"Happiness is not by chance, but by choice".

-Jim Rohn.

But try as you might, you can’t control everything. There’s always going to be something that will get in your way. You can choose what will make you happy, but that might not make others happy. Sometimes you have to rely on luck to get the outcome that you want. You can plan everything, but sometimes something will go wrong and you’ll have to react accordingly. Otherwise, every night everyone will be spending their time planning what they’re going to do the following day. It’ll be difficult to find someone who wants to share your goals. You’ll have to persuade people that your view is better. Sometimes the choices that you make don’t give you the outcome that you want it to, and others might not agree with your decisions. You have to be very dominant. It can be a selfish attitude, but sometimes there’s nothing that you can do about it.

Little Steps

It’s a bit strange how the firs have wrapping ribbons on them. They look like they’ve been dressed up like giant Easter eggs. Maybe it’s to preserve their shape. Oddly, they’ve got the road ‘bathroom’ on them, but I don’t think that’s the best place for them. Either that or it’s the wrapper off something else. Maybe they’re using the ribbon as a guide to wrap some lights around later. It’s a shame because the rest of the garden is thought out well; especially the narrowboat planter that looks like it’s been custom made. I’d like to see it painted on a later visit, and for the plants in bloom to be watered as well. But it does look like there’s an artist present. I wonder if there’s any space to sit behind the shrubs on the other side. I hope that nothing goes walkies or ends up in the canal too often.

Camping in the City

This didn’t have the glamour and excitement of a normal hotel. It was quite a trek to get there, and the route didn’t take us through the most glamorous of parts on foot. There was a comfortable room which was functional, but the lobby just consisted of vending machines that could be accessed by anyone and there wasn’t really a private lounge. It did feel a bit gated, but I suppose you’d need to in a city to protect cars. We had a great view of the ringroad, but for the price, we were paying for a basic function rather than any convenience, but it was easy to get a taxi when we had appointments. And when we came back at night, the walk was downhill and we only had to cross the road to get hot food. I think we had the breakfast once. It wasn’t particularly memorable, but it did the job. It’s a Travelodge now.

Canalside Church

This was a great little trip that we did for a breath of fresh air. I wanted to catch the bus over and kick back a bit  more but I was overruled. The only car park that I knew of was a bit expensive and it was a fair walk to the starting point but we just went with it. After an uninspiring walk through the town centre, we joined the towpath of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire canal. Heading north, there were a fair few sights to see on this journey. Firstly, the raised floodproof houses all had little decorated canalside gardens complete with ornaments. We also bumped into one of my beerclub friends who was out for a bike ride. After a chat, we continued along the towpath. As we left, the cliffs of Staffordshire came into view, and I loved how the ivy hung off the sides into the canal. There were even some caves to explore.

Dirty Deeds Around Town #dreamdiary 201

I’m lying at home in bed. I’ve got a nice pillow stuffed down the back of my boxer shorts to give my bum a bit of curvy bounce. I’m thinking of putting a duvet in at the other side to give my front a nice hourglass figure. Then I find myself lying on the floor at work in the stockroom. I’m peering through the glass in the door to the sales floor dreading the moment that any lights come on indicating that someone is coming to find me but I can’t seem to move myself or come up with a credible reason as to why I didn’t go home the night before. Oddly, I would have tripped the automatic alarm but it doesn’t seem like I’ve been doing much moving about anyway. Then I wake up and discover that nothing at all has been stuffed down my shorts. It’s all natural.

Mind the Doors

These doors seemed to be always under a constant strain. They were fire doors that we could keep open with a metal chain that hooked onto the door. The other end of the chain was hooked up to an electronic magnetic lock which would cut out if the fire alarm was activated so that the door closed. . The problem was that the chain was made out of hooks that were constantly being stretched which meant that it would often unhook itself. Sometimes the door would become knocked which meant there wasn’t enough chain. Sometimes the magnetic plate that it hooks onto needs screwing back on. And sometimes the chain would become so strained that it would just slip off the hook. When we needed a repair, we had to keep the door closed for fire safety purposes. And when they did repair it, they would always use the same cheap materials so that it would inevitably happen again. It’s as if they needed to be kept in employment.

