Thursday, July 03, 2008

Back Home.

Back after two days on the road, with posts to write, but no time until tonight -apart from this meander while I have a coffee. And its nice to be home too - to check up on the big building conversion project, to see how much damage the deer have done to the garden, and to reconnect with the blog.

Now I'm just a country boy, who over the last few years ventured forth from the farm, and learned to cope (sort of) with the initially unsettling sophistication of Cardiff. Owning a nice little flat in the Bay helped by creating the 'familiar surroundings' to which I could beat a retreat from the dangerous world of sharp suits and power heels when needed. Cardiff has been an ideal 'half way house' preparation for the awesome challenge of London. The good news today is that I've just come through what's been a testing experience. Have to admit that the 'fuel price protest' outside Parliament did make me feel quite at home. I strolled over for a photograph with them, expecting my more worldly old mate, Brynle Williams to be there with his placard.

Yesterday, it was a very nice Claire House Children's Hospice lunch in the Atlee Room in the House of Lords. The place has an almost serene, country-quiet atmosphere. I was sitting next to Baroness Golding, who severely tested my confidence with the sheer ferocity of her opinions. She's from Caerphilly. But I settled down when she told me that she was into foxhunting, horse and dog racing, fishing and boxing. She's a member of the board which regulates British boxing. After an hour I began to feel quite at home. She was so disbelieving when I told her that I thought I was in with a shout in Montgomeryshire, that I offered to buy her dinner if I were to win. She accepted the offer if she could decide where - to which I replied that it depended whether MPs were being paid at all by then. As walking out, I was almost run down by an official looking car. Sitting in the back seat, busying himself with lists and statistics was Gordon Brown himself.

Then things took another turn. I'd planned a meeting on the Terrace with another guest - but it was raining. So he suggested that we retired to a local tearoom called Claridge's. Have to admit that it seemed even more sophisticated than Cardiff. Even my ordinary cup of tea was called 'English Breakfast Tea'. But I think I fitted in rather well, mainly because I naturally 'cock my little finger' to drink tea from any dainty cup. Since I was a young lad my fingers have been so big that there's no room to hold the cup properly. It was a very nice tearoom though, even if it did seem a bit more pricey than I'm used to.

Things seemed to be going well, did take a turn for the worse later on. I'd moved on to another meeting in Chancery Lane, which seemed a most civilised place. But the underground train from there was terrifying. Just surrounded by heaving bosoms in embarrassingly close proximity. When I emerged, proudly unscathed I should say, into Paddington Station, I felt a bit as I did when I completed my first ever shopping expedition to Morrisons last year, when Mrs D was laid up acclimatising herself to a prosthetic knee.

Anyway its all over, and I've made it back to the farm. The thing about country boys is that they are surprisingly adaptable and resilient.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

"The thing about country boys is that they are surprisingly adaptable and resilient."

These "country boys" sound remarkably like pigeons.

Anonymous said...

awww come on Glyn you aint no country bumpkin or at least I hope your not.
You can adapt to any surroundings and I secretly think you like to be a bit posh now and again.

Glyn Davies said...

anon - Perhaps 'doves' is a nicer word.

freda - Its useful to understand how all people live. I like to stop for half an hour every day, just to chill out and read my Telegraph, or Spectator - and for me 'The Greasy Spoon' is no better or worse than the Ritz.

Anonymous said...

Glyn, if you think Cardiff is sophisticated, no wonder you're overwhelmed by the Carlton club.

Glyn Davies said...

anon - Now I've only been to the Carlton Club once, and its not a particularly impressive place. I would not use the word 'sophisticated' to describe the place. What it has is an impressive political history for a Conservative.

Anonymous said...

Glad you enjoyed your trip to the Lords Glyn - no doubt your part time broadcaster MP will be able to meet you there when he hands over to you after the next election..that is along with all the other former Liberal MPs for Maldwyn who now reside in the Upper House..ie Hooson and Carlisle with the added Clement Jones Jnr of course

Anonymous said...

Well if the Carlton club isn't sophistictaed, Cardiff sure as heck ain't!

Dr. Christopher Wood said...

Glyn> “I dunno”, the pigeons on my balcony are 'surprisingly adaptable and resilient'.

But finally, I have them 'doves' fooled with three artificial owls with large artificial real-looking talons. The pigeons might get used to one owl, but three together is unnerving. Hell, if I didn't know they were artificial I would keep off the balcony.

I have some sticky-tack on order - I figure I have maybe a month of pigeon free balcony, so I need a second passive line of defense (some non-toxic sticky stuff to spread along the balcony railing) - this might be Virginia where anyone can pack heat without a permit (one of VA's Senators sometimes walks around with a gun strapped to his pants, and he's a Democrat), but I rather not hurt the pigeons.