Shopping Notes

Finally got a chance to spend a little time at the new St Davids 2 shopping centre in Cardiff. Its an enormous extension to the existing shopping centre covering the area that used to be home to Toys R Us, the Library and the Ice Rink. Its now a development to rival Birmingham’s Bullring or Liverpool One.

Whilst not all of the shops and eateries are not open yet, it was very busy. Recession, what recession?

Cricket Notes

Sad to read in yesterday’s Times of the death of former test umpire David Shepherd. He seems to have been a part of cricket for my whole life, as a player with Gloucestershire and then as a test umpire.

The advent of neutral test umpires means that he didn’t appear in the UK in later years, but I remember watching him in action in an England v Australia game, and Ian Botham giving him grief over his superstitious habit of standing on one leg when the score got to 111. A great character and a really good umpire.

Rugby Notes

Ebbw Vale were dismal last weekend against a very average Bedwas team, and duly lost 3-21. Eye Jay’s blog sums it up, “Shapeless, leaderless dross”.

Not expecting much different tomorrow when Ebbw host in-form Llandovery. I’d like to be proved wrong.

Concert Notes

Went to Pontypridd’s Muni Arts Centre on Thursday night to see Slaid Cleaves. I’d heard some of his songs on BBC Radio 2 (usually Bob Harris), so I thought, why not? His strapline on his website is

Slaid Cleaves. Grew up in Maine. Lives in Texas. Writes songs. Makes records. Travels around. Tries to be good.

His music is somewhere in the folk rock, roots, country area. Songs featured came from his new album Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away and his 2000 breakout album Broke Down. Brilliant songs about the working class guy in the vein of Springsteen, a stripped-down set of just two guitars, a laid-back feel and a quality show. A top night out. Come back soon Slaid.

He was supported by Dan Raza, a young English guy who sung some really good songs, but took an eternity to retune between each song. It took the momentum away and tested the patience of the audience. Get a second guitar, dude.

Rugby Notes

Ebbw Vale lost 7-46 at Aberavon this afternoon. I wasn’t there to see it, as I’m currently down at our caravan in Tresaith (isn’t the interweb wonderful, eh?)

So harking back to last Saturday, Ebbw had a great win over heavily-favoured Llanelli, 25-19. A last minute try by fullback Andrew Williams stole it at the death, though we played just about well enough throughout to deserve the win.

Standouts: 20 points from the boot of Gareth Bowen (although he lost composure in the dying minutes with a couple of kicks charged down and he failed to get a key penalty clearance to touch) and back rowers Rhys Williams (pictured bossing a maul, thanks for the pic Gra) and Simon Pengelly.

Good workrate and an improving lineout, but the team seems to be lacking in confidence. Anyway, match report is here.

Blog Notes

So close, but yet…

The result of the Visit Wales blog awards has been announced, and the winner is Dalesman’s Welsh Ramblings, which frankly is a far better effort at selling the beautiful landscapes of Wales (especially North Wales) that this blog could ever do.

That said, I reckon it’s a bit of a one trick pony, and it certainly doesn’t a toddler’s perspective of Wales!

Congrats to Dalesman, aka Brian Sherwin.

University Notes

Shocking news from the University of Glamorgan in the last few days. A first year student was raped at the Treforest halls of residence on Saturday. Police are investigating, and the latest news and a police video clip are here (Western Mail) and here (BBC).

The University has a good reputation as being a friendly community-spirited one, and this incident is all the more shocking for that.

Ava's Diary

The week before last I went with mam and dad for a long weekend at our caravan at Gwalia Falls in Tresaith. The weather was terrific but since all the bigger kids are back in school, everywhere was nice and quiet.

We spent all day Sunday on Tresaith beach, where I had a great time playing with the sand and paddling in the sea. (Lots more pics on Flickr; link on the right hand side.) Needless to say I slept well that night.

Monday was a bit more overcast, so dad took me to Teifi Mania in Cardigan. We had the place to ourselves when we first got there, so I had fun on the slide, jumping into the ball pit, and trying to kick a football into the goals.

Rugby Notes

Ebbw Vale got the result we were all pretty much expecting on Saturday. We got well beaten at Neath. When they’ve got Arwel Thomas and Peter Sidoli on the bench, you realise that the difference in the depth of the squads is substantial.