Where the Crawdads Sing

This is a retrospective, slow-moving but fitting film about innocence, abandonment and reputation. There’s a good soundtrack but there’s not enough heartfelt to make it an emotional journey. There’s some beautiful views but it would be interesting to have seen some wildlife in action to reflect on Kaya’s actions. Some of the lovemaking is quite intense, and the protagonist doesn’t always fight back. It’s also a bit confusing in places as the young antagonists look very similar. It’s also very unmasculine for the lead protagonist to wear a shell necklace. You’d have thought that one of his other lovers would have picked up on it immediately. There’s a great relationship with other characters who build up her rapport and give her support, but it’s not clear as to why the attorney comes forward and what his interests are. There’s an interesting conclusion though. You think it’s so obvious, but the truth is revealed many years later, and you feel that you’re missing out on an exciting part of the story.

Carew Castle

Our last castle visit of the trip was just outside the town, but it was in the direction of home. It’s in a small village just off the main road. The car park had recently been recobbled to prevent erosion, and there was easy pedestrian access to the main entrance. There’s a lot of history here as well as lots of nooks and crannies to explore. The large windowpanes clearly show that in the past, the castle had extravagance. I love how they built the frames into the rounded towers. Be prepared or some great views and some exbibits that you can interact with, including a wooden horse and a wooden giant sculpture near the café. There’s also a small walk to the mill house and its pond. It’s a great place for birdwatching. The pub alongside it looked interesting, but unfortunately I had a long drive back. Maybe next time.

If a police vehicle is tailgating you, should you speed up, maintain speed, slow down, or pull over and stop?

The safest method is to pull over and stop. You need to do this in a safe area where it’s legally acceptable to pull over and park, and not on a hard shoulder. If the officer questions you, you can always inform them that their driving is distracting you, and that you’re giving them the opportunity to pass while maintaining a safe environment. Until then, you should maintain your speed so as not to attract them to your presence. Speeding up might draw suspicion to escape from their eyesight. If you slow down, you become a hazard to them. Of course, you’ll need to prioritise all hazards as a priority over their actions unless they give you specific instructions. You’ll also need to consider if you’re trying to avoid suspicion or whether you’ve got anything to hide, and what your best opportunity is. The important thing is not to give them an excuse.

A Ponder In Pembroke

I love this sleepy town. The highlight is of course the castle but I wasn’t keen to visit there as I’d already done it on a previous trip. Instead we took a walk around the grounds on the Mill Pond walk. It was pleasant, but it wasn’t particularly inspiring in places. On our wander, we also went past the B&B that we tried to book but no-one picked up the phone. By the time that they’d returned my call to confirm their availability, we’d already booked somewhere else. It looked nice from the outside, but parking would have been a bit of a struggle. We also took the opportunity to pop into a few souvenir shops and do a bit of shopping. It was a shame that most of the bars hadn’t reopened for business yet, though we made a couple of notes of where we could go if we were to return.

What a day, walked about 30k and swam in two lakes.

Many people might walk this distance without even knowing it. You might be doing a long walk, but you’ve also got to travel to get there. If you’re in a hotel, you’ve got to get from your room to breakfast and back again before you leave it. If you’re not using a lift and you’re on a high floor, that’s a lot of steps. Many people would take the stairs down and head back up in the lift, though it depends on how long you have to wait for it. If you’re driving to the start of your walk, you’ll also be making steps as you press the pedals. And the route you actually take is much longer than the route says it is as you make wrong turns and correct yourself, and wander off to explore the area around the route too. Must have been a long day though.

Cafe No. 9

Just down the road from our Travelodge was a local café. Its surroundings may not be much, but they’ve made the best out of what they’ve got. We got there just after opening, and I think we got the last but one table. It was very clean and warming like you’d just walked into someone’s kitchen. The prices were reasonable and the service was friendly. It was also a great place for locals to pop in to start their day as they collected their breakfast sandwiches and lunch orders. The team was certainly organised as they were prepping orders to be delivered as well. We were that impressed that we decided to order lunch to take away as well in the form of baguettes which were freshly made. We ate these on the beach later. As we left, there was a queue of people waiting to get a table, so we knew that we were onto a good thing.

