Month: January 2014

Watched the Hobbit this weekend – what a pile of short arsed, hairy footed nonsense. Three hours which just says that someone finds a ring – that’s it. I preferred Lord of the Rings.

Me old mucker Phil came down this weekend – he was going to come on Friday, then Thursday night, then in the end about lunch time on Sat. Kate had gone to the pictures, so we nipped out to Tintern was a quick walk – a walk which entailed us walking from the car, to the pub and back to the car. It was drizzly, but was nice to get out of the house.

When we got back we went into the village for a beer or two, Phil had to get a sandwich, so we asked some of the locals to give him a great cheer when he finally arrived – he looked slightly surprised when a number of people shouted “Hi Phil, hows things” as he walked in… After a few beverages we headed home for a Chinese – originally expecting to eat at 6:30 it finally came around 9:00.

Phil buggered off the next day – on his way to Cardiff, so I took the gang on a mystery tour. I put my name down for the CarTen again this year, 1400 hundred spaces and it was full in four hours – amazing. I am also hoping to do one of the usual yearly cycles with the boys, although we haven’t decided on a destination yet. So due to all this I am going to splash out on a new bike, so first off I wanted to have a look in what I thought would be a massive bike superstore (after seeing their website), which actually was a little bike shop.  The shop was on the way and when we got there the rain was torrential – but we continued in case it dried up, and it did. We headed off to Cwmcarn which is well known as a off-road mountain bike downhill place – but it also apparently had some walks. We got there and it was reasonably empty and completely rainless. After a quick shufty in the visitor center we headed out for the trails. It was okay. At one point we had an opportunity to jump across a raging torrent – it was only a couple of feet across, but Kate was a little hesitant – then she went for it – aaarrrgggghhhhh she screamed as she sailed though the air.

I think we will go back here again in the Spring, as they have a 6 mile walk which I think we will do.

So first day of the entire year when it hasn’t poured down with rain. And the first main trip out was to wonderful Bath. It was a lovely, if slightly chilly day, and we set off in Bec’s car to the train station. Even with four of us, the cost was only £26 with a “group saver”, meaning that we actually paid for four adults which worked out cheaper than 3 and 1 child on a railcard. Anyway with station parking it was less that thiry quid – wouldn’t have been that price in the car…

So we pulled into Bath station after a leisurely 40 minute chuff, and immediately I realised yet again that I didn’t quite have enough clothes on – not meaning I had forgotten my trousers, just that is was chilly enough to allow for another jumper perhaps. Every part of Bath is now great, it must be one of my favorite cities, it has new shops, old architecture, buskers a plenty, pubs, restaurants, tiny alleys, big parks and its all pretty compact. Today saw bright sky’s and a manageable number of shoppers, we had a little mooch around then into a pub. This place had the beginnings of a stag do (which seemed a lot more sophisticated than some I have seen) and a weird, short Chinese student who severely lacked any type of social skill demanding to know why BT Sport was not playing on the TV’s – I am pretty sure he didn’t even have a drink.

After a quick read of the paper, we investigated a street we normally don’t go down and found some lights which were on a magnificent sale, so we bought two – then more mooching until lunch. We thought we would try FireHouse, which looked good, it mentioned pizza and chicken, but we didn’t look at the menu until we arrived. We walked in and the first thing the bloke said was “Do you have a reservation” – I would have liked to have left then. But we followed him upstairs and to our seats. One quick glance at the menu and it was clear this was not pizza express, so we just got back up, put our coats on and left. I legged it quickly to leave Bec’s and Kate to do any explaining – luckily the guy was to busy with his reservationists to notice.

So a little wonder later and we found ourselves outside the Slug and Lettuce, which are sometimes a little ‘WeatherSpoonish’ but this was nice, and as we had arrived early we had a great seat – Perroni and a super duper burger – it was really quite good.

The one problem with being on the train is that you have to plan ahead for leaving, so we walked around and had a look in the variety of shops and places until nearly time to leave, we then had to walk all the way to the lamp shop and carry the lamps 30 miles back to the train station – me being super efficient ensured that we actually got back to the train station half an hour earlier than we needed to – so we sat in the cold, with our lamps.

Great day in Bath – love it. 8/10

So this is Christmas, and now New Year, so I thought  had better mention a few things of which I couldn’t be bothered to mention whilst Christmas was in full swing:

Bristol – went to Bristol for a pint and a burger for Christmas with the crew. It was a good day, we started in the Green House which is pretty good and do decent food, then we braved the weather to Christmas steps to find the sugar loaves shut. So we went to zero degrees, where they make there own beers. After a couple in here we went over to the Ship Inn. It was pouring down now. Then we went to the Sugar Loaves as it had now opened, then over to the smallest pub in Bristol, the White Lion. Then we stumbled over to the Kebaab house and just about caught our train back home. Good Times.

Friday was Black Friday – and it was shit. Quiet, but I did manage to have more than three drinks. There were a load of police vans outside the Mango House around 10:30, when we stumbled past on the way home.

Sunday was non electricity day. So we walked up to the Rose, and had a pint as they were already booked solid for lunches. After a coup0le of three we went home to attempt to play games in the dark and eat food. I felt ill again, as I tend to do on non-electricity days. We also had a candle in the toilet which we didn’t realise was an outside one, and it left a load of black smoke trails all around the room.

Monday we popped over the Lion with Paul and his dudes for lunch. Lion really are doing goof food now, didn’t eat much, but managed a couple of beverages.

Christmas day had a slow beginning this year. No one was up early, except for me and Sian, so I went fdor a quick run in the morning – which was nice. Only saw one car (but heard a couple more) and was back and showered before we woke the crew. Spend the morning in the kitchen running though the list of timings for the food. We had duck and turkey this year – it was pretty good. Presents after lunch, and I had a surprisingly good haul – which I didn’t expect.

Back to Pembs on the Friday, Kate went to a Panto (Oh yes she did), and we visited people. Then food, then next day we spent at the inlaws and eat too much again. Sunday we had lunch then decided to leave early afternoon to get home.

New Year week was quiet, went for a walk behind Chepstow racecourse as we had not been there before. And had a quiet New Year with a couple of films and a massive Indian. Weather has been shocking all week storms and loads of rai9n, so hoping it will get a little better before I have to return to work…..