24th June 2016

I could not let today go by without a comment.  UK is to leave the EU, possibly leaving  Scotland behind still in it.  And who are the leading lights who led us to this?

Nigel Farage: -  "Farage had unsuccessfully contested British parliamentary elections for UKIP five times, both before and after his election as an MEP in 1999." (Wiki)  So desperate, to 'get in' he joined the organisation he despises.

Niel Hamilton - "After becoming involved in a political scandal known as the cash-for-questions affair, Hamilton was defeated in the 1997 General Election, and left politics." (Wiki)  Well, no he didn't.  He now sits in the Welsh Assembly for UKIP

Boris Johnson - "Born in New York City to upper middle-class English parents, Johnson was educated at the European School of Brussels, Ashdown House School, and Eton College." (Wiki)  A true Brit who truly knows what is best for the common man.

Micheal Gove - Micheal seems to have difficulty understanding the parliamentary expenses claims form. "Over a five-month period between December 2005 and April 2006, Michael Gove claimed more than £7,000 on a house bought with his wife Sarah Vine, a journalist, in 2002. Around a third of the money was spent at OKA, an upmarket interior design company established by Viscountess Astor, PM David Cameron’s mother-in-law.^[96] Shortly afterwards he reportedly 'flipped' his designated second home, a property for which he claimed around £13,000 to cover stamp duty. Gove also claimed for a cot mattress, despite children's items being banned under updated Commons Rules......................While he was moving between homes, on one occasion he stayed at the Pennyhill Park Hotel and Spa following a constituency engagement, charging the taxpayer more than £500 per night's stay." (Wiki)

Astonishing.

The Likely Lads

Tripped over to Stroud yesterday for an Italian lunch and ice cream afters with The Lads.   Lovely to be with them.

Book - Maisky Diaries

Can this be authentic?  It is too prescient, is that the right word?  If so many people, who had the power to change things, saw WWII coming five years before the shooting started why didn't they stop it?  Will human kind ever evolve beyond the tribal mindset?  It surely needs to, to stave off extinction.  

The Blue Lady

Recent acquisitions for the owner of Sri Menanti Estate, Singapore, Black and White house; a Turner, a Renoir,

and a second Renoir in the music room.  You may recognise this Parisian.

Lidl Does it Again

Lidl has, what I call, an 'odd ball section'  where short term stock items are on display for sale.  On previous visits to the store we have come away with a camper bed,  a folding table, a pair of crocs, a rubber plant, orchids, among other things. This time it was crinkly hose pipe.

In close up it looks as wrinkled as my aging face,

but turn the water on and it expands from around 20 feet to 75 feet,

at the other end of which Gek was trying to decide which of the 8 spray options her potato crop was going to benefit from.  Of course, when you turn the water off the pipe returns to 20 feet as the water pressure in the pipe is released.  Amazing.

Christopher Dally

Chris passed away yesterday, 2nd June.  Just 14 months ago we four were living it up in Malaysia's  Cameron Highlands.  This is a republished post from that trip.

Just to the north of Tanah Rata a cafe run by a South American lady married to a Malaysian of Chinese origins who serves a very nice Malay cuisine.  Their son, David, clearly has his own favourites from his mum's menu.

One very happy Chris with his first Carlsberg in 3 days.

Our motley crew at the Smoke House, for afternoon tea.  A really enjoyable 3 days away, with 30 year old memories revisited.

Rest in Peace, my old Friend.

Book - Peter the Great

At nearly 900 pages this is a long but brilliant read.  It is, as one reviewer notes, as fascinating as a  novel and more so than most.  Massie sets Peter's story in the context of his time and with descriptive sketches of other characters in his play, such as George I of England and the ever present King Charles of Sweden, draws you into this violent European world of the later 17th, early 18th century when common men and women counted for nothing. As an aside, one Charles Whitworth, the 1st Baron Whitworth, was sent, in 1704, as the Extraordinary Ambassador to Russia. His reports home influenced the British view of Russia for over  a century. With the stay or leave the EU poll soon upon us, this was a timely read.  Together we stand, divided we fall.  5 on the door for Massie.

