Favourite Things

This post is a list of things I enjoy. Read and see how it compares to you.

Favourite Place

Blaenau Ffestiniog my birth place. Has amazing scenery and the people are really remarkable. Unlike many places there is no class divide. People care for each other and the sense of community is very strong

Llandudno holds a special place in my heart as it was where I went to school. It was also where Shan, my late Wife, and I met up again. The best promenade in Wales too. Victoriana to it’s core.

Favourite Book

Day of the Triffids as a child. We read it in my last year or so in school alongside War of the Worlds.Thanks to the late Yvonne Hughes, I read it again as an adult. Favourite book since then has to be ‘Ragged Trousered Philanthropist’ by Robert Tressell. Was given a copy by my tutor when studying Social Sciences at the OU. It made me see the society I lived in differently. It illustrated the unfairness of society which is here today. It has echoes of Christ’s gospel in it too, although many socialists would not agree.

I love crime fiction and espionage thrillers. John Le Carre and Robert Goddard at the top of the list with a new writer Cara Hunter close behind.

Favourite Song

‘Have I told you lately’ by Van Morrison which my late Wife Shan and I found as we fell in love.’ Also, ‘Everglow’ by Coldplay which a patient asked me to play on Radio Wulfrun.

As for classical music it has to be Rachmaninov piano concerto no2 made famous by the film Brief Encounter. Plus Puccini operas thanks to my Mum.

Favourite Film

The Deerhunter which I have seen three times and it still shocks me to this day. I loved a film called ‘Raindance’ about a young man who is being treated for a spinal injury too.

Favourite Singer or Band

I love listening to Eric Clapton on the guitar. Still can’t believe he was guitarist on my favourite Beatles track, ‘While my guitar gently weeps’. The version at the memorial concert for George Harrison still makes me cry. I have been a huge ‘Coldplay’ fan and would give anything to see them live. Can’t see it happening though. Thanks to my hospital radio work I have become a fan of big band music too. I have also turned on to jazz pianists like Diana Krall.

Favourite Sport

The only sports I have competed at to a good standard is Athletics. I love watching it too. Been a fan since the days of Brendan Foster and David Bedford. It’s weird to think I now watch Liz McColgans daughter and KJT! I must be getting old.

As for watching, I am a huge football fan. Supported Man United since 1968. It was great to see George Best on tv. Shame I am too young to have watched Duncan Edwards. Love seeing the Welsh team under Rob Page succeeding too as they did under Chris Coleman. Like all Welshmen and women I love watching our rugby team play.

I love watching boxing and cricket too. Loved Harry Carpenter commentary and Brian Johnson on TMS. It should be on free to air channels at international level. Surely government can remedy this.

Favourite Food

Nothing nicer than a roast dinner. I have become a fan of roasted veg as an adult.

In the 18 months I have been on a high protein diet. This has meant eating chicken, pork, eggs and oily fish. My flat has been known to be stinking of kippers too. It is something I will stick too. As a treat I love Belly Pork but it’s not very healthy.

My vice has always been biscuits. No hot drink should be drunk without one.

Favourite Drink

Nothing nicer than a cup of mocha. I am partial to a glass of Jack Daniels too, in moderation of course!. My tea and coffee has to be black and decaff.

Favourite TV

This has changed over time. As a teenager I loved ‘The Virginian’ I was raised on the Wooden Tops and Andy Pandy. Loved cartoons like Mr Magoo and Wacky Races and Deputy Dawg. Now, I have loved crime dramas from Z Cars, through Morse and Lewis to DCI Banks. Thanks to Netflix I have loved ‘The Queen’. The production values in it are staggering. Downton Abbey finished way too early and Call the Midwife is not on often enough.