Wonderwool

 Day trip to Wonderwool with Liz, Fi and Sian. I was the chauffeur on the drive to and from the Royal Showground at Builth Wells. So many stalls with so much wool, knitting and crochet stuff. Plus a lot of rare breed sheep.

I did manage to buy something as there was a tremendous stall run by Little Grandma's cooking. Jars of horseradish mustard, Indian spiced chutney, and Lemon ginger chilli made their way home with me.

The Small Space

 

Fi had booked The Small Space on Island Road for Nick's 65th birthday party. 25 people max and Sian wanted people to come dressed as an animated character. I borrowed Tan's Tigger ears as I'm not a fancy dress person. Tan went all out as Woody from Toy Story. Tasty buffet had between the two halves of the Magic Show. The magician was very funny and a talented magician.

First Flat Holm Trip

Booked onto the Bay Island trip over to Flat Holm leaving Barrage South just after 3pm. Parked in the small car park near Penarth Marina as suggested by John Treby. As I walked through the marina to the pick up point, Cardiff Cruises were manoeuvring their new landing craft to join up with the Lewis Alexander. It's amazing to me that the whole marina/barrage area just didn't exist before I went away to University. 

When the rib arrived there were only two other passengers on board. We locked out at 3.30pm. We passed the Barry lifeboat making its way back to Penarth Marina from Welsh St. Donats. With Barry Harbour not having been dredged for the summer season, the lifeboat sits on the silt at the bottom at very low tide, so has to relocate to Penarth Marina. It was definitely bouncy as we crossed its wake.

Simon, the permanent warden, met us at the jetty, where I left my waterproofs, and, after the safety briefing, took us over to the Barracks. As a FHS member I didn't have to pay the £5 landing fee. 

The gulls were quite chilled so I didn't need the folding walking stick. Simon gave us a guided tour, and once that had finished and the ladies had had a drink in the Gull and Leek, I showed them the Victorian gun battery by the lighthouse. The ammo stores steps were no quite finished (Woody's Lodge are doing the work) so couldn't go down. Did catch a glimpse of the Marconi monument. There were rabbits everywhere.