppose you have to get in the water to learn to swim, but it does have drawbacks. I’m getting my golf handicap, I don’t want one, I just want to enjoy a round of golf – either with Carol or on my own – but now I’m in the mix of handicap/competition/social events, and I don’t want to do any of them. My game is improving but getting a handicap is pressure I don’t want and certainly don’t need. Lesson not learned.
27 January 2022
I’ve dismantled the old loft ladder – it didn’t sell – and I’ve slavaged almost all of the wood, which is in good nick. Also there are plenty of old cast brackets and other bits and pieces which I’m sure I will be able to use. Turning my attention back to sea fishing, I’m working on methods that I can apply to different conditions while still being fairly standard so that I can replicate my tackle/bait easily enough. The bait digging wasn’t a success but, then again, I didn’t try that hard. Llandudno pier is a major plus, firstly I haven’t paid once and then I think I’ve only blanked a couple of times. Now though i reckon I’ve got the basic understanding to get better results which I aim to do. As the mornings are getting earlier I can aloso get to the pier on the bike and watch the dawn rise.
26 January 2022
Few jobs to do, Been meaning to finish the coldframe off for a few weeks and I’ll do it today, don’t know if it will wotk, however, inadvertantly, I’ve notice that if I open the workshop door in the morning it streams i light – just what I’m looking for, so I’m using that to induce seedlings. Apart from that everything else is going well, especially the guitar, that’s coming on very well. Not mentioned the ps4 golf for a while, still play it everyday and participate in the big online society where all the top players (I am now one) chip on the greens. Previously I’ve managed to place under the radar – so to speak – finishing top twenty or an odd top ten, but recently I have upped my game to finish in the top fives. This has got me noticed and one of the moaning putters – it’s a computer game! – ghosted my player and got whupped. It is quite easy when you get to the level I’m at so I might try another society soon.
25 January 2022
For the most part we are all little more than cows in a field, chomping away waiting for the day. One of the mental separations is, however, the ‘ability’ to felect on the pros and cons of this condition. All the enduring, all striving, the anxiety and the perplexity stems from the root of our knowledge of the will. We have to do it, we have to try to make conditions better while – all the time – being aware that our physical participation will worsen and then stop.
So all of this, virtually all of the time, is what I have to deal with. And I don’t just want to try to get through it, I want to flourish, achieve, learn, learn, learn all the time. I’ve tried the little knockout drops (drinking, smoking etc) and they don’t work, not for people like me. There are moments though – golddust in sand.
Still on with the idea of another book, same idea, and I think it could be okay.
24 January 2022
Didn’t stay that long at the lake, primarily because it was very cold. I still caught well – which in January is not easy – and as imprtantly the new pole/whip worked great, with a little bit of adaptation.
23 January 2022
Buy, well into Jan now, had a few days off what’s it all about Alfie? bur, nevertheless, still managed to carry on doing stuff. It’s got to be the key that hasn’t it, keep doing stuff, trying to improve yourself and your surroundings, what is the alternative? consuming food, telly and whatever pops up on the internet. That isn’t doing its distraction, we all need a bit of that but when the time comes I want to say I have done stuff.
Golf today, swift nine holes, then preparing my gear for fishing tomorrow.
22 January 2022
Saturday. Everton V Villa, interesting match, the Toffees are struggling and have sacked Benitez (what were they thinking?) and Villa are playing well under Gerrard. So that’s at half twelve, before that I will have done the guitar practice and (maybe) nipped in the workshop to mess about. Tonight it’s bed at eight and up at one for UFC 270, the lads will be watching in Manchester and I will follow it with them on social media, great fun.
21 January 2022
In no rush to do anything these days. Of course I’ve always got a few things in the pot, but with no urgent press to get them to the boil. The last few days have been thinking (and a bit of doing) about the coming season for plants, thinking about it is very much part of the process. I’ve just dismantled the old loft ladder and I’m pondering what to do with the wood, shelves in the workshop seems likely, I’ll get on with that too.
