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Dai had proposed to Megan and been accepted. "But", added Megan,
before we get married I must tell you something dreadful about my past life."
"No," said Dai, "I won't hear of it. You can tell me after we're married."
After they were married and had set off for their honeymoon in Penarth,
Megan again brought up the subject of her "dreadful secret".
"No," said Dai, "it can wait. Tell me when we're in bed together, that'll be soon enough."
That night as they got into bed Megan declared "Well, Dai, now I really do have to tell you my secret. You see .I'm a virgin."
Dai didn't say a word but put on his clothes and travelled all the way back to his mother's house.
"Dai!" said his mother, "what are you doing here, you're supposed to be on your honeymoon."
"It's no good", said Dai, "I've had to leave Megan; it turns out she's a virgin."
"Well, Dai," said his mother, "in that case you were quite right to come home.
If she's not good enough for the rest of the village she's not good enough for you."
Cardiff massage practice voted best in the UK
City Marshall, established 1998 and located in the heart of Queen Street, has been voted the best Complementary Therapy practice in the UK out of over 10,200 other nominees.
The independent Free Index website has awarded this ranking after receiving over 100 votes with an average score of 94% - http://www.citymarshall.freeindex.co.uk
The owner, Philip Marshall, has travelled the world and spent many years practising in the Far East and studying with Thai and Chinese Masters. Japanese Shiatsu and Thai yoga massage are specialities, alongside Sports Therapy, Reflexology and Aromatherapy.
Philip is proud of his recent award, and claims that each and every client review is a huge motivational boost in these trying economic times.
Many of the Testimonials highlight the Hot Stones treatment which appears to be not only a pampering treat, but also used as a major tool in treating sports injuries, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis and Sciatica.
Philip said that a recent Cardiff University research within SARTRE has strongly indicated that the use of specific essential oils and aromatherapy can be highly effective in treating chronic inflammations and back pain.
The convenient location, opposite the Parc Thistle Hotel, is surely a huge draw card for both tired city centre shoppers and executive workers alike. Nonetheless, Marshall states clearly that trying to educate the young student undergraduates is his main challenge.
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See http://www.citymarshall.co.uk for detailed information
A message from Peter Luther:-
I'd like to wish all my friends a happy and prosperous 2012.
For those of you who are interested in Honeyman's third outing, I've posted details of my next novel, The Vanity Rooms, on my website www.peterluther.co.uk ,together with the first two chapters of the completed novel.I'm hoping for a launch date in the first half of 2012 but I'll email as soon as I have more news. My apologies that it's taken so long!I very much look forward to meeting up with you during 2012 at either my launch or at a signing. My thanks as always for your support.Warm regards,Peter Luther
It's almost time for new years resolutions so here's mine:-
I will take up long distance running again in 2012.
This will involve a complete lifestyle change. Firstly I will have to stop smoking ( groan ) and that means that i have to stop drinking as well because the two go together for me.
I used to be able to run 13 miles. It will be interesting to see if its possible to get back to that level of fitness and if so, how long it will take.
Have you settled on a new years resolution yet ? If so what impossible task have you set yourself? Post below and review progress in comments over the coming months. Crowd source your will power!!!
I know I'll need help and encouragement with the new fitness regime
Cynan Jones lives near Aberaeron in West Wales. His first book, 'The Long Dry 'was published in June 2006. The novel , which won a Betty Trask Award in 2007 is set on a Mid Wales farm. His second book 'Everything I Found on The beach' is also set in West and North Wales. AmeriCymru spoke to Cynan recently about his novels and his plans for the future.
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C ynan : I find it difficult to be around good things without wanting to try and do something good myself. If I eat amazing food, I want to learn to cook. Reading amazing books probably made me want to write, way back. But in terms of inspiration, I think the question is mostly asked the wrong way round. I didn't get 'inspired to be a writer.' A person is inspired, and they find an outlet for that. Be it chefing, or excellence in sport, or writing. It's driven by a great love of a thing and the consequent desire to want to do it well.
AmeriCymru: Your first book 'After The Factory' is somewhat difficult to find. Care to tell us a little more about it and whether it will become more easily obtainable in the future?
