New updates on my web site

After long last I have sorted my computer problems and got my site up and running again. I have recently added a couple of updates on the family history page and hopefully will keep adding from now on.
Hope everyone had a good Christmas. I have recently changed my ISP from Tiscali to BT and we are now gone wireless. The BT hub works brilliantly and it was quite easy to set up. I would recommend them if you are going down that road.

I became a big fan of Genesis in 1980 when their album 'Duke' came out. Phil Collins' career took off after this and he became a big icon of the 80's. Of course, 'In The Air Tonight' was a big favourite of mine and many of my friends at the time. It's nice to hear the song again in the Cadbury's advert, but this clip is regarded as his best performance of the song live. Would you believe it, the Cadbury advert has just come on the TV right now!
Enjoy

Raising Sand

I must praise the new album by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Raising Sand. It's the second best album of the year for me (Blackfield being my favourite) and perfect for relaxing to in the evening. I often listen to it when I want to unwind. Here is a video I found on You Tube of the song 'Stick With Me Baby'.

You know, there are times that I get great ideas for blog posts, usually when I am nowhere near a computer! Today, I wake up at 6 and had this one. So here I am sitting up in bed having rushed down to get my Toshiba laptop in case I forgot what I had in mind to write!
I was listening to Radio 5 Live the other night and they interviewed the comedian Jim Davidson. I met him a few years ago when he stayed at the Empire Hotel when I was employed as the Bars Manager there. He was doing a pantomine at the theatre in Llandudno, and I remember him sitting in the lounge with a tall blonde by his side, possibly Penny Lancaster, who I believe was in the panto with him. He was there a week, so one night I was behind the bar when he came up for a drink. He was wearing an 80's type kakhi parker jacket and ordered a soft drink. The hotel had been quiet that week, and on this night there seemed to be more people about (possibly the weekend influx of residents). As I was serving him he said to me ' who are all these people staying at my hotel?' I don't remember what I replied, probably just laughed at his comment unable to come up with a witty retort. I probably should have said 'Haven't you heard, Jim, there's a Jim Davidson convention in town, they're all here to see you!' Or 'the blokes are all the husbands of the women you've shagged in the last few years, and they've come to meet you!'

Another very famous face to grace the Empire was Tom Jones. Llandudno was on his way to his destination and the Empire Hotel just happened to be classy enough for him to stay. He stayed one night which included dinner, then brandy and cigars in the elegant furnished lounge. Guess who had to serve him the brandy and cigars? A sudden nervous tension developed when it finally sunk in that I would take the tray to him. Being face to face with the famous is nerve racking, believe me! When these chances come up you don't want to fuck it up! I could see it now. Tom Jones on some chat show being asked , 'Tom, what was the most embarassing moment in a hotel?' Well, David, there was this night I stayed at this Welsh hotel when the waiter spilled...' Thankfully, Mr. Jones did not get brandy all over his kegs that night, but I did get an autograph for my father-in-law.

'Your father-in-law? he said with a chuckle. What's his name?'. I'm sure he was wondering why I wasn't getting one, but, sorry, not my scene, man.

Later on in my shift, patrolling the lounge making sure every think was hunky dory, it was great to see him and his entourage chatting with guests.
The following morning I was cleaning the beer pipes when I saw Tom Jones come into the bar area, wearing his leathers, and it appeared that he was thinking of staying for lunch. Then he changed his mind stating that it was too hot. How many times did the staff complain that the heating was up way to high in the hotel? Loads, but Mrs Maddocks would not listen to us minions. It took a superstar to tell her the truth, and she drove him away because of her stuborness. I could not resist a wry smile to myself as I was cleaning behind the bar.

