The Pagan Summer Camp down Llanmadoc is looming near and I still have so much to do - I have brushed up on my knowledge, including the most recent developments, of Gower’s ancient Pagan monuments so at least I’ll know what I’m talking about when I give my round-the-fire talk.
At the end of my tether re. the poor management in work - so much so that I have now made an official complaint to the union. If the DVhellA want to start capping people’s money if they don’t do enough work then the least they can do is to guage the amount they do accurately. Grrrrrr.
When I came up bed tonight, I was well cheered to see Amber containing her painting of Glastonbry Tor again:
Been a bit of a quiet and busy weekened, if you know what I mean. Didn’t go anywhere, except for the garage late Saturday evening and Tesco Marina mid Sunday afternoon, and chilled in front of the TV watching this year’s Glastonbury Festival (looks like we missed a real treat by not going this year). But whilst I watched the Glastonbury Festival on TV, I was also reading, writing and researching the notoriously misnamed “Red Lady of Paviland.” There have been quite a few developments concerning this character - he’s now 4,000 years older than he was when I last looked and he is now a high ranking Shaman - and Paviland (Goat’s Hole) Cave is now believed to have been regarded by our ancestors as possessing special mystical energies. Very intriguing. Anyway, I worked long on hard on my ”Red Lady of Paviland” article and it’s now online.
Amber spent much of today rearranging the furniture in her bedroom. It is really nice seeing her take responsibilty for her room and she has done a really good job of it too:
Work in the DVhellA is getting madder by the day - now everyone is complaining at the new management rules. It’s getting so ridiculous there that all i can do is laugh at the bosses now.
Out of my birthday money, I ordered the complete set of Goodnight Sweetheart on DVD - 6 whole series for ony around 20 odd squid - a real bargain.
Amber has really taken to her glowing Poi Pois - here she is in action with them:
Another long day in work with another evening passing uber fast.
Popped down my father’s briefly in the evening and started getting ready for next week’s Pagan Summer Camp by collating relevant material for W2G posts on a Pagan theme (which I can also use for my planned leaflet which I want to give out out those attending the event).
I know its the same old NTL beneath the new glossy veneer of the Virgin Media branding, but their service has certainly gone downhill big style since the expensive rebranding. Woke up this morning to find that our internet had been disabled - all we could get was a Virgin Media page telling us they did not like our new router and before they would let us back online we would have to download a patch from the Belkin website - whch they also allowed us to download. Unfortunately, they misidentified our router and ours had no available patch. Both Stella and I talked to the people at the poorly trained Virgin Call Centre but they refused to believe that Virgin had blocked us, despite us reading out the Virgin Media message which confronted us every time we tried to log on. When Stella asked to speak to to someone higher up, they flatly refused. NTL really should have ploughed their excess money into Customer care instead of their new flashy rebranding.
On the way to work/school, Stella stuck on the same CD which helped keep her awake during the drive from our weekend at Stonehenge - an album by the Chemical Brothers. I couldn’t help but laugh at Conor’s expression when he first heard the music. “My God,” he said in shock at what he was listening to. “It sounds like aliens fighting.”
A tough, long day in work but when we got home we were suprised to find our internet working again - perhaps the scumbag Virgin Media actually listened to Stella’s email complaint.
Looks like W2G is slipping fast in the Google rankings, which I thought might happen once I turned it into a blog. I really will have to crack on with thegowerpeninsula.com but I still haven’t had the chance to locate the Dreamweaver disc.
I’ll end today’s post on some brilliant news. The council have agreed to pay Stella her fair dues - she will be made an official offer towards the end of July. Yippeeeee.
Bought a lovely little hammock from Tesco today - only £15 - what a bargain. Although it is obviously meant for outdoor use, Amber has fallen in love with the thing and has taken up semi-permanent residence on it in our living room.
Stella also bought a new wireless router as our old one kept failing and the signal did not reach Amber’s bedroom either.
Spent the early hours of the morning chilling around and in the Stonehenge circle. Great, magickal and timeless atmosphere there - can’t even imagine what the experience would have been like had we actually been able to see the sunrise. Hopefully, we’ll get to experience that particular delight next year.
