The example of wanting to leave your job is one that many can identify with. It’s all about making the … More
Category: Welcome To My World
Thought For The Day – January 26 – The Value Of Hobbies In Character Building
One of the big benefits of having a hobby is that it will build your character. There’s more in the … More
Fishing In The Snow On The River Stour
Although I’m always confident, I’m also realistic, and I knew today’s session was going to be tough. That was most … More
Thought For The Day – January 25 – How To Avoid Opposition In Life
Is it possible to avoid personal opposition? More importantly, what to do when it happens. There’s more in the video … More
A Walk Around The Local Streets In The Snow
The car stayed put today, due to the heavy snowfall locally. I went for a walk though, around the local … More
Garden Birding In The Snow, With A Guest Appearance From My Wife…
With heavy snowfall across the area, travel has not been on the agenda today. Still, I took advantage of the … More
Two Species Of Fish This Time From The River Stour
With the England lockdown continuing, although fishing is allowed, it has to be local and that’s why the River Stour … More
Thought For The Day – January 24 – Thoughts From The Deathbed
Although there’s reference to the deathbed, it’s not meant to be morbid, rather reflective and motivational. There’s more in the … More
In Conversation With Louis Bradford, As He Extends His Loan Deal At Aberystwyth Town
Football-related interviews have been thin on the ground recently, as Welsh football has been non-existent since before Christmas. However, with … More
Thought For The Day – January 23 – Even In The Depths Of Winter, There Are Signs Of Spring If You Look Closely
Like the natural world, we also have seasons of winter, when the going is hard. No matter how tough things … More
Even On The Coldest Of Days, As Long As Your Bait’s In The Water, You’ve Got A Chance
The heading says it all, really. Regardless of the conditions, you’ll never have a chance of catching unless you go … More
Thought For The Day – January 22 – There’s Always Light, Even At The End Of The Darkest Tunnel
Today’s devotion is another one based on the natural world. ‘The night is about over, dawn is about to break’ … More
Fishing In Storm Christoph And I Didn’t Even Know
I didn’t even know we had another named storm passing through until I got home and checked the news. Not … More
Thought For The Day – January 21 – Never Give Up, Keep Battling, A Life Lesson From A Common Buzzard
Today’s thought comes from the natural world and in particular, a common buzzard. There’s more in the video below (56 … More
A Fishing Memory From Almost Half A Century Ago
While out fishing, I was reminded of an angling memory from many years ago. So, while waiting for my first … More
Thought For The Day – January 20 – Deal With It And Move On
How do we respond when hurt or bad things in general happen in our life? There’s more in the video … More
Two New Bird Species On The 2021 Garden List
Compared to the start of the year, we’re in a much milder spell at the moment. It’s affected the birds … More
Thought For The Day – January 19 – What Happens When You Point The Finger At Others
Avoid being a finger-pointer, as every time we do that, there are three pointing back at us. There’s more in … More
Happy To Be Alive And Catching Small Roach
I stayed local, as once again I fished the River Stour. Although we’re limited, due to lockdown, nevertheless we can … More
Thought For The Day – January 18 – Learning From Our Mistakes
It’s not so much if we make mistakes in life, but rather, do we learn from them. There’s more in … More
Thought For The Day – January 17 – Don’t Be Affected By That Which Is Beyond Your Control
If you’re a football fan, no doubt you’ll relate to the message below. It’s not just the beautiful hand though, … More
Following The Black Country Derby, Fishing On The River Stour
Following the big Black Country game, which was live on TV, I headed for the local River Stour for an … More
Thought For The Day – January 16 – As Long As Your Bait’s In The Water
As long as your bait’s in the water, you always have a chance. It’s not just a principle for fishing … More
Thought For The Day – January 15 – Having Possessions
There’s nothing wrong with having possessions, it’s when they have is that the problems begin. There’s more in the video … More
Time-Lapse Long-Tailed Tit Footage From The Garden Feeding Station
The long-tailed tits are regular visitors to our garden now, making several appearances each day. It’s hard to count the … More
A Short Canal Angling Session Late Afternoon
It was nice to get back on the bank this afternoon for a short session up to dark. I do … More
Thought For The Day – January 14 – Release Worry From Your Life, It’s Negative Energy
