Mumbling Free - Day 2 - Over the hills and (not so very) far away

The quickest way into town is across the nature reserve.  It is a lovely walk, the paths are good and the journey short, but the descent is steep, with large steps cut into the hillside and it is a long way down.  We wandered around Mumbles village and along the sea front.  The tide was going out and small pieces of beach were soon exposed.  We took Brody to a slipway and played with him for a while before walking further around the bay.  The other owners watched us as our dog faithfully retrieved the ball from the sea again and again. Now down at sea level the path is completely flat and the walk easy. The path is split between cyclists and pedestrians so some care is required.  In the village we bought some supplies - fish for lunch and treats for Brody, because I left his big box of treats behind.
Now for the walk back over the hill. Perhaps there is another way, we tried up a small road.  It was a dead end.  At the end though was an incredible find - a garden dedicated to a G-gauge railway.

The garden runs the trains most Sundays, when the weather is good.  We spoke to Mike and Jackie for a few minutes, and were invited in, but declined because Brody was still over excited and we were worried he might damage the display.
So after a delightful interlude it was back up the steps, over the hill and a return to the cottage.
The weather is still great, so we had lunch in the garden.  We tried to create some shade, but the beeeze caught the umbrella we had rested on the frame above the table, so that idea was abandoned.
After lunch we watched (slept through) the Queens Tennis Tournament final.  Jo took Brody out (he asks to go, he doesn't like the garden) and came back saying that dark clouds were arriving, she expected rain, I looked ans said they were just clouds and no rain would come, minutes later were were moving things off the patio because it was raining so hard.  In the evening we drove to Llanelli and on a bit to a country park.  The tide was too far out for Brody to have another swim, but we had a lovely walk and tired him out.  Along the 'beach' on the outward walk and along the promenade on the way back.

Today is fathers day.  I was hoping to  speak to Karen, but there is no broadband here.  They have provided a dongle, which allows some basic internet sometimes, at other times there is no signal at all.  Both the dongle and my phone are on the 'Three' network. Sometime one or other works, sometimes neither.  Better than nothing, but no where near fully functional.  The broadband is due to be fitted on Tuesday

No Fathers, No Children, Not Children

All three of the recent Commons votes have gone the wrong way.

The final one took place last night. The Social Abortion limit remains at 24 weeks. That means that a potential baby up to an estimated 24 weeks into pregnancy can be aborted. Whatever you think of abortion, the thought that there will be just one or two babies aborted (for the convenience of the mother), that would survive if there had been some other catastrophe is very worrying. The science (statistics in this case) does not support a general change because the numbers of babies surviving at less than 24 estimated weeks into pregnancy is so low, but it is not zero, so there is the chance that the baby could have survived.

The clause that required authorities to 'consider the need for a father' has also been lost. Now one , or two women can receive help through the IVF program, and can bring their children up without any consideration that a father should be involved. It was felt by MP's that the requirement was out of date.

The other vote with a disappointing result was the embryo decision. Now British scientists will be able to experiment with mixing human and non-human tissues during embryo research. There are all sort of potentially scary outcomes from this ( disease transfer, unexpected, or uncontrollable side effects from the treatments developed), so it will be seen internationally as a high risk approach.

Each of these votes shows how far our society has come into the 'post-christian' era. We no longer need to take into account any core beliefs about right and wrong. We can go ahead with any sort of social experiment that we think might appeal to the selfish in society.

So, if a woman becomes pregnant through carelessness, or lack of knowledge, she can get rid of the baby. I don't mean to say its easy - its not, but it can be done. What is the long term loss to society from that child not being with us? What is the long-term effect on society from the throw away culture?

On the other hand, if a woman decides she wants a baby but not a man, that too can be arranged. How will they model fatherhood or manliness to their son? How will they develop a good man?

"Saviour siblings" are also allowed, so my child is suffering badly fro some condition, I engineer another child with the genetic make up that it takes to fix the third. So you engineered child has no rights, but becomes simply part of the treatment. Then of course he or she will have to live their lives with the knowledge of the reason they were born, and possibly the consequences of any reatment they are forced to undergo.

If we can treat some terrible diseases as a result of the the embryo work, at what cost to society is that achieved? I have heard many scientists questioned about what experiment they wouldn't do. It seems few have any idea about this.

The focus of all of these laws is on the individual, and lacks concern for the lives that are 'created' (or lost) as a result of the actions taken. Who gives us the right to assume this power over the unborn? - it certainly isn't God.

In Jeremiah 1:5 God is speaking to Jeremiah:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.


In the 1930's a great evil grew up in Europe. One of the many evils perpetrated were experiments on human being, how will they survive / react to different treatments. The subjects were reduced to a less than human status.

How is what has just been passed in the last few days any different?