A Short Video of the Summer Solstice Celebrations:
It only seemed like we had just arrived at Stonehenge when it was time to leave, even though we had spent over eleven hours at the monument - time really does fly when you are enjoying yourself.
Anyway, before we knew it, we were driving away from the site - a little drained to be sure, as well as very wet. Still, we still had enough reserve left in us to pay a quick visit to that favourite town of ours - Glastonbury - before heading back to Swansea.
Arrived in Glastonbury before nine and was shocked to discover that most of the shops there do not even open until 10 a.m. - what a sleepy, laid back town.
Sat out in the Blue Note Cafe garden trying to revive our energy levels with some coffee and then popped in to St. John’s Church where I found lots of the leaftlets advertising the Music and Flower Festival - with my photograph and name on it on display there - what a weird experience that was as well.
St. John’s Church, Glastonbury - Displaying the Flyer with My Pic and Name on It
A Candle We Lit For Our Friend Helen
When the shops eventually openeed, we bought a new window display our bedroom and some illuminated poi pois for Amber (we gave Conor money as he likes to buy online credits for the internet games he loves so much) and some Summer Solstice incense. And then, just like it happened at Stonehenge earlier that day, it was time to leave even though it seemed like we had been in the place for a few moments. I did get some more free Glastonbury spring water from the White Springs though before we said goodbye to good old Glastonbury and made our looooooooooooooooooong trek back to Swansea. What a brilliant but highly exhausting 24 hours. Great stuff.
Day off work as Conor had an inset day. The free time proved useful though to pack our stuff for our Summer Solstice celebration at Stonehenge.
Found this character waiting near our Car as
We Readied Ourselves For the Off
Dropping Amber and Conor round Karen’s for the night, Stella and I headed off in Old Carina - just as the rain began to fall.
Listened to a load of hippie-esque CDs en route to get us in the mood for the Solstice - early Pink Floyd, Jefferson Airplane and Bat for Lashes and the journey went without a hitch.
The National Trust had opened up a couple of huge fields for visitors to park in for the night (all free of charge as well) - which was nice and there was already a long line of people walking the footpath to the distant stones of Stonehenge even though we had arrived only a short while after the makeshift carpark had opened its gates.
The Free Map and Guide Given To Solstice Visitors
Getting Our Stuff from the Car Boot
Strolling Out to the Henge
Me - Taking in the Scene
Joining the throng, we were soon at the site and managed to wander amongst and actually touch the stones for the first time - amazing.
Passing Through the Stones
There really is the world of difference between being able to walk amongst Stonehenge and even sitting down within the megalithic circle and looking up at the stones towering above you and the the limited view of Stonehenge you are restricted to when you visit the monument at every other time of the year. it’s the difference between just seeing the stones and actually participating with the stones - if you know what I mean. I am not a fan of the way the National Trust have dealt with Stonehenge - they’ve made visiting the monument have a similar feel to visiting an old stately home with rope cordons and neatly manicured lawns. Still, at least people get to explore this world-famous heritage of ours properly on Summer Solstices.
Worse For Wear - And the Night Was Still Young Too
Anyway, I was glad we got to Stonehenge fairly early and got to explore the site as not long after the sun had set (not that we could see the sun through the continuous drizzling rain), the stone circle had become jam-packed with people dancing or just listening to the accoustic musicians who beat out endless rhythms somewhere from the midst of the crush. All great, atmospheric stuff though and both Stella and I really enjoyed the night’s vigil - which passed quicker than we could ever have imagined.
Had an early lunch with Dan today in work and we took a wander around the Swansea Vale Nature Reserve.
Daniel Being Nibbled On By the Male Swan
As we watched the ducks and swans there, and tried to see what fish were there, you’ll never guess what we saw swimming in the pond - a huge turtle (or terrapin). I’m off work tomorrow as Conor has (yet another) inset day but you can bet I’ll be trying to catch a photo of the thing next week. I’m really going to miss this place when I have to move up to the main DVLA in Morriston next year.