Hanging Out

I got a message that our washing line airer had unexpectedly collapsed and that we need a new one right away. I wasn’t given an opportunity to see if it could be fixed, and it felt like this was a family emergency. I felt that it had to be set up right away otherwise our laundry programme couldn’t continue, so this had to be done as soon as I got home from work while it was still light. It didn’t require much work since we already had a ground spike fitted. All I had to do was to get rid of the packaging and made sure that it fit and that it opened and closed. The only problem that we had is that sometimes you have to give it a good tug to come out. We also don’t have a cover for it. It makes me wonder how long it’ll last as the old one was made by a better manufacturer.

Hello Sailor

The view that this pub offers is fantastic. It has something to offer everyone, apart from a great choice in beer. It’s where the locals go and you have to be here as the sun sets. The pub itself is a small building with a cosy lounge and a pleasant conservatory offering views of the river. But to really appreciate it, you have to sit outside to enjoy stunning views of the bay. You can watch the locals sail in and head straight to the bar for a pint. It’s not a quiet pub. You’ll be able to hear the traffic passing over the bridge for a start. There’s also an aviary nearby and lots of room for kids to run about. The seats are just benches so you might need cushions. But the homemade food is delicious. While I was queuing to order, I noticed a specials board that wasn’t on the menu, and I had to place a quick phone call to tell everyone what they were. They’d have been disappointed if they’d missed out!

Mother of IDF soldier taken hostage by Hamas fears he'll be one of last freed

Well, he’s a soldier so tactically speaking they’re doing the right thing. If you release a soldier, it won’t be long until he shares some intel and he’s able to be a soldier again. They could injure him so that he couldn’t fight then set him free, but he wouldn’t be the same. It’ll either be through a surrender or an invasion of a foreign force. It’s all part of modern day war tactics. But I had no idea who the IDF were until I googled them. They could have been the International Defence Federation. But it’s a nerve-testing time for the family as every day is another wait for news. It’s not something that’s easy to obtain. Even a ceasefire will cause a huge amount of administration. It’ll be much quicker for an invading force to create an escape, ideally with an extraction. But you need a team with guts to attempt it.

The Truth about Fear

It’s real. It can put you off doing things. But you have to face up to them. If you do nothing, people know that you’re incapable of resolving things. They may do them for you, but they might not trust you with the task of doing them again. Sometimes you can use fear as an adrenaline rush to get things done, but you might end up doing them in a bit of a rush and miss key steps out. But it occupies your time. You can spend all day with your thoughts on the subject or lose focus on what you’re meant to be doing. It might even cause you to run away rather than face up to it. It could be better than you thought it would be; but you won’t know the outcome until you get it done. Until then, you’ll be inventing scenarios in your head and this is where things get out of control. You need to plan how to react to each scenario and look into what you can to in the future to prevent it from happening again. And talking about your problems to others may suggest solutions that you hadn’t thought of.

Raising a Glass

This is quite a modern pub that you’d expect to see anywhere. It’s on the edge of town where there’s lots of space to meet groups in one large environment. There’ll be a big menu but you can almost guess what’s on it, and it won’t be particularly memorable. And it’ll be the same for the drinks. The portions are a decent size, but they won’t be fresh and you’ll want a pudding afterwards, probably a sundae. There’ll be a large bar with very few people serving who are just paid the minimum wage and aren’t expected to be tipped because of the clientele. Get there after the dinner rush and there’ll be piles of plates everywhere. There’ll be a nice patio where you can sit outside and wait for your mates to come in or watch the world go by in the sunshine. Its translation is the Blue Stones which sounds romantic, but my first guess would be the Large Glass.

The Point #devils daughter 24

At the back of the church was a cast iron statue, painted in gold, in the shape of Jesus. It was one of those statues that looked expensive, but was quite cheap to produce in mass production. It was hard and it looked like it would do the job. She began crawling across the red carpet towards it. It was a bit of relief not resting them on the marble, but the sensation f rubbing them on a new material began to stimulate her plate-sized nipples. She couldn’t quite lift her boobs over the pews. As she brushed them, they were big enough to push them back a few inches, but they would have to go over them at some point since they were taller in mass. Luke wouldn’t feel a thing. In fact he might be squashed a little, but she didn’t want him to see what she was up to.

