David's blog

I have decided not to use facebook anymore as I am not too happy about the information it seems to have about me the amount of information it has. The other day there was something on the timeline about the fact that I had met this person who is a friend on a certain date.  This friend hardly uses facebook and I did not tell facebook about when I met this person and I doubt the other person did but I am not too happy that it seems to know this fact it makes you wonder what else it knows I can't figure out how it has this information to its bye bye to facebook soemthing I have used extensivly for a long time.  There are other ways these days fo keeping in touch I guess and therefore its not that important well I don't think its as important as it use to be anyway. Its another damp day full of gloom a day before xmas ever and I still dont have any xmas spirit  it seems to have completely vanished this year oh well I guess I don't like the thing anywa and have to just make t

It has been a very nice day weather wise I had a bit of a stroll round the town in the nice autumn sunshine.  I then did some shopping as usual and came back here. I heard a story the other day about this lady who had a cult round here in the 17 hundreds she believed she would marry jesus christ and in fact had a wedding in the village here where her followers attened.  The name of this lady was Mare'r fantell wen, its hard to think of a woman leading cult its usually derranged men who get up to those kinds of things especially you would think in those ages where women were I guess or I would think were even more subordinate to men than they are today, anyway she was buried this time in some year in the 18th century I guess there is a halloween twist to the story as she was a cult figure.

It was very sad to see today a homeless person still sleeping in a doorway in the high street in Bangor their quilt was on covering a part of the pavement its hard to understand the mess the Tories and their supporters have made of this country really. It must be so undignified for the person to in that state I guess it gave me a glimpse of what goes on after dark in these larger towns.  It could probably happen to anyone given enough bad luck and 'bad' choices. It has been while since I had visited Bangor its not looking too good a lot of closed shops and there is rumour about Debenhams which might close which after seeing the prices of the stuff in their is understandable its too expensive. I also noticed today that the Traws cymru buses have a thing which tells you the next stop this has been present on arriva buses for years well the coast ones anyway it does not seem to be available on the route I use locally.  This service is useful for people who can't see too we

I went for bit of a stroll this afternoon along this old railway track further on it is very over grown and its difficult to pass through it there are tree actually growing on the track now it has been closed that long.  I think the last train used it in the 1970s removing stuff from the power station which is now taken by road I assume. As a child we used to put coins on the line and wait for the train to go over it and they would have flattened them, no train could go on it now or I doubt ever will again due to the state of it.  While walking on it today a couple of young girls were on it I was surprised to see anyone there really as its a bit awkward to to walk I think they were visitors to the area I guess as its half term. I don't really know what will happen to the track I guess it will just be left as it is and get worse I suppose.

I learned the other day that these flowers are called Welsh poppies they are in my garden and grow every year they are wild flowers and I don't know much about them even if you can make opium out of them.  They are a nice change from the weeds which are usually present in the garden. It is a very chilly autumn day today and this morning I was trying to get to understand the source connect software that you can use to make and record phone calls or interviews which could be handy if someone wants to make a podcast or something which seems the way to go these days.  From what I can gather the quality is quite good really and should not need much editing I guess it depends on the quality of the microphone I am still trying to make it possible for the local blind society to record the local rag, the group that does record it is a bit slow in moving forward with the issue its been months now

Its another drab Sunday I just hope it is not as frustrating a day as yesterday which involved me having heartburn all night.  It started going bad when I missed the bus to go and pay the rent I was watching the football and thought I had enough time to catch the bus even if I sat and finished watching the whole thing the extra time didn't help. Anyway I was wrong I missed a bus I worked this out due to the app. I came back an hour later to see if I could catch the next one but this one did not turn up at all which was a bit of worry if I was going to get the next one as i might not get a bus back, this not turning up by arriva buses has been going on for months there was a meeting a few weeks ago but I guess it has not made any difference. There is no bus service round here to we are at the mercy of this unreliable service. I did manage to get to where I wanted to in the end anyway not sure it was worth all the hastle but oh well its done now. I woke up today to a wet sunday t

It has been an awful day, the wind has been blowing really hard and the rain lashing down it took me three attempts to get out of the this village I got wet on the first two times.  It is good to get out of this place and go down to the coast as the weather can be a little bit better down there and it was I guess though when I came back here it had improved regardless of the what the bus driver said and that it was going to get worse.  It has been dark and bleak all day they are calling in some storm or other though and its a new thing to give these periods of wind and rain names we have always had bouts of wind and rain but they never had a name before I wonder if they will start giving names to sunny periods and calling them drout billy or something like that it really seems odd to me I gues it has come over from America like a lot of these stupid ideas. I regard a storm as something that incorporates thunder and lighttening so when the word storm is mentioned to me I think we are