That’s Another Work Week Over With - Back Processing
Licences Next Week With the Gang
Well pleased with the new look w2G - having it as a blog has really freed the beast up for me. Although there has always been a comments facility on the site, people rarely bothered to use it when it looked more like a traditional website. Thankfully, now the site uses a blog format, people seem to be attracted to leaving more and more comments. Great stuff. I’ll tell you something strange though - whilst W2G attracts hundreds of readers every day, it only has a Google Page Rank of 3, whilst the The Pig’s Lip blog only has a handful of readers and links and has a Google Page Rank of 4 - curious. As for my plans for thegowerpeninsula.com, well, I’m stuck at the moment as I can’t find my Dreamweaver disc - aaargh.
On Support in work, essentially meaning that I’m on my own this week with only the odd visit by friends willing to risk a telling off for leaving their work stations to ease the passing of my work day. And so I have found solice by listening to some audiobooks and radio plays as I cart around heavy boxes of mail all day. So far this week, I’ve listened to the not so good On the Blog and the brilliant ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ and I’ve got a documentary on the Black Death and the scary radio play ‘The Woman in Black’ lined up for tomorrow.
Anyway, here’s some pics I took using my mobile phone today:
Me in the Swansea Vale Nature Reserve Today
A Lizard
A Collection of Some of the Stunning Flowers Now in Season on the Reserve
Luxury Camping - Amber and conor are Currently
Camping - In Our Living Room
Been growing a beard for these last few days. I fancied having one for Stonehenge 2008 (hoping to attend this year’s Summer Solstice there) and for the Pagan Federation Camp down Llanmadoc this July. Don’t know if I can keep growing the beast for much longer though as it has started to itch me like crazy. I’ll be gutted if I have to shave it off before the weekend so I’m just hoping I can make it through this precarious ’scratch-your-face-off’ stage of proceedings with the thing.
- Can’t believe I’ve just discovered a Kate Bush song that I have never even heard of! What’s more, its a really beautiful duet with Peter Gabriel, recorded back in 1979 but never released:
Go on, give it a listen - it’s magical. Give it a listen and then take a look at the lyrics. This is the original version of the song - by Roy Harper.
A great start to my birthday - and Father’s Day. Amber bought me this whilst she was out in town yesterday:
What a lovely girl she is.
Conor also give me a couple of his toys - bless him.
Derry called round in the morning with some birthday cards and a lovely novel I have been wanting to read (but could not afford to buy) for a long while now.
What a Fascinating Story
A Tale Set in Gower’s Very Own ‘Faery Realm’ - It’s Signed By the Author Too
Went out for the afternoon - taking Amber and Conor to a couple of Swansea parks. First up was Brynmill park - a place I hadn’t visited for many a year.
Amber and Conor - Brynmill Park
Amber had been skateboarding yesterday with her friends and so borrowed Jamie’s skateboard to play on it today. Unfortuntately, Conor had a little accident on it whilst in the park and so we had to leave early so he could get a plaster for his hand - so Amber did not get to do much skateboarding in the end.
It was nice to see the old park again though - even though it is not quite the same without it’s array of exotic birds.
With Conor’s hand now sporting a plaster, we then visited the park by the ‘Pub on the Pond.’ Disappointed to find that the council are now charging a £2.50 miniumum charge to park there - the bandits! Hate paying those scumbags whilst they continue holding back on paying Stella her equal pay settlement. Anyway, had a great couple of hours there, especially on the boat around the lake - a little pricey at £5.80 for half an hour but it was such fun.
Approaching ‘Goose Island’
More expense as we bought some drinks in ‘Pub on the Pond’ as Amber and Conor played on swings - £7.50 for a glass of wine, half a pint of cider and a J2O - scandalous.
Stella fixed our router (temporarily at least when we got back home, then we sat out in the garden, soaking up the glorious afternoon sunshine as we chatted and chilled.
What a great, relaxing birthday and Father’s Day rolled into one.
Btw, thanks to all those who wished me a Happy Birhday - Cheers.
A great lolling around day.
Amber out for most of the day with her friends.
Did very little except continue my work on my Southgate to Pennard Castle photographs.
Dad and Karen called round at various points during the day to drop off of birthday cards for me - I’m 42 tomorrow.
Our wireless router died during the night - ouch.
