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When I was a newly wed we rented a house from a very good cook. She was a music teacher by profession but a gourmet by nature.

On one occasion, Auntie Mali had been given some parsley and she knew that Peter had grown a thick border of it, so it wasdecided that she and I would make some wine. We did and, as she said,it had a 'kick like a mule.'

She wasoften cooking or baking and one of the first things she'dsay to me was 'Try this. What do you think of the flavour?'Always, it was good. I particularly rememberher jars of apple jelly, to be eaten with meat, and an ox tail that had simmered for hours, till the fleshdroppped off.

Among the things I baked that she liked was Pwdin Bara, Bread Pudding.

It is saidthat a thin cook should never be trusted and I think there is some truth in it.Auntie Maliwas no sylph but her portions were big.

Recentlya very slim, famouscookdiedand though her recipes were delicious, when she said 'Serves four', I knewthat I would have to double thequantities.

I married a man who never puts a pound on and who always scrutinizes his food before picking up his spoon,but this does not deter me:I cook on.

When cooking, I am very elastic withquantities and ingredients, especially Bread Pudding. I like finding the short cut, too. I have watched people making bread pudding,cutting the crusts off, buttering each slice, layering the slices with sugar and currants, heating the milk, whisking the eggs and so on, till they're fit to drop.

Here's my way:

8 slices of bread (Sour dough is good but the cheapest from the supermarketis fine)

2 eggs

4 ozs (120 gms) butter

1 pint or a half litre of full cream milk

4 ozs brown sugar (120 gms or thereabouts)- honey,syrup or, if you like it, marmalade.

Currants, mixed peel, glace cherries, the quantity can be whateveryou like. Sometimes Iuse mince meat.

A pinch of nutmeg or ginger

Method:

Place the bread in a buttered overproof container and sprinkle the dried fruit over it.

Warm the milk, together with the butter and the sugar and spices. Do not overheat the milk. Beat the eggs in and as long as the milk is not too hot there'll be no curdling (strain the mixture if it curdles)

Pour the milky mixture over the bread and curtains, ensuring it soaks into the bread. Now the dish is ready to go into a hot oven, but not too hot otherwise the top will burn. (I'm not giving oven temperature's because oven's vary.) Cook for about half an hour, unitl it's puffy and golden. Nothing could be easier. Eat with ice-cream, custard or cream.

(Peter says whatI make is Bread and Butter Pudding.His mother made Bread Pudding which was bread soaked in water over night thensqueezed till it wasdryish. A small amount of sugar, a little milk-(not too much)and currants were added to the breadbefore it was baked for half an hour. When ready it was sliced and eaten with butter and jam.)

A variation on my Bread Pudding recipeis to omit the sugar and spices and add a few ounces of any grated cheese you have and cook for half an hour. Eat this hot with salad. I have had it in a restaurant with spinach and onions, too. Mind to add plenty of seasoningand a pinch of mustard.

A little silver-haired lady calls her neighbour and says, "Please come over here and help me. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can't figure out how to get started."

Her neighbour asks, "What is it supposed to be when it's finished?"

The little silver haired lady says, "According to the picture on the box, it's a rooster."

Her neighbour decides to go over and help with the puzzle.

She lets him in and shows him where she has the puzzle spread all over the table.

He studies the pieces for a moment, then looks at the box, then turns to her and says,

"First of all, no matter what we do, we're not going to be able to assemble these pieces into anything resembling a rooster."

He takes her hand and says, "Secondly, I want you to relax. Let's have a nice cup of tea, and then," he said with a deep sigh .............

"Let's put all the cornflakes back in the box."

On 4th February 1771, the London based Gwyneddigion Society held its first formal meeting.at the Bull's Head Tavern in Walbrook.

It was originally a social club for Welsh speakers who enjoyed singing, but later developed into a a literary and cultural society. One of its noteable early projects, was the funding of an expedition to North America in the 1790's, to find evidence of Madog ab Owain Gwynedd's legendary discovery of America.

Born this day 1903, in Cwmcarn, Monmouthshire.

Sir Oliver Graham Sutton, who was a leading meteorologist and researcher into air pollution.