Worry adds nothing at all to our lives, in fact it takes away. It’s very destructive. There’s more in the … More
Following The Game At Liverpool FC’s AXA Training Centre, Interviews With Paul Harrison, Kwame Boateng And Scott Ruscoe
Once the players made their way out of the dressing room following the TNS FC game against Liverpool U-23s, we … More
First Game Of 2021, At Liverpool FC’s Training Centre
With no football so far this year in Wales, the visit to the AXA Training Centre, in Kirkby, was my … More
Thought For The Day – January 13 – Fear Is An Incredibly Destructive Emotion
Negative emotions will wreak havoc and none more so than fear. There’s more in the video below (32 seconds), with … More
In Conversation With Mike Harris, The Chairman Of The New Saints FC
It’s been a while since we did one of our Thoughts Of Chairman Mike interviews. The latest one comes from … More
Thought For The Day – January 12 – Not All Habits Are Bad Ones
Not all habits are bad and the creation of good ones in our lives is a massive positive. There’s more … More
First Interview With Adam Roscrow, As He Moves From AFC Wimbledon To The New Saints FC
I always enjoy the first interview, as we welcome a new signing to Park Hall. This time round it was … More
Behind The Scenes Video Diary Media Insight, As Adam Roscrow Signs From AFC Wimbledon
It’s currently transfer window and today The New Saints announced the signing of Adam Roscrow. I’ve been keeping a video … More
Three Quality Ticks To The Garden Birding List
The day started off very well indeed, as I made my way across the lawn to top up the feeding … More
Thought For The Day – January 11 – Never Underestimate The Power Of Encouragement
It doesn’t have to be an essay, a few kind words will do. Never underestimate the power of encouragement. There’s … More
It’s A Massive Day For Marine AFC, Adam Hughes And Josh Hmami, As They Take On Tottenham Hotspur – Live Blogging
1.00 p.m. There’s so much football on television that it’s possible to become fatigued. I certainly feel that way, as … More
Thought For The Day – January 10 – When We Stumble In Life, There Are Two Choices
It’s not so much will we slip and stumble on life’s journey, but rather, how do we respond when we … More
Catching Up With Ex-Liverpool Forward, Louis Robles, On His Season To Date With The New Saints
Having spent a number of years with his hometown club, Liverpool, Louis Robles has been with clubs such as Wigan … More
The Feeding Station Is A Hive Of Activity
The recent harsher weather has certainly brought the birds to the garden in numbers. From dawn to dusk, the feeding … More
Thought For The Day – January 9 – Live Each Day Like It’s Your Last
Live each day like it’s your last – but with a word of caution. There’s more in the video below … More
Back On The Bank – Thanks To The Angling Trust
Although fishing was not originally permitted in the lockdown announced earlier this week, great work from the Angling Trust ensured … More
The Transition From Player To Coach – In Conversation With Ex-Wrexham AFC And Wales International, Steve Evans
It may have been minus-5 at Park Hall, the home of The New Saints FC, but that didn’t stop us … More
Thought For The Day – January 8 – Don’t Tell Yourself You Can’t, You Can
Inspired by my dog, Orville the duck and Keith Harris also came to mind. There’s more in the video below … More
No Angling, But Walking Is Still Allowed – A Lockdown Stroll Around Cotwall End Nature Reserve
Just like the first lockdown, there’s no angling allowed* in this one either. I don’t agree with the decision but … More
Thought For The Day – January 7 – The Rat Race
We’ve all heard the term ‘the rat race’. There’s more in the video below (1 minute 2 seconds), with other … More
Garden Birding In The Snow And Another New Tick For The Year
With the snow falling this morning, combined with the fact I was at home, it was an ideal opportunity to … More
Following Training, A Catch-Up Interview With Leo Smith
One of The New Saints’ summer signings, it was good to chat with Leo Smith after training this week at … More
Thought For The Day – January 6 – Inspiring Others, Even When We Aren’t Aware
Twinkle, my Bedlington Terrier, inspires me very much, even though she isn’t aware. There’s more in the video below (1 … More
Four New Bird Species Visit The Garden
When we moved into our new home, right from day one we established a feeding station in the garden. We … More
Thought For The Day – January 5 – What We Were, Where We Are Now And What We Want To Be
Always strive to be a work in progress. It’s dangerous to think we’ve made it, because there’s always room for … More
First Interview Of 2021, With The New Saints FC’s Manager, Scott Ruscoe
With everyone back at Park Hall today – following an extended Christmas break due to the COVID-19 situation – before … More
Back To The Training Ground, What Did Santa Bring The Players?