L8t and Mike’s last day down working in the Vale so i took them for a little trip during our lunch half hour - down to the nearby reptile pet shop. They really do have some amazing stuff in there - baby chameleons, cane toads (I have always wanted a pet toad) and the most amazing mice I have ever seen. They also have a fantastic small aquarium for frogs with a spiral slope which allows them to climb effortlessly from the water. The water compartment can also be separated from the rest of the tank so it can be cleaned easily without disturbing its inhabitants. They also have a fantastic live bug trap which looks fascinating.
Started working on my photographs of my Southgate to Pennard Castle walk.
Another very late night but, ay, there was no overtime the next day…
Managed to get all my shots from my Pwlldu to Southgate walk uploaded. I’ll try and crack on with my Southgate to Pennard Castle walk pics over the next week.
I am now ready to start work on www.thegowerpeninsula.com website and will get at least a launch page up and running over the weekend. If anyone has any ideas as to what I can put on there to make this site a success, I really would be grateful.
Spent the evening helping Conor with his homework (he really is given way too much of the stuff) and getting perhaps a little too nostalgic looking through sites like this. Call me childish, but I think I might buy myself one or two of those titles and have a right old nostalgia fest.
Wayayyyy - Conor’s got his laptop back and he’s as happy as Larry.
Had an email asking permission for use of one of my Glastonbury Thorn pictures from www.welcometoglastonbury.co.uk for use in a brochure for the St John’s Festival of Music and Flowers
in Glastonbury this July. Well pleased that my Glastonbury site is starting to get recognition.
Nice, early, snugly evening.
The sunshine continued today, making it difficult as hell for me and Leighton to go bac to work after our lunch at the side of the swan pond in the Swansea Vale Nature Reserve.
Been in a very nice and cheerful, though v. thoughtful, mood lately. It’s like a wave of calm has washed over me. I’m going to bathe in its depths and hope the tide never retreats.
Me and the Male Swan - The Swansea Vale Nature Reserve
Conor’s laptop was ready today. Unfortunately, we missed the courier - it would have been nice if they had actually told us that they were going to return it today - as so we used their online website to tell them to keep the computer at their dept so we could collect it ourselves. Informed that we couldn’t pick it up before 7.00 and that the place closed at 7.30, we took the forty minute return journey to collect it only to discover the pace was already closed when we got there at 7.10. Aaaaarrrrggghhhhh.
I did get something nice delivered today though: a copy of the latest Myddle Earth magazine.
Not only has it got one of the favourite photos I have taken on the cover but both Stella and I are mentioned in one of the articles in there. Coooool.
Took the day off work so I could take Amber to the doctor’s to get her hayfever - which has been driving her crazy lately - sorted. Unfortunately, as I suspected, the doctor admitted that none of the tablets on the market make any real impression on clearing the symptoms of hay fever and so she gave us a nasal spray - something Amber was (and still is) determined never to take.
Sat out in the garden when I got back from the doctor’s, soaking up the sun and tucking into a book on Sidhe lore - am getting well into that stuff - its probably the most fascinating topic of study I’ve ever been drawn to - and I’ve been interested in this stuff for many, many years now (remember, it was the stories of Gower’s old Verry-Volk that first awoke me to the wonders of the Gower Peninsula).
V. sleepy in the evening. Kept nodding off into slumber land from around 5 o’ Clock onwards and was well pleased to finally succumb to a heavy Z-fezz after watching the increasingly bizarre but totally fascinating and funny Ideal.
Me and Con Watching TV
Thanks to The Shepton Witch for bringing this to my attention - The Chicken Checkout Challenge. Come on, surely even the meat eaters amongst us would rather pay a little bit more money for their meat and eggs if it ensured the animals that provided their meals could be spared even a little of their suffering. Why do so many businesses put money before everything else. Hang your heads in shame Tesco.
Woke early to even more blazing sunshine. Aaaammmmmaaaaazzzziiiinnngggg.
Amber, Conor and Chelsey went down to ‘Escape Island’ whhilst Stella cooked breakfast and I started packing things away.
What a great mega-chilled camping trip.
