Merthyr Boy

lots of MR people help

lots of MR people help
Originally uploaded by Mark Moran.

It always amazes me how many people it takes to perform a rescue.
We had a call yesterday to a lady with chest pains. It was a very good call from our point of view - 2hrs from start to finish. However we had over 40 people plus the other emergency services involved. The other added benefit of the trip was a 3 hr wait in A&E for me this morning to be told I've torn some sinuses joining my patella tendon and the mussels around my knee :-<<<

One Tree Hill?

One Tree Hill?
Originally uploaded by Mark Moran.

Dropped Tomos off at his Gran's this morning and popped up Heolgerrig Mountain. The view was breath taking.

I saw this tree stood all by its self. It reminded me of the lyrics to "One Tree Hill" by U2

We turn away to face the cold, enduring chill
As the day begs the night for mercy, love.

A sun so bright it leaves no shadows
Only scars carved into stone on the face of earth.

It reminded me that as ever I'm lucky where I am both physically and metaphorically.

It is so easy to see the bad things in this world. As I was reminded last Sunday by a visiting missionary to our Church. When we here of Africa, images of famine, HIV and war come to mind.  Not the beauty of the Serengeti, Victoria falls or Kilimanjaro. Or the dignity of the tribes who in our western eyes are backward, but if we think about it they are often the lucky ones being so close to each other in real family communities.

Yes living where I do is a privilege. I have the sheer beauty of nature around me and the love of my family and friends.

Great day on the hill!

Me on the hill
Originally uploaded by Mark Moran.

Had 2 hours to kill this afternoon. So took the opportunity to wander up one of the quiet hills in in the Brecon Beacons. It was great once I left the car park I did not see a soul until I got back.

Stood on top of the hill looking west towards Swansea bay I stood still and listened to the resounding silence. It was beautiful. Nothing absolutely nothing. Spoke to Chris on the phone and apologised for not asking him to join me. and sent Euan a pic just to say look where I am city dweller - sad I know but, there you go a great day on the hill would have been nice to have had some friends with me but it was nice in itself enjoying my own company.

On top of the world Dad

Beacons
Originally uploaded by Mark Moran.

Took my children out for a walk today. So we went up the road heading for Morlais Castle.  We had great weather and wonderful views.

When Erin got onto the top I called up to her and asked what she could see. The reply was great! In complete excitement she shouted " The top of the World Dad, The top of the world!"

It is times like this that you realise how alive you are, How luck you are and all of the worries and pressures of work just drifted away into the background.

Neuadd Horse shoe & the SAS

Looking North up the Neaudd Ridge
Originally uploaded by Mark Moran.

First day of my summer holidays. I went for a walk with my friend Dai up along the Neaudd Ridge.
It started off with us being asked if the walk we were doing was safe......
The lady in question was in a nice long denim skirt and a very comfortable pair of sandals. Just at this point a nice young man in a uniform and a 120lb pack tabs past holding his issue rifle! You see I say to the nice lady it's safe as long as you are prepared. He is you are not.  Thankfully she and her family took our advice and did a far more sedate stroll.

We then went on our merry way watching the nice men in uniform and 120lb packs run ahead of us for the rest of the day.

These nice young men we part of an acceptance group doing there best to get into one of of more elite military units.

We had a great walk, put the world to rights and cleared all of those desktop cob webs and office haze that has been gathering over the last few weeks.

One of the highlights for me was 3/4 of the way through our walk one of the soldiers comes running past us with a lovely smile and politely excuses himself (he was a Gurkha) about 5 minutes later another soldier comes past not so relaxed and says "Just my luck to be following the Gurkha"!! Fair play to them all. On Monday they would have run about 35-45 mile with 120lb on their backs.

Sunset

Thursday night is our regular training night. Last night we were up at the Morlais quarries our perennial training spot for rock work.

I was feeling completely drained after a long day at work and feeling very anti-social (nothing new there). I was not going to go up to the quarries but stay back at base and sit around feeling sorry for myself. However Chris in his usual subtle way says "come on why feel sorry for yourself on your own, come up and share the misery with everyone else"

I get up there a little later than everyone else and they are all busy setting up rope systems and enjoying the evening sun shine.

Like Susanne's blog from last Monday, just sitting in the presence and beauty of nature seems to be able to relax me. watching the swifts dart and dive. Listen to the young Buzzard family playing in the evening sky, was just great.

By the time Chris was all strapped up in as a casualty in the stretcher and was being thrown (sorry gently lowered) over the edge I felt very relaxed and back with society.

I'm so lucky to live where I do.