Although I’m still in my seventh full season with The New Saints, 2021 means that I’ve touched eight years of … More
Thought For The Day – January 4 – Don’t Let Age Hold You Back
Just because we get older, we don’t necessarily have to be dictated to by the accumulating years. There’s more in … More
If Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad, In These Conditions One Out Of Three Is Pretty Decent
My target for 2021, within the context of balance, is to fish as much as I can. So, not much … More
Thought For The Day – January 3 – Whatever Life Throws At Us, Dress Appropriately And Hit The Conditions Head-On
You never know what life will turn up next. Whatever it does though, ‘dress appropriately’ and hit it full-on. There’s … More
Another Session On The Stour – It’s Hard Going At The Moment
Although angling is allowed, due to the tier situation locally there isn’t as much freedom as I would like. However, … More
Thought For The Day – January 2 – It’s Only A Date On A Calendar
The first few days of January are those where people try and initiate change. However, they’re only dates on a … More
On The River Stour For The First Angling Session Of 2021
No football at the moment, due to the Welsh Government postponing all games, so after my garden birding I went … More
Launching A 2021 Garden Nature Blog
I’m looking forward to writing a garden nature blog during 2021. Having moved home just the last few weeks, it’s … More
Thought For The Day – January 1 – Looking Back But Also Looking Forward
As we leave one year behind, it’s only natural that we reflect. However, equally important, is that we look ahead. … More
Farewell 2020, With A Walk Around Cotwall End Nature Reserve
Having not lived that far away previously (just further into the Black Country), I was already aware of Cotwall End … More
Comfortable Armchair Birding For The Next Hour
12.15 p.m. We had our first nuthatch in the garden yesterday, that was great. I saw an otter on the … More
Baggeridge Country Park In The Snow, A Lost Dog And Memories Of My First 20lb Pike And Firecrest
I’ve got some great natural habitats just a few minutes walk from home and today I diverted my attention to … More
Fishing In The Snow
I didn’t get to bed until 4.00 a.m. when, at that time, there was no sign of snow at all. … More
The Things You Do For Your Dog, Eh!
Well, that was a different night, and all is revealed in the video below. I was still up at 7.00 … More
A Sunday Afternoon Stroll Down The Lane On Our Doorstep
As a someone who loves the great outdoors, living where we do now ticks all the boxes for me. Following … More
Last Church Service Of The Year – Stand Firm And Persevere
Time flies, and that’s that for another year, as far as Tipton Family Church is concerned. We gathered for our … More
The First Visit To My New Local Birding And Nature Patch
Now that we’ve turned the corner in terms of settling in to our new home, combined with the fact that … More
Fishing On Boxing Day
I had too much to eat on Christmas Day, but judging from the lack of people out and about this … More
Fishing On Christmas Morning
It might be December 25, but nothing’s changed as far as my recent habit of getting out early morning for … More
Enjoying The Company Of My Feathered Friends This Time
12.30 p.m. After visiting my scaled friends on the canal this morning, it’s now time to observe my other buddies, … More
Visiting My Friends On Christmas Eve
It was a cold one this morning, as the can of de-icer put in an appearance for the first time … More
Now That Football In Wales Is Suspended, Wrapping Up 2020 As Far As My Memorabilia Collection Is Concerned
Following the announcement yesterday, from the FA of Wales, that there will be no more games until mid-January at the … More
Comfortable Live Blogging Birding From The House
1.30 p.m. Not that I prefer home comforts when it comes to the wonderful world of nature, nevertheless, when it … More
The Colour Of The Water Indicated It Was Going To Be A Tough Session – But Was It?