Sutton was engaged in the organization of research and development of chemical weapons during World War II and was heavily involved in the Porton wartime programme. He later became Director General to the Meteorological Office and was responsible for the early development of weather forecasting using the first electronic computers and satellites, which were broadcast on the first telephone forecasts in 1955 and later adapted to the radio and television service. He was knighted in 1955 for services to mathematics and science.

Owen Tudor (Owain ap Maredudd ap Tudur) a prominent member of the Tudor dynasty and grandfather of Henry VII was executed at Hereford on 4th February 1461.

Owen Tudor's father Maredudd ap Tudor (Meredith) had along with his two brothers Rhys and Gwilym been firm supporters of Owain Glyndwr's rebellion of 1400 and as a consequence, when the uprising was put down, Maredudd lost most of his land. He therefore decided to move to London and changed his son's name to Owen Tudor. After Maredudd died, Owen became the ward of his father's second cousin, Lord Rhys and at the age of seven, he was sent to the English court of Henry IV as page to the King's Steward.

1415 - Owen fought for the English at Agincourt and afterwards was granted "English rights" which allowed him to carry arms, as Henry IV had deprived Welshmen of many civil rights.

1422 - Henry V died and confusion swept through England, the infant Henry VI was now King of England and Henry V's widow Catherine of Valois was kept under watch as whoever she wed would become step-father to the king

1431 - Catherine met and by some accounts, married Owen. They had four children including Edmund and Jasper

1442 - Henry VI began to take an interest in the upbringing of his step brothers Edmund and Jasper and they were brought to London.

1452 - Edmund was created earl of Richmond and Jasper was created earl of Pembroke and Henry VI recognized them as his brothers

1457 - Henry Tudor (later to become Henry VII) was born at Pembroke Castle the only child of Edmund Tudor and Margaret Beaufort. Edmund had died 3 months earlier as a a result of defending Carmarthen Castle from the Yorkists

1460 - Henry VI was deposed by Edward IV and imprisoned

1461 - At the Battle of Mortimer's Cross in Herefordshire, Owen Tudor led the Lancastrian forces, who were defeated by the Yorkists and he was subsequently beheaded at Hereford.

The siege of Cardigan Castle by Royalist forces ended unsuccessfully on 4th February 1645

A history of Cardigan Castle;

1093 - Following their invasion of 1066 the Norman invaders sought to control the narrows of the River Teifi just above its estuary and they built an earth and timber castle a mile downstream of the present castle

1096 - The Welsh laid waste to the original Norman castle.

1110 - The present castle site is said to have been first occupied by the Norman lord, Gilbert FitzRichard de Clare and remained under Norman control until 1165.

1165 - Rhys ap Gruffydd the Prince of Deheubarth captured and demolished the castle.

1171 - Rhys had been so successful against Norman attempts to conquer the area that Henry II officially recognised him as the lawful Lord in south Wales, and he became known as Lord Rhys. He moved his chief court to Cardigan and began to rebuild the castle in stone. This was the first time a castle was built in stone by a Welshman.

1176 - A defining moment for Welsh culture came when Lord Rhys staged an event at Cardigan Castle that is considered to be the first national Eisteddfod and was attended by bards, musicians and singers from all over Europe.

1197 - Following Lord Rhys’s death his sons Maelgwn and Gruffydd battled over their inheritance. The following year, Maelgwn handed over Gruffydd, to the English and then seized Cardigan.

1200 - Maelgwn sold Cardigan Castle to the Normans. The following years were turbulent, with the castle changing hands between the Welsh and the Normans a number of times,with sieges recorded in 1215, 1223, 1231 and 1240,

1244 - An English Earl, Robert Waleran began to rebuild the castle using innovative designs and it was in a fit state for King Edward I to stay in it in 1284 and 1295.

1376 - Princess Joan, widow of Edward ‘The Black Prince’ ran an administration in Cardiganshire that was independent of the English Crown. Cardigan Castle had its own courts and exchequer.

1405 - Followers of Owain Glyndwr took possession of the Teifi valley from the Normans but were unable to capture Cardigan castle.