Anyway a 41-7 defeat could have been worse, but again (trying to be positive) there were some good showings. Wales U-20 back rowers James Thomas and Rhys Jenkins were impressive, a far-from-fit Simon Pengelly made a second half impact, and scrum half Nathan Jones impressed, particularly when moving to full back for the second half. (Thanks to Graham for this top pic of Nathan Jones.)

But its still pretty grim watching. We were only in the game for the third quarter, but that’s simply not good enough. It doesn’t get easier either, with the next two games being Llanelli home and Aberavon away. Yikes.

Match reports are here and here.

Ava's Diary

Dad took me to watch Ebbw Vale play down at Neath yesterday. I enjoyed it, but dad and his friends were less happy.

Today mam and dad took me to Cyfarthfa Castle. We had a nice lunch in the cafe (sausage and beans, since you ask) and then went for a stroll around the grounds. We finished up in the playground, where I went on the swings and the slide. A good day was had by all in the late summer Merthyr sunshine.

Rugby Notes

I’ve been plucking up courage to write about last Friday’s game.

In the end Ebbw Vale came a poor second to Pontypridd. Ebbw lost 3-28, the second successive home tanking this season. And worryingly, Ponty weren’t that good; even their own website called it a ‘workmanlike performance’.

Ebbw defended well and gave a reasonable account of themselves in the first half, and did well to get to half time at 3-3. A revolving door tackle just after half time gave Ponty their first try, and from then on it looked like an uphill battle.

On the plus side, the lineout has improved, and we took some Ponty ball as well. Match report on Ebbw’s website as well as on Ponty’s.

Next up on Saturday is a trip to Neath, where we have done well in recent years. Let’s hope for a first win, eh?

Ava's Diary

Again, I've got a bit of catching up to do. (Dad's not very quick at downloading his pictures from his camera.)

This is me enjoying myself on the beach. You'd think from the cloudless sky that I was in Spain or some other exotic clime. But no. I'm on Aberavon beach. This was the weekend before last.

A good smearing of sun cream means that the sand sticks everywhere!

Music Notes

Last Thursday I went to Pontypridd’s Muni to see aging rock legends Michael Schenker Group. Now, on the whole I’m not a great fan of the old heavy metal scene, but having heard a couple of MSG and UFO albums back in the ‘80s, I thought I’d give it a go.

Good decision. They were supported by local bands Your Local Hero (very young, raw, OK) and Skin (been around, acoustic set, terrific). There were a few songs even I recognised, such as Doctor, Doctor and Rock Bottom, but on the whole it was just great to enjoy some good music from a famous band so close to home.

Good work, Muni. They say more gigs like this are planned; I hope so.

Blog Notes

This humble little blog has got onto the shortlist for the Visit Wales Blog Awards. Its for Ava’s Diary rather than the whole blog. Her journalist skills clearly come from her mam rather than her dad.

Its one of the seven shortlisted to win the Visit Wales Blog Competition. The winner will be announced at the end of the month. The others on the shortlist are:

A Writer’s Journey
Dalesman’s Welsh Ramblings
Goodbye, Mould!
Jazz in Wales
Painting Wales Diary
Welsh Hills Again

Ava's Diary

I’m now in crèche four days a week. I’ve started going on Mondays as well as the usual Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Mam has got lots of work on at the moment, and the short work week meant that she was trying to work and look after me at the same time. And we all know that plan was doomed to fail.

Last week mam had a story in The Times about a day in the life of the fire service, as well as a bunch of stuff in The Guardian.

Anyway, I have a hoot at crèche. Abigail, Bethan and I now rule the Under-2s section, and reek havoc whenever we have the chance. When its sandplay time, I’m the one climbing head first into the sand pit. And dad can tell what I’ve had to eat by the front of my T-shirt!

My favourite pastimes are handing out hugs, and running away when its time to go to bed.

Last weekend mam, dad and me went to stay with nanna and grandpa down in Swansea. Grandpa filled up the paddling pool in the back garden and I splashed furiously. I was asleep by the time grandpa lit the bonfire – or BBQ has he called it: I think the flames have just about subsided by now.

Sunday I went to the beach in Aberavon and enjoyed running into the sea. I was covered in sun cream and sand; nanna reckoned I looked like a big emery board.

Needless to say, I was completely knackered last night and slept until gone 7am. (Thank goodness – Ed.)