Book - BANG! A history of Britain in the 1980s

Well, BANG or rather BANG...BANG....BANG......  definitely defines the 80's.  Strange thing is, it all seemed quite normal at the time, nowhere near as scary as Graham makes it sound.  I can particularly bear witness to the dreadful state of British manufacturing industry at the end of the 70's, beginning of the 80's.  It was very clear to me that humans would not be needed to 'make' things going into the future.  The big question was, if humans were not earning by manufacturing to buy what the robots were now making, what was the point of making anything?  So, Thatcher or no Thatcher, things were going to change radically if we were not to go back to the stone age.  Pop art to politics, and the mix of the two all covered here.  4 on the door for Stewart.  

New Rose Corner

The tidy view, with more and more flowering plants being added to Gek's collection.

My new hybrid rose corner around the corner, 

and the wired wall to take next seasons climbing roses.  There will be a total of 9 planted along this 30 foot stretch of wall. T'will look brill in a couple of years time. 

Llandegfedd Reservoir

 A day out for a stroll along the lake side.

After the 6 weeks or so with out rain, the water level was a little low.  Didn't stop the water fun though.

Quilting, Swansea Style

2019 will see the Ystrad  Quilters again doing thier exhibition at Llancaiach Fawr Manor for which Gek is putting together a book quilt, Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice.  Coming along.

A day out to Swansea to visit the Quilts Fair.  Miss Davies from Penarth was amongst the exhibitors with her very distinctive Japanese quilting.

One of my personal favourites amongst the many.  All you see is fabric.

YES!!!!!!

Finally, after an 8 week nail-biting weeks, we have gotten Gek's UK 'Leave to Remain' visa extention.  The next application in 2021 will be for her 'Indefinite Leave to Remain'. But for now a shampers celebration, thanks to the Lomax's timely gift.  Cheers mi'dears!

Peranakan House

Cavin Teo's blog, with photos of the Changi Terminal 4 Peranakan Gallery.  

Dyffryn House, Vale of Glammorgan

This present day house was built between 1893 and 1894 by the Cory family, who made their fortune from mining the south Wales valleys. Previous to this Edwardian effort, there had been a mansion/manor house on the site for the last 1,500 years.

How or why a bronze statue of Laozi riding his oxen together with a couple of other eastern statues dotted around the gardens are here, I have yet to find out.  Laozi, from some 2,500 years back, is thought to be the founder of philosophical Taoism.

First stop, the hot house,

 with cacti to view,

 and pose against.

 In another section, loads of different types of chilies of different colours and shapes.

 A more traditional lily pond

and the inevitable classical statue garden.

Definitely a recommended drop-in to see, only listed on the National Trust portfolio since 2013.