1485 - Henry Tudor (soon to become Henry VII) is said to have stayed the night in the castle on his way to the Battle of Bosworth with his army to defeat Richard III.

1501 - Henry gave the castle to Katherine of Aragon as part of her dowry to her first husband, Arthur, Prince of Wales.

1644 - During the English Civil War it was taken by the Royalists (Cavaliers). In December that year it was besieged by Parliamentary troops (Roundheads) for three weeks. A ship’s cannon was set up across the river to fire cannon balls at the castle wall. After three days the wall was breached, allowing the Parliamentary forces to take the castle.

1645 - The Cavaliers unsuccessfully tried to regain the castle with their siege ending on 4th February. The Parliamentary troops destroyed some of the stone buildings and burnt the rest, making it useless for defence and it became a private property.

1713 - Thomas Brock, one of its owners, landscaped the site to make a bowling green and many of the medieval buildings were demolished.

1805-08 - The present house, known as Castle Green House was built which became home to four county high sheriffs and the Davies family who had a virtual monopoly on Cardigan Port, which at the time was the biggest in Wales.

2003 - After many years of decay and neglect the castle was bought by the local authority.

From the Barkeep's Blog

Over a week since I have managed to get to the blog - and indeed a query from an unexpected reader to ask whether there was a problem!!! Unexpected as I never really expected anyone to be reading the meandering thoughts of and ex-barkeep and prospective farmer / entertainer, but it seems that there are those out there who care - to you - thank you, and yes I am back.....

Well I am back this evening after ten days of hacking and coughing, and generally feeling the affects of Manthrax and Manflu, and after a day of full recovery am rather despondent that this evening I seem to have the phlegm back in the throat and am spluttering over the keyboard. There was a time when I thought it may be allergy based, but the extreme version seemed to warrant the five days of antibiotics, and the symptoms disappeared with deceptive ease.... But this evening I have the thought that I pulled down the interior canvass from the Crimson Moon Tent, and laid it out in the living room so Susie could build her chicken run for the bedroom... Yes - I know what wrote there, and it is correct, the chickens are getting to big for the incubator and warming box - and I still have not been able to clear the basement for the few weeks that is required before they get their freedom into the garden.... So .. they have to live in the spare room for a while... Rusty the dog feels that this is a good idea - well when he is allowed inside!!!

So, there is an option that the canvass has set off a reaction again... I prefer to think that rather than dwell upon actually being ill, always a downer, or the other options of allergy, the latest batch of home made wine that I have started yesterday, which we have enjoyed with the home made bread, home made cheese and home made apricot jam for breakfast, the home cured ham this evening ... No they have to be the healthy option - even if they are likely to cause my final demise through obesity....

But there is a connection with a further possible cause - which relates to the future clearance of the house, both to move the marquees to their new home, and to try to sell the house, and that is the next stage in the "boxing of 41". I spoke at an early stage of Alice and my attempt to clear 3 square feet of the basement .
But as my health started to improve, and after a foray up to Morrison's where a very nice storeman promised me all the banana boxes I need - especially if I call in themorningbefore they have to break them up, saving them an hour of effort!!! I began to look towards the top floor of the house...

Books!! Plenty of Books!! that seems to be the story of my life - indeed the storey of my life (see what I did there ?? Here all week!!) But we haven't really looked in the top bedroom for a number of years. The damp patch in the corner was new!! New to me .. if not to the house - we have had so much rain I cannot really tell if it is a problem or a symptom of the flood. But in our case - most of our books are happily esconced in a shipping container down in Pembrey so it was only three full shelves of economics reference, Norah Lofts and Lensman Series... and then - the main and daunting task that loomed on the landing that lies between the second and third storey if the house..... Not books .. No - though equally as bulky!!

The lovely thing about the eighties and nineties was the availability of being able to watch television, more than once!. The onset of the Video recorder was one of those jumps forward in technology that I embraced. Luckily, the issue about the VHS or Betamax missed me and I was able to amass my collection of VHS over many years. The early days were far too expensive forpre formattedfilms so my collection was gleaned through many hours of television watching. My music videos were compiled over weeks and months, collecting from various sources from Multi Coloured Swap Shop to Top of the Pops - but each with the aim of capturing those illusive new things - the "Pop Video" - no live performances for me ....