After shoving everything into the car and getting our deposit back for the electronic key which opens the barriers to the various camping fields on Beynon’s Farm, we all went strawberry picking. What a lovely time:
Starwberry Field, Beynon’s Farm, Nicholsaston
After dropping Chelsey down her gran’s house for the day and Amber and Conor back home, Stella and I took a drive down to Landimore, where we took a wander along the coastline to North Hill (or Nottle) Tor.
Driving Down to North Gower (My Favourite Half of the Peninsula)
Starting Our Walk
This part of Gower was as enchanted as I remembered it from the our last visit:
The Beautiful Burry Estuary in Full Flower
Twins
A Perfect Resting Spot
The Old WW2 Watch Tower - Way Out On The Burry Estuary
Sheep Followed Our Progress Every Step Of The Way on Today’s Walk
We went a little further than we walked last time and actually ascended Nottle Tor - stopping ony metres from its summit before things got a little trick with the climb and we descended to walk back down again.
Nottle Tor
A Dressed Tree - Decorated by the Noisy and Well Nosy Sheep Here
Stella, Nearing the Summit of Nottle Tor
Taking In the View from Nottle Tor
The Burry Estuary - from Nottle Tor
Stella - On Her Way Back to the Car
A Beautiful Scene - Located Right By the Car Park
Old Carina - Weobley castle in the Background
Another great day, marking what has to be the real start to this year’s Summer - and one of my favourite weekends for a long time. Shame we didn’t hear a cuckoo though - one of the main reasons for us making the trip (I used to always heare them on the Burry Estuary when I was growing up).I have lost count of how many years it has been now since I last heard this amazing bird out in the wilds. Still, the sheer number of delights, memories and photographs I garnered from the walk allows no room for disappointment with the day.
Got behind on my blog again. Oh dear. And now, as I sit on Beynon’s farm in the glorious late Saturday afternoon sunshine, some half a week since my last blog post, my belly from from BBQ Veggie Burgers and my mind soothed from the consumption of several cans of Blackthorn’s cider, I can hardly remember anything which has happened since I last updated TPL.
Had a great adventure with Leighton as we sat, wandered and pondered our way around the Swansea Vale Nature Reserve last Wednesday. You should have seen us - it really was like a scene from an Indiana Jones film. Magical. If only every lunch time could be so fun.
Wednesday also marked a low point in my output figures in work - down to just 45%. Tried, a little, to raise my game on Thursday but only got my output up to 60%. Oops. Thankfully, I am on the Unallocated Queue in work next week - a job which is excempt from having your productivity measured. Hooray for that.
Friday night just flew by. I blinked at around half eight in the evening and when I looked back at the clock, it was seven in morning - oops. So - no sleep for me that night.
Went on our first camping trip of the year today (Saturday) - Amber bringing her friend along for the day and night. We stayed at Beynon’s Farm, in Nicholaston - a brilliant Gower campsite, if a little too far from the beach.
Conor Helping Us Set Up Our Camp
Chelsey & Conor
Amber, Conor and Chelsey found a great place in which to play a little way down from the campsite - in Nicholaston Woods. The area contained what has to be the best rope swing on the entire Gower Peninsula. They named their little find ‘Escape Island.’
‘Welcome to Escape Island x”
What a simply lovely and peaceful day.
Me, Conor and Stella
Cold night though but at least it us allowed us all to get a (much needed) early night’s sleep.
Great suprise in work this morning.
As I went to get my morning coffee, literally the very first thing I do in work each morning (after switching on the P.C.), I bumped into Leighton - he’s come down from the main block to help out with our backlog for a week or two - great stuff. Although we are not sat at the same table, it was great to share lunch with him again like we used to 3-5 years ago - God - time really does fly.
Driving Home
Something Beautiful on Amber’s Bedroom Door
Good news re. Stella’s Equal Pay claim from the council. Hopefully she will be offered a payout sometime in July - they they still need to sort out the clerical error which placed her on the wrong pay scale.
Amber round her friend’s for the evening.
Recovery day after our mega late night.
Didn’t get much work done on my websites as I let Conor borrow my laptop for most of the day as his is still away being repaired.
Very chilled and relaxed day. Even managed to sit out in the back garden for a while to read a book on how to improve your blog.’