A strange day really I missed the bus this morning to go swimming due to the arriva bus tracker which said the bus was 2 miles away and it wasn't I guess there is a disclaimer on it saying they aim to be correct but I guess I will have to rely less on it than I thought.  I guess its free so what can you expect. I was lucky with getting to the swimming though my sister was passing as I was walking home with a glum face and she turned round and gave me lift to catch the bus. I really needed the swim this morning as my back has been hurting again I am torn about buying a new mattress too they are not cheap I will have to see how ti goes. After the swim I tried to get hair cut but they had no room apparntly even though there was no one there. I guess I will have to find somewhere else tomorrow or the day after. I heard yesterday that the weather was going to be nice but it has been frequent heavy showers today so I guess that forecast was wrong which was the same this morning hop

Its all change today I have a new broadband supplier now as BT were a bit of a pain and too expensive.  The new one was easy to set up so we are off. I also have new furniture in the bedroom which has made it possible for me to tidy the place up a bit and not have clothes around the place all the time.  The delivery was a bit early but that was no problem they were kind enough to help me carry the chest or drawers to the bedroom.  The room seems a lot bigger now which is quite nice as its a bit pokey at the best of times I have decided I would like to go to the rally gb tomorrow but the entry fee is a bit steap especially if I can't see anything which is quite probably with my eyesight I have had a suggestion that I should go to another vantage point but I am not too sure as it might be even further away its a bit of risk I have had some advice about the venue and tried to phone around a bit to get some more but I have not thus far managed to connect with anyone the line is bus

The shite chest of drawer in my bedroom has fallen apart once too often.  I bought it a few weeks ago and had someone who I thought knew what they were doing put it together for me.  It seemed to be ok for a couple of hours then the front of the of one  of the drawers came off, I put it back and moved the drawer to a position where I thought I used less to the bottom really and I thought the ones that were ok would last. I have been using for a couple of weeks but not too comfortable with the thing I have been anxious about the way I use it it sti smells new and look good but is really just a pile of shite. I did not pay a lot for it and I guess the old saying goes you buy cheap and you buy twice.   The other day it came apart again and this time I used some glue to put it back together and had some bricks to make sure the glue stick ed down. I replaced the the drawer the next day thinking I had sorted the problem on that drawer anyway I moved them about again so the ones which

Another dull and boring Sunday is nearly over I did not venture out too far I had planned to go for a walk but it never happened.  It wa a crap night in the pub again I need to do something else which the theme of my life right not I now I need a change I think regarding most things in my life.  Maybe I will go to Hereford again for a weekend. I am still struggling to get the audio newspaper sorted there has been no feedback as yet regarding it..  I think that manhole cover has started to bang again I have heard it afew times recently I wish they would fix the thing once and for all not this yearly thing its stupid really.  If I could sleep somewhere else in the house I would but is not that easy maybe I need to find somewhere else to live but i guess I could end up worse off. I like this new phone the screen if bigger so the writing is bigger and therefore easier for me see I am not too sure about getting  a cover I guess it would keep the screen clean anyway.

The deluge seems to have ceased for the moment well this afternoon  anyway. I had a wasted journey down to Pwllheli today to get my phone camera fixed they couldn't do it which was annoyng as I had to hang around for 3 hours for me to find out that, they couldn't fit the camera into the phone without me incurring another 50 quid cost which is pointless as I can get a new for the same price.  I am not too sure what to do about getting a phone with a camera now The day started off badly as the physio dept at the local hospital cancelled my appointment for today due to illness and I have haed to rearrange it for next thursday which is ironic as I go swimming on thursday which helps with the back problem I am seeing the physio with in the first place.  I may go to the appointment I will see how it goes next week.  I should probably get new mattress but I am spending a lot on bills at the moment so it might have to wait I also had to deal with a stroppy receptionist at the cartr

Its an absolute deluge here today not seen rain this heavy for a long time and so persistant the place will drowned out in the morning.  I was suppose to go for an appointment this afternoon but the rain was too heavy so I cancelled which is a bit bad as the person had come some way. I have sorted the twitter debarcle anyway the account is active again after all the fuss yesterday, they sent me an email to confirm this. I went for a swim this morning to try to help with this bad back I have it seems to have worked and I have a physio appointment tomorrow which is meant to deal with a hip problem which comeas and go but I hope they will let me be seen regarding my back as my hip is ok at the moment. I will have to see how things are in the morning I guess.

