Rydwy'n wedi blino nawr

Well it's been a tiring week so far and I am already looking forward to the weekend. I was in work on Monday and attended a Conference in Cardiff Tuesday. Travelled to work and back again on Wednesday with a series of meetings and Welsh all day today in Llanelli. Another 4 hours on the road today, but it was worth it to practice the language and chat to friends. The problem for me when I study; is that I get hungry for more. So Welsh language here I come, but at the moment I am a bit worn out. I have exchanged messages with my African friends and received some wonderful news, so although I am tired - it has been a great week yet again! Hwyl, a rydw'n gobietho i weld chi yn fuan (Cheerio, and I hope to see you soon)

Readership Stateside

A big Welsh 'Croeso' and African 'Akwaaba' welcome to those readers from Illinois, Washington, North Carolina, Massachusetts, who have looked at this Blog.

London calling

Email can be a bind. Especially in a workplace where colleagues can offload tasks with a click of the mouse. There are email exchanges, where you are cc'd for no apparent reason. Sometimes there is a reason; the originator simply decided to use a random 'select all' and send approach.

Lots of time, spent opening and reading large volumes of email. Copious amounts of information but quite often for no valid reason. Everything has its place, and I recognise the value of Information Communication Technology, but the sheer volume of the email traffic can drag you down. Poor emailing clogs up an organisation and can deflect people from their real task. However, email amongst friends, especially those living in another Continent is a joy. I often email Michael, sometimes Patricia, sometimes Jose, Francis and Dominic. A new kid on the block is Reuben. The mobile phone has switched to email. A lot less costly, so thank you Reuben. Slowly but surely the round of emails is becoming like the World Service. "This is London calling, and the news is..." Now Accra, Hong Kong, Saint Brieuc, and the others have to respond. And the best part is; it's nearly always in English.

My Followers

I must take the opportunity to say hi to my two followers: (1) Cymraes, and (2) PapJeff. It's really nice to know that someone is returning to read the Blog updates and that you have been following the Blog for a while. i Cymraes, rydwy'n gobiethio eich bod chi'n mwynhau y darllen. For those that do not read/write/speak our native language this short message was about enjoying the read. And to PapJeff, akwaaba, na wo ho te sen? which should mean, welcome and how are you. If it doesn't, then please Facebook me ASAP so I can change the message!

Activity

It is interesting to note that the Blog site activity has not diminished even though my time is taken up travelling to and from Carmarthen and it is difficult to find time to write up the Blog. Birmingham and London head the City list with Newport propping up the bottom of the League Table. That's Newport Gwent, so nothing new there then. The only professional football game I have ever watched was between Newport and a long ago forgotten opposition. I can't remember the score, but I do remember that there was a lot of kicking the ball high into the air for everyone to chase after. The players that is, and not us in the Stands. Intersting in that the 'Stands' became the 'Chairs' but never became known as the Chairs. A strange thing language. Many, many years after the Newport game, I became a football referee and even made promotion from a Class 'C' to that of Class 'B'. Verbal abuse, caused me to give up being a referee. A sensible decision in that verbal abuse eventually escalates into physical abuse and I am not a violent man. Indeed, the Ghanaian's that I met in Accra are more akin to my kind of people. Gentle, friendly and quiet. I wonder if their footy team is any good? But with all the activity of the daily grind in Accra Central and the sprawling market with their traders frantically going about their business, I suspect there is no time for football. It must all be about making a living and providing for your family. So, good values there then!

Hello, hello?

Unlike the lovely weather that my friends are experiencing back in Ghana, it has been a long cold and dark week here in the UK. I have been worn out by the darkness and the travelling and have been determined to relax and enjoy some quality time. Model making and listening to good music are key to my relaxation techniques. Music and model making from waste materials is equalled by spending some time in the Orangery; with a nice coffee and a good book. Unfortunately the credit crunch has hit this part of Wales and along with a host of other businesses the Orangery is no more. So the darkness descended even more and the model making increased. So did the volume on my current favourite album. The ‘n’ gauge railway set at high chair height for my Grandson is coming along nicely. Blogging was not. I’ve also spent some time Ebaying. Selling my handmade handpainted models and buying new items for the railway. An extremely time consuming pastime when you are searching hard for a bargain. Although, as my wife points out; it’s only a bargain if you need it. Well I did need those 5 oil tankers for the fuel train didn’t I? So there I was Ebaying, when I thought that I would check out Facebook. And low and behold, there are two messages from two of my friends in Ghana. One message from Michael, writing to celebrate the success of the President-Elect, and the other from Patricia suggesting how we can get the present to Jeffers without paying £150 or there about. Nothing coincidental there then as they are after all; Husband and Wife. The real coincidence was while I am reading and responding to the messages, another friend called me on my mobile from Africa. Now it was really nice to hear from Rubens, but I wonder if he realises how much the call costs? I suspect the charge is levied this end as well, and for Rubens it must have cost a small fortune to place the call.

So cold and darkness brushed aside and the warmth of true friends in Africa comes to the fore yet again. Lovely people the Ghanaian’s, but don’t just take my word for it – pop on a plane and find out for yourself.