TIME IS FLYING BY

Today is Friday and it seems like we just stepped off the plane. Everybody is starting to understand to get all the rest you can . After a fun day on Thursday the team went out with our some of host families that included Edwin, Don & Don's wife to an italian rest on the Mumbles Mile right on the bay. It was all glass so you could look out over the bay. After dinner, we all went to an upscale pub up the road. We all had a great time and we all laughed together as they wanted me to explain the State Dance (The Shag) after it was a question asked of Betsy at our 1st presentation. Even though our hosts knew it was a dance, trying to explain with them thinking of their meaning of the word was just hilarious. They wanted to me to demostrate which I did later which is hard to do without your wife and you get my drift of how the discusssion went. We all laughed so hard it was a great way to wind down last evening. Thank you for another wonderful and delightful experience. As you saw from the post from Betsy we went to Kidwelly Castle yesterday in the town of Kidwelly, met with the Mayor of the town who also had lunch with us. We then went David Gravelle's Gravelle's Garage, a family owned Renault Dealership which sells over 4000 cars a year. The business was started by his father and even though it is a very small town in Wales he pulls customer from all over Wales. His reputation of outstanding customer service was evident all through the building. His Service Dept Manager has been with him 29 years and his shop forman 21 years. David said "if they are good, we keep them". David hosted us at a quaint little restaurant across the street from his dealership. After lunch, we went to our first vocational visit. Ruben racked up at the Dyfed Powis Police HQ as he was professionally and courteously received. He was presented a Wales police hat and a badge from the Dyfed Powis Dept and came away very impressed with the professionalism and their policies and proceedures. He was to take a ride in one of their helicopters but weather was not on their side for that. Adrel went to the Carmarthen Journal and found that paper uses the same computer system as her paper and felt like she could go right to work. We prefer however to keep her in Lake City. Richard went to the Century Kidwelly Church and the Industrial Museum where he learned about tinplating. I went back to Gravelle's Garage and got to see first hand how efficiently they operate and how great the service is from top to bottom with David Gravelle leading the way. Most of their cars are sold by order and not off the lot and they have set up a wonderful computer program that keeps them in touch when the car will be delivered so as to keep their customer informed. Mariah and Betsy had a little confusion with their visits but their Rotarian hosts came to the rescue and fill in the gap with personal visits and to be able to sit down one on one with people other than hosts families and the Rotary Group settings. Today it is raining again but we are ready for more Welsh Adventures. Ruben and Richard are going to a soccer game tonight and Adrel to a Welsh Male Choir. Edwin, my host and I plan to do take away(carry out for my friends back home) of Fish and Chips together tonight and then see what develops. Mona, Edwin's back yard neighbor gave me a quick Welsh language lesson on Wednesay night before our presentation as I wanted to start our presentation with "Good Evening" Noswaithe dda in Welch. I believed most people understood what I was trying to say in my S.C. accent. She gave me another phrase which I didn't use Wed but I decided to use yesterday and got to where I was saying it pretty good. Ma'en blesser i fod yma. A pleasure to be with you. and AMEN to that as we are being treated like Royalty!!!!!Thanks, my Welsh Friends and Hosts from all of us...Rick