Twitter is officially a moron it has blocked my account for a stupid reason.  I put in the date birth as for 6 years ago as that is the age of the business it has blocked the account as it has to be 13, well hopefully it will one day.  It is plainly obvious to any fool that it is not a 13 year old's account and anyway an under 13 would not their date of birth there in the first place.  It is a lot of hastle getting them to understand this I need to send some ID I guess I could send any ID as anyone could the system is pathetic and does nothing for anyone except cause trouble for people.  I have sent them a passport pic which has been a real hastle to get as my camera on the phone has broken so I have used the laptop camera hopefully this is the end of the stupid matter. There was anther power cut today due to the strong wind I guess so I went on the bus as I was not going to sit around here all day waiting for it come back when I did come back about 2 it had returned which game

Now I get free travel due to the disability I have free travel on the bus and on some train routes round here, but I do moan sometimes about the lack of lifts I get these days in relation to the past I don't know if that is to do with the attitude or maybe I am not such an attractive pick up these days who knows. Yesterday I was offered two lifts and for some unknown reason I turned them both down well the only reason I can think of is that I was being daft as the reason I gave myself for doing it were not really any good as I could have done the things that I wanted to today and also if I had accepted the lift I would not have had to go on the bus full of school kids which I am sure is illegal,  illegal to have so many of them in the bus they fill the thing up. I guess there is a consolation to this the fact that I got the book ordered and the bill paid, I guess it will be a long time before I get offered a lift home.. Well its very grey outside to I am playing some what is

Its been a week now since I have had this back ache it has kept me awake a few nights but has improved in that regard over the last tow nights.  I have used painkillers and some ice packs which help a bit and some exercise and this morning I went for swim which hopefully I will feel the benefit of tomorrow. I am not sure whether to buy a new mattress or not and I guess I have good excuse to do it today as its my birthday. I have read the paper today and can't believe how much the long serving bus company has been defrauding the council not sure how they though they would not get caught eventully I guess they got greedy and the end was nye for them. I see some folk are going abroad for a holiday it would be niceo have a few days in the sun away from here a change of scenery would be good but it takes such a long time to organise and I can't decide where to go which does not help I guess. This getting old thing is not funny can't believe I will be marking anther bi

It was a horrible day when I got up today the rain was coming down in stair rods and it lasted like that until lunch time really but it has improved in the last few hours which is a bit of a surprise as it looked to me it was here for the day an all day soaker as I call them.  But the sun did make an appearance it usually does rain when the No6 festival it on round here I am not surprised that they are stopping doing it as it seems to be a washout most years/ I was introduced to the arriva bus app today on which you can track the progress of the bus which should help in the relation to the weather as it is now possible to time my walk to the bus stop and not hang around in the wet for a while like I have been doing for the last few years or so I was wondering if it was possible and see that it is, which should lessen the hanging around and wondering it the bus has gone or not. I can't say the same about the google podcast app which is a bit ofa flop as it crashes every time I o

I had a nice walk on Monday with a group of people this walk takes place most August bank holidays and is arranged by the same person he also does a xmas walk and an easter one.  This one went from Nanmor to Betws y coed.  The first day of the walk involved walking from Nanmor to Tanygrisiau, which was mainly uphill and through some quarries the second day was from Tanygrisiau to Penmachno but was cancelled due to the bad weather predicted on that day.  The third day which was the best I reckon was from Penmachno to Betws y coed and had a bit of an uphill bit but it was mainly downhill and was very pleasent. Due to health issues I have not been able to do more than a day recently but managed two this time which was good.  It would be nice if I was able to go on more long walks really and not just every three months but due to factors at the moment it does not seem possible. Walking is such a release from the stresses of thingsand its great to get away for the day or even for a few ho

I seem to have this belly pain a lot more these days and I went to the chemist yesterday to check the medicines I am taking I was asked in, the chemist told me that the tablets I take are for a specific symptom the cramps and not the other pain the burning which is the the one I get most of, I wish I had known that before as I kept going off the pills as they were not doing anything for the burning pain and I guess the cramps were coming back I think I should have been told this but I feel that they are not taking my situation seriously anyway I have felt this for a while.   I had cramp pain today but it is now burning pain and it does not look like I will be able to go next week to the reunion at this rate as the burning pain is a bit easier to handle but its still miserable. O don't have a medical appointment until the week after. Like I said I think it would have been better if the doctors had told me the pills were specifically for the cramp and not the burning I could have

I went to try and get my guitar fixed today as the strings are bit loose.  I went to Bangor it was a horrible journey and I was in pain anyway,  I got to the shop and was gutted to hear the guy was off I was going to come back with the guitar so asked if I could keep the guitar there and tell the guy over the phone tomorrow. I had a long boring journey back and will have to go and get my guitar at some point this week again hopefully pain free.