Of course - Youtube now provides a glimpse back into the past - but have they collected what I collected in my 193 three hour videos?? I do not know any more - I have not watched any video for at least five years since DVD cam along. But I do have a catalogue which has a full list... but though I know that the technology is out there now to transfer from VHS to DVD - that looks like another plan - as it will take a commitment of many hours. The task will be to watch all the videos and decide what cannot be duplicated elsewhere and transfer to computer medium. My daughter is particularly interested in the hours of video I took of them in their childhood - and I am concerned that it gets transferred correctly when I have the time and the equipment.. And so - two ceiling high bookshelves, double stacked with videos get transferred into banana boxes for that time in the future when I "might just get the time".

I recall when we moved into this house twenty five years ago, the removal men looked with sheer consternation at the mountain of boxes that comprised our book collection at that time. After the second hour of carrying boxes one mentioned briefly " are this lot for the rabbit to read??" after deciding to stack next to the rabbit cage. But that was twenty five years ago, and twenty five years of more book collecting.... and the videos of course!! Most of them will probably end up in the plastic recycling of course - but only after they have been carried to a new house, viewed and transferred to new media for the future...
But that means that the removal Man will be required to carry all the additional boxes. They are in a neat stack - but there are a lot of them !!! They will stay here until we are ready for the move..

But they may well be singing the new refrain - "Video killed the Removal Man !!""

Iwas visitinga distant cousin in Scotland and had heardthather husbandvacuumed the carpets as soon as he got in from work.

My cousin was a stay-at-home mum with a toddler soI assumedshe might befinding it difficult to get around the housework or maybeshe hadpost-natal depression.

During my stay the two year old had a small party,accompanied bythe usualcrumbs, paper cups, torn wrapping paperand burst balloons.

After it was over, my cousin wiped down the table, sweptthe floor and vacuumed the entrance hall.

There would be noneed for her husband to cleanthis particular evening, I thought,but I was wrong.

Practically as soon as hubby was through the door he made straight for the cleaner,plugged in and zoomed aroundthe place as though his life depended on it and perhaps it did.

Remarking that I couldn't see any fluff or dust anywhere my cousinexplainedthis was her husband's way of relaxing; if he couldn't clean he was tense.

Before they married he hadcleaned his flatas soon as he was home and he liked to keep to his routine. She didn't seem to mind.

I read in the papers today that women findit irritating when men clean the house. Wives aremore affectionate if their husbands get on with stereotyped jobs like changing the sparking plugs orcleaning the gutters.

Where do I stand?

One of my daughters had just bought some new, expensive make-up and hadreceived a free gift of four daintywhitemuslin face cloths. She showed them to me, holding them up to the light, pattingmy cheeks with them. Sheleft them on the kitchen table while she wentout to post a letter, an absense of five minutes or so.

When she came home,the cloths were on the floor, covered in grease, motor bike grease. Her husband was in the garage,

tinkering with his motorbike. I won't go on.You know what happened.

They've been married twenty nine years.

Conclusion: marriage requires a lot of patience and the ability not to let it get to you.

On 3rd February 1935, 300,000 Welsh People took to the streets in protest over low incomes, poor health, substandard housing and the reduction in unemployment benefit (The Means Test), which had resulted in Wales becoming one of the world's most depressed countries. 

The 1920s and 1930s were the classic example of capitalism in crisis.  After the First World War ended in 1918 it was initially thought that the recession which followed was as a result of a post-war disruption to economy.  However things were about to get a whole lot worse. 

The danger signals had started to appear in the mid 1920s when unemployment among coal miners rose to 29%, which had risen to 43% by 1932.  Other industries such as steel, tinplate, slate and agriculture, were also badly affected and resulted in massive emigration, with over 440,000 people leaving Wales, which also dealt a devastating blow to chapel culture and to the Welsh language. 

On 3rd Feb 1134 Robert Curthose, the eldest son of William the Conqueror, died whilst imprisoned in Cardiff Castle.

