Masses and masses to write about. On Wednesday, we went down to Oxwich Bay on south Gower for a lovely walk with the dogs. Oxwich is one of the most beautiful beaches on Gower although there's some pretty stiff competition. It's particularly enjoyable for dogs as you simply walk from the car park over a few pebbles and then you are on miles of golden sand. We were blessed with sunshine and a breeze and it was a delight to be there. After a lovely walk and a thermos of coffee we drove round to Reynoldston to the King Arthur pub, which sits at the bottom of Cefn Bryn. We sat outside in the sunshine for a drink and some lunch (which was the most revolting pub food I think I have ever tasted) - this is definately a pub which is trading on its location. However, we didn't let this spoil our enjoyment of soaking up the afternoon sunshine and looking up at the Bryn. Eventually came home, windblown and happy with three very sleepy greyhounds. Pics attached from the beach.

On Thursday, it was my 45th birthday, and also Andy's sixth birthday. Firstly, a big thank you to everyone for all the lovely presents and cards and good wishes - very much appreciated. I can't quite believe I'm 45 - somehow the years between my early 20s and now seem to have been telescoped into a whirling blur. One minute I'm a lithe young thing, out partying the night away and now I'm a middle aged person, still partying but with reading glasses and a certain amount of stiffness in the joints along with a propensity for wearing vests, using a good moisturiser, enjoying a fine claret, liking garden centres and other hallmarks of sensible grownup-ness. How did that happen?

On Thursday night, Andrew took me out for a celebratory meal to a restaurant he found via Toptable. It's called Bully's and their website is at http://www.bullysrestaurant.co.uk/

After our experience there I would gladly recommend it - we had a wonderful meal and the service was great, very friendly and attentive without being pushy or obsequious. The wine list was excellent and we eventually chose a delicious Crozes-Hermitage for our main course - Andrew had lamb I had beef, both Welsh and organic. I had the most celestial orange blossom creme brulee for dessert - really delicious and an unusual variation on this pud. Another point in their favour was the ladies -spotlessly clean, beautifully fragranced with candles and well appointed with lots of soaps, lotions, towels etc. Definately a restaurant to return to. I also attach a picture of the birthday cake I made for both Andy and me - a nice simple Victoria sponge with cream cheese frosting and plum jam (home made by Andrew's sister) in the middle. I reduced the sugar considerably in the frosting and it was still delicious but more suitable for woofs. I should of course emphasise that sponge cake is not a normal part of their diet and they are all at excellent weights. We all enjoyed it, but Booty is not a ladylike eater.

The beautiful weather later in the week has allowed Andrew to catch up on lots of garden activities and it's now looking great out there, with lots of pots planted up, fresh mulch and solar lanterns hung up along the fence. By yesterday, the sunshine was spectacular, and really warm as we returned from town. On the spur of the moment we decided to have the first barbeque of the season so stopped off in Tesco and stocked up on charcoal and some food. We invited our good friend Paula round and she was able to join us. I made a sage foccacchio, and we also had some grilled veggies, asparagus (new season), salmon parcels, free range sausages, tsatsiki, grilled marinated portobello mushrooms, and a large steak grilled and sliced. All delicious, especially with the first jug of Pimms this year - the taste of summer. Some pics attached.

Today we did one of our favourite walks, along the sea wall at St Bride's out to West Usk lighthouse and back. It's a beautiful spot, quiet and great for birds and plants. We saw kestrels, egrets, curlews and heard many skylarks (such a beautiful sound), and along the raised dyke the grass was covered in daisies, celandines and bugle - really pretty. Not surprisingly, the dogs immediately went into a state of deep torpor as soon as we came home and they were fed, spending most of the afternoon asleep while I listened on radio 4 to the first episode of "Smiley's People" with Simon Russell Beale. As I'd hoped it was excellent.

Normally, I avoid politics and too much negativity in this blog, but I just wanted to finish by having a quick rant about the disgusting news today that Labour have been campaigning by sending targeted scare messages to voters to basically say that if they vote Tory, they'll not get the cancer care they should - effectively vote Labour or die. Reading this practically rendered me speechless with rage - quite an unusual event. Cancer care in the UK as a whole lags behind most of Europe and the other developed nations. Our rates of diagnosis and survival are poor compared to our European and north American neighbours. In Wales it is even worse than the UK as a whole. Many terminally ill cancer patients are denied life extending drugs in their last few months of life, there are huge question marks over the accuracy and validity of some pathology services, and many UK hospitals are filthy, overcrowded places that are not good for any patient. For the Labour government to start shroud waving is frankly shameful. This for me has taken our politics to a new low. A very good friend of mine who is currently dealing with terminal bowel cancer has already been told that she will not be able to have a life extending drug in the last months of her life. She knows her cancer is terminal but this would give her extra precious time with her family and new great grand daughter. Her son in law is a freemason, and has already told her that their charitable arm will be happy to pay for any medication that may extend her life in conjunction with her doctor at any point if she wants it. As a friend, I am hugely grateful to them for this action but also feel sad and angry that there will be other deserving people out there who should have this and may not be able to afford it. In a country with nominally an NHS that is not a good situation - I wish we had a government that was prepared to have an honest debate about funding healthcare, not resorting to shameful scare tactics to frighten voters. I sincerely hope it backfires on them.