2008 July | Chris's Blog

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http://blogs.talygarnec.co.uk/2010/02/nestle-get-set-go-free-promotion/ I think they are having a laugh. 2 days ago
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Archive for July, 2008

Car Clamping

Monday, July 21st, 2008

This week has been a bit chaotic with the build up to the Miss Wales Competition. My daughter Jen qualified for the finals which were held in the CIA in Cardiff. Last Thursday the girls had to be in Holland house for at 9.45am Rehearsals. I looked on Google maps and found Holland House just of Fitzlan Place near the prison, easy I knew where that was, Well it would’ve been easy if the words ‘Holland house’ had been written on the wall but no that was in small letters and the word MECURE was written across the wall, Don’t people realise it is not easy to read building signs whilst negotiating a junction with three lanes of traffic and police sirens which seem to be coming from every direction without them putting a different name on the wall. Consequently we missed it, having arrived there late I was then late home to teach. Another finalist Lucy, had booked a room at The Big Sleep Hotel with her mum and had offered for Jen to go there to change as there was only an hour and a half between rehearsals and having to be back at Holland House for a charity ball with hair done, make up and ball gown, No easy task for a couple of teenagers. I picked both girls up at 5pm and drove them to the hotel. I wasn’t sure where it was but we found it opposite the CIA and the entrance under the Hotel had a big sign over it saying ‘Hotel Entrance’. A Little further up was a sign saying Hotel Car park turn right at top of ramp Also on the sign written in red was ‘clamping in operation’, Fair enough you expect that a hotel might be slightly aggrieved if people park in their rather small car park and then go shopping. I pulled in to the right there were no car parking spaces except one directly behind me which I reversed into. Grabbed our bags and rushed into the hotel. An hour later I was ready to leave with two stressed teenagers who were not happy about hair dress nails make up etc. Only to find my car had been Clamped. This is where you laugh but believe me I wasn’t. Apparently I wasn’t in the Hotel car park but in the parking for the building opposite, although it all looked like one car park and I didn’t even realise the building opposite was not connected to the hotel as I had driven in through the sign that said Hotel Entrance. I spotted two signs on the wall 10ft high with a number on and again these signs just said warning private property (and some other junk about clamping), I had assumed the hotel car park was private property but I hadn’t even seen these signs anyway, probably cause on later inspection I found the one that would have been over my car had fallen off and only the glue was there. So I rang the number. Now for the bigger shock. Some Idiot on the phone who obviously is never gonna aspire to anything in life but evidently feels important because he has a clamping device and therefore power, told me I had to pay £225 to have it taken off and if I didn’t pay it within the hour it would be over £400. Sensing that it would be a lost cause to argue with empowered idiot I recited my card number through gritted teeth. Within 5 minutes two men turned up to take clamp off. Why It took two of them I’m not sure, one had the keys and the other watched, maybe he was a trainee. On inquiring where the evidence was that I could not park there they showed me an A4 size piece of paper stuck to the glass less than 3ft off the floor hidden behind a parked car which did actually say it was private. When I pointed out that it was unlikely anyone would see that the reply I got was ‘I know love we get loads of people here’. They declined my invitation to give me their names and let me quote them on that. Maybe not so thick after all. I have been back there yesterday and taken photographs and do intend to appeal on this one. Not that I am likely to win because we are not going to be dealing with logical people here but with people that think they are something because they have a clamp and a set of keys and therefore are beyond reason. Its amazing how power goes to peoples heads. I think its disgusting you wouldn’t pay that much for parking on a double yellow lines where do they get these astronomical prices from. Two people I spoke to today said they would not have been able to pay that and it would have caused them serious hardship. I thought the idea of clamping cars was to catch people who are well aware that they should not be there and who have ignored the signs not to make the signs as vague and hidden as possible and then bully people into paying because they know they can. This really should be stopped I dread to think the stress and hardship it could cause people. I wonder if the council regulate any of these people.

Posted on Monday, July 21st, 2008 at 10:02 am You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Open Evening & BBQ

