hey, it's summer

Nice to see the sun once in a while, no?

Barbeque Bill my Turkish neighbour - the one whose back door is about five feet from mine and who shares garden space with me - has now invested in a large garden umbrella. Not because he wants to shelter himself from the sun (ha!) while sitting out in the garden. No, it is to provide cover for his precious barbeque, so he can continue to barbeque every morsal of food that enters his mouth even when it's pouring with rain. Now, I like a barbeque as much as the next person, but honestly. Obsessed much?

Am paying close attention to the local news at the moment, after spotting some breaking news in the South Wales Echo over the weekend. Apparently plans have been announced for a new £450m riverside village which is to sweep away 33 acres of industrial decay between Dumballs Road and the River Taff, creating new homes, a commercial quarter, a five-star hotel and a pedestrian and cycle bridge over the river. Why do I care? Because my office building sits right in the middle of the proposed development area.

Apparently, planning applications were lodged earlier this month after more than two years of talks with almost 30 landowners, which...I'd have to wonder if my beloved employers are among the landowners being negotiated with. Part of me suspects they might be, as it would explain why they are letting the building fall into such complete and utter wrack and ruin. But in that case, why would they be spending money ripping the courtroom out and turning it into a new meeting room? It's curious. We've all been saying for years that this is prime development land, and that that's got to be the reason the building is never repaired. If they do get a sizeable payoff for it, we (my branch of the overall umbrella organisation) are going to have to be on the ball to make sure they give us our share to pay for removal expenses. Especially since we've wanted to move out for years - had a new office all picked out and everything - and head office wouldn't let us.

Definitely one to keep an eye on.

Watched the first episode of The Tudors last night. ( First impressions under the cut )

hey, it's summer

Nice to see the sun once in a while, no?

Barbeque Bill my Turkish neighbour - the one whose back door is about five feet from mine and who shares garden space with me - has now invested in a large garden umbrella. Not because he wants to shelter himself from the sun (ha!) while sitting out in the garden. No, it is to provide cover for his precious barbeque, so he can continue to barbeque every morsal of food that enters his mouth even when it's pouring with rain. Now, I like a barbeque as much as the next person, but honestly. Obsessed much?

Am paying close attention to the local news at the moment, after spotting some breaking news in the South Wales Echo over the weekend. Apparently plans have been announced for a new £450m riverside village which is to sweep away 33 acres of industrial decay between Dumballs Road and the River Taff, creating new homes, a commercial quarter, a five-star hotel and a pedestrian and cycle bridge over the river. Why do I care? Because my office building sits right in the middle of the proposed development area.

Apparently, planning applications were lodged earlier this month after more than two years of talks with almost 30 landowners, which...I'd have to wonder if my beloved employers are among the landowners being negotiated with. Part of me suspects they might be, as it would explain why they are letting the building fall into such complete and utter wrack and ruin. But in that case, why would they be spending money ripping the courtroom out and turning it into a new meeting room? It's curious. We've all been saying for years that this is prime development land, and that that's got to be the reason the building is never repaired. If they do get a sizeable payoff for it, we (my branch of the overall umbrella organisation) are going to have to be on the ball to make sure they give us our share to pay for removal expenses. Especially since we've wanted to move out for years - had a new office all picked out and everything - and head office wouldn't let us.

Definitely one to keep an eye on.

Watched the first episode of The Tudors last night. ( First impressions under the cut )