Friday, April 17, 2026

MEXICAN OR MEXICANT? NOT

I have been informed by family & friends that my gameshow idea of Mexican or Mexicant? could be construed as a little bit racist.

So I'm sulking today


BUT! 
Then I found this, & all is well in the world. If only all opera was like this, perhaps i'd like it

HAIR. ON. END.

Thursday, April 16, 2026

WHAT'S THE CASTORE MORNING GLORY?

 

I couldn't help but notice that this brand is everywhere at the moment. So I wondered where they came from. Reading up on them, it sounds a bit like a ponzi scheme, with everyone & their dog jumping onboard. The company was founded in 2015 by brothers Thomas and Philip Beahon, when they were 25 and 22 years old respectively. Two clever chaps indeed.

In January 2019, Castore became the official kit partner to British tennis champion Andy Murray, who also became a shareholder in the company in March of that year. The company brands Murray's products as AMC, and it became the official apparel partner of the Lawn Tennis Association. Marlie Packer, who plays for England's women's rugby union team, is a brand ambassador for Castore. 

Castore has expanded rapidly in rugby union, supplying kits to major teams including England Rugby, Rugby Australia (Wallabies/Wallaroos), Bath Rugby, Saracens, Harlequins, Leinster, and Scarlets. The brand, known for "better never stops" apparel, partners with several Premiership Rugby and United Rugby Championship sides. 

You can read the rest here:-

J. Carter Sporting Club Limited, operating as Castore

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

4 -3 - 2?




How many sides of top flight Rugby Union can Wales support? 4? 3? 2? 1? See this organ passim for more on this.

I don't know, but I have a sneaking suspicion that with the right people in charge, funneling the revenue into Rugby, and not huge salaries, vanity projects & "support staff", we could manage 4, like Ireland. I still can't see how we should lose Ospreys, Scarlets or Cardiff. For me Dragons are the only club in question. 

Looking north, there is a valid debate about how can a national side really thrive with so many players playing abroad. Good article here. With 4 strong sides, perhaps playing in the English (&Welsh?) Prem, we could keep good Welsh players playing in Wales.




Tuesday, April 14, 2026

WHEN THE EVENING SUN GOES DOWN - MORE FROM CAMMELL LAIRD SOCIAL CLUB





I shout all my obscenities from steeples,

but please dont label me a madman,

I'm off to see the Bootleg Beatles,

as the bootleg Mark Chapman,  - (my favorite line)

Cafe bars, idiots and pidgeons,

there's far too many in this town,

so me and the ombudsman,

are gonna do what we can,

when the evening sun goes down.


Yes, some of my pull-overs are roll-necked,

It kind of breaks up the ennui,

But your experimental side project,

Must have put 10 years on me,

Opposite the Bannister and Shamrock,

Which used to be the Rose and Crown,

I like to play Pat Boone,

On the county bassoon,

When the evening sun goes down,

etc


There are questions in corners of my mind that lurk,

Like How do the road gritters get to work?

Answer me that, and you could win a cruise,

And here's Judy Tzuke to take us up to the news,

Are these my ultimate Pajamas,

Is this my final dressing gown,

I'm sending on this rhyme,

deep in injury time,

When the evening sun goes down,

etc

Source: LyricFind


The Half Man Half Biscuit Lyrics Project

https://halfmanhalfbiscuit.uk

When The Evening Sun Goes Down — Lyrics and Discussion

A lyrics transcription by fans of 'When The Evening Sun Goes Down' by Half Man Half Biscuit, from the band's 2002 album, 'Cammell Laird Social Club'.


Monday, April 13, 2026

MY KIND OF PUB

An excellent few hours was had @ Firebrand Brewing Company in Launceston this weekend. Is there now a craft brewery in every town in the UK? I certainly hope so. Every beer was excellent, the taproom vibe was fab, there was a full range of brews, merch, chobbly bits, and even a pizza van outside. 










However I'm not sure why they didn't want anyone called Charlie being "done" in the bathroom. Perhaps they are anti-monarchists.


Sunday, April 12, 2026

CWRW WYTHNOS PEDWAR DEG







Saturday, April 11, 2026

JAMAICA? NOPE, SHE WANTED TO

 


Just checked in @ the Jamaica Inn! Tales of Wreckers, Smugglers & pirates abound! 

