Llandeilo Bridge

Llandeilo Bridge, courtesy Mark Revitt Photography 

From Facebook Archives

5 March 2015

I wish I had a pound for every time I've crossed over that bridge on the way to and from school, mass (before the Carmelites sold Tregyb to the local authority to build a comprehensive school) and finally Cartref Awel Tywi Residential Home to visit Mum and Dad.

When built (and maybe still now) it was the longest single span stone bridge in Wales. 

And if Auntie Eirlys (who died aged 102) spoke truly one of our Thomas ancestors (paternal grandma's side) was one of the stonemasons who built it. 

Although Thomas is such a common surname in Carmarthenshire it would be hard to prove.

Oxbridge Limitations

From Facebook Archives

4 March 2022 at 19:10

Just booked my tickets for the North East Skinny Dip on 

25 September!

FifiD  Woohoo!!!

Miss Fiddle  The skinny dip was part of a question on University Challenge a few weeks ago!  Did you see it?

Bentonbag   On catch-up yes.  I suspect the Oxbridge lot have little knowledge of where Northumbria is.

Drummerman  It has seemed that many of the contestants have a better knowledge of the location of places in China and the Asian countries of the former USSR than they do of the British Isles.   

To be fair, I’m vice versa when I can remember at all…

Bentonbag  It would appear that as far as some are concerned there be dragons in places beyond the Home Counties.

Miss Fiddle  Including my sister - she's visited me 3 times in the 32 years I've lived in the North-East!

Drummerman  I blame the Welsh.

Labourlad  Had my first skinny dip in a loch in Scotland in August… loved it till warden moved me on

HuggyG  Definitely this year Ben!! Xx

Bentonbag  Get in quick, camping sold out overnight!

 

Further To In Lovely Memory – Thunderthighs Comes Through

From Facebook Archives about 

3 March 2019

On Friday 1^st I saw a Facebook post from Northern Cross asking for people to help with cross carrying across the sands for some filming on Sunday. 

Thunderthighs was a complete pain on Saturday and we were having a discussion about appropriate and inappropriate ways to deal with anxiety when the ‘phone rang with the news about Paula. 

He changed immediately from stroppy teen to caring son.   

I decided going to Holy Island would be the best thing for me to do, and he decided he’d come with me ‘for emotional support’.   

He was up at 5.30 to get there for the 7am start.   

There was a bracing offshore wind but it was a lovely day for standing around on the sand.   

There were seals on some of the mudflats.   

Thunderthighs now wants to cross the sands on Good Friday.   

 

While we were standing around this bloke I sort of recognised came up to us and asked about how we were involved with Northern Cross.   

So I explained, all the while trying to work out where I knew him from.  

 Northern Cross?  

 Was he a telly person I’d seen on a set somewhere?   

No.  

 It was ‘choirmaster’ Gareth Malone doing a programme which is on sometime over Easter; I don’t know what it’s called.   

Thunderthighs realised before me and claimed to be star struck and was unable to talk for some time.

When we got home I had a bath and a nap and then went with Mrs Leftfoot to hear a Canadian woman singing songs about knitting in the upstairs bar of the Cumberland Arms.   

It was a suitably surreal ending to a very strange week.

 

 

 

In Lovely Memory

This is the only Facebook Archives for today.

2 March 2019 at 19:40

This is my friend Paula who I've known since we were flatmates in 16E Richardson Road in 1977/8.   

She passed away peacefully in the early hours of this morning after 8 years of battling with cancer.

She had an indomitable spirit, wicked sense of humour and fierce intelligence (she took a law degree aged 50 and got a First).

She introduced me to gin&tonic (always with lime) and emphasised the necessity of regular Mummy's Weekends Away.

I last saw her a fortnight ago in Kingston Hospital.  

The cancer in her liver meant she could only lie flat, but they had tilted the bed so she could see visitors more easily.   When I left I turned for a last look, to see her head lifted, eyes bright and smiling, waving to me.

The last gift of a good memory of a precious friend.

I shall miss her more than I can say.

 

There were lots of supportive comments but I shall only include this one from a fellow Coven member

Bess Cavalier  Raising a glass of 4n in memory of our friend Paula. Sorry Paula, no limes in stock.  Remembering her courage and the fun times over the years.

***

4n refers to one of the times the Coven met in Richmond.  

Most of us stayed in the Premier Inn but I was at Paula's.  

A text arrived asking where I was and when we'd all meet up.  

I meant to reply "Just having a gin at Paula's".  

However if you  key "gin" in too quickly on a mobile phone you end up with 4n.  

So it's been 4n ever since.