Last week we were delighted to host three Christmas events so I am truly in the Christmas spirit (that’s relative for me you understand). Firstly we were delighted to welcome the Clwyd Mountaineering Club on Saturday 10th December, my completing the Wainwright’s the day before led me to be AWOL once again but I hear that only made the evening all the better. Cotswold Outdoor were not so lucky for their Christmas party as I was here to land a hand to Gaby & Dorina but that didn’t seem to stop them having a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Thanks to both Clwyd & Cotswold for choosing us as a venue.
The third event was Mike Lees’ annual Christmas Quiz in aid of Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation where we raised £400 for them. It was a fun packed night, full to the rafters & good to see many familiar faces & some new ones too. Mike did occasionally bring a more serious issue to light which in this quite frightening of times brought cause for thought. Put simply there are a lot of people in the world who are going through a living hell, be they a close friend who are ill or alone or Syrian refugees etc. etc. Christmas could be a time for us to reflect & help in anyway we can, even small gestures within this mad world can remind us & them that humanity is alive & kicking after all.
Sunday saw me out in Llanberis for Eryri Harriers fun run, with a continued bad back & left knee to match my first words on arrival were ‘I’m just jogging it this year’. Ellie Salisbury jumped on the band wagon ‘would you be happy to jog with me’. Me, Ellie & Elsie (her canine first aider) spent a glorious 52 minutes jogging around Llyn Padarn in balmy weather talking about the outdoor year ahead. My apologies to Dorina, Gaby, Ady, Nick & Simona who (whilst I was jogging) got blitzed by 70 cyclists & many others besides but come on guys jogging is good for my back so I was investing in the Cafe’s longterm staffing.
Eryri’s Christmas raffle saw the real athletes (Kean among others) choose the variety of chocolates whilst I honed in on the pickle onions, must remember to donate one litre of my apple chutney next year but on this years showing I’ll be the only one taking it home.
Christmas Day sees our doors closed (see previous blog for detailed opening times over the festive period), a run beckons & then Dorina & I sit down for our traditional goose. Hopefully I will be good enough to think of those who’s problems are so much greater than mine.
Sorry for any heaviness but Mike’s words are occasionally listened to & much understood.
