Right. Here goes my second attempt at last nights disappearing post.

On Monday, MLO and I went to the Royal Welsh Show, near Builth Wells. We started out nice and early, and arrived up there at about quarter to eight, and caught the shuttle bus to the show ground from our car park. Each year several fields are rented from local farmers to act as car parks. This year the view from the park was glorious, although you cant actually see the show-ground from here. Where we were was up on quite a bank, which was great going down but one heck of a slog going back up, and when we went back to our car in the evening there were a few people struggling to get up the hill to the top and their cars, which I thought lacked planning somewhat.

When we arrived at the show, we first stopped to have our breakfast, and went to our usual place, right by the bandstand, and had a coffee, whilst listening to a Welshman singing rousing Welsh tunes. At that point the day seemed to be warming up a little, so we decided to visit the food hall while it was still cool, and most importantly fairly quiet.  There was nothing particularly interesting or different to see in there though, although I did notice that our local vodka distillery had failed to show up. Literally five minutes away from us, in the middle of the Herefordshire countryside, but we have never visited them, or drunk their vodka for that matter, but it is supposedly really rather nice.

Back to the show, we next decided to visit the stock sheds, here, are thousands of animals (sheep, cattle, goats, and pigs) all on show and entered into various competitions for their various individual breeds and across all sheep, cattle etc. The sight of all these animals there on display is amazing, with people having brought them from all across Wales, the borders and farther afield in the hope of a win. Each of the animals there is in its prime, and represent all the best of British breeding and farming, some individual animals there , could be worth in excess of 100,000 guineas, mainly because of their breeding, and the traits and family that they will pass on, most of these animals are used purely for breeding and don't mix with commercial herds or flocks, with the exception of the dairy animals, which are milked two or three times daily along with all the rest of the herd. 

We must have spent about three hours looking round all the stock, MLO saw his cousin who was showing British blue cattle (until a couple of years ago they were called Belgian blues). From there we decided it was time for a nice cup of tea, so visited the National Trust cabin there, with a bit of a tearoom round the side, where a cup of tea or coffee and a piece of various home made cakes only costs £2.50, with all the money going back into the National Trust, so money well spent. Delicious carrot cake too. :-) 

After all that, we decided that a spot of retail therapy was in order and we wandered over to the shopping village, where you can buy anything from mugs, to Barbours, and plants to a brand new tractor. If we had had the money and the inclination to do so, we could have come home with a myriad of utterly useless things. On show in the machinery village, was the debut of the worlds most powerful 4wd tractor, an absolute behemoth of a Massey Ferguson, it was huuuge, but rather nice looking for a tractor.

After that we ended up by the main ring, just in time to see tham judging the shire horses, which were followed by the sheepdog handling, with a champion from England,  Ireland ,Scotland and Wales competing in it, they had to get the dog to take the sheep around a set course with various things that they had to complete, such as getting them through a set of hurdles set in the design of a cross, through a gate, into a holding pen and having to separate, two sheep out of the five, and then one from out of the five, not as easy as it may sound.  After all their efforts, Wales came first, and rather unsurprisingly a huge cheer went up from the grandstand.

The day went quite quickly, but then it always does when you are having fun, and it was soon time to get back home. We left just after six thirty, and called in at a pub just outside Hereford (The Bell at Tillington) for Dinner.They do a mean steak, it was delicious.

On to Tuesday, and most of it was spent at work, so nothing to report there, except for the fact that it was mind numbingly dull and quiet again. Nothing happened, and no-one came in.

Back to Sunday, we went to both the morning and the evening services, the morning one was enjoyable and busy, but the evening on was quieter, being evening worship. We arrived a little late which was quite awkward, and led to a bit of a kerfuffle as everyone budged up to fit us in. The vicar did things a little differently this time, and in addition to the piece of music we listen to , and the hymns, we also sang the psalm. Which was nice. The hymns we sang were quite chanty as well. Very enjoyable all the same though.

Onto today, and my mum came down for the day instead of last Saturday when I was working. I had intended for the three of us to go to Cardiff by train for the day, but it would have cost in excess of £50, a completely unjustifiable amount to me, for an hour by train. So instead we spent the morning in Hereford, we had scrambled egg on toast for breakfast from Cafe at All Saints, then went for a wander round the cathedral. Next stop was White Castle in Monmouthshire, a surprisingly large castle, with  the most amazing moat, incredibly deep and steep sided, and most impressively, it was filled with water. Inside was huge, and despite really not liking heights, I braved the climb to the top of the tower, and was glad I did, as the views were spectacularly beautiful in all directions.  We finished looking round and drove into Abergavveny for a late lunch.

On the way back, we tried to find the church at Garway, but yet again failed miserably. It's there somewhere, I just don't know where. Will try to find again. 

Anyway thats me up to date, may post picture of today, tomorrow as I dont have MLOs phone with me, and I took the pictures on that. My phone is poorly and has been sent to the phone doctor for a diagnosis.

SO, ttfn etc. Bye