Yesterday Clare and I visited the Cardiff bay barrage for the first time in a couple of years, and had a wander in the sunshine, watching boats come and go through the sea-locks, and enjoying the view across the water, noting the changed and changing skyline. On the way there, we called in to have look at the huge new glass walled swimming pool and water leisure centre.
It's an impressive opening contribution to the sports village complex. The road layout and access to parking for the pool and the ugly looking 'temporary' ice-rink built next door is a bit of a challenge first time, especially in the absence of conventional road signage to make it easy and clear to know what to do. Owain emailed me last week with the observation that the pool's website carried no detail on how to get there by public transport - yes there is a bus stop outside, and I think I've seen buses which have 'Sports Village' on their destination panel. I suppose 'hunt the bus' and 'hunt the bus stop', could be promoted as a new leisure feature of Cardiff life.
We had Kath, Anto and Rhiannon to stay for the weekend, and the pleasure of a Skype-ing Rachel, John and Jasmine in St Martin, and the two grandchildren being able to catch a grainy glimpse of each other thanks to webcams. Anto brought his brand new custom built acoustic Spanish guitar with him, which I had the opportunity to try out. We played together for a while. I realised it was the first time for several months that I had touched a guitar. That tells me there's something not quite right with my life, and it's nothing to do with physical health. Much as I enjoy so many aspects of my life and work, there's something about it that saps creativity and morale. Whether prosecuting or defending the cause of faith and the value of the church in a social environment which needs convincing, or else is antipathetic, it requires a kind of spiritual energy I seem to lack. I'm certainly not short of breath, but the testing nature of today social and cultural environment leaves me feeling barely adequate to the task sometimes. And this hits hard in the area of creativity most of all. Roll on Pentecost !
It's an impressive opening contribution to the sports village complex. The road layout and access to parking for the pool and the ugly looking 'temporary' ice-rink built next door is a bit of a challenge first time, especially in the absence of conventional road signage to make it easy and clear to know what to do. Owain emailed me last week with the observation that the pool's website carried no detail on how to get there by public transport - yes there is a bus stop outside, and I think I've seen buses which have 'Sports Village' on their destination panel. I suppose 'hunt the bus' and 'hunt the bus stop', could be promoted as a new leisure feature of Cardiff life.
We had Kath, Anto and Rhiannon to stay for the weekend, and the pleasure of a Skype-ing Rachel, John and Jasmine in St Martin, and the two grandchildren being able to catch a grainy glimpse of each other thanks to webcams. Anto brought his brand new custom built acoustic Spanish guitar with him, which I had the opportunity to try out. We played together for a while. I realised it was the first time for several months that I had touched a guitar. That tells me there's something not quite right with my life, and it's nothing to do with physical health. Much as I enjoy so many aspects of my life and work, there's something about it that saps creativity and morale. Whether prosecuting or defending the cause of faith and the value of the church in a social environment which needs convincing, or else is antipathetic, it requires a kind of spiritual energy I seem to lack. I'm certainly not short of breath, but the testing nature of today social and cultural environment leaves me feeling barely adequate to the task sometimes. And this hits hard in the area of creativity most of all. Roll on Pentecost !
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