Managed to amalgamate the new pole with the remnents of the old one, and I think it might work pretty well. I was thinking about a session today but wasn’t that bothered, other things to do…or think about.
20 January 2022
Having my card marked again today, well I’ve just got back and that was probably the best I have played, phew, finished the last four holes just one over par which takes some doing, steady on though you know what happens when you think you’re the dogs.
19 January 2022
Mornings and evenings here, when the weather is good which it often is, are spectacular. Give you a clue, in the early mornings on the bus people take photos from the bus, can’t blame them, and I never saw that happen much in the old mill town.
18 January 2022
Fishing today, great session even though it was cold and blustery. Bought some bloodworm online – waste of time – but the maggots are still going strong two weeks in. Caught steadily from the off in a nice controlled way, rigs working perfectly, didn’t bump any fish othe than, maybe a couple, great. Then, tackling down I put four pole sections on my rests and they slowly slid down, plop, into the pond and disapeared like DiCapprio in Titanic, bollocks! Disappointed and pissed off but straight on the internet to get another one, Miiddy, bit shorter so we’ll see, not doing that again either!
17 January 2022
Ha, just realised it was neither December or 2021, good job I didn’t realise this in June eh? Bit of a pain going back and changing them but, do you know what, I’m going to leave it who’ll read it anyway and, if it’s me I ‘ll know. Also looking at the start of January – or December if you prefer – I must have failed to update and there are a couple of days missing, well, if you are that ineterested I played guitar, ate some nice grub, went fishing and watched a footy match.
Today was a bit special though. Carrying on our Welsh coast odyessey we made the trip around the Great Orme along Marine Drive, wow, it was out of this world, the day was superb, true that helped, but wow, yes, fantastic day.
16 December 2022
Another game of golf, Carol is playing with the ladies and one of their partners asked if I fancied a round, said yes and he also asked if I would like my first round recorded. I did okay, not as good as I have been doing but, really, I’m not that bothered, I enjoy it more because of that.
15 December 2022
Nope, yesterday was today, not a lot yesterday, few jobs and a bit of shopping.
14 December 2022
Good footy match, Chelsea V Man City – which I will watch on returning from golf, which I have just done, played well too.
13 December 2021
Somehow I’ve lost a day, anyway here is two for one. Yesterdays golf was the best I have played, a culmination of steady improvement, hope it continues but, as I’ve said previously, not overly fussed if it doesn’t. Actually that was the day before yesterday, yesterday was another session on the lake and when I got there the party of four were already tackling up so I went to the end peg as far away from them as I could. Then another two or three blokes arrived making it a bit congested, anyway I still caught well and set my mind on a couple of tweeks for catching more silvers.
The real yesterday was a day out for me and Carol. Having completed the route along the coast from England to Prestatyn (actually I’ve done the whole of Cumbria and Lancashire coast too) we thought it might be an idea to do the Welsh coast and link up to the SWCP which I have done in full and Carol has completed a good percentage of. So Prestatyn yo home minus a section around Pensarn which we did a couple of months ago. Brilliant day both in terms of weather and scenery.
12 December 2021
Short posts. good session again yesterday, booked in for golf this morning…see ya!
11 December 2021
Heading intp a week of fine weather and I am going to make the most of it. Today, session on the lake, not bothered which peg I fish on, really enjoy going now although it is only a smal venue, the bus service is excellent and I have got my tackle and bait methods sorted with only a few tweeks needed.
10 December 2022
Views over Little Orme and (the other way) towards Rhyl are very fine this morning, only a quick stroll into the village but in the freshest of air and a big, open, chameleon sea.
9 December 2022
The narrative around covid is changing as swiftly as the virus itself. Deaths are tragic, of course they are, but the nature of life means you cannot remain fixed in the spotlight of impending doom. Well some do, many do, and they are the ones that try to put hooks into the ones who see potential in a new day. Well obladee-obladaa life goes on and that’s that, it may never go back it what it was but so what, optimists build the world, doing nothing is no option.