Another memorable night at the Empire was when a couple of Hollywood stars dropped by, in the middle of filming in Conwy. I had been asked to work that night and for once I was glad I did. Patrick Bergin and Theresa Russell were the two famous actors, later joined by young Welsh actors and actresses, who had parts in the film called The Proposition (1997). I seem to recall it had something to with drovers. Patrick Bergin has appeared in many big Hollywood films such as 'Sleeping with the Enemy' and 'Patriot Games'. Theresa Russell recently played Flint Marko, aka The Sandman's wife Emma, in Spiderman 3, but I remember her in a film called 'Insignificance' (1983). It was probably the most enjoyable night I worked there as the banter was great to eavesdrop on. It's amazing really but any local could have come in for a drink that night and enjoyed the company of two Hollywood stars. As I recall I don't think any did, which was a pity. Patrick Bergen was a really a polite gentleman, and recited Irish poems to us all night, and Miss Russell a bit more Hollywoody but not over the top. She liked her white wine, I seem to remember, and bought 2 that night. I had not realised it but by the time she decided to go to her room, she was plastered! This was about 1 o'clock in the morning and I was checking other actors in at the time. While I was at the main desk sorting out the new arrivals, I heard the lift door open and who staggered out was Theresa Russell - unable to find her room!
'Excuse me, young man, but could you PLEASE help me find my room!' she slurred. She must have been up there for about 10 to 15 minutes trying to find her room! So, I took her up in the lift and directed her to her room.

I was at the Empire for about 18 months and to be truthful glad I got out, though the owners did show their appreciation by giving me a £100 leaving bonus and an anniversary dinner on the house with champagne for my wife and I. I was also told that I had kept a good bar, so I knew that I had done a good job there. But there were times... maybe another time!

Starting to feel like Christmas!

While on our way to the ALDI store in Llandudno this morning we happen to pass quite a site. Unfortunately I did not get a photo to record it, but there were hundreds of santa clauses running along the prom, no doubt a charity run. It was a bitterly cold morning and I wasn't surprised to find that they had all gone by the time we were finished with the shopping.
A story that has caught the news here is the one about the primary school kids from San Sior in Llandudno who were told to tone it down by shopkeepers in the Victoria Centre. They have subsequently been invited to sing at the Savoy Hotel in London. Click here for the full story.

Expensive Britain

Does anyone get the feeling that our country is going downhill lately? And I mean more than usual! The recent cock-ups from our government and the alarming upsurge in petrol and diesel prices is plain to see and ring alarm bells for all us ordinary folk. Prices seem to go up every day. Today, round our way, petrol is now well and truly settled itself above the £1 a litre mark, and looks set to stay. Diesel a whopping £1.06 a litre. When will it end? When people can't afford to go to work, that's when. The hardest hit are those who travel 20 plus miles to work everyday, and at this rate they won't be able to sustain this expense. Train travel will become equally expensive as diesel costs are taking care of that. If people can't afford to go to work because petrol is too expensive, that's a sorry state of affairs. So, I am sure that the bubble will burst before the economy disappears down the pan, and normal service will be resumed as soon as possible. But you can't get away from the thought that someone or some company always manages to cream off the hard earned labour of the working man and woman. We get conned every way we turn! There are so many stealth taxes in Britain today I'm surprised this government hasn't placed one on the air that we breathe. Or have they? I may have let that one slide by from my radar. Hang on, they have you know! It's entwined in the taxes we pay depending on where we live, noticably the council tax. The air in Rhos-on-sea is more expensive than the air that is breathed in, say, Colwyn Bay, because it's cheaper to live in Rhos. So, it's an ultra stealth tax, which is hidden away and written in the small print on the contract of everyday living.
I despair when I turn on the telly or the radio today. I think James Whale of TALKsport radio is right when he says that the wrong people are in charge of the most important positions in the government. He is well worth listening to at 10 every evening, and he is getting more angrier by the night. I'm sorry to say but (I can't believe I'm even thought about it) I can't see Labour getting in again at the next General Election. That means Tory rule again, and I have bad memories of the dark days under Margaret Thatcher, where it was difficult finding a job. Times have changed but Tory values never have, so they will be taking care of their own as usual. When Labour got in, back in 1997, I felt a genuine relief that Tory rule was finally over, and Tony rule was here, I even wrote a letter (which I didn't send) to Tony Blair thanking him for delivering us from the hated and corrupt Tories. Well, since then I have learned many valuable lessons in life, and one of them is never trust a politician as they are essentially corrupt to the core and only after self fulfillment. It is such a let down to realise that this is indeed true. New Labour? More like an offshoot of Toryism! I suppose a degree in social history has helped me to see the wood from the trees (or something like that!) and I have developed a keen sense of cynicism on such matters as politics and economy. Also a keen sense for justice, which I don't see a lot of in today's Britain. Of course, it must happen in other countries, and quite possibly situations are worse than in Britain, but we do not hear all of what goes on from our heavily biased and restrictive news channels (BBC a prime culprit). Just this morning I heard (on TALKsport of course) that an innocent Austrian holidaymaker playing golf and minding his own business, was shot dead for no reason in South Africa. And this is where the next football World Cup is going to be staged in 2010. Would you feel safe there supporting your country in the tournament? Count me out, if Wales make it (!) I'll be cheering them on from the comfort of my living room, or, depending on what happens to Britain in the next 4 years, in front of a Radio Rentals TV shop!
However, I firmly believe that greed is the root of all our problems (wasn't that the mantra of the 80's - greed is good?) we all want everything now. I, unfortunately, am no exception, as I have been busy lately buying stuff from Ebay, purely to satisfy my desire to obtain wonderful new gadgets that I have been deprived of for so many years. I have come to the conclusion that we must live for today, as tomorrow may never come. So, I have gone on a spending spree to satisfy my lust for new technology and bought a digital SLR camera, a new Nikon coolpix compact camera, another mobile phone and a leather coat from the States. Now you might think that I have gone completely mad and have developed some sort of an OCD thing. Well, I have legitimised this apparent rash behaviour by putting up a few items of my own for sale, to lessen the blow so to speak. In fact I have 5 items for sale now and more to come. I will blow my own trumpet (doesn't happen a lot) and say that I am a pretty shrewd operator on Ebay, and have an eye for a bargain. Those items I mentioned were bought at prices I am very proud of, and they are items that I will use for the various projects that I intend to undertake in the near future. A digital SLR was essential for me as I want to seriously take up photography again, and 35 mm film just doesn't cut it any more. So, expect a few decent photos to come up here and on my poor neglected website. I have also signed up with flickr to house my photos. The trouble is, however, is that you intend to go on ebay to look for christmas presents for others, but it always turns out that you see something good for yourself! I intended to see if I could get a decent compact camera for my father in law, and ended up buying one for myself.
So, that's it for now. All I have to say is this:
"Don't let the bastards grind you down!"