Not all habits are bad ones. Getting up early each morning for an hour on the canal is most definitely … More
Looking Through The Window – Live Blogging Birding From Home
2.50 p.m. I’m going to have an hour live blogging from the living room/kitchen windows. Ahead of kick-off, it looks … More
In Spite Of The Difficult Conditions, Some Nice Perch On The Bank
At the start of Christmas week, I continued with my current habit of an hour on the canal bank at … More
A Reminder That, In Life, Things Aren’t Always What They Appear To Be
That’s Stormie, our green-cheeked conure, in the lead image. Well, we had a very big surprise this week, and all … More
Post-Match Chat On The Park Hall Pitch With Ryan Harrington
Although The New Saints went behind to a 6th minute opener from Penybont FC, it wasn’t long before Ryan Harrington … More
Following The Victory Against Penybont FC, An Interview With Steve Evans
Sometimes, in football, when the manager doesn’t do the post-match interview and the assistant steps in, it’s because he’s angry … More
From The Drive At Home To The Car Park At Park Hall, Behind The Scenes At The New Saints Versus Penybont FC In The JD Cymru Premier
In the final game before the festive period, The New Saints secured the three-points in a 2-1 victory. Coming from … More
It’s That Fine Line Again, A Nice Roach Keeps Me On The Right Side Of It Though
I was on the canal bank at first light again this morning. As I’ve got a working game in the … More
Do Your Best, Enjoy Life And Get Something From It
I played football on Monday and thought I had a terrible game. I didn’t beat myself up but, back on … More
Another Early Morning Session, With Perch And Roach On The Bank This Time
No need for the alarm clock again this morning, I woke naturally. In fact, I was up so early I … More
First Hosts Fourth, As We Do The Press Conference Ahead Of Saturday’s Game
The words ‘time flies’ are certainly applicable to the current JD Cymru Premier season, as far as I’m concerned. The … More
Fishing On The Way To Work – Especially With Short Sessions At This Time Of The Year, It’s Important To Target The Right Species
I beat the alarm clock by half an hour this morning, which enabled me to add an extra thirty minutes … More
A Post-Match Interview With Ryan Astles, As He Opens His Goal Account With The New Saints – Lightning Doesn’t Strike Twice
Following the 4-0 victory against Newtown AFC, and with four different names on the scoresheet, there were several contenders for … More
Penblwyd Hapus, A Manager Interview On His Birthday
After the 4-0 TNS FC victory at Latham Park against Newtown AFC, I interviewed manager, Scott Ruscoe. It was also … More
Behind The Scenes To And From Latham Park
The game between Newtown AFC and The New Saints marked the halfway stage in the JD Cymru Premier season for … More
Live Blogging Garden Birding
12.00 noon Birding from the living room, it doesn’t get any more comfortable than this. I’m going to spend an … More
Football Yesterday Evening, Football Tonight – In Between, An Angling Session
I played football myself yesterday, and later today I’ll be on my way to Newtown, for a working game. In … More
Ahead Of The Visit To Latham Park, The Press Conference With Scott Ruscoe
It’s Newtown AFC v The New Saints tomorrow in the JD Cymru Premier, but before then, today at Park Hall, … More
A Canal Roach Session On The Way To Work
As you can see from the video, I was up and about very early this morning. I’m like anyone else, … More
Don’t Form Opinions Only From What You See On The Outside
This is a video-led blog entry and there’s more below.
Following The Final Whistle In Flintshire, A Pitch-Side Interview With Scott Ruscoe – Doing Our Best With Limited Equipment
Once the final whistle had gone at the Deeside Stadium, and Scott had done his interview with S4C, we chatted … More
First Defeat Of The Season For The New Saints, As The Ex-Players Do The Damage On Deeside
Due to obvious external circumstances, the number of games I’ve been at this season have been limited. The visit to … More
It’s A Fine Line Sometimes, But With Bream And Roach, I Was On The Right Side Of It This Morning – Next Stop, Flintshire, We’re Live on TV This Afternoon
I played football last night, and it’s certainly good to be back on the pitch after long periods away, due … More
Practising For My Retirement, When I Go Fishing Every Day, By Going Fishing Every Day
I was back out on the canal at first light again this morning for another short session, before I got … More
Another Day And Another Canal Angling Session At First Light
Another day and another angling session at first light on the canal, it’s becoming quite a habit. However, it fits … More
Inseparable In Life And Now Together In Eternity
Yesterday, we said our final farewells to Rosemary, my mother-in-law. Although I’m no longer a full-time minister, nevertheless I still … More
A Cold Day But You Never Catch Sitting By A Warm Fire
Another session at first light for me this morning. You can follow how I got on via the video below. … More
Ahead Of The Weekend’s Big Game, The Press Conference With Scott Ruscoe
It’s second versus first in the JD Cymru Premier on Saturday, when Connah’s Quay Nomads hosts The New Saints. With … More
Roach Fishing On The Way To Work
It needs commitment and motivation but with a certain amount of effort, you can get more angling sessions in. That … More
I’ve Changed Since I Was A Baby And You Can Still Change As An Adult
The lead image is me with my dad in the early sixties. I had blonde, curly hair and that changed … More
From Bolton Wanderers’ Academy To FA Cup Adventures With Marine AFC – The Footballing Journey Of Josh Hmami
Josh, as a youngster, you were at Bolton Wanderers and you also had a spell with Barnsley. We all like … More
A Great Sunrise To Start The Day But Was The Fishing As Impressive?