Watched the DVD ‘The Woods’ in the evening - not much to shout about though. The fil was a let down from the very first few seconds with an absolutely zero-atmospheric soundtrack and the sort of banal cinematography I haven’t seen in a film for years. I’d give this tale of witchcraft a miss if I were you.
Since When Have They Been Pushing Jesus as Some Character from
a Zombie Flick - Mount Pleasant Church, Swansea
Took the Matrix DVD back to the library but they didn’t have another copy so I swapped it for a different film - The Woods. To my horror though, later in the day, I only discovered that I had left the St. Trinian’s DVD out its box and had returned an empty case - plonker, eh?
Despite the absoutely gorgeous weather Townhill was enjoying today, a strange sea mist had all but swallowed up lower ground Swansea.
The skies cleared again by the time we hit the Uplands but I must admit to feeling a little worried that our Southgate to Pennard Castle walk would be marred if the sea mist was as bad down Gower as it had been along the Swansea coast.
Driving into the £2.50 National Trust carpark at Southgate, we saw that the sea mist along this stretch of the Gower coast was thicker, if anything, that it had been in Swansea, but the dramatic nature of the landscape here colluded with the sweeping mist to enchant the mind and spirit. It really did feel magical down there today and this strech of mr Round Gower walk has been my favourite section so far.
Stella - Southgate
Chillin’
Oxwich Point from the Cliffs at Southgate
The Sea Mist Rolls in From the Bristol Channel Over Southgate
Chillin’ Again
Stella Making a Buttercup Chain
The Chilly Sea Mist Was Well Refreshing To Have Billowing Past You
A Mist Clad Pobbles Bay
Pennard
Stella, Near Three Cliffs
Stella Clambering Down from Three Cliffs
Looking Over to the Great Tor and Oxwich Bay
Stella, Three Cliffs Valley
On the way home, we stopped off at Mr. D’s for chips (which turned out to be horribe). Opposite the chippie, though, I discoved that there was a Float Centre. Now, that’s something I would well love to give a go.
Had to go into town in the morning to pile my pay into our old scummy Alliance-Leicester bank as we still haven’t had the opportunity of changing our direct debits to our new Co-Op account.
As my main Gower site is now a blog, it has become difficult to post my Gower coast walk articles there as it takes me so long to sort out the pics etc. and I want to keep these posts time coded correctly. And so I have given this project a little place of their own - something I think the thing deserves. You can now find these posts at http://thegowercoast2008.blogspot.com/. The current heading is only temporary until I sort a decent one out.
Tried to watch the second Matrix film with Amber in the afternoon but when I opened up the box only the extras disc was in there - no sign of the actual film itself - hope we don’t get hassle from the library over this as I don’t fancy having to pay for a missing DVD that was missing even before I took it out.
Stella sent the email to the council today in response to their claim that she is not entitled to any settlement for the recent Equal Pay as she was recorded (innaccurately) as being of an admin grade on their records:
“Further to my telephone call yesterday to you, I can confirm that I telephoned County Hall Human Resources department on 7th September 2006 to inform them that I had been placed erroneously upon the admin pay scale which had resulting in me being paid the wrong spine point. I was told that they would need the head teacher’s authority to change my pay scale, so I met with him to authorise the change. From memory, this was actioned and my pay was adjusted accordingly the following month.
I am mystified as to why your records show I was still on the admin pay scale the following March. I have never been an admin assistant. In the five years of employment at T.R. Primary I was always a teaching assistant (learning support assistant). Evidence of this can be found at this link http://www.learn-ict.org.uk/materials/documents/newsletters/summer2k7.pdf - an article about my role as learning support assistant.
I understand you said that your department will be investigating this matter, but I am concerned that this administrative error will likely impede the already lengthy Equal Pay process. Therefore, perhaps you can advise me?
Am I able to have a copy of my pay scale history for 2006-2007 and evidence of the authorisation which led to any changes, broken down month-by-month, as part of the Freedom of Information Act? I am very concerned that it appears I have been paid incorrectly for months following my request for this to be corrected, or that somebody gave authorisation for my pay to be returned to the admin pay scale at a later date without informing me. My past pay slips do not detail which pay scale or spine point I was being paid on, so how am I supposed to check whether I was being paid correctly? I will not allow my right to equal pay to be determined by a clerical error beyond my control.
