I DO NOT BELIEVE IT!! .....

Do I really need to say any more? Apart from the fact that it is only 29 December and we have barely got over Christmas and not yet had New Year - do we really need to see advertisements for Easter now? It is a travesty seen in a local supermarket this morning. Also, what do maltesers have to do with Easter anyway? I am not a religious person, nor do I go to church, but even I know that Easter is to do with the death and resurrection of Christ, after we have just celebrated his birth. Words fail me really. What do you think?

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Ann x

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UPDATE - I am pleased to note that the press and radio have been to the fore with exactly the same rant that I have. Apparently Tesco's have been actually putting Easter Eggs out in at least one of their stores. I still maintain that it is absolutely ludicrous!

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Ice Patterns on the Windows

During all the very cold weather our unheated conservatory/utility room has had some most amazing ice patterns on its windows - especially first thing in the morning when the temperatures were at their lowest.

I will let the images speak for themselves.

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My favourite. I think it looks like the inside of an ice cave.

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Ann x

A Birthday Walk

Yes, today is my birthday - I am as old as my tongue and a little bit older than my teeth! - sorry about that, it was a much used quote of my Dad's.

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Again, the weather has been wonderful and today we went to Tenby. The harbour and Prince Albert's statue were looking lovely in the sunshine.

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The harbour looked quite different with the sunlight reflecting on the snow which is still very evident. Tenby had the heaviest snowfall in our area.
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Then, down on to the Town Beach. It is a very big beach and was exposed by the very low tides we seem to have encountered every walk this week. There were actually quite a lot of folk about, although it doesn't look like it here. It was interesting to get a different perspective of all the hotels along the esplanade.

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St Catherine's Island and Fortress - which you can find out about here.
It has also been a zoo in the past but is now derelict.

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Walking towards South Beach which is a continuation of Town Beach and you can see the snow which is still there on the tide line.

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Sea patterns in the sand.

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There had been quite a lot of people about.

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Winter tide line on Town Beach, Tenby Christmas Eve 2010.

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Ann x

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Another Lovely Beach Walk

This time we went to Amroth. Driving very carefully as the minor roads are still quite icy. There is quite a lot of snow about and as the day ends it seems to freeze over again, after thawing out somewhat in the sun - which we have had in abundance the last couple of days.

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Again, we had the beach to ourselves with the tide far, far out and it was only us and the seagulls. The sun was shining on the cottages that line the coast road to Pendine.

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There is still quite lot of snow about and in Tenby their last snowfall was quite bad and disruptive with roads closed and a severe weather warning. At least we could get out!
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Looking at my feet again!
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Some of the groins which go all along Amroth beach to help stop the erosion by the sea.

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Hopefully we will be able to have another lovely, sunny walk again tomorrow.

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Ann x

A Day of Contrasts .....

Our Day Started Like this .....

We went to Freshwater West and first to the Remembrance Memorial overlooking the beach, which we visit every year to remember a brother in Bomber Command who was killed on Christmas Eve 1943 and a Great Uncle killed in France on 16 November 1916.

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Nearby was some hoar frost glistening in the bright sunlight, so I set the camera on super macro!
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Freshwater West beach is fabulous but at the back you can find the not-so-nice bits, which accumulate, especially at this time of the year when there is rough weather and high tides.

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Then a wonderful sight! A chough. We heard it first and then I saw it land on a rock. My little point and shoot camera did the best that it could and if you click on the photo and then zoom I hope you will be able to clearly see its wonderful curved red beak and even its red legs. It is a couple of years since we had seen one so close up and really made the day.

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Down on the sand and amongst the beautiful red rocks. The tide was far, far out and the expanse of sand was truly wonderful. At one point we were literally the only two on the whole enormous beach.

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Although it was only about 1.00 pm, being the shortest day of the year the shadows were already very long and it looked as though we were there during the evening!

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I always have a look for the different patterns and shapes on the sand that the tide leaves as it moves back and forth up the shore.

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There have been some very cold nights recently and there was still a dusting of snow and frost which had made its way down to the beach. (It was after these two people left the beach that we became the only two left).

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We then went into Pembroke Dock to do a bit of shopping!

And Finished Like This .....

We got home about 3.30 pm and by about 4.00 pm this was happening.

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Then it got like this!

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The girls were astounded! I think we have now (at 6.00 pm) had about 4 inches (is that 10 cms?), so our part of Pembrokeshire has come to a bit of a stop and we have joined you all with the snowy weather. I did manage to get all the remaining holiday shopping in yesterday, plus the bits we picked up today (brandy for the Christmas pudding for example).

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I hope you are all managing to cope with whatever weather is being thrown at you and that any of you having a hard time, get out of trouble very soon and manage to get to have a Very Happy Christmas in spite of everything.

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Ann x

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Christmas Spirit !

We are just getting in to the Christmas Spirit!

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Santa Claus with his angels

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Some are finding it a bit too much already!
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The girls still aren't very used to the snow.

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Our garden is not too happy either! But we have had a lovely walk in the sun this afternoon.

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And more snow is predicted I think! Although I know some of you have had quite enough already.

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Ann x

Seasonal Bits ...

After me "swimming the Channel" and both of us having really nasty colds, we have not been doing very much recently. However, we are suddenly coming back to life and managing to get out and about again.