8 December 2022
In the garage having a sort, weather due to pick up on Monday so I’m going for a session then. Thinking about the upcoming gardening year, not a big space but big enough to do plenty, and we have our names down for an allotment.
7 December 2022
Usual stuff, learning a new jazz standard, sorting the garage out and…what a surprise, Michael, our policeman friend sent me two specialist over-suits through the post which are bang on for fishing or jobs, great thought and we skyped them last night so I could say a genuine thanks (Carol had a prolonged giggle whe I tried it on!)
6 December 2022
Haven’t done a lot outside this week (so far) although I have been fishing. Feel as though I’m hanging about if I don’t fill a day with out and about but, really, that’s not the case at all. In recent years I have improved my skill aquisition beyond which I thought possibe, blockages have been chipped away or pushed to one side ( they are never properly eradicated) resulting in a confidence that I can do the things I want to with mindfulness. Non of this makes me happy in the hippy/dippy sense, but, there is a deeper satisfaction – or at least a quietening of frustration – that makes doing stuff pleasurable.
The loft guys came yesterday, great space for putting stuff we don’t need all the time , and the garage is clearer so I’m planning on sprucing that up.
5 December 2022
Got my dates a bit out of sync but who will notice? Today I found a footprint in the sand, could it be there is someone else on the island, I hope not. Well the loft is finished and it could be converted into another room without much serious work but we don’t need to. Just about to start putting stuff up there, bit of a clean first though. Finished Peep Show and I am going to start it again, weird, I always thought I didn’t like it much but it is the best comedy show ever, I think.
1 January 2022
Went for a walk yesterday, out the front door and into lovely scenery instantly. On the way to the Little Orme we saw a flock of Manx shearwaters bobbing along on the water, rock pippets too. The seals have had a particularly good breeding season, no doubt helped by the addition of the wind farms which help with fish stocks. They, of course, attract a lot of interest and there were more people here today than in the height of summer. With the help of my monocular I counted 75 seals and pups. Off up Bryn Euryn in a minute, the weather is a little breezy but surprisingly warm (12-13) and clear so the views should be impressive.
2 January 2022
Booked golf but cancelled it. Actually it rained so hard that the course got closed, so not a bad call then. Made up my rigs for tomorrow, it’s forecasting a pretty stiff breeze so I’ll do a wind check in the morning. Made the rigs up and my home made pole running/rests work a treat and are adaptable to most flat terrains. I’m getting to like the pond/lake, it’s a more natural fishery than I initially thought and the fishing – when you do it right – is great. I thought that winter might be a struggle for a few little rach but it isn’t. Maybe it’s because it doesn’t get fished a lot at this time of year, don’t know but it suits me. Still got to sort the bait situation out, nearly there but not quite, going to try worms tomorrow (out if the composter).
3 December 2022
Just got back and another sweet session. Only one bloke there and he was in the peg I normally fish but – I reckon – he was fishing wrong, waggler near the right lillies. Anyway I decided to try the far end, baited up, got the depth, set up with my new rig and straight into the smaller fish. After that I got a few carp and still missed loads of bites, I tried bigger hooks and baits but the bites just dried up, this led me to believe that they are just small fish nibbling and they have to be put up with till you connect with a better one.
4 December 2022
Weather a bit naff so, all in all, a normal day, few little jobs etc, the loft is being done tomorrow – ew ladder/lights and insulation – so that will free up the garage and other areas which, in turn, will get me moving with the next garage sort.
3 January 2022
Don’t know what went wrong here, firstly it’s not December and secondly, I did’nt miss the first couple of days, they just didn’t updat. Well let’s say I slept through them, or I died, or I was on a drugs binge. Actually I just did the same stuff as every other day, good though.
Michael Leo Parker 