Cynan: 'After the Factory' tells the story of Joseph Napoleon, a factory worker who comes home every night to his basement flat and, while trying to sleep, imagines the characters behind the footsteps that echo across the square outside his room.
It's a short work, but one that readers seem to like very much. It's very different from the two 'Welsh' novels. I'm hoping there will be some news on the 'After the Factory' front soon. I'll keep you posted.
AmeriCymru: In both your subsequent books:- 'Everything I Found on The Beach' and 'The Long Dry' the central characters life and circumstances are revealed through an intimate connection with their surroundings. How important is a sense of 'place' in your writing?
Cynan: A good story should work even when it's lifted out of its setting - I'm talking about the key themes, the big motors of the thing. This is how great 'universal' tales are built, even when they are humble like 'The Old Man and the Sea'. But creating a sense of place is akin to setting the spell, making a world for a reader. It happens that the main characters are very linked to their environments in both these stories so the sense of place is vital. It's the environment I grew up in and am very close to. While I haven't written that intimacy in deliberately, its picked up majorly by readers.
AmeriCymru: You live in West Wales and your books reveal a strong familiarity with the rural lifestyle. What is your background? What did you do before you became a writer?
Cynan: I grew up in West Wales and returned to live here at twenty eight after a stint in Glasgow working as a freelance copywriter. I grew up very close to my grandparents' farm, so spent most of my time there. The farm was small, sixty acres or so. But it had woods, fields and scrubland, and ran right down to a beach. It had an incredible range of places to play. I don't think I ever outgrew that. All I'm doing now really is playing made up games like I did when I was a kid. Just I'm writing things down rather than running round playing them.
Before now I've been a substitute teacher, mentored in a behavioural unit, worked on building sites and as a wine presenter. I've worked in aquariums, and in a kitchen. All sorts. I've done whatever it took to get by without getting tied up in a contract which wouldn't let me drop out to work on a book when I needed to.
AmeriCymru: Care to tell us a little more about The Long Dry . What can readers expect to find? How would you describe the book?
Cynan: The Long Dry is the story of a bad day that gets worse. A calving cow goes missing, and the farmer has to try and find it. He is meanwhile beset by doubts and questions.I wrote it very quickly (in ten days) and immediately knew it was the strongest thing I was capable of at the time. That was back in 2005. It was accepted for publication relatively soon after I wrote it. It went on to win a Society of Authors first novel award, and has been translated into French, Arabic and Italian. It is ostensibly a very simple thing, but people say it's very strong.
AmeriCymru: Everything I Found on The Beach paints a grim picture of life in rural West Wales. How has the area been affected by the current economic hard times?
Cynan: In some ways there hasn't been a major 'boom' here, so we're not as badly affected as those places that grew and swelled with the prior injection of affluence. Statistically, people here earn considerably less than the average wage, and house prices are higher than near anywhere in the UK as compared to earnings, (because of the huge second home market). In terms of jobs, there's not much to do. There's farming, but on small family run farms that are increasingly unfeasible. There's some factory work in relatively small factories. There's a university and hospital in Aberystwyth and lots of seasonal work in tourism related industries. The local authority is a major employer. But the quality of life if good. If you use and appreciate this area, it pays back. You don't need vast amounts to exist. The grim element perhaps comes from the limited choices here.AmeriCymru: How difficult is it for Welsh writers to get published and to succeed these days?
Cynan: It is simply difficult to get published, Welsh or not. (You could even argue it's easier when you're Welsh, particularly writing in Welsh, because of the funding that makes that process possible).
When I decided to write I said to myself: write as strongly as you can, everything else is a side effect. I've stuck by that. However, the key thing now is visibility. Breaking through the London-dominated media wall is difficult, and perhaps they don't take Welsh publishers as seriously as they should. In France and Italy my work had big reviews in major newspapers, with some extraordinary critical acclaim. The next step, as well as continuing to write strongly, is to get that attention on my own turf.
AmeriCymru: What do you read for pleasure? Any recommendations?
Cynan: I read massive amounts. Writers like Steinbeck, McCarthy, Carver and so on are on a different level. Brink, Coetze. Graham Greene, Orwell. The great writers. When you write yourself, the quality of the writing has to be very very high. For something more recent, try 'The Solitude of Thomas Cave' by Georgina Harding.