Can you also advise me what the next steps of the process will be, and an estimated time scale? I am very disappointed that I had to wait 6 weeks before anybody had checked my eligibility for compensation and only after emailed reminders of my case. I would be grateful if you could advise me of these issues in a timely manner.
Every extra month we have to wait for this money is costing us £100 in credit card interest (the debts would have been cleared now had we had the money on time) and so this time delay has already cost us around £300 - hence the need to clear this up as quick as possible. It seems that these people hadn’t even looked at our case in the last six weeks until I fired off three complaints to them in the last few day. Swansea Council, it appears, are getting as scummy as Alliance-Leicester and MBNA. News That Caught My Eye Saw a news report last night that Shakespeare’s grave may be moved as people have been standing on it to reach the Church altar which lies behind it - despite the warning on the grave that a curse would be placed on anyone who disturbs it. Checking up on it today though, I see the church has decided not to move it afterall but are now going to move the church altar instead.
Why do people take so much pleasure in spoiling other people’s fun? Amber was really excited today playing Animal Crossing on the Nintendo D.S. as she can now connect it to the internet and play the game with people across the world. Only tonight some little %^**$! only planted a ‘seed‘ on her game that can actually break the game itself for good. Luckily, we found a way of fixing it for her but poor Amber has now had to start the game from scratch - losing a couple of year’s work on it. At least we didn’t have to go out and buy another Animal Crossing though. What is reeeeaaaallllly annoying though is that this kid is probably laughing his head off as he gos around breaking other people games. The last words he wrote on Amber’s game before causing all that destruction was “The party’s over.” Well, it will be for that kid if I ever get my hands on him.
Bad news from Swansea Council today. To calculate the amount of money to offer those seeking an equal pay claim from them, the council use the amount of money their staff were paid on a specific date - namely March 31st 2007. Unfortunately, on that date Stella had been strangeley paid an admin grade wage - a grade which does not qualify for the equal pay claim. This was a clerical error on the part of her employer but this now means we have a lengthy process of arguing this point with the council who are currently refusing to pay Stella a single penny in compensation. Curiously, Stella had noticed this error in the grading of her pay in 2006 and had sorted the matter out then. How and why the school changed her back to this grade is a mystery. The trouble is that the pay for the Admin grade and Stella’s grade were very, very similar and given that the grade is not recorded on her payslip there was no way Stella could notice the change. We can see this matter having to go to court now. Why is it so god-damn difficult for us to get money owed to us when business, councils and others seem to find it so easy to suck us dry of virtually every penny we work for?
Anyway, we returned to the new Swansea Central Library today and, as promised Aileni, I took the opportunity of sneaking some pics of the place on my mobile phone:
The Computers Where You Scan Out the Books, DVDs and CDS You Loan from the Library
The Library Offers Beautiful Views Over Swansea Bay
Amber & Conor On the Library Computers
The Library Carpark - Marina Towers (Which Will Be Wales’
Largest Residential Building When Complete) in the Background
Got some really good books out from the library (a Pagan guide to Faery lore, books on blogging and a book on Positive Living), DVDs (the new St. Trinian’s with Russel Brand and the two Matrix sequels) and a CD I have been trying to locate since seeing the band Van Eyken at the Gower Folk Festival 2006 - the ablum ‘Stiffs, lovers, Holymen and Thieves.’
A day of fixing things. The Gas man came out today to check and clean out our boiler. Virgin Media came round to fix our On Demand TV service - we now have a shiny new silver set-up box and Toshiba called round to collect Conor’s laptop.
Still no news re. Stella’s equal pay claim, despite Swansea Council’s promise that we would have received the money by now. www.welcometogower.co.uk is now a blog. Its quite a drastic change for the site with it now being as much about how the place has affected my life and thoughts as much as containing facts about the area. The blog officially starts from the May 25th 2008 entry and I will be changing the earlier entries to later entries as I alter them and rewrite them in a more personal format. The blog will be updated on a daily basis. If anyone loves the Gower Peninsula, please add a link to the site from your blogroll to the site. Cheers.
P.S. Thanks to all the good wishes people sent me after yesterdays post. it really, really is very appreciated.