Robert Curthose was born in about 1053 and at the age of 14, he became co-regent of Normandy with his mother. However when Robert suggested in 1077 that he should become the sole ruler of Normandy and Maine, the king refused and Robert rebelled.  William put down the rebellion and Robert was forced to flee. In 1080 his mother, Matilda of Flanders, managed to persuade the two men to end their feud and Robert inherited Normandy after his father's death in 1087.  However, Robert became involved in a dispute over who should rule England, with his younger brother, William Rufus, who put down a rebellion on Robert's behalf to claim the throne.

Robert joined the First Crusade in 1096 and was involved in capture of Jerusalem.  When William Rufus died in 1100, he again attempted to become king of England, but was forced to withdraw by his brother Henry I, who in 1106, captured and imprisoned Robert in the Tower of London. In 1128 he was transferred to a castle in Devizes and later held in Cardiff where in his last years, it is reported that he learned Welsh and wrote at least one poem in the language.  

Born this day 1478, in Brecon Castle

Edward Stafford   (3rd Duke of Buckingham), nobleman and nephew of King Edward IV, who was executed for treason on Tower Hill in 1521. 

Staffords father was a supporter of Henry VII's claim to the throne of England and was beheaded for participating in a rebellion against Richard III.  Therefore in his early years Stafford himself was in danger of his life and is said to have been hidden in various houses in Herefordshire.  However when Henry VII came to the throne, Stafford and his family came back into favour. and he became one of the most powerful men in the kingdom.

He attended Henry VII's coronation and was made a Knight of the Order of the Garter.  He carried the crown at the coronation of Henry VIII  and served as a captain during Henry VIII's invasion of France.  He was later appointed to commissions of the peace, with responsibility for keeping order in South Wales.  However he started to fall out of favour with Henry VIII and was tried, convicted and executed for plotting to kill the king.  

3rd February is the anniversary of the death in 1762, of Richard ‘Beau’ Nash, celebrated dandy and leader of fashion.

Born in Swansea on 18 October 1674, Nash attended Oxford University, before becoming an army officer and then later a barrister.  However, he became famous as Master of Ceremonies for the town of Bath, which he instrumental in making the most fashionable resort in England.  His nickname was earned through his fashionable clothes and elegance. However, Nash was also a notorious gambler, who died bankrupt and was buried in a pauper’s grave.

Born in February 1693 in Llandygwydd in Cardiganshire 

Theophilus Evans - cleric, historian, and man of letters, who is best known for his work  Drych y Prif Oesoedd  (Mirror of the Early Centuries) (1716) in which he identified Bangor-is-y-coed as the monastry that Saint Augustine ordered the slaughter of 1200 monks during his attempt to get the Welsh Church to conform to the teaching of Rome.

Evans was the vicar of Llandyfrïog , near Newcastle Emlyn, Llanynys in Breconshire and then from 1738 of the parishes Llangamarch, Llanwrtyd and Abergwesyn also in Breconshire, where he said to have discovered the properties of the spa water at Llanwrtyd Wells by drinking it when everybody said it to poisonous and thus curing himself of scurvy.  Also The hymnist William Williams, Pantycelyn   was appointed his curate in 1740 but as Evans refused to recommend him for ordination as a priest, he left in 1743.

Born on this day 1812 at Tyn y Meini, Bryndreiniog, Pen-y-Bont-Fawr, Montgomeryshire.

Robert Elis, known by his bardic name Cynddelw - Baptist minister, poet and lexicographer.

Elis's poem Yr Adgyfodiad was published in 1849, whilst he was a minister at Tredegar in the Sirhowy Valley and his dictionary, Geiriadur Cymreig Cymraeg, published in Caernarfon in 1868 was one of the first Welsh only dictionaries. 

On 3rd February 1925, an estimated 100,000 people line the streets of Cardiff for the funeral of boxer,'peerless' Jim Driscoll.

The Battle of Mortimers Cross took place on 2nd February 1461, during the War of the Roses (1455 - 1485)

Summary of The War of the Roses and Welsh involvement at the Battle of Mortimer's Cross February 2nd 1461;

During the Wars of the Roses, Wales was generally a Lancastrian stronghold, while the Welsh Marches, particularly the Mortimer lordships, were Yorkists.