AmeriCymru: What's next for Cynan Jones? What are you working on currently?
Cynan: There's a new novel on the desk right now. Come the end of January, I'll start work on the final draft. It's called 'Traces of People.'
AmeriCymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?
Cynan: Keep reading! When you read something you like, tell everyone!
Arfon Williams was born in LLanrwst North Wales and attended Ysgol Glan Clwyd St Asaph,Ysgol Cymraeg from 1972 to 1977. He joined the army in 1977 and served with the Ist Battalion Welsh Guards. In 1985 he joined the Merseyside Police. He has served with the CID and will be retiring in July 2012 . Arfon has written and recorded two albums :- "I Still Dream" which is distributed by ACM Records ,New York and "Time Should Wear A Hat" which is available through all major digital distributors. One of his songs "Solitude" was donated to the Welsh Guards charity album.(Welsh Guards Reunited). AmeriCymru spoke to Arfon about his career and his future plans.
AmeriCymru: When did you first start song writing? What inspired you?
Arfon: I started playing the guitar after purchasing one off a fellow soldier in 1980.Although I am not the best guitarist I managed to play enough chords to start writing songs.I was bought up on the Welsh folk songs of he 70's.Dafydd Iwan ,Tepot Piws etc After the army Paul McCartney tunes inspired me as I could see how songs were being structured.
AmeriCymru: You have played in several bands over the years. Care to tell us a little more about them?
Arfon: By chance colleagues in the Police needed a lead singer for their soul band around xmas 1994,They had heard i could sing a bit as i would often get up on a stool at our rugby club at Hoylake and give them a rendition of Faith by George Michael.The band was a soul band and my first gig on stage was at a caravan site in Rhyl on New Years eve.It felt brilliant!!
AmeriCymru: You have written and recorded two albums. What is the story behind them and where can our readers go to hear/purchase them?
Arfon: The first 'I Still Dream' is mostly love songs ,broken hearts and quite dark although they may appear to be up beat.This is for sale at itunes and most digital sales sites.readers can google 'I Still Dream by Harry Williams .This is signed to ACM records New York..
AmeriCymru: One of your songs "Solitude" was donated to the Welsh Guards charity album.(Welsh Guards Reunited) Can you tell us more about the song and the album?
Arfon: The second album 'Time Should Wear a Hat ' is also sold via the internet.This Album is less dark and features jazz/swing style tunes.'Central Park New York ' seems to be a popular download but 'Solitude' does well for hits also. Solitude was written about Amy Winehouse and her then boyfriend.They had not seen each other for a while and I wondered what either would be thinking whilst waiting in a hotel room alone waiting for the other to arrive.It was very sad that Amy Winehouse left us so young.
AmeriCymru: Your song "In This Town " is featured in the 2007 film "Happy Holidays" by New Jersey film producer James C Ferguson. How did it feel to hear your work played on the 'big screen'?
Arfon: It was the oddest thing hearing 30 seconds of one of my songs in a scene on a film.The tale of how it got there is quite amazing. wrote the song whilst walking up the hill from Dolwyddelan to Blaenau Festiniog in the summer. I wanted to write an upbeat tune and got to thinking about being back in North Wales.and past memories...." When I'm in this town .I think about you .....la la " By the time I walked back to my sisters home I had written it in my head..I told her I needed a pen and quickly wrote down the words....I recorded it in the same week,I sent it off as I have done many of my songs in answer to a request for songs via the 'Bandit Magazine.Within two weeks of writing the song I was emailed asking if it could be used in the film...2 weeks!!...I'd been sending songs off for years..It just happened like that and i was thrilled!
AmeriCymru: One of your songs entitled Baby I Love you is being re mixed by German record company ."Soundofnow" . Any word on a release date?
Arfon: The release date for the first mix is the 12 of January 2012...In the name of 'Erick Maconda' this is the name we have chosen for the act.The mix is by the 'Future polar bears.Two further mixes with full vocals will be released later in the year.
AmeriCymru: What's next for Arfon Williams?
