Notes from sunny Tresaith

Got a chance to catch up with some notes for the blog this past weekend whilst enjoying the sunshine at our caravan down west at Gwalia Falls. Spent the weekend just chilling out on the decking and trying not to fall over the dog-shaped speedbump.

Its just two hours but a million miles from Pontypridd.

Baby Notes

Cath went to the GP surgery this week and we got to listen to the baby-to-be’s heartbeat for the first time. Cath’s now 16 weeks in, and so far, so good.

Rugby Notes

Oh dear. I managed to see the highlights of the England v Wales ‘World Cup warm-up’.

Wales were a complete shambles, going down 62-5, and from what I saw I’m not sure they deserved their 5. A complete lack of ball, stemming from an inability to win any line-outs, meant that much of the 80 minutes was spent defending. And the enormous English pack did the rest. It consistently looked like men against boys.

Worryingly, if James Hook or Stephen Jones had been playing, the outcome would not have been any different. It’s well understood that Wales can’t take on some of the bigger nations up front, but we have to be able to win some of our own ball. Ruddock’s team knew this; it’s a shame that Gareth Jenkins can’t understand it.

It looks like its going to be a short World Cup. That said, expectations have been managed downwards to such an extent that getting to the quarter-finals is now being seen as a great achievement. That means that they have to beat Canada, Fiji and Japan and lose to Australia and either England or South Africa. Sounds about right.

Anyway, the Rugby World Cup kicks off on 7 September with the final on 20 October. All the details can be found here.

Soccer Notes

Elano, Garrido, Corluka, Bojinov, Bianchi, Petrov, Geovanni and Fernandes. What do these names have in common? Yes, they’re the close season (i.e. last week’s) signings by Manchester City. Basically, soccer is full of players you’re never heard of making up the numbers whilst Manchester United and Chelsea win all the silverware again.

It’s the first week of August and summer is just about starting, so that means that its time for the return of the winter game. Just a bit ‘early doors’ if you ask me.

Website of the week

Separated by a Common Language is a blog which points out some of the differences between American English and British English. I’ll need to read up in preparation for my trip to our brother’s in Massachusetts next month.

On by first trip to Boston, I was in the crowd at a Boston Celtics and fell into conversation with the guy next to me. “Some how long are you in town?” he asked. “A fortnight” I replied. There was a pause… “And how long is that?” After I explained he commented “I’d better brush up on my Shakespeare!”