Just when I was in the groove!

Lately, I have to confess, that I have not felt the need to keep taking my anti-depressant tablets, and for some reason I have felt pretty good about myself, so why take them. Last week I was in such a positive mood (I was getting up early, having breakfast, doing chores around the house and generally being organized) that my wife asked me (twice!) if I was feeling ok. 'Yes' I said, 'I haven't felt like this in years! I feel great, must be the porridge I have every morning!' So, with my brain sharp, new ideas springing up inside , I went to sort out the house with some new furniture (courtesy of Argos) with vim and vigour. All went well as I quickly constructed 2 of the units I had bought, and then I felt it. Yes, my old friend, or should I say enemy, came back to pay me a visit. Sciatica is not a good thing to have, and I tend to get it when I'm feeling all vim and vigourly! I dare say it was a sort of friend to me when it meant at least 2 weeks off work, but now that I was in the mood to get things done, an untimely interuption. So, for this week I have been taking it easy and I must say rest is the best thing for it. First couple of days though I was walking with a bigger stoop than Galen on 'Planet of the Apes' (my wife unkindly compared me to Urko but I prefer Galen!). Unfortunately Moday I had to sign on at the Job Centre which was a little tricky, but I made it with little derision from the yobs and the delinquents hanging around. I did get the suspicious look from the assistant in there and was asked how I got the bad back, but not too much of a grilling!
So, I have to find that groove again, and carry on where I left off. There's much more to do, but the house does look like we can be proud of it again.
Now, where did I leave that screwdriver...

Band of the Week

About time I put the Ozrics up for band of the week.

A couple of their tracks are on the fireworks video I posted the other day.

Their website can be found here.

A Family visit

A couple of weeks ago my 2 cousins came to visit my mum and dad at their home in Llandudno. Paul has been living in the south of England for many years and works at restoring houses, and Wena has recently returned to live in North Wales with her husbad Graham. I hope to see them again soon.

In this photo:

Wena, Paul, Me, Linda (my sister), my dad

Photo taken by Paul's wife, Dianne.

Blackfield Video

Here is a video I found on You Tube of 'Once' live from Greece recorded in August this year. There is an official Blackfield live in concert available, but this is a pretty good version compared to some recordings found on You Tube. Enjoy!