I have been trying for the last few months to improve the quality of the talking newspaper round here by introducing digital recording into the process which has been done for years on a tape recorder by the local women's groups around the area.  People get a tape every month with the local paper the Llafar Bro in Welsh on it.  I have suggested that it should be done a CD so the quality would clearer than it is on tape I understand you can still get a good quality recording tape but its not as cheap I don't think. When people get older its not just their eyesight that goes but alos their hearing so if the quality can be improved which I think it wi on CD then it is better for the people who have lost their sight they will get more out of it, Most seem to agree but the process is very slow the local blind society has agreed to do the recording and distrebute it the ladies clubs are a bit reticent to get on with it due to the fear of change I guess it feels like I am trying t

The weather is a lot better today than it was yesterday anyway it was vile it rained all day its dry today, if a bit cloudy it gets on my nerves when everywhere else seems to be getting a good weather while over 7 inches of rain has fallen here in the last week.  There is nothing I can do about the weather except moan like I am doing now or go somewhere else I guess. I am suppose to be playing some music with a few friends in this all day charity gig tomorrow, there have been a few problems getting sorted as folk can't make it or just have been a bit non plused about it all   Its not easy standing in front of folk playing music though its a bit easier now than it was and its easier if there are other people there with you so you can get lost in the crowd so t speak.  I think its a 60s do I am not sure if the folk will be dressed up or not I guess I will have to wait and find out I will not be making that effort anyway. The summer is nearly gone it has been nice for most of it f

The bus service round here is getting worse this morning the bus I wanted had gone early which is absolutely useless and this afternoon it was really late and I gave up so did not get to where I wanted to, it was not important I guess but it would have been nice to have got there I guess I will try again tomorrow.   Maybe I should probably move where I am not so reliant on poor public  transport. I had a chat with someone about this reunion and how the college were the best days of my life which I guess is a saying school or college are the best days of your life but in my case it was the only place I was happy and its bit depressing to think that is the only amount of happiness that I am going to get in my life which it might me as we all know how unfair life can be and how random it is and how short it is which I probably a good thing in the end.  Maybe there is another life where one feels a bit lighter and not so heavy all the time who knows I guess I will have to wait and see I

Well the accommodation is sorted for the reunion weekend, it will be in the old halls of residence at the college.  I am glad that no deposit was taken and therefore there is less pressure on me to go if I am not feeling too good due to the pain I have at the moment.  It will be interesting to see these people after 30 years though I have seen some of them in the 30 yrs.  I hope the weather is nice too which will add to the occasion I guess we shall just have to wait and see. I have been trying to get hold of friend to see if he still want to go I get the impression he has gone a cold on the idea oh well I shall just have to wait and see about that too.

I am still having problems with the DWP but maybe not as much as other folk who seem to be being compelled to work for they meagre job seekers allowance compelled to work for nothing so they are being exploited by companies in the name of work experience.  Work experience is a good thing if it helps someone find a job and it gives people the flexibility of trying things out but claiments should not be made to work for their benefits.  Its hard enough being on benefits never mind being exploited by the government and companies I probably need to find out more about this racket before I can tell people who are on it to seek more advice.  The people who I know who are on it are probably a bit naive and I would hate to think they are being taken advantage of by the DWP. No one turned up for the foodbank again I guess it will be like that for the rest of the summer I need to find alternative voluntary work really its not that easy it seems

I went for a nice swim in a lake about a mile away above the village yesterday its nice to be able to have a whole lake to yourself though the bottom of this lake is a bit muddy really and so it best to only just swim in the water and not try to stand in it though its not that deep and its easy to touch the bottom.   There use to be a golf course there and the lake is apparently full of golf balls but I did not go and look for them really I did not swim that far out really. I had a bit of wasted journey today to the opticians they were running half an hour late so I could not get the appointment as I did  not want to miss the bus as I was a bit uncomfortable again and did not fancy hanging around Dolgellau for two hours as there is a not a lot of things going on there.  Sesiwn fawr is on this weekendc but it had not started when I was there. I am being messed about by the dwp again they said I was going to have a medical thingy on monday then rang to cancel a couple of hours later

Its another warm day and long may they last though some say its only for another couple of weeks, I guess we shall have to just wait and see its a bit more sticky than it was a few weeks and not so sunny today a bit more cloud in the sky but still very nice. I have just come home from the next town the bus was not as full as usual for some reason nowhere near as full really and I don't know why really. The school has a lot less children in it that the time I was there I wonder if they are more successful now that classes are smaller.  If the trend in the number of kids lessening the school will be shut in 40 years time I guess they will have to go somewhere else then.. I have ordered a piece of flat pack furniture I am wondering whether to have a go at it myself or give someone else a go in doing it this will cost of course but I guess it could save me money as I will probably botch it up.  I am really hoping that england are knocked out of the world cup on wednesday if they wi

The fine weather is still with us its just a shame I am not feeling fine today feeling a bit bloated maybe its due to the gassy drinking I did last night who knows. I feel sorry for folk who have booked their holiday to go abroad, they will be leaving one hot country just to go another and paying for it.  I guess if you book a holiday you have to go or you will lose the money I suppose I don't know its been a while since I have been anywhere really though I did get a reminder last night of the last place I went on holiday to and that was philadelphia it is 20 year4s ago now the time has gone quick the reminder came in the form of the Rocky film which was on the telly last night.  Rocky well a lot of it was filmed in philadelphia PA the steps where rocky ran up is the steps for the museum of art there which I visit while there.  I also came across another famous steps in philly the step in trading places, I guess there are thousands of land marks in the US related to the film ind

