Monday 25th August 2014 to Sunday 31st August 2014

Monday 25th August 2014
Up dead early. Dog walked first thing - her bottom is back to normal which is great.   Although it's bank holiday I went into work as had a ton to do and anyway it was raining.  So got in for 8am and left about 4:30.  After tea, took the dog a walk and then did some work on Phil's bedroom.  All good stuff.   Watched Man City crush Liverpool 3-1 then off to bed.

Tuesday 26th August 2014
Up 5:40.  Dog walked then took her over to me mum and dad's as bosskat going to Skegvegas all day.  Still got into the office for 8:30am.  Fetched a load of stuff from lotty and did a bit of weeding.

Wednesday 27th August 2014
Dog walked, papers fetched.  Into office nice and early lots to do.5 lb off at group

Thursday 28th August 2014
Up early dog walked.  Into work early, loads to do.

Friday 29th August 2014
Knackered before I start even!.  Day off work woohoo. Took the wee dog out first thing.  Then off to Meir to get Lucy's school blazer sorted out.  Bit of a fail as it's not in stock but they are going to send us one out so all is not lost.  In afternoon we met up with Paula and Darren who we know from Anglesey but also have a static caravan in the back of beyond somewhere near Hartington.  Stepping Stones for tea, very nice.

Saturday 30th August 2014
Up early, papers fetched, doggo walked.  Tinkering with websites. Fetched brunch from PiccyB's - grand. Started on Phil's bedroom got a ton done.    Watched Doctor Who after taking pooch for a walk round te meadow.

Sunday 31st August 2014
Last day of bloomin August - where's it gone? Up early.  Dog walked.  More working on Phil's bedroom. Good to get that going after four months of him being away!!  Over to mum and dad's in the afternoon for a marvellous tea.  Took pooch a walk when we got back.  Couple of beers and bedtime!

Monday 11th August 2014 to Sunday 24th August 2014

Monday 11^th August 2014

Up at the crack – same story with the pooch.  Let her out in the small hours to have a wee in the orchard then she wanted to go walk in Ashbourne time.  So down the beach we go.   Nice thing about Church Bay early doors is no-one about so can let Lily off the lead with a fair amount of confidence.  All good stuff.   There’s a job I can’t delegate so I sent off most of the files on the blackberry but still needed wifi to send some of the big ones off so went into Holyhead.  Took Ray with me to give him a tour of the facilities – Stermat, TJs Discount Warehouse, Tesco, Asda, Lidl, showed him where the harbour and  breakwater are, came back through Trearddur, showed him Spar and Costcutter in Valley.  All good stuff.  Got back about lunchtime, kids on beach so went down to sit on beach for a couple of hours.  Back up at 3pm for lunch!  Sat in Orchard in the Sun – marvellous, Ray came round for a chat, went and had a couple of hours sleep.

Went fishing about 8.30 with day old lugworm not expecting much.  Sea still a bit fruity and by 9pm was on the ramp as the tide was rushing in for a 32 footer (Tuesday’s high tide is even bigger).  Any by fifth cast of the night I had a nice fish on and pulled in the first codling I can remember catching off the shore here.

A plump lil old codling!

A keeper too which after bosskat had had first refusal and refused we gave to Ray for his bbq.   In hindsight, should have filleted it, covered in breadcrumbs then took round to the Sizzlin Kitchen for them to deep-fry for us!!

Tuesday 12^th August 2014

Up in middle of night to let dog out and then up at 6.30 to take her a walk.  She’s not settling at all in the big cottage it would seem.  Early breakfast then off to Anglesey Show.  We got there for a bit after 9pm – this was a good move as we didn’t hit any traffic problems at all.  We stopped for about four hours before coming back home.  Saw an old David Brown 885 like my uncle Peter used to have and loads of vintage and modern tractors.  The New Hollands brought a tear to bosskat’s eye – everything reminding her of the missing son!  Anyway, Dog walked on beach while girls went crabbing after a bit of a spat.  Dug enough bait for an evening session – caught two dogfish – better than nowt (just).   Back home before 11pm Drinky poo and off to bed.