Now that the England-wide lockdown is over, I played football yesterday evening. Under the floodlights, in Bilston, it was great … More
As The Weather Turns, An Early Morning Canal Session
I’ve created a habit recently of waking naturally each morning, with plenty of time to get on the canal, just … More
A Hat-Trick The Icing On The Cake, As Greg Draper Makes His 150th League Start
In from the beginning at Cefn Druids, that it was Greg’s 150th league start for The New Saints, was enough … More
Following The 4-0 Victory Against Cefn Druids, An Interview With Scott Ruscoe
After he did his interview with S4C at the Rock, we chatted with Scott for TNS FC media. With twelve … More
A Working Game – Sort Of – As TNS FC’s Unbeaten Start To The Season Continues In Style
The New Saints’ impressive start to the season continues, this time it’s a 4-0 victory on the road at Cefn … More
As The Players Trained At Park Hall, Chatting With John Rhodes, TNS FC’s Head Of Recruitment
During first team training yesterday, with the players to John’s right, we leaned on the railings around the pitch, as … More
Two Angling Sessions In One Day, A Good Way To Start The Month
You can never have too much of a good thing, and certainly as far as angling is concerned, that most … More
No Scott Ruscoe For The Cefn Druids Press Conference, Instead It’s Wales International, Steve Evans
The New Saints’ assistant-manager, Steve Evans, is taking his Pro Licence coaching badge at the moment. Part of it involves … More
Starting December How I Mean To Carry On – Fishing On The Way To Work
I got up extra early this morning so that, on the way to work, I could do some fishing. Sometimes … More
I Lost Nine Pounds In November – What’s The Secret?
I was happy with my weight loss over the month just gone. What was the secret though? All is revealed … More
Farewell, November, With An Early Morning Angling Session On The Canal
Before I got on with the rest of the day, I was on the canal at first light again this … More
Looking Forward To Exploring The Natural World From Our Forever Home
I wrote in a recent blog that November was going to be a month of change and that included moving … More
Bringing My Memorabilia Collection Up To Date With Items From November 2020 – JD Cymru Premier Team Sheets And Remembrance Game Poppy
Although there are individual blog entries for the more unique items, nevertheless with things such as team sheets, for example, … More
The First Wales International Shirt In My Collection – Bendigedig
I’ve been collecting items of football memorabilia ever since I started working in the beautiful game. They’re all part of … More
I Was Wondering Why It Was A Session Of Two Halves And Then I Found Out
I was up even earlier this morning, as I had an hour or so in my home office, before getting … More
As The Unbeaten Run Continues With A 4-1 Win Against Aberystwyth Town, The Post-Match Interview With Scott Ruscoe
There was nothing unlucky about thirteen as far as The New Saints were concerned, as the eleven wins and two … More
We Thought It Was Another Hat-Trick For Greg Draper, It Wasn’t, But He Still Did Enough To Get The Post-Match Interview
From our vantage point in the press box at Park Hall, it looked like Greg Draper had scored another hat-trick. … More
Not So Unlucky Thirteen, As The New Saints Win Again
The visit of Aberystwyth Town to Park Hall, in the JD Cymru Premier, was the thirteenth league game of the … More
Another Morning And Another Short Canal Angling Session
I’ve created a new pathway the last week or so, as I wake early, have an hour canal fishing and … More
Rubbish On The Surface But It’s Underneath What Counts – Today’s Urban Canal Angling Adventure
The more urban you get, sadly the more the canal becomes a dumping ground for unwanted items. With cans, bottles … More
My Favourite Competition, As A Welsh Cup Winner’s Medal 2004/2005 Joins The Squad
After Llansantffraid lifted the Welsh Cup in 1994/1995, a number of years passed before the club, who were then known … More
It Was A Cold Start To The Day, But Did I Catch On This Morning’s Angling Session?