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I know that lots of you love the antiques scene and I recently visited this wonderful place in Narberth, Pembrokeshire. It is The Malthouse, hidden away in a side street in the town and set out in lots of hidden rooms full of interesting things. Thought you might like to take a look.

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Like many other antique havens, this building is divided up into different units, show cases, corners and shelves. Each showing off its own special goods.
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The trouble is that I see so many things that are shouting 'buy me' that I sadly have to ignore them unless we revamp the whole design of our home!
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After all the recent freezing frosts and ice and rock hard ground, our girls were delighted when we hung up this cabbage for them to jump up at. I think they had nearly forgotten what being active was as they had not even been able to scratch the ground and spent a very happy time leaping up at it and even leaping over each other. It lasted about 15 minutes!

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Saundersfoot recently held their annual festive Christmas Craft Market, which helped us to get into the seasonal feeling. It was, as always, very popular and there was lots to see and buy.

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They even had some of Santa's reindeer! I have to say that I don't know if they look up to the job of visiting all those houses on Christmas Eve!
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Keep warm (I know - more snow is forecast!)

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Ann x

MADE IT ! .....

Taken from The Aspire Channel Swim website :

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The Aspire main website is http://www.aspire.org.uk/

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I don't normally have champagne with my porridge, but this morning I did!
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Other Half welcomed me back from the swimming pool with a sparkling glassful after I had completed the Aspire Channel Swim in order to help raise much needed funds for the charity that supports people with spinal injury.
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I have been very happy to take on this challenge and have enjoyed it very much as I do love to swim myself. Now I have to keep it up and keep myself as fit as possible by continuing trips to the swimming pool.
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Thank you so very much to everyone who has donated and supported me throughout. You can still keep on donating at www.justgiving.com/Ann-Newman to help raise more funds for this very worthy cause.
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THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

Ann x

ONE MILE TO GO !

Well, it wasn't quite like this this morning at 7.30 am!

Lots of horrid, thick ice and frost on the car and everywhere as I drove to the swimming pool, but at least we don't have the very heavy snow and disruption that so many others are experiencing.

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BUT - Only one mile to go! And then I have swum the Channel!

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Lovely people are still sponsoring me and making donations which is wonderful.

Please continue with your donations and I will let you know when I have actually reached the French coast!

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Ann x

Just to make you smile ...

Just some random images that have brought a smile to my face. I hope they bring a smile to yours too.

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A prince and princess.

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A little princess! And doesn't she know it too!
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Seen in a local village recently. It would bring a smile to anyone's face to travel around in this, especially when it is pouring with rain as it was when I took this picture.

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I don't know this chap's name, but he was happy for me to take his picture (for a donation of course). He was playing carols, but it was very unusual to see him playing on a harp (or maybe it is another instrument - I have never seen one like it before). Usually these street players have some background music playing instead of just playing the guitar, etc. themselves. Very nice. It too, brought a smile to my face.

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Hope you all have a smile on your face as well and are not too disrupted by the current bad weather.

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Ann x

Nearly There !

From the Aspire Channel Swim web site:

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As you can see I am nearly at the French coast! The Channel swim is 22 miles over 12 weeks in my local swimming pool.

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I started my swim on 15th September when I was only fit enough to swim 20 lengths! This morning, after 24 trips to the pool I completed 80 lengths. I now only have 102 lengths to go to reach my target of swimming the Channel, which I will do next week.

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People are being very generous but I would still like to have your donations to sponsor me so that even more funds can be raised for this very worthwhile charity.

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Ann x

Johnston to Neyland Walk

I started the day with an 8.00 am swim to add to my lengths across the Channel! The weather was beautiful at that hour and I was very pleased to see it as it was the day for our U3A walking group fortnightly walk. This one being led by David.

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We drove to Johnston and started the walk alongside the single track railway part of which has been turned into a cycle track.

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Some easy walking to begin with as we left the railside footway and entered the wooded area.
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Rupert had to be kept in check !

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After rolling in the lovely smell of fox, he then investigated the muddy, swollen stream that was alongside the pathway!

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As we neared Neyland we passed the Marina, which is always full of boats. We queried whether any of them were ever taken out on the water, as the marina seems to be full at all times of the year!

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This part of the cycle path goes through the Wildlife Sanctuary and before reaching the Neyland Marina proper.

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The Town of Neyland was founded by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It was a little village on the Haven known as Little Milford. When the railway became established in 1853, the fishing industry also settled around the rail yard and with Brunel’s vision the Irish Ferry from Neyland to Rosslare Ireland started to trade.

For the next few hundred yards you pass under a road bridge built in 1970 leading to the toll bridge crossing over the River Cleddau completed in 1975.

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When you pass through the first set of gates, you go through the first of many cuttings in rocks made by Isambard Kindom Brunel's labourers when completing his historic construction of the Great western Railway from London, Paddington, with his envisaged transatlantic shipping line to America. When you look at the rock they cut through it was all done by hand with perhaps a little help with explosives.

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On reaching Brunel Quay there used to be a very fine statue of Isambard Kingdom Brunel overlooking the Cleddau Estuary. Sadly he was stolen in August this year and the bronze statue has never been recovered. There were two arrests in connection with the theft but no charges were made and the men were released.
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Naturally we ended the walk at the Marina Cafe!

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Ann x