Docking Around

Being new in town, we arrived for a bit of exploring. The Travelodge that we were in was a basic two-storey building that was  very quiet apart from when it came into check-time when the car park got filled with builders and people travelling for work. It was too small to host a bar or supply breakfast, so we had to seek that out elsewhere. Once we’d settled in, we decided to find somewhere for dinner. We went for a walk around the docks but couldn’t get too much of a view owing to all the fencing and security in place. We passed a few pubs that didn’t serve food and some restaurants that were a bit too posh for what we were looking for. We’d chosen the worker’s side rather than the attractive tourist side. I didn’t want to do any more driving but we did find an estate pub that was conveniently located for everyone.

Escape From Town #dreamdiary 200

I’ve come to a university town to take on an escape room. I’ve had to come on my own but my main reason for going is that one of my friends runs it. I’ve decided to go in fancy dress but my friend has decided to let me change in her flat rather than me wear a ridiculous costume on the train. I fail the challenge and get locked in, then I go to my friend’s flat to get changed again. I suddenly realise that there’s no way that I can make the last train home, though I might make the last connecting train to the city and I might be able to haggle for a taxi or a lift. I’m running across rooftop gardens to try and make the train, and I’m considering running up steps and jumping over fences to a montage of Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing. If I can make it back to her flat before she moves onto her night job, there’s a chance that I can spend the night in it rather than a roofless night in the city.

Cooling off in Creselly

We were still a bit early for our appointed check-in time, and we’d been  recommended to visit a local pub  in the middle of nowhere, not by our beer crew but by our travelling friends. Upon investigation, it was on the guidebook circuit, but it wasn’t an easy place to get to so it was more practical to call in on the way there. The pub sits next to the quay which forms the car park, and its surrounding benches means that you can sit and watch the tide come in as you sip your pint. It’s also an active spot for canoeists and traffic watching as the locals come down to use the bridge. The building itself is stone bare and worn, but inside is a beautiful tiled corridor decorated with taxidermy and simple wooden chairs and tables leading to a traditional wooden Victorian bar with a fireplace that hasn’t changed...ever. Good beer alongside the river with friendly locals are the main attractions here.  

Halloween: Feel the Pressure

This game was written nearly four years ago. I’ll be impressed if it’s still in operation. I guess a lot of these third-party features realise that they’re no longer going to make any money off it any more and pull the plug on the platform. But it works. It starts with spooky sounds but Alexa’s introduction is a bit annoying as she puts long sentences into annoying pauses which makes them difficult to understand at times. The phonetic alphabet isn’t one used internationally, it contains inappropriate words and it sounds like one that the creators made up. They’re not hard questions but get one wrong and you have to start again. I’m often asked for my final answer, but it’s strange that it doesn’t always ask it. When I do give it, it’s not going to be my final answer because if I get it right, I’m asked another question straight after.

Bosherton Beer

The car park was a mass of slate crazy paving that had been left to overgrow, and what was once used as natural lines was now no more. We walked past the slate buildings used to host a toilet block, and followed the road up the hill to the main road. At the church, we turned left, and walked past a local social club where people were sitting outside in deckchairs enjoying the sunshine. The pub was nicely painted, and it would have been nice to stay inside to cool off, but the weather was too tempting and we sat on a picnic bench in the car park. We had a simple meal of sandwiches and chips since we’d brought a locally made baguette with us in case they weren’t serving food. We chatted to the group of bikers next to us, and they were impressed that we’d managed to walk this far.

 

"To succeed, you need to find something to hold onto, something to motivate you, something to inspire you."

 -Tony Dorsett.

You need a reason to win. A lot of the time, it’s down to the fact of what will happen if you don’t do something. But if the situation is unlikely to change if you don’t do anything, it makes it harder to make the change. You need a desire to improve things. You have to hold onto the drive to make the change otherwise it won’t happen. There might not be an instant reward available for completing the task but you’ve got to focus on the benefits when it’s done. If there’s no point in doing the task, then why do it? There’s other ways to occupy your time. You might need to give yourself a personal reward when the task is complete. It might be someone that inspires you, or at least is someone who keeps telling you to get the task done. Or it might be the option to go somewhere afterwards.