Wednesday 13^th August 2014

Up in middle of night to let the pooch out.  Then up at 6.30 to take her down to the beach for a walk.  Did good deed for the day taking a load of fishing line junk to the rubbish bin.  Am getting a wee bit tired it has to be said.  We went to Penrhos Coastal Park around lunch time – Grace wanted the loo but the loo at the Coastal Park was shut, so we went back to Valley and the loo there was shut too.  Must write a nasty letter!!   So, we went to TJs Discount Store and the loo was open – result!!!   Never mind we had a walk round the Coastal Park with the pooch then back to base.  Phil’s fishing rod blew over in the wind and the tip ring broke again.  

Thursday 14^th August 2014

Early brekkie from the Seaside Snacks Van – it’s the future, you know.  Then on the road.  Llangefni market first. Potter round the shops etc.etc.  Then on to Bangor to find you can’t take dogs on the pier.  So walked the pooch and had a good long sit down in the little park that overlooks it.  Bosskat brought me a coffee after a bit and the girls caught crabs so mission accomplished!!

Friday 15^th August 2014

Over to Amlwch to teach the girls to fish.  First went to Telboys Tackle and got Phil’s rod fixed for next to nowt (£4.50) so gots some bits and bobs too.  Then parked up above the museum with the intention of fishing the opposite side of the breakwater only to find I’d left the bait at home.  So the kids went in the museum while me and the missus had a coffee (damn good coffee at the shiploft).    

Then we did a bit of crabfishing with yesterday’s bacon bait – no joy though, not as good as Bangor Pier for them crabs.  Then we walked up to the main square for fish and chip dinner with a sausage for the pooch.  All good stuff.  Back to base and took them down to the café beach as we call it to have a go at fishing and that went well too.

Saturday 16^th August 2014

Dad’s birthday.  Up at the crack.  Dog walked.  Did some loading up of the car as bosskat had packed some stuff the night before.  Then brekkie from the Seaside Snacks van and we hit the road about 11am.   Test match special all the way back.  A stop off at Holywell services – a bit of a telling off for not stopping again but got folks home for 3.30.

Mowed the lawn, fish and chippie tea.  Dog walk, marvellous.

Sunday 17^th August 2014

Up early.  Dog walked.  Down the lotty for harvesting.  Running late.  Off to The Royal Oak at Hurdlow for lunch, rushing, hit a curb, split the tyre.  Rang Green Flag, got recovered(!), dropped off at Selector Tyre, Ashbourne, new rear tyre, cost fortune but at least back in business!

Monday 18^th August 2014

Up at 5.30.  Dog walked.  Fixed computer at MRS Paper shop for em’ system disk failure – someone left a floppy disk with no system tracks in it when it was switched off!  Into work before 8am, loads to do.  Aldi after work at 5.30.   Back home for a bit before 7pm.  Tea. Dog Walked. Watched footie on telly need to be cancelling sky pronto.

Tuesday 19^th August 2014

Up early, dog walked. Papers fetced not much else to say. Slight threat of a frost so went down to Lotty to cover up the blessed beans.

Wednesday 20^th August 2014

Guess what? Not frost.  Up early.  Dog walked papers fetced.  Whizzeed down to lotty to uncover plants. Then off to Sheffield and then Eckington to bring kit in from one project.   Weighed in at Sheffield 4.5lbs on!!  Yikes, that’s holidays for you.  Need to be getting back on track again!

Thursday 21^st August 2014

Up early dog walked. Papers fetced. Finally got Phil’s parcel sorted after a million nasty emails and phone calls.  All the hassle was due to the inclusion of some rolling tobacco for is mates.  Won’t be doing that again in a hurry.

Friday 22^nd  August 2014

Day off.  Going Wales on me tod.  Dog walked, papers fetched.  Loaded up and gone for 9.30.  Got to MacaDees in Congleton just in time for a big breakfast.  Got a load of hassle with one of the trials on the way to Wales so spent an hour sorting that out.  Got to campsite for about 3pm.  All set up in no time at all with the Coleman InstantDome 3!  Aweseome it is.  Eventually brother arrived so as I’d already dug some bait we went and did a bit of fishing as planned! I caught a dogfish and Andrew caught a pouting – not many bites to be had.

Saturday 23rd August 2014

Didn’t sleep much due to non-stop wind flapping the tent all night.   Had a walk on the beach first thing.  Breakfast from the Seaside Snacks at Church Bay Cottages.com and then as brother was off to Moelfre I thought I’d go and climb Holyhead Mountain.  Every time I go I seem to go up a different way so it was no surprise that the same happened again this time!  Cracking view from the top.  Can’t beat it.  Dug bait at low tide. 

