Let’s start at the very beginning

… a very good place to start.

Well, I had a fabulous Easter weekend, from beginning to end it was a joy to behold.

Friday we went to G’s spiritual home Ninian Park, home of the Bluebirds, Cardiff City football club, to the uninitiated. Who did not totally disgrace themselves however, in the words of the fans, we was robbed, with a 1 – 0 defeat.

However, they actually played some of the best football I have seen them play for a longtime. There were some injuries, some dirty play, which is all to the good as far as I am concerned. It was a lovely sunny day but still rather cold so at half time, the tea thermos came out, beautifully modelled here by G’s brother.

More football pics can be seen here

Then off we went to Cardiff Bay, a place that has seen some serious regeneration in the last few years. I didn’t know the area in it’s previous incarnation but this site gives a potted history of it, if you are interested. We normally go in the Summer, have lunch have a wander around, visit the exhibits there and it is amazing, you would never think that you were in Wales.

The Welsh are very proud of their history and heritage and this is something that strikes you about the bay as you meander your way around. Although it is a place with a modern cosmopolitan feel to it, they have tried to remind you of it’s beginnings, from the Norwegian church that they kept to The Assembly at the Pierheads, to the Millennium Centre that is built using materials only from the surrounding area.

The reason we were in the Bay was to see the tour of Starlight Express at the Millennium Centre, a show I had always wanted to see but had given up hope of doing so since it ceased it run in London. A real treat for me, especially as musicals aren’t really something that G’s family do. (G’s Mum is a huge opera fan and her sons are far more on her side of the fence than mine I think!)

It was incredible, the skating was amazing, the cast can do things on wheels that I struggle to do on two feet flat on the ground. Some of the music was quite witty, the country music train who sings of being U-N-C-O-U-P-L-E-D springs to mind. Some of the solo numbers dragged a bit but you can’t expect wonderment from every tune I suppose.

Then it was home for more hot cross buns and bed.

The next day we went to St Fagans, somewhere else I have wanted to go since seeing a tv programme about the gardens there. There is an awful lot more than the gardens including what I like to call in my mind, the Welsh Dr Who village, but after more than three hours of traipsing round gardens and taking pictures both mine and the MIL’s knees had begun to play up so it was home for yet more tea. (Tea is very important to me!)

There are more pictures here.

Easter Day was quiet with visiting G’s Grandfather, the eating of too much chocolate and the joy of a train journey back to London. Which was not only on time for once, but actually  early by seven minutes! Miracles will never cease.

Easter Monday was a day of rest in the G and G household, I did some more piecing of my quilt whilst G sat and watched sport and more sport. I indulged in teenager movies to my eternal embarrassment.

And so the weekend was over and it was back to reality and work and school for G. It was truly a lovely weekend one though, busy yet relaxing at the same time, which I simply wouldn’t have thought was possible!