Arfon: I retire from the Police in June and plan to sing full time and do some more writing
AmeriCymru: Any final message for the members and readers of AmeriCymru?
Arfon: Hi All Have a great xmas break and a happy new year.
Arfon: Please feel free to e mail me anytime...about any of the songs and good luck with everyones endevours in 2012....Diolch yn fawr am gwrando.Nadolig Llawen and Blwyddyn Newydd da i chi i gyd.
Arfon
Merry Christmas/Nadolig Llawen to all our members and readers
If you're visiting the site this Christmas dont forget to check out our new dropdown navbar.....like all the best new features on AmeriCymru it ALMOST works
But seriously, you may find a few pages and features that are new to you. For instance did you know that you could upload mp3's to the site and play them in your Jukebox? Or were you aware that all your Likes are stored on a page in your profile for future reference. Which is basically a handy in site bookmarking service. Explore the dropdown menus to discover these features and much, much more.
MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR/NADOLIG LLAWEN A BLWYDDYN NEWYDD DDA
The 'buche de Noel', or yule log, originated on the Continent, but the custom of burning it in the depths of winter spread to Wales during the nineteenth century. Said to have originatedin pagan times, it was considered lucky to keep a piece from one year to the next, tohold on to good luck. Sometimes the log would burn from Christmas Eve into Christmas night, depending on the size and hardness of the wood.
Emma has a wood burning stove and it can easily burn 10 of logs a day. I'd be happy to come across a log that burnt for more than a few hours in that roaring inferno. (I declare aninterest in the stove, because I often light it up for my own enjoyment when my daughter and family are due back from a shopping trip. As they also have central heating, it is not strictly necessary for heat but it appeals to something primaeval in me).
Emma has stacks of logs in the garden but frogs have made their home under some of them. Fortunately, thepine, sycamore and ash trees that were cut down last January in my gardenare now seasoned enough to burn and, I swear it's true, they are better than any that can be bought from the 'log man'.
I sat down last night to watch television and there was a programme about things to make for Christmas.Candles twinkled everywhere and a log fire sparked in the grate.Among the things made were teddy bears (reckon on a full day to complete a tiny one,) chutney, Christmas cardsand a Christmas log.
The log mixture containedchocolate and was smothered in cream and dusted in icing sugar (confectioners sugar in America, I believe). It was all hard work and I speak from the heart.
One Christmas, I made Russian fish pie for Christmas Eve supper. (Cod and parsley in a creamy sauce, with chopped boiled eggs, topped with puff pastry). Emma and Kate (teenagers at the time) said they were going out to celebrate. Peter was not hungry so I ate the pie myself.
For Christmas Day I had mixed cranberries and grated apple into a bought mincemeat mixture (best quality) and placed daubs of the mix into filo pastry nests, no lids, so that they were not too heavy. Yes, you guessed who ate them, me.
When the girls were younger I bought them enamelling kits and candle making kits one year. I spent Christmas afternoon in the kitchen alone,enamelling and candle-making.
At last, I have learnt to give everyonemoney. I'm not mercenary but it's what everyone likes. It meansspending money if you aresurfing inMoroccoand ski-ing in Val d'Iser (Harry and Oliver).Money hastens you on your way tothe Boxing Day Sales (Emma and Kate). Everyone gets what they want because they choose what they want. No longer do I buy something to see it reduced on the 26th.
Yes, moneytakes you to places that home-made teddies and love can't. (The Kings knew this: they gave gold).
As for food, no one's hungry in our house on Christmas Day so I buy everything ready prepared. ( I wasn't born with the word 'Martyr' stamped on my forehead as Betty Friedian might have said.)
I've slogged all year makingfresh food for each meal and if any one doesn't like it on Christmas Day, tough.
So, Merry Christmas and Nadolig Llawen, everyone. Leave the glue and glitter to someone else and I'll try not to scorch my new outfit by the log fire.
Here's one of my recent blog entries which might interest Americymru fans.
http://daibach-welldigger.blogspot.com/2011/12/significance-of-sidney-curnow-vospers.html
Thanks very much to Gaynor and Mona for their help.Very much appreciated.
Nadolig Llawen i pawb.Les Jenkins.