Another fine day here the sun is shinning bright and I think it will be warmer here today.  This time 4 years ago I spent a lot of time on this sofa. It is the sofa that was in the halls of residence when I was at college four years ago they were good days really.  I am hopefully going back there for a weekend soon as there is a reunion there I have not sorted out any accommodation as yet its not that easy really and I guess a lot can happen between now and then so I guess I will hold off for while especially with the way that my health has been going on recently. I am going to a course on tuesday to help me with my health and its appropriate that its at the local hospital I guess. I was sat on the above sofa watching the world cup which a friend said would be won by a germany he was right I was wrong I can't remember who I picked.  I think Spain or Belgium will win it this time though Germany might get there act together now and do well.

I had a nice walk yesterday around the ranges as I use to call it, it is an old firing range near trawsfynydd its where the army tested out their guns and trained people to be soldiers from the beginning of the 20th century up until the 50s.  It was introduced as an antidote to the new way of fighting that being gurilla warefare. It rained most of the day yesterday it is a shame we never went today as it is very nice today and apparently we are in for a nice few days.  I had a doctors appointment today, on my way home yesterday they were doing a lot road works outside the village and it meant that there was a waiting period of 2 minutes plus so today I took the earlier but thinking in it would be the same today it wasn't they had finished the work and we went straight through so I got to the place where the doctor was an hour sooner so I had a long time to kill, it was dry so I guess it was ok.  I really wanted to go swimming today but this doctors appointment stopped that it get

Another long boring sunday is nearly over thank heavens Sundays are real drag and have been for a few years now I know am not the only who feels like this but it might be something to do with my situation I guess if I had something to do in the week they might not be so bad and I would appreciate the time off I guess. It is not so sunny today well it was this morning but it has been raining this afternoon and is grey now I guess all good things come to an end and the fine weather which I reckon has been the best for many years is nearly coming to an end I suppose. I guess it it rains after thursday it will be ok as I will have the world cup to watch its just a shame Wales is not in it but I am used to that now as they have not qualified in my life time. I got this app yesterday it recognises bird apparently bird song if you record what is going on around you, it has come up with some names but I have no idea which ones it recorgnises and which one it doesn't I think the main bi

I have just finished reading a book called Trafficked Girl by Zoe patterson and someone else, I am not sure how to spell trafficked correctly if it has a k in it or not.  Anyway this book is the most harrowing I have ever read it has explicit detail of how the person who wrote this book was abused and by mainly Aisan men in the midlands from the age of 13 after she went into care.  She ended up in care due to the abuse she received from her mother mainly by also her brothers. This book is unreal really hard to believe that such things could go on in modern day Britain.  I say I read the book I actually listened to it on audiobook, it was a touch listen at the beginning and I got really angry. This book shows the police and the social services in the midlands in a bad light to say the least but I guess that does not matter what matters is that a young girl's life has been destroyed by total and utter incompetance by the agencies who were suppose to take care of her.  I nearly stop

I watched a strange programme on the telly last night on channel 5 it was about men who gave their sperm for free to women who wanted to have children but did not want to have a relationship with a man just wanted the baby.  It was called 4 men and something like 124 babies.  The whole thing was outside the regulated sperm donation procedure though I am not sure the fact that its regulated makes much difference to what is going on. Men are still sperm doners and are not going to be the father of the baby I mean they will have fullfillied their roll and that will be that.  Some guy in his 60s had load of children, but was not going to take any part in their lives which I guess would be my main issue.  I would want to know what sort of life the children I had fathered would be going to have. I guess sperm donation is a nice thing if you don't want the man involved but about when the child wants to know or find their father.  It is a mine field I guess and people can get hurt.  thes

I was nearly in crash today I say nearly as the bus I was in managed to slam the brakes on before it happened though everyone went flying forward.  This happened near the crossing of that ffestiniog railway thing in Porthmadog the driver in front of the bus slamed their brakes on so the bus had to do the same, I don't know if the person didn't see the lights or maybe the alrrm for the train did not go off soon enough to give the car a chance to stopslowly anwyway it was not a nice experience worse for the lady in front I guess as she went flying on her front to the floor. I got off the above bus and got the next one home which was half an hour late which is ok as it is a lovely day and I could sit in the sun anyway and there is not hurry to come back here really. I have contacted the dwp again just in case that some letter has got lost or something I do not fancy trying to reinstall the benefit anyway there was not a lot forthcoming  so I have to wait for a phone call this