It’s working really well for me at the moment, in the sense that I can do an hour on the … More
Welsh Premier League Runners-Up Medal 2002/2003
The latest logged addition to my memorabilia collection goes back to season eleven of the top flight of Welsh football. … More
Although The Water Temperature Continues To Fall, I Continue To Catch, And That’s What Counts
I do embrace change very easily, and I’ve seamlessly adapted to my current lifestyle of waking early so I can … More
I Spent Longer Fishing Than I Had Planned But We Still Got There With The Press Conference
Ahead of each competitive game at The New Saints, we have a press conference with our manager, Scott Ruscoe. What … More
I May Have Woken Up In A New Bed But Some Things Never Change
It was nice going to bed in our new home yesterday, but as it is a working day (at Park … More
My Forever Home Came Today
I wrote in a blog entry a few weeks back that November was going to be a month of personal … More
After Three Days In The Angling Tomb, It Was Good To Get Back On Track
If you’ve been following my blogs recently, then you’ll know that I’ve been very busy. Today, especially, promises to be … More
Welsh Premier League Champions Winners’ Medal 2006/2007
There’s more on the item in the video below. I must say though, I have been so blessed in recent … More
It’s Match Day In The Capital – Live Blogging Day Two
6.15 a.m. Still dark now at this time, so it was nice to get one last look at the lights … More
A Day In The Life – Live Blogging Today’s Football-Related Adventures
7.00 a.m. Although the alarm was set for a 7.00 a.m. start, I woke naturally before then anyway. It’s going … More
Fishing Through The Leaves Again This Morning – But Did I Catch?
It’s that time of the year where leaves make their way into our fishing venues, often in large numbers. It … More
Signed Home And Away Shirts, From Scott Ruscoe’s TNS FC Playing Days
Although I’ve got a lot of signed shirts, each one is still very special. I have them on the wall … More
Welsh League Cup Runners-Up Medal 2012/2013
I recently added a number of fantastic items to my football memorabilia collection. They all came courtesy of Scott Ruscoe, … More
Welsh Premier League Winners Trophy 2005/2006
This is the first of a number of very special items that I’ve just added to my personal football memorabilia … More
From Saints To Druids – A Groundhopping Book Joins My Football Memorabilia Collection
The latest addition to my football memorabilia collection is a book written by Michael Grimes, when he visited the JD … More
Groundhog Day, Another Early Morning Canal Session
If you’ve seen the movie, Groundhog Day, you’ll know that every morning Bill Murray wakes up and does the same … More
Conducting A Funeral Service – RIP, Col
He visited us at church for the first time on Christmas morning last year. Today, was his funeral service. RIP, … More
An Early Morning Perch Session, With Thoughts On Confidence, Luck And Watercraft In General
I’m enjoying my perch canal fishing at the moment, as you will already know if you follow my blog entries. … More
Sometimes One Fish Is A Result, A Second Is A Bonus
It’s been a cold day, it certainly has had a wintry feel to it. Regardless of the conditions though, I … More
With A Goal And An Assist, Louis Robles Was The Post-Match Player Interview Choice, As The New Saints Beat Barry Town United 2-1
Once the final whistle goes, I wrap up TNS Radio and head for the area where we’ll do the post-match … More
Chatting With Scott Ruscoe, As The New Saints’ Unbeaten Run Continues – Thoughts On Doing Post-Match Interviews And Advice For Anyone Considering Going Down That Route
Following the final whistle in the JD Cymru Premier MD13 game, as always, there was an interview with TNS FC … More
Continuing The Unbeaten Run In Top Flight Welsh Football, As The New Saints Beat Barry Town United 2-1
Although there are no fans allowed in Wales this season at the moment, nevertheless, working in the beautiful game means … More
Football Later, First Fishing
Due to the COVID-19 situation, although top flight league football is being played in Wales, there are no cup competitions … More