Stackpole Stroll

Today we’ve ventured into a village called Stackpole on the Pembrokeshire coast. We got the idea from an article in a women’s magazine, and the plan is to walk along the clifftops on the coastal path to reach the lily ponds then take lunch at a nearby pub. We can then get the bus back to the car, or walk back the way we came and stop off for a dip in the sea. It’s a sunny day and the coast is stunning. Other than a local coasteering group, there’s very few people around. There’s plenty of rest spots with views, woods with shade, and hills with vantage points. There’s also lots of boardwalks and tracks. The swans were busy looking for food in the lily ponds. It’s when we’re halfway through the walk I realise that I’ve been here before in someone else’s car. We managed an eleven-mile round trip.

Office of the Beardy Weirdies

As a group, these people seem to be stuck in their ways. There are people who are pushing for change, but they’re not necessarily in the right places. The office people are nice to deal with, and they’re young and enthusiastic, but they’re not the people in charge. They focus on their career and how they can use the organisation to gain experience and build a portfolio. They’re only active in the workday, and if they’re off duty for a holiday or they’re sick then you’re not going to get your answer at all. We are essentially their boss because if we don’t like their decision or process then we can attempt to overturn it. We also have the option to vote with our feet and leave the organisation. It’s the volunteers who are, and because these people don’t work full time due to other interests, they’re often hard to get a timely response out of.

A Wander around Raglan #raglan

On our way down to Pembrokeshire, we called off the dual carriageway to stretch our legs at Raglan Castle. It’s one of those ruins that’s still great to go and explore. The car park is centred around a green with hedgerows over the turret walls. The moat is very impressive, and how the castle contains its moat with bridges, but it’s a shame that you can’t access the towers, though not much of them remain. But they have tried to decorate what has remained with stone props. I love the turret tops; there’s no practical reason for them to be built apart from being architecturally pleasing, though I suppose they could be supports for the ramparts. There’s also lots to explore in the chapel. Where the floors have been removed, you can see the original fireplaces that are still set in the walls. There’s also some interest methods of cooking in the kitchen and some great dispense methods in the underground pantry.

The Office (AU)

There’s new plotlines but the characters are the same. You can tell who the prankster is and who is the weirdo; though they can be a little less conservative as they’re not in America. It’s easy to identify the characters from the US version. But there’s less jokes and more revenge as the people working here are a bit older, burnt out and serious. There’s lies and deception as people attempt to avoid change that’s forced upon them. It’s short and somewhat unrealistic with too many ditzy characters who you wonder how they got appointed in the first place; and it’s a shame that they didn’t have the chance to address COVID, though they did cover a period of remote working. There’s no international stars and the memes haven’t been appearing on social media either, but they might be big in Australia. It’s a shame that people didn’t give it a chance for another series to be developed, but you can tell that the original formula is still there.

A Bridge Too Far #bidford 14

This is set in an idyllic spot by the river. The bridge is built at a stretch, and it’s only to accommodate the road. There’s a fair bit of land next to the pub which creates an ideal beer garden as well as a small car park. The pub inside is comfortable and has tables in the entrance and bar side seating. There’s wooden beams with comfortable alcoves and seating. There’s also the option to dine al fresco which keeps a lot of the servers on their toes, but they’re still friendly and are happy to stop for a quick chat. The food is interesting and the small menu varies according to the season to keep it fresh. The beer is what you’d expect for the area, but it’s in good condition. They’re probably not shifting enough pints to accommodate a guest ale. Hopefully there’s a summer event that they can organise to create some interest.

Is the British Army tougher than the American Army?

We’re well ‘ard. We’re trained to survive in all sorts of situations where we’ve run out of ammo and the radio’s broken. We carry on. An American will panic as son as the last resource is in sight of running out. Our training covers everything from surviving in the wilderness to gathering your bearings and using what’s around you. We may not have rock-hard abs or be jacked up, but we’ve certainly got a good bit of kit that isn’t disposable which keeps us active. The toughest squad is renowned throughout the world for its secret operations. Instead of running away at the first sign of trouble, we’ll work as a team to put in the graft required to get the job done. And if we bleed, we’ll keep on crawling to do our duty and die to protect their colleagues. We’ve had presence in military conflicts all over the world miles away from our borders. And there’s so few of us compared to other armies.