Problems

Janet asked me to let you know she has problems with her internet but as soon as she’s got it back she’ll be posting again.

 /Viv

Playing

M and V came late on Thurs night. Friday M worked on the Landrover and V and I went in to Camarthen, shopping. Had a good time going round and bought some Christmas presents.
Today M took the Landrover up to the top fields and grounded it on the bank between the top left and top right field. He tried to take it to fast. So he had to go up the road to a neighbour and borrow a tractor to tug it off. This all took time and he finally made it down the field all amongst the rough and brambles later in the afternoon. His friend J came over and they were down there in the dark – enjoying themselves ploughing across the brambles and into the wood.
They’ve had their dinner and gone down the Fox now. This is the pub, the Fox and Hounds in the valley below us. The road to it is dark, narrow, hilly, tortuous- not the sort to drive on if you’ve had a few.
The lady who runs the pub has been there for a few years and they know they’ll have a laugh with her.
She used to be a care assistant and was the only one that my late
mother-in-law didn’t insult.
Bye

Light my fire

It’s supposed to be getting colder so we will light the fire in the living room tomorrow as I know M and V like that. I wonder what Small (the kitten) will make of it – a burnt nose probably. Yes. that seems to be his name and I have put it on the label above the entrance to the Cosy Pet House that he sleeps in (with his hot wheatbag). Luxury…
The Secretary of Our writers group has just resigned because of personal reasons and we have used the opportunity to create a new dynamic in the group.
With certain folk not around we shall change venues, have more workshops and talks and generally try and get more members. Some come occasionally, there is a small nucleus of regulars.
There is a surprising amount of literary stuff going on in this part of West Wales – quite a selection of all sorts of things.
You have to make a bit of an effort – especially in the winter.
I have booked myself up for a Novel writing course. My historical ‘epic’ is two thirds written and I hope this will kick-start me into finishing it.
Bye for now

Competition

Our writer’s group, Teifi Scribblers has a competition, the THEME is DREAMS or NIGHTMARES, in poetry, max 40 lines or Fast Fiction. max 500 words. Each entry costs £2.00
Closing Date is 30th November.
Prizes, £50. for the story and £50 for poem.
Anyone out there who is interested let me know and I’ll tell you where to send your entry. We’d love to hear from lots more people.
John and I went to a bonfire and firework party last night. It was an amazingly warm and quiet evening for the beginning of November. Most years it’s been wet and windy. It was very pleasant to sit outside and drink mulled wine and have a chat.
Today has been dull, grey and still, I’m sure once the wind and rain come it won’t stop.
M and V are coming on Thurs, I hope they have decent weather for them to play with the Land rover up the hill.
John put the ram in with the ewes last Friday. They had gone up to the top fields and he had stayed down by the road gate not realising that sex was up on the horizon. So John went up on the quad to fetch the ladies down. Happiness all round.

New story; Cats

***

Oh the bliss of it, the luxury of peace and quiet, of eating what you want when you want and having a few cans of beer with it.  He leaned forward and switched on the fire.  Electric flames flickered and the warm, radiant glow was comforting.

Michael stretched out in his armchair, on his own for the first time for twenty years.  If he’d only known that when Brenda asked to come for a week and stayed twenty years he would have said no.  But, she was Sue’s mother:  she pleaded ill health, poverty, loneliness…what a sob story.  What daughter could withstand that?

Michael picked up the remote, he could choose what he wanted to see and have the sound at a level that didn’t blast his eardrums.

Brenda had had a nice turn of phrase, ‘Oh, don’t you worry about me, I can’t hear it, so I’ll just sit quietly and catch their lips moving.’

So of course it was turned up decibels and gave him a headache.

He popped another can of beer and thought of yesterday, at the crematorium.

There’d only been six other moth eaten old biddies apart from him.  Where was Sue he was asked.  His wife, at the end of her tether had jumped at the chance of a week with a friend.

***

Read the rest under “Cats” in the pages section.

Claws

I ran over his paw this morning, he really shrieked and treated me very warily after that, black kitten’s claws are hardening up so are getting sharper by the minute and he’s been biting and jumping around tonight.

He’s been put out in the dark and cold once, for annoying the dog.  It makes no difference, but it gives us some peace.

Guto has told me about the price of lambs in the mart and the prices paid in Tesco etc.  This is why Tesco and other supermarkets make such huge profits. I know they have their operating costs etc. but I reckon there are  a lot of people who cannot afford lamb or beef. 

If Tesco put lamb down in price then less beef would be sold which would spoil their supplies and sale projections.

I know from my time in a Tesco Bakery what large profit margins they expect to make.

The agriculture in this country is in a bad way – and that is wrong.  I’m glad we don’t have to rely on it to live.

Bye