0908.17 ARE WE THERE YET?

Our annual trip to Wales has come around again. The car was loaded quite late on the Sunday night (so as not to attract attention), however this meant that I got a late night, not good for the early start I'd got planned. We all woke just after 6 and fuelled by Tescos Kick (cheap Red Bull) and guided by my Grandad's Sat Nav we set off.

8:55 - 80 miles in and after managing to miss any nasty traffic through Manchester we took a short break stopping at services on M56 near Chester, just before reaching the Welsh border.

Normally we switch drivers at Bala, on the border of the Snodonia National Park, this time everyone (except for me of course) was sleeping and I chose not to wake Morticia and drove on. It was only me that saw the leftovers of this year's Eisteddfod.

Morticia finally awoke and took over driving just after 11 and took it through to the other side of Aberystwyth. It gave me a much needed hour long break.

13:07 - Arriving at the Penwig (our home for the next seven days) in Cei Newydd (New Quay) I soon installed myself on my bed looking out of the window out to sea.

0904.11 LONG ROAD TO EASTER

This week it's been my daughters' dance show, which is always a tough week for all involved. It usually involves sitting in a large hall behind the main theatre and getting my youngest daughter in the correct costume at the correct time. Add to this all the other screaming kids, it makes for a stressful time. This year, I have to say hasn't been too bad, although very tiring when you add on a morning shift at work.

(I have drawn the obligatory cartoon but with time being tight and not being at home I haven't had time - at the point of posting - to process it thro Photoshop)

On Thursday night, the final night of the show we also planned to head down to visit Morticia's mother who lives about 120 miles away. It was 23:15 when we set off, I drove about 40 miles before I felt the warm hand of fatigue on my shoulder. Luckily, Morticia is pracically nocturnal (being queen of the dead and all) so she did the rest of the journey as I slept in the passenger seat.