Decided to give myself a little Christmas bauble. Well, Emma and Kate decided.

Precisely, somejewellery. Particularly, a crystal studded ring by S*****ski.

Normally, I'd need to be on more thannodding termswithan oligarch to have this, but it was not costing me anything because I had a reward voucher. Andsoit was that I found myself on the 9.29 am trainpulling out of Haverfordwest and heading for Cardiff last Wednesday.

I sat back, enjoying thescenery, rhimed frost on the grass andlone birds flapping about, likethe last survivors on earth.All was calm all was white, as inthe carol.

That was until wepicked up passengers in Carmarthen.First, someone's Auntie Vi could not find her seat, 15 A. This took five minutes of disruption and then the party began.

Four women and a bottle of wine, yo ho ho and away we go.They all had a glass (they'd forgotten about Auntie Vi by now, whose crocheted cap was bobbing up and down towards the front of the train), and cries of 'Penblwydd Hapus' rang out. (I mean 'rang').

The refreshment trolley arrived with sandwiches, crisps, chocolate and tea. One of the revellers gave it serious thought,before being told, 'Ti wedi bwyta cyn dod'.She'd eaten before getting on the train, apparently. Quite a sensible remark, I thought. Well nothing funny about it, not in a funny ha, ha, haway, anyway. However,hysterical laughter broke out and some of the 'party' were doubled up laughing. I tried saying 'Ti wedi bwyta cyn dod' quickly and then slowly in my mind, to see if I could figure out somethingha, ha, ha, about it, but I couldn't.

After a short silence, I heard someone say; 'It's cold today' and another voice answering, 'Yes, it is'.

This time the laughter wentoff the Richter scale and a drink was spilled, which was even more amusing.

The rest of the journeypassed witheruptions of laughter startling the new passengers who came on at Llanelli and all the myriad stops in between.

In Dinas Caerdydd,a cold wind blew across The Hayes. With the S******ski ring firmly in my mind, I decided it must be just as cold in Siberia. (I've never been to Russia, but the imagination is a powerful tool, so never mind.)

I had to go to the St. David's Shopping Centre. I wished I'd had a personal satnav to find my way aroundbut I found the shop I wanted, twoagreeable young men sellingpots of hand cream pointing it out to me andI chosemy ring,its colours sparkling like a peacock's tail feathers.

Outside, one of thechapels had puton a Christmas pageant. Two donkeys, a manger, and deacons dressed up as doethion ('Wise Men') and shepherds drew crowds of shoppers.Childrenpatted donkeys as straypricks of icy rain fell and thewind scoured people into the arcades. I rushed through myshopping before stopping for fish and chips and hot mulled wine in St Mary's Street. (This is the way to get your shopping done. Yah.)

On the train back I rang Peter to say what I'd had eaten and to pick me up atthe station.

We got into Haverfordwest (the train had started out in West Yorkshire) on time.

Peter greeted me with the words, 'I've got a fishcake in the oven for you'. I said nothing. I could feel the ring glittering in the box and I didn't mind if I had to eat fish and chips again.I'd had a good day out.