Frame Maker to Gek

The work space,

La Parisienne framed, just needs to be painted gold.

Bargoed Woodland Park

This was Bargoed in the Rhymney Valley as seen by L S Lowry in 1965, all a treeless smoke and grim landscape from the three separate coal mine workings.

Fast forward 50 years to a restored woodland.

The cycle track beginning,

from which you can nip down to the river,

 or climb up to see the buttercups.

Either way, it is a lovely walk to take on a sunny day.

From Caerphilly Common

As viewed from our neighbour's back garden down the Rhymney, with Caerphilly Castle just peeking over the trees in the valley bottom.

Walk up to the trig point atop the Common,

to look back up the Rhymney towards,

Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacon National Park or turn around for,

a view over the Bristol Channel in to England.  Mind you, whichever way you look, you have a View.

Hengoed

The view of Hengoed from across the Rhymney Valley.  No. 17 is at the top of the hill, centre of the photo, just below the trees

The Hengoed Viaduct is now part of a national cycle route.  Great views up and down the valley are to be had from it.

Grand Union Canal

Photo by How Ming

From Greenwich, we motored over to Harrow to spend the weekend with How Ming and C P.  On a beautiful Sunday, we took a stroll along the Grand Union Canal.  Quite a week it has been.

Greenwich Park

A couple of days after Andy's visit we tripped up to Town to stay with Richard.  A walk in the park on a beautifully sunny spring day cannot be beaten.

Singapore Visitors

Our first visitors from Singapore, Andy and Fong Leng.

As per usual, we embarked on a whirlwind tour of the area, through the Vale of Glamorgan to the head of the Ogmore Valley, down to Porthcawl for a fish and chip lunch before returning to Caerphilly,  a final stop for afternoon tea with Welsh Cakes.

Day two found us in Cardiff where I insisted that Andy viewed my favourite Renoir painting, La Parisienne.  Gek has reproduced this beauty in miniature several times.

The Sirhowy Valley

It being a lovely warm day, we decided to stop playing at house and took ourselves off over the hill to the valley next to ours, the Sirhowy Valley

So many shades of green, with curious sheep checking us out.

Scaping the Garden

 This mornings delivery from the B&Q man.  16 bags of bark and 15 bags of Coltswold stone chips.

Set to work straight away,

From the Left,

from the Right.  Job done in time for the Tesco run.   Notice the paved area for Gek to pratice her Tai Chi.

Lunch with a Kestrel's View

The carpenter couldn't make it today to finish off the conservatory, fit the skirts and window ledges etc, so we were able to enjoy our first lunch with a view. Steak and ale pie fresh out of our butcher's oven from across the viaduct in Maesycwymmer. I know, what a lovely spelling.  I did check it on Maps Google.  Chris is a butcher but does his own chutney and even cakes, which are delicious. Chalked up in the shop are the names of the farms he sourced the meat he is selling that day.  Tesco's he isn't.

Finally, the BIG Paint Brushes are Out

 Three days ago I started to lay the flooring with the plaster drying around me,

 Today, Gek prepared,

and then started to paint.  And what was the first tube to be opened?  Why, Green of course.

The arts.

 Our first ripening strawberry.  The art of gardening.

A room of Renoir paintings in miniature.  The art of forging.  There are also rooms for Turner, Monet and Degas in miniature.

Millenium Centre

Collecting tickets for a June concert as well as look at possible venues to show Gek's artwork.

Drive to the Coast

Ten years ago this month, I brought Gek here on our first ever day out together, Ogmore by Sea. That day was memorable because the wind almost blew Gek away, sunny but very windy it was.

Today, a little brisk with layered clouds and sea reflections.

Across the bay, Porthcawl.

Ready, Steady, Go Paint

 Friday lunch, Chris and Wayne had just left with mortar still drying,

Gek moved in and set up to paint.  Electrics and plaster work still to do over the next ten days or so.