It seems for the first time in god knows how long of paying rent I have paid too much it is not my fault the woman in the post office must have misheard me and its not possible to the screen where the card goes in sometimes.  It is not hardship I guess I will just pay less next time which is not far away as usual. It is Saturday again I use to like Saturdays but not as much anymore I am not sure why I guess as its a struggle to find things to do which is a bit sad really I suppose.  I see in Ireland they are voting to get abortions legally I agree with the abortion law but not in all cases especailly when there is not good reason to have an abortion besides the two people have been careless I am not too happy with the fact that woman even though its her body has complete control it seems over the desicion to have the abortion its a complecated issue and not easy to resolve but the man it basically powerless if the woman wants to have the abortion and this could impact the man's

It is not so sunny today weather wise but they say there is more on the way we shall see. I went for a swim this morning to the local leisure centre expecting it to be busy with the usual thursday morning crown but to my surprise I was wrong it was empty so had the pool all to myself for most of the hour and it gave me chance exercise this stiff shoulder I have.  I also while I was there had a bit of chat with a girl well she is not girl now who was at school with me she works in the library there. After lunch I went to get a perscription to the next town for my stomach and some bits and bobs from the coop it has been damp tis after noon I tried to apply for a job but it need a password which I could not get right so I gave up as it was too frustrating. I got letter from the company I used to work for and they want me to send them a signed copy of something I haven't done any work for them for years so I chucked it in the bin. I came across this website today called www.dewis.w

Today was another episode with the bus ticket machine as I decided to go and do some shopping.  On the way down I managed to hear the bus beep but not see it as the sun was too bright though it is nice to have the sun out these days a change from the dreay rain we usually have round here. Catching the bus back I saw the light go off on the bus thing and heard it too I guess it depends on the bus that is being used in relation to how much success I have this has developed into a bit of a game now. I have started to listen to Mike Brace's second book I read the first one and it was amusing especially the episodes where his blindness has got him into awkward situations due to his sight loss.   In this book he comes over a bit full of himself confidence is good but this is just too much of being full of oneself it is quite amusing at times though and I guess I will carry on with it as its quite easy to follow. The tinnitus I suffer with is really vile today and is hard work hope

It is not so sunny today but it is still dry and that is the main thing really the rain is a bit boring much like most sundays which can be a bit of a drag really. I took the bus yesterday after the chat I had with the bus company man the day before and confirmed the light on the ticket machine seems to go out when the pass is put in which clarify's the situation a bit little bit. I need to do something a bit different on a Saturday night as where I am now going is a bit boring its the same old thing all the time maybe I can take the bus somewhere else try another pub just break the routine I guess as it can get a bit samey if I carry on like this I have another week before then anyway and apparently the weather is going to be nice for the next week which will make it easier to got out as long as I am not in much pain.  This pain is really perplexing and is hard to get to the bottom of what is causing it. I was a bit dissappointed in the result of the boxing last night but I

I decided to attend a display of technical equipment for people who have a disability today it was in Llandudno and it was quite interesting really I didn't find anything that would help with being able to see some kind of print better but I managed to sort out a couple of other things. I gather its possible to get a screen reader that reads Welsh at a price which is a shame as there are free ones on the net that read English but there are no free ones on the net that read Welsh. I have also been having problems with the buses regarding the ticket machine which is difficult to hear at times and the guy in the exhibition understood my plight and said its the fault of the old machines that they have, my problem is regarding the noise it makes when putting my pass on it sometimes the noise it difficult to hear and the light is also difficult to see.  They are going to get new machines in the future it seams but I guess we will have to struggle on for while I suggested the machines h

This post is about a drug I came across on tv programme a drug I had not heard about for about 20 years that drug being Largactil.  I recently came across it while watching a tv program about Strangeways where it was called the liquid cosh by the inmates as it was used there to calm them down if they played up.  Largactil is a sedative really but has serious side effects so I was really shocked to hear that it was used by the guards to knock inmates out and was surprised that they were allowed to give to inmates in injection form, I first came across Largactil in the 1980s when I worked in a well to do care home for the elderly in Kew Gardens for a few weeks one summer.  Some of the residents had dementia and maybe have been a bit difficult at times so Largactil was given to them to calm them down it was given in liquid form and it did the job I guess it was used in the same manner as the liquid cosh which might have some justification in a prison but not in an elderly people's

Chelsea FC ended a dreadful season in the English premier league yesterday with a humiliationg defeat by Newcastle United at they home ground.  It has been an awful season like I say being defeated by mediocre teams all through the season and in the end not qualfiying for the champions league its worse as last season was good.  The club has taken a massive step backwards they could not replace Diego Costa Morata has been awful and hopefully will move on and the goal keeper is rubbish too.  It makes even harder to stomach such a crap season as ex players have fourished at other clubs.  Also so Chelsea have finished 30 points behind big spending Man city I don't understand how the manger is still there mangers have been sacked for less the owner must be getting soft in his old age or something or is not as interested as he might have been years which is ominous for Chelsea fans as he might go. Next season will be boring as there is no Champions league football only that crap europa

Last night while taking my glasses off a screw fell out of them and they came apart so I decided this morning to go and get them fixed I was going to go to the opticians there, they do it for nothing its a service they provide you don't get much for nothing these days but you can have a screw replaced in your glasses if one comes out.  I looked on the internet to see which one was open and it said that the Rook one was open until one this afternoon so off I went on the bus.  When I got there though it was shut so I had been given a load of crap by google maybe the information is out of date anyway I had a wasted journey. While I was there I got a couple of things that I needed and then got the bus back it was a nice day so I guess it was not that bad, I had not planned to go again to Porthmadog though and being a bit in pain it was a bit of an inconvenience next time I will ring I guess just in case its a load of crap again.