Tuesday, July 15th, 2008

Every year we hold our Open Evening and BBQ on this weekend. I think I have spent most of this week checking the weather forecast and praying for a dry day. The kids who ride in the displays are chosen mainly from the kids that give their time freely all year helping on the yard and need to be at least a good level three. Saturday morning wasn’t very promising with a few showers but it wasn’t too bad so we decided to go ahead outdoors. We built the course for the show Jumping and then it rained. At lunchtime everybody taking part had a practice jump then came the process of bathing all the horses and plaiting those in the musical ride. All the riders taking part turned up by lunchtime and the yard looked chaos with so much soap, water and kids everywhere. At 3pm sparks were flying out of the electric meter in the tack room. Steve spent an hour trying to phone someone but no one wants to know SWALEC says its British gas’s problem, they think its some one else’s problem, fortunately they stopped as no one wanted to come out. (sorted out today, loose connection in the meter apparently) People started to arrive at 4pm and we started the first display at 5pm The first display was an accumulator with various jumps from 2ft6 to 4ft. Riders choose the jumps they want to jump to amass points the bigger the jump the higher the points. Seven riders took part. Freya and Michigan and Chloe and Fred jumped the 4ft planks but had them down and Amelia and Leo cleared them twice. Fred is a very fast pony and pipped Amelia by 1 point making Chloe and Fred the winners. The next display was the Musical ride this year they were dressed as knights and really looked fantastic. The ride went very well but in the canter cross over there were several near misses and gasps from the audience. I don’t know how Molly managed to miss Zoe or how she managed to stay on. I nearly messed up the music at the end but it worked out right so hopefully it won’t have been noticed too much. I never feel I can relax until the Musical ride is over but once it is I’m at the bar for the first drink. The Mini Grand National was such good fun and Alex was brill as the commentator. It didn’t go quite as well as the practice. Lizzie napped which lost Emily some ground and Zoe fell off Taski after the 1st lap but landed on her feet and jumped back on and continued. Sarah and Polo won with Zoe H on Smartie a close 2nd. Bethan (The Queen) presented the cup. I thought the polocrosse was terrific we hadn’t had a dress display so that was the first time I had seen them and they looked very professional (Need a bit more practice on the actual playing though guys only Leigh managed to catch the ball, although great tactics and the passing and picking up had really improved over the last two practices). We finished as always with the Gymkhana. I introduced the first team who came in and cantered around the arena, Jo had only gone twenty yards when she fell off cause she had forgotten to tighten up her girth. The last game is the best I think but for me it is always a nightmare trying to get it right I don’t fix it for anyone in particular to win but I try to get one from each team in at the end. I lost two of the Bumble bees straight away. Amelia is too clever cause she told me after that she knew I would want to keep Carys in (the only remaining Bumble Bee) so she was sticking with her which meant she had a good start every time. It was also Amelia who cut Carys up and put her out before the last three although she didn’t try to do that on purpose Pippa just got too close and pushed candy out which then meant I had the two boys and Amelia left. Kai went out next which left Amelia – The A Team and Leigh – Team Moose in, I tried to let them go together but Pippa was quicker on the turn than I expected and got a lead. Amelia won it. It was great that so many people turned out as the weather wasn’t so great and we raised approx £400 for the Joshua Foundation. The atmosphere was lovely I thought last year was one of the best but this year was even better. It is fantastic when everyone works so well together and everyone is so supportive of each other. It is a lot of extra work to organise this but to me its worth every minute to see their faces on the night. I am so proud of everybody that took part. We have had our ups and downs over the years with some kids and students but there is definitely a great bunch here at the minute. We had a bit of a after party in the indoor school which then moved to the house and I got to bed after 3am. Thanks again to everyone who gave their help. The photos are on the Web site www.talygarnec.co.uk in the gallery. Next Year Saturday 11th July!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted on Tuesday, July 15th, 2008 at 2:11 am You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

BBQ Practices

Tuesday, July 8th, 2008

I have to say I love the annual BBQ it although the build up too it is such a lot of work. The musical ride has taken on a whole new look since we’ve decided on costume and this year’s is quite impressive and the outfits are all down to parents Jackie Morgan, Sue Reville and Gaynor Blake. Sharon, Freya and I made the outfits for the horses last Friday night. I borrowed a sewing machine off my mother, Freya bought two bottles of wine and a bag of choc eclairs. Sharon has obviously been to too many street parties or watched too much Blue Peter and soon organised Freya and myself into cutting out miles of bunting from red and yellow material for the reins and rugs mind I think that was because Sharon wanted to hog the sewing machine. Freya had to thread the needle though being the only one of the three of us with eyesight good enough to see the hole. We finished them at 3am. Had to finish the cardboard hats in the morning. Saturday after lessons we had three practices and ’seven falls’ (looking good) The last practice for the musical ride was tonight and they went wrong twice but ‘it will be alright on the night’ as they say or at least I hope. The big thing against us at the moment is the weather which is not looking to good and although we can hold the event indoors there is a better atmosphere outdoors and more room. I have threatened all the horses not to dare injure themselves but two of them haven’t listened already so our first display which we are practicing on Wednesday may have to have some last minute alterations. The problem with me is I seem to think I can organise anything with the minimum of time and the least amount of practice and then delegate jobs to people who would ideally like lots of warning and plenty of time then I wonder why they’re all stressed. Anyway I hope you’ve all bought your tickets (which i designed and printed probably in the early hours of the morning) cause if your kids aren’t in it now they may be one day and all kids like lots of support.

Posted on Tuesday, July 8th, 2008 at 1:39 am You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.