In around 1450 King Henry VI of England began suffering from cripling bouts of insanity which led to the formation of a Council of Regency headed by Richard, Duke of York who was named Lord Protector. Recovering in late 1454, Henry resumed the throne and efforts commenced to reduce York's power. In retaliation York and Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick marched on London with the goal of removing the king's councilors. They won a victory at St Albans in May 1455 capturing Henry VI and York resumed his post as Lord Protector.

The following year Henry VI returned to health and regained the throne but in 1459 York, Warwick and Warwick's father, Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, renewed military action against the king, and there followed a number of battles, culminating in the battle of Northampton in 1460 where Henry VI was again captured and York announced his claim to the throne. However a compromise was reached through the Act of Accord which stated that York would be Henry VI's successor.

Unwilling to see her son, Edward of Westminster (son of Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou) disinherited, Queen Margaret raised an army and defeated the Yorkist forces at Wakefield killing York and Salisbury. Sir Owen Tudor and his son, Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke's Welsh armies marched east, seeking to unite with Margaret's main Lancastrian army but Yorks son (the future Edward IV), who was in the Welsh Marches, raised an army and assumed a position near Mortimer's Cross (near Wigmore, Herefordshire) in an effort to prevent the Lancastrian armies uniting.

On February 2, 1461 Edward engaged the Welsh armies in battle, who although gaining the early advantage, were defeated. Retreating from the defeat, Pembroke and the Earl of Wiltshire succeeded in escaping the Yorkist pursuit, but less fortunate was Sir Owen Tudor who was captured at Hereford. and executed two days later. In the aftermath of the Battle of Mortimers Cross, despite suffering a reverse at the Second Battle of St Albans, Edward was proclaimed king on March 4 and defeated the Lancastrians at the Battle of Towtown, which led to a long lull in the fighting. Although the Wars of the Roses would continue until Sir Owen Tudor's grandson Henry Tudor (Henry VII) defeated Edward IV's brother, Richard III at The Battle of Bosworth in 1485 and married Elizabeth of York, thereby uniting the two warring houses.

As a matter of interest, on the morning of the Battle of Mortimers Cross, Edward IV observed a rare meteorological event known as a parhelion, when it appears that there are three suns in the sky, which he took to be a good omen.

Candlemas is celebrated on 2nd February.

This Christian festival is thought to originate from Imbolc, the Celtic festival celebrating the arrival of Spring. It is known in Wales as Gŵyl Fair y Canhwyllau ("Mary's Festival of the Candles") and was derived from the ceremony of blessing the candles that were be carried in processions, by mothers of babies born during the previous year.

Other Candlemas traditions in Wales;

* In Carmarthenshire, it was customary for kitchen windows to be illuminated with candles.

* It was another custom at the onset of the dark autumn and winter evenings, for the mistress of the farm to ceremoniously give "y forwyn fawr", the head maid, a candle for her to use in the out building during a period called "amser gwylad". The candle was then handed back on February 2nd when the light had increased enough for the candles to be dispensed with.

Born this day 1785, in Dowlais

Sir Josiah John Guest, engineer and entrepreneur. Guest inherited a share in the Dowlais Iron Company and became sole owner in 1815. By his death in 1852, it was the largest producer of iron in the world. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society, a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and the first chairman of the Taff Vale Railway. He also became the first MP for Merthyr Tydfil in 1832.

Born on this day 1940 in Edmonton, London.

Sir David John White, better known by his stage name David Jason.

David Jason's father was a porter at Billingsgate Fish Market and his Welsh-born mother, Olwen Jones, worked as a charwoman. She gave birth to twin boys, but David's twin brother died during childbirth.

Jason has become one of Britain's most famous and respected actors, with many notable performances including, Only Fools and Horses, A Touch of Frost, The Darling Buds of May, Open All Hours, Dangermouse, The Wind in the Willows and Count Duckula

In 1990, he temporarily gave up working, to care for his longtime partner Myfanwy Talog, the Welsh actress who subsequently died of cancer at the age of 49.