From the Wiki:-

The Jamaica Inn is a traditional inn on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, England, which was built as a coaching inn in 1750, and has a historical association with smuggling. 

The inn was the setting for Daphne du Maurier's 1936 novel Jamaica Inn, about the nocturnal activities of a smuggling ring, "portraying a hidden world as a place of tense excitement and claustrophobia of real peril and thrill." In the novel, it was transformed into a rendezvous and warehouse for smuggling.

Room is quite comfy, and as its 5pm, I'll see if I can persuade Mrs H to join an away team to https://firebrandbrewing.co.uk/ just up the road....




Friday, April 10, 2026

THE POSTMAN ALWAYS KNOCKS THRICE?


The story of Please_Mr._Postman? Is quite an odd one. From the wiki above:-

It's famous for being the first Motown song to reach the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100

The song has been covered several times, including a version by the Beatles in 1963. It became a number-one hit again in early 1975 when The Carpenters' cover of the song reached the top position of the Billboard Hot 100. 

In April 1961, the Marvelettes (then known as the Marvels) arranged an audition for Berry Gordy's Tamla label. Marvels' original lead singer Georgia Dobbins needed an original song for their audition and got a blues song from her friend William Garrett, which she then reworked for the group. Dobbins left the group after the audition and was replaced. 

So, it is now credited as being written by Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Freddie Gorman, Brian Holland and Robert Bateman. Some of whom re-worked the song into its final form.

Since the original version hadn't made it into the British charts, few in the UK knew the song "Please Mr. Postman", allowing the Beatles to make it their own among all Liverpool groups.

Beatles author Mark Lewisohn reflects: "Without even realising it (and they'd have been thrilled to know), the Beatles broke the Detroit 'Motown sound' to the British listening public."

Who knew?



Thursday, April 09, 2026

DISGUSTED GENTLEMAN DOESN'T RIDE

 

Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride returns for 2026 to mark 15 years of dapper charity fundraising

There is actually a Swansea Run! From The Pier, to the Brangwyn Hall, on to Oxwich Bay, and returning to the pier. Sounds like a fun way to raise some £'s for Men's Mental Elf & Prostate Cancer Charities.  

I quite fancied this, however, we will be in Cadiz... poo. So, I've signed up for 2027!

Wednesday, April 08, 2026

IT'S A HARD LIFE

 


Sitting outside the National Waterfront Museum, on a 20℃ day, drinking a very acceptable flat white from their Cafe. Just me & my dog. 

There is something about boats at anchor, calm moorings, and the gentle chatter of other coffee drinkers that is very relaxing. 


Dylan looks quite alert, though. Perhaps thinking "Isn't that a statue of Captain Cat over there?"

Tuesday, April 07, 2026

'ER NEXT DOOR

 Looks like my 6th great grandparents lived next door - well, next Village actually. William Metcalf b.1698 in Aysgarth, married Margaret Lupton b.1700 in Carperby. Deep in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales. 

I'd love to know their story.



Monday, April 06, 2026

L S D

 My little joke with the garden waste recycling bags... 


LarkSpur Drive? Geddit?


Sunday, April 05, 2026

THE LUNATIC HAS TAKEN OVER THE ASYLUM

This is the craziest thing I have seen from Trumplethinskin yet :-

From The Grauniad today. I am genuinely afraid of what this man can do.

I would say "God help us" if I was a believer.

CWRW WYTHNOS TRI DEG NAW





Saturday, April 04, 2026

VIVID IMAGINATION

Visiting Oystermouth Cemetery this afternoon, whilst paying my respects to my Great Grandfather Walter Poole Terry, I noticed a fallen comrade a few graves down, an Able Seaman, from HMS Vivid I. 

A quick search revealed:-



So there.

This led me to notice that I've blogged about Walter 4 times before! Must be a record for me.

Walter Poole Terry 4

Walter Poole Terry 3

Walter Poole Terry 2

Walter Poole Terry 1




Wednesday, April 01, 2026

O'R DIWEDD, DW I'N DYSGU CYMRAEG!

 


Let's see how far I get! 9 days so far...........

Gawn ni weld pa mor bell y byddaf yn cyrraedd! 9 diwrnod hyd yn hyn...........


It fibs!