Today I was back in action at Cardiff junior parkrun. I had the dual responsibilities of First Timers Welcome and Timekeeper.

There were tourists from Sweden, Australia and West Yorkshire, so I was faced with a large number of first timers to welcome. You may remember from last time that I confidently told all the first timers that the course is a 'keep right' course (spoiler - it's not). Luckily, on that occasion, I was quickly corrected by a not-quite-a-first-timer. And today, I made no mistakes! I'm going to say my first timers welcome today was a complete success because we had only one adult in the finish funnel (this is a huge decrease).

I was able to verify the almost complete lack of adults in the funnel because of my second role as timekeeper. The one adult who did run in the funnel was after their junior because they didn't have a barcode (the first rule of parkrun is DFYB 'Don't Forget Your Barcode'). But, I had 'clicked' their finish place on the parkrun virtual volunteer app. The other timekeeper did not. This meant my timekeeping results would be the ones used. If you are going to forget your barcode at parkrun, you do at least have to take a token if you go through the funnel.

It was a pretty miserable day weather-wise. It was damp and raining that pathetic, lethal drizzle which makes your phone and glasses unusable, and yet isn't bad enough to warrant wearing a rainproof jacket. So rather than show you photos of a soggy biscuit Flo, please enjoy these yarn bombs made by another Cardiff run group and all round good people 'She Runs Cardiff'.

Two Goodgymmers spent the afternoon sprucing up a much loved garden. The gravel orchard was weeded, four very stubborn brambles were uprooted and dozens of fallen apples were rounded up for the birds. We finished up by sweeping the leaves into the composter for next year’s mulch!

Four GoodGymmers met at Oasis ready to deliver the leaflets for Splott Community Volunteers. The leaflets were to let locals know about their regular activities like their weekly breakfast club but also about their big 10th anniversary celebrations which are happening on Saturday 16th of August 12-5pm at The Star Centre in Splott.

After eating a lovely almond and jam cookie generously provided by Neda (thanks/diolch!) the group were ready to set off. With Andrew navigating the streets, the group worked seamlessly to deliver the 180 leaflets in record time. Jen and Neda were off to do another good deed afterwards but they had a bit of spare time before their bus was due, so we all headed for a drink at the local cafe.

We chatted about travel plans and escape rooms and while thinking of the pun for the task, Jen taught us a new word “Jentacular" that means relating to or pertaining to breakfast. Overall it was a lovely morning with Jen stating ‘it’s been wonderful’ as she head to continue doing good and getting two deeds closer to getting her black t-shirt! You can do it Jen!!

Tonight was a walking group, consisting of Michael and Martin.

It was a straight out and back walk, with no deviations allowed tonight. We were tasked with clearing a wall of the ivy that had over grown and was now encroaching on the public pathway. Helping at the Salvation Army, where we last helped to clear the garden for the young people's summer activities.

It was a good 40 minutes of work from the 2 volunteers tonight, managing to get the entire wall finished.

A brilliant load done, followed by a bit of a catch up afterwards at our start/end location of the glassworks.

Join us next week as we return to (Dyfrig in Grangetown) [https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/group-task-back-to-church-fdd6faea-bab0-4490-9502-4c1ee0dcf4d6]

Nathans daughter joined him on a Saturday afternoon trip to the dump, so as a sweetener he promised a trip out to the coastal path to see the horses and cows.

Disappointment all around was to follow. First new signs were up on the farm fences discouraging feeding the horses, and second, the trails were anything but trash free. After heading out onto the mud flats to see the cows safely in the distance, and looking across the Severn Estuary to mummy's homeland, they collected rubbish as they walked back to the car - coffee cups, plastic bottles and cans making up the bulk of the collection.

Hopefully for a little while all that can be seen on that section of the coastal path are livestock hoofprints (and associated excrement).

Two Goodgymmers trimmed a hedge that had got out of control and was blocking the light coming into the living room and bedroom.