On 2nd February 1876, at a meeting at the Wynnstay Arms Hotel in Wrexham, the Football Association of Wales was founded, making it the third-oldest national association in the world.

Born this day 1945, in Ystrad Rhondda.

Maurice Richards, former Wales and Lions rugby union international and Wales and Great Britain Rugby league international, who in 1969, scored four tries in an international against England.

On 2nd February 1963, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (The Welsh Language Society) held its first protest, in the form of a sit-down at Trefechan Bridge, Aberystwyth.

Born on this day 1947 in Cardiff.

Frank Hennessy - folk singer and radio presenter.

Joan (Siwan) the "Lady of Wales", born in c.1191, was the illegitimate daughter of King John of England and the wife of Llywelyn Fawr (Llywelyn the Great). She died on 2nd February 1237.

Little is known of Joan's early life but she seems to have spent part of her childhood in France, as King John had her brought to England from Normandy in 1203 in preparation for her wedding to Llywelyn. They married some time between December 1203 and October 1204 and Llywelyn reputedly built the Church of St Mary, Trefriw, Conwy for her. Joan and Llywelyn had at least two children together: Elen ferch Llywelyn and Dafydd ap Llywelyn.

In 1211 King John invaded North Wales and Joan acted as a negotiater between Llywelyn and her father and later in 1216 when Henry III came to the throne, Joan continued to plead Gwynedd’s cause to the English court.

At Easter 1230, William de Braose, who was Llywelyn's prisoner at the time was discovered with Joan in the royal bedchamber. Llywelyn had de Braose hanged and placed Joan under house arrest for twelve months, although she was subsequently forgiven by Llywelyn, and restored to favour.

Joan died at the royal home at Abergwyngregyn in 1237 and Llywelyn founded a Franciscan friary nearby, on the seashore at Llanfaes in her honour. Her stone coffin can still be seen in Beaumaris parish church, Anglesey.

In the immortal words ofDel Boy "What a plonker! " If you arewondering who I'm talking about wonder no longer, to quote Miss Piggy, "It's moi!". By the middle of last week I was feeling really despondant. I thought my idea of exploring the possibility of using the Google+ Community feature to create a generic template all others can use to do the same thing (a la G.H.Gaines)was one that some of you might find worth considering. Apparently not. While my good friend Eiry and Mickey Peluso both supported the idea they didn't actually join the Community. What hadI done wrong?

If you want people to come to your party you have to send them an invite right? For some reason my invites were not sent. I looked up Google+ Help, whichI find a bit techie to be truthful, and eventually arrived at this solution. It may be the way you want to go also.

I discovered that if you have a Google+ Page that Page can create its own Community.
If you haven't got a Google+ Page it's easy enough to create one. I decided to opt for my Kindle Authors Page as it encompassed writers in general and not one specific genre.

Next I created a Community - all the links for creating communities and pages are on the left hand side. It's a very simple process. Just make sure when you are creating your Community you select whether you want it to be available to everyone or just a select group as this cannot be changed afterwards.

At the last count the Billy and The Pit of Shadows Community has 13 members. I am starting to feel better already!

There is little point in establishing a community if you do not engage with your members and encourage them to engage with each other. Keeping in mind our primary purpose is to promote our book. How do we start?

IDENTIFY POINTS OF CONTACT - As Billy and The Pit of Shadows has a child as its central character there arepotentially many commonthemes we can explore from within the story.

• School Assemblies.
• School Trips
• Playground Games
• Bullying
• Schools and Teachers.
• Relatives I loved.
• Childhood Myths
• Subjects I Hated etc.
• FriendsI Remember

There is enough common ground there to hopefully inspire engagement and involvement. Although you are essentially promoting your book you are also helping to create a dynamic community that you will genuinely enjoy being part of for its own sake.

We have all suffered , endured or enjoyed school assemblies at one time or another. Chapter Two of Billy and The Pit of Shadows is entitled The Best Assembly Ever . This affords me the opportunity to showcase some of my work and get other members involved. First I post the chapter to the community andask them to post an account of a particular memorable school assembly for whatever reason.