Apparently the Curlew or in Welsh Y Gyflinir nesting population in North Wales is down 80 percent on the last 20 years and if it carries on there will be none left here quite soon and what a shame it would be not to be able to hear that distinctive call. Y Gyflinir - R Williams Parry Dy alwad glywir hanner dydd Fel ffliwt hyfrydlais uwch y rhos Fel chwiban bugail a fo gudd Dy alwad glywir hanner nos Nes clywir, pan ddwys a dy swn Cyfarth dy anweledig gwn Dy braidd yw'r moel gymylau maith A'th barod gwn yw'r pedwar gwynt Gorlanna'th ddiadelloedd llaith I'w gwasgar eilwaith ar eu hynt Yn yrr ddioffwys, laes ddifref Hyd lynfnion hafodlasau'r ne If you want to help contact Curlew Cymru telling where you might have seen a nest.  Maybe there would not be a welsh word for the curlew today as its quite rare and maybe would have not been given a name perhaps and the poetry would not have been written about it.  Apparently its foxes and sl

I see there is a charity now that deals with people who have been abused as children its called NAPAC not sure what the acronym is short for I am surprised one has appeared now or recently and wondering why now as child abuse has been going on a very long time as still going on and it will keep going on I assume while there are children as whatever exists in world humans will find a way of abusing it it is the worst part of the human condition I guess.  I was aware of charities that help folk who have been sexually abused but not the physical type or mental type of abuse I guess abuse is abuse however its done it still has a massive impact on the lives of people who have been subjected to it, it can severe outcomes for the survivors of the abuse.  I think there are myths about abuse or anxieties that people who have been abuse have the fact that they think if they have children they will subject their children to abuse and I guess can back fire a bit and they can let their children get

I'm sure its about time it warmed up and that I can stop using the central heating.  This winter seems to be going on and on and I will get another massive gas bill from those robbing utility companies. This 2 days after going to see the manic street preachers in Llandudno which was  good night I guess except for the noise of the concert which was a bit loud on which I  commented on on twitter and The Coral retweeted my observation I also had a message from the recording studio which did the sound naming the engineer who was doing the sound at the venue.  I think I will invest in a pair of decent earplugs if I ever go again to see a concert like that really as its not worth the risk my ears are stil ringing really from the other night and I already have some hearing lose apparently but I will have to check that out again soon I will have to go to the hearing clinic but from my experience it does seem like I do have some loss what can be done I don't know a friend helped me ou

I had a chat with someone this morning who is blind and he was talking about how difficult the new 10 pound notes can be to manage they are a lot more springy and slippery than the old ones and they are apparently pretty simillar to receipts and it can be tempting to throw them away.  So I guess if you want free money you had better stand behind a blind person and wait for the handour which has a good chance of coming your way.  I guess the best thing is to avoid money and just use cards I guess which is what I do.  I was listening to program on radio 4 about how the banks have made it a lot more diffcult for blind people to access their bank accounts online now they use to fine apparently but they have changed now. The only problem I get with bank related stuff is reading the screen of the cash machine the writing can is small and can dissappear in a the middle of all the other rubbish that's on the screen so I just have to hit and hope sometimes a lot of them are ok though.

If I had listened to the weather forecast I would not have stepped out of the house today, they talk a lot of rubbish those weather forecast people.  In fact its been an ok day except that its a bit cold I guess for this time of year but its mainly dry and I was able to get some chores done outside. The cd drive on this computer did not seem to be working this morning, well not on one cd anyway it seemed to be oke on the others I tried.  I did think of sending the thing back but it seems to e alright now,  I have had some pain today again it does not want to get lost this affliction I have had for a long time now.

