Happy birthday

It’s the 40th birthday of TCMS (the current Mrs Smith), otherwise known as Amanda. To celebrate here’s a picture from a few years ago - she’s on the right. Tesco driver Gary is on the left, getting in some early practice.

Blood donation notes

Gave my armful on Wednesday. To quote Tony Hancock’s blood donor sketch further: “As I was lying on the bed, the nurse held the needle and said “you’ll feel a bit of a prick.” Well, I did feel a bit foolish.”

That’s 20 donations now. If I read the rules properly, that now qualifies me for executive club status with the Welsh Ambulance Service.

Travel Notes

1. Did I miss the new law that says that it’s now OK for everyone under the age of 25 to drive without a seatbelt?

2. The launch of a driving skills refresher course in Wales is a start, but doesn’t go far enough. Re-tests should be made compulsory, every five years or so.

We have MoT tests for cars – every year once they are over three years old, but a one-off test for drivers is all that’s required. Clearly the vast majority of drivers learnt to drive before things like indicators and roundabouts were invented, because no bugger knows how to use them. Here’s a quick refresher.

IT Notes

Now that I’ve got an iPod, I wanted to download some of my CD collection onto iTunes. The CD drive on my laptop then proceeded to pack up. So I’ve just had it fixed by a University of Glamorgan IT student-y person; he even collected and delivered. He was very good though, and cheap too. Here’s a link.

Thought for the day

Time flies like an arrow,
Fruit flies like a banana.

Squirrel Notes

Where do squirrels live? The internet, http://www.squirrels.org/, tells me that they build nests called dreys, which are made of twigs and leaves. The interior is lined with fur, feather or other soft material for comfort, and they’re built high in a tree between two strong branches.

The ridiculously mild winter continues apace, which means that there has been no need for the squirrels to come foraging into our garden. There were plenty of squirrels to be seen in Ponty Park this morning, collecting up the debris from yesterday’s storms. Judging by the pace that the squirrels were working at, they’re constructing a condo somewhere high up in the trees.

Cricket Notes

Glamorgan have announced the return of first class cricket to Abergavenny for the 2007 season. They will take on Leicestershire in a four day game starting on 25 July.

I’ll be there for at least one of the days, remembering times of the flat-track bully Graeme Hick caning Glamorgan’s attack to all parts of the ground/town, and also one of Beaufort cricket’s finest moments when we knocked off Abergavenny in a 20-over cup game. DJL took the catch off Robbo’s bowling with the last ball to win the match.

No news yet on whether Glamorgan will return to Ebbw Vale for a one-day game; there are still a few venues to be agreed.