Eiry, bless her , has already emailed an account of what must have been an excruciatingly embarassing experience for one child. Once she has joined the CommunityEiry can post it direct. Later I will also showcase some of the posts on this blog.

There are other ways we can engage and we shall consider and develop these over the coming weeks. So if you have not already joined Billy and The Pit of Shadows why not pop over to Kindle Authors and accept the invite? I look forward to welcoming you.

"Billy stooped down, picked up a handful of gravel and flung it at Nan's window. It clattered against the glass echoing down the narrow street. Billy half expected to see the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse come charging wildly out of the night just like the Visiting Speaker had told them in assembly. Lots of children complained of nightmares for weeks after. Mr Meredith didn't ask him back, which disappointed Billy. It had been much better than normal assemblies, especially when Kayleigh Williams started to cry."

From Chapter Two: The Best Assembly Ever

Thecomplete chapter is now available in the Billy and The Pit of Shadows Community.

Next Week we consider how we go about planning our novels.

In the immortal words ofDel Boy "What a plonker! " If you arewondering who I'm talking about wonder no longer, to quote Miss Piggy, "It's moi!". By the middle of last week I was feeling really despondant. I thought my idea of exploring the possibility of using the Google+ Community feature to create a generic template all others can use to do the same thing (a la G.H.Gaines)was one that some of you might find worth considering. Apparently not. While my good friend Eiry and Mickey Peluso both supported the idea they didn't actually join the Community. What hadI done wrong?

If you want people to come to your party you have to send them an invite right? For some reason my invites were not sent. I looked up Google+ Help, whichI find a bit techie to be truthful, and eventually arrived at this solution. It may be the way you want to go also.

I discovered that if you have a Google+ Page that Page can create its own Community.
If you haven't got a Google+ Page it's easy enough to create one. I decided to opt for my Kindle Authors Page as it encompassed writers in general and not one specific genre.

Next I created a Community - all the links for creating communities and pages are on the left hand side. It's a very simple process. Just make sure when you are creating your Community you select whether you want it to be available to everyone or just a select group as this cannot be changed afterwards.

At the last count the Billy and The Pit of Shadows Community has 13 members. I am starting to feel better already!

There is little point in establishing a community if you do not engage with your members and encourage them to engage with each other. Keeping in mind our primary purpose is to promote our book. How do we start?

IDENTIFY POINTS OF CONTACT - As Billy and The Pit of Shadows has a child as its central character there arepotentially many commonthemes we can explore from within the story.

• School Assemblies.
• School Trips
• Playground Games
• Bullying
• Schools and Teachers.
• Relatives I loved.
• Childhood Myths
• Subjects I Hated etc.
• FriendsI Remember

There is enough common ground there to hopefully inspire engagement and involvement. Although you are essentially promoting your book you are also helping to create a dynamic community that you will genuinely enjoy being part of for its own sake.

We have all suffered , endured or enjoyed school assemblies at one time or another. Chapter Two of Billy and The Pit of Shadows is entitled The Best Assembly Ever . This affords me the opportunity to showcase some of my work and get other members involved. First I post the chapter to the community andask them to post an account of a particular memorable school assembly for whatever reason.

Eiry, bless her , has already emailed an account of what must have been an excruciatingly embarassing experience for one child. Once she has joined the CommunityEiry can post it direct. Later I will also showcase some of the posts on this blog.

There are other ways we can engage and we shall consider and develop these over the coming weeks. So if you have not already joined Billy and The Pit of Shadows why not pop over to Kindle Authors and accept the invite? I look forward to welcoming you.

"Billy stooped down, picked up a handful of gravel and flung it at Nan's window. It clattered against the glass echoing down the narrow street. Billy half expected to see the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse come charging wildly out of the night just like the Visiting Speaker had told them in assembly. Lots of children complained of nightmares for weeks after. Mr Meredith didn't ask him back, which disappointed Billy. It had been much better than normal assemblies, especially when Kayleigh Williams started to cry."

From Chapter Two: The Best Assembly Ever

Thecomplete chapter is now available in the Billy and The Pit of Shadows Community.

Next Week we consider how we go about planning our novels.