I took delivery of new laptop today as the other one was not working as it had been damaged by me really.  I have had a few laptops in my time and hate the bit where it starts and you have to create an account.  I don't like the fact that you have to create a passoword as I don't want to be having to put that in all the time. Luckily this time I came across the local account option where you leave the passoword bit clear and then you don't need the passoword. I also took delivery of a new landline phone today it had was French it had all the connections for a french phone I assume as it there was no word of English on the instructions  all I did was use the connectons on the old phone and it seems to work I just hoep its ok.  I am a bit peaved by someone who came round yesterday to do some work and started to wonder around the house without asking me and got his camera out also to take pics without asking which I thought was rude and told him so too. I guess that&#

I bought this fish last week well I got conned into buying it really, anyway it stinks the fridge out.  Every time I come across smelly fish it reminds me an unfortionate episode with a certain young lady.  I shared a house with this young lady and she had a boyfriend and they were very active in bedroom as you are at that age I guess.  One day I went to Leicester with her for a day out or something I can't really remember anyway we decided to have lunch and we went into this department store it was hot day I remember standing by the counter and thinking what is that horrible fish smell which I actually blurted out and then it dawned on me what I had said I was very embarrassed but I guess she could have gone near a bar or soap that day and it would have made things a bit easier. It was not easy living in that house I remember I was next door to a mill and the press started up at 6.30 am every day I doubt they would be allowed to get away with that these days due to regulation

The weather has turned nasty again today the short lived summer has gone again and we are back to the default setting of wind and rain which is the normal weather for here.  I have broken another laptop due to my impatience with computers which raises its ugly head now and again and then ends up costing me money.  It was already broken from a time before this morning was the last straw I guess as it was not working and due to me having broken the screen a while a go I could not see to repair it at all.  I have this one laptop now which I use for making music with but I will need another one for the other things I do on the internet I listened to a podcast the other day an young man was being interviewed about what its like to be visually impaired, in the interview he began to go on about the bullying he had or was still suffering the people who were interviewing seemed to be ignoring the issue which I thought was a bit off.  I emailed them about this the interviewers that is and they

I came home earlier and put the telly on after a while I could not hear the telly and went to to have a look and see why, it was off.  I checked the other electrical things and found that there was a power cut. I had had a power cut the other day but that was only in the kitchen and I have not found out what caused it yet.  I had used the kettle after coming home and thought maybe that's what was causing it but obviously this time the whole house was off. I thought maybe I should ring Manweb using the mobile phone but that was not working and I found out that the data thing had run out. I also could not remember the directory enquiries numbre I usually ring,I put in some more credit and was able to ring the eletric people who informed me with a message that the power was off. I had been out to have a look to see if anyone could tell me anything but as is the case with this place these days there is no one around its absolutely dead here now.  I was informed that it would be back

I have spent many years in this village I was brought up here, the other day I walked passed the street where I grew up and next door to me was house where no one lived someone would be there once year at most.  Since this once a year person has died the house has been completely empty so no has really lived in that house for as long as I have been alive which I think is a waste as it would make a nice home for someone that house has not been a home since for a long time.  I guess it says a lot about the people who actually own the place about their attitude to people having home this attitude to me would suggest selfishness of the highest order or just a resentment of other people maybe or maybe they are people who don't really understand what they have.  I know the family who own the house.   I wonder what is the longest time that a home has gone unoccupied anywhere somewhere that could be habitable I mean not somewhere which is not like some derelict house.  It would be int

Well the weather has improved a lot recently not so cold anymore and not so wet.  I managed to get a swim yesterday the pool was empty and I mean empty as the folk who are there usually are on holiday, they will be back next week I will have to find another way down there I guess as that bus is shit. I am trying to learn another music software at the moment that is sonar as it has been given away for free its very frustrating as the commands I use on the Studio one I use do not work on this sonar thing also the videos on youtube are not so clear really and it can be a pain to find out what I need. I have been following lately on facebook what has been going on in the 1980s group the folk who were at college with me a long time ago and there seems to be a lot who have passed away I think the number is above average for a community as the people who were at college with me had other problems The college was a specialist college for people with sight problems but in the fact they went

I did something I have not done for while today I went on a walk with a group of people around the Bangor area it was very nice the weather was fine and the people were fine I had the usual pain in the stomach again I have no idea what causes this pain.  It was a good day and hopefully I will sleep ok tonight.  I am down to go tomorrow though I am not too sure its a bit of a treck there and back and tomorrow is going to be a longer walk and I have not been walking for a while but what's the alternative I guess.  I will just have to wait and see how I feel, the walk was along the llwybur llechi though it should be called llwybur mwd or mud as it was very muddy in places.

I have just spent a few weeks with some long term patients of the Welsh NHS who have conditions such as diabetes and arthritis and ones waiting for operations, I am a dissappointed how disillusioned a lot of them are with service and lack of care they receive really. One chap who is expecting a knee replacement received a letter telling him he would have to wait a bit longer for his new knee and then a question at the bottom asking if he still wanted the operation well I would have thought that was not down to him but to the people who are supposed to care for him he would have got some advice about whether to have the op or not and they would have advised due to the fact that they are were suppose to care for him to have it he was not through the option the have the operation just because he could think of anything better to do with his time.   It should have been his specialist who should have been asked about the situation it just shows a lack of compasion to me and it seems the h