Had fish and chip tea from Seaside Snacks, marvellous and then later on went for a fish on the little beach.  Took a picture of sunset before we went.  Lovely but for the clouds spoiling it. 

I caught a herring(!) and a dogfigh, our Andrew had another pouting. Anyway it was nippy so as there weren’t many bites we decided to call it a night.

Sunday 24th August 2014

Slept a bit better as wind had dropped.  Perfect day for kayaking but it didn’t happen. Say no more on tat lad,  least said, soonest mended.  Anyway, up bright and early about 7am.  Walked to the point and back. 

Breakfast at Seaside Snacks.  Then  as there was to be no kayaking I took the tent down and buggere off home.  Simples.  Set off at 11am and back before 2.10pm – amazing short journey time (although it was non-stop in fairness).   Didn’t do much when got home – took dog a walk.  Had tea.  Had a catnap.  Got up, took dog evening walk, back to bed!!

Monday 4th August 2014 to Sunday 10th August 2014

Monday 4th August 2014
Up before 5am, mini dog walk and into the office for 6am.  Have to get everything done early as am going to my cousin's memorial services today.   Lomas Distribution have put stickers on their lorries which is a lovely gesture.  So very sad, Brian was pretty much same age as me.

A nice send-off but it all feels so wrong and so sad.   No words.

Tuesday 5th August 2014
Well am glad that yesterday was done.  So sad.  Got home after the do after panicing that I'd lost my phone 'found' it in the car.  Took dog walk.  Had a drink in memory of Brian and went to bed early only for the boss of the world to put all the lights out at 10pm and a candle in the window for an hour. So couldn't go to sleep in case the house burned down.  Such is life.  Woke up at 5.30, took dog walk, fetched papers, got home, watered everything went to work.  Good day at work - got loads done which occupied my mind nicely!  Home for 6.30ish, tea, dog walk then did bog-all basically.  Need to snap out of this and get going again.

Wednesday 6th August 2014
Up eary / 5.40ish.  Dog walked about a mile and back home for 6.40 ish.  Brekko and then off to work.  Lots done, group after work 1.5lbs off so an unexpected result.  Tea. Dog Walk. Down lotty to pull all the spuds up and prepare ground for another experiment.

Some had got canker on em and a lot of em had green on em so they had to be chucked - must put em down deeper next year and leave more space around them.   A bit more 'self-medication' then bed.

Thursday 7th August 2014
Woke about 4am, got up a bit after 5am.  Dog walked. Brekko. Down lotty to fasten net down properly on the peas that the missus had left up.  Also took the brassicas that are going where the spuds were (as an experiment).  So they're waiting to be planted.  Have got some lettuces to go in too.

Friday 8th August 2014
Up early, the usual.  Got everything planted and netted up.   Appointment to have ears irrigated.  Didn't seem an awful lot better, never mind.  Into the office then hospital appointment to have diabetic retinopathy - for te fifth time in a row everything is fine.   Back to lotty to finish off.  Back home getting stuff ready for holiday tomorrow.

Saturday 9^th August 2014

Off to Wales for jollies.  Dog loaded, family loaded, all set to go.  Up top of Derby hill to pick up Lucy’s friend Grace, where is she? Down at ours!  Miscommunication rules!  Anyway traffic queuing three miles out of Knutsford – need to find best diversion if should ever go that way again! 5.5 hours later we got to Church Bay.  Our Andrew was packing up to leave so gave him Birthday cards and cake and he was off.  Lots of dog walks.  Fished an hour and a half for one dog fish.

Sunday 10^th  August 2014

Up at the crack of dawn, dog wouldn’t settle down in big cottage so walking her about 6am.  V. Tired.   Went out on Ray laad’s boat for a bit of a fish, not for long as Ray got seasick!  Got a good picture of him though in his captain’s hat!  Anyway we landed the boat at the top of the tide in a big swell like seasoned pros so that was good – always best to impress an audience I think.   Dragged the boat back up to the campsite. 

A proper fishing hat!

In the afternoon Hurricane Bertha’s fallout hit us and blew a hoolie through.  A lot of tents departing at pace in the afternoon!  Not us though, we got bricks and mortar this time.  Missus went shopping with the girls in the afternoon, I took dog a walk then had a bit of a read. No fishing tonight as sea was just a bit too rough! 

16/1.5