6 minute read
“Beam me up Scotty.”
by Wyn Evans
Great excitement chez nous!
We’ve been in our current house for six years now. We moved in the autumn that The Girl joined Cardiff High School (CHS), in year 7. Our then home, on Ty Draw Road, overlooking the Rec, would soon prove too difficult for us to maintain. I had not long before been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and keeping on top of three floors, all the cleaning and maintenance and gardening was starting to feel quite daunting. Plus, there was the great exodus from Penylan to consider. The Council had published new guidelines for its CHS catchment policy. Not a week went by, it seemed, without one family, then another, upping sticks and moving closer to CHS. Because The Girl (our daughter who has Down Syndrome) had a Statement of special educational needs and because it was determined that CHS would best meet those needs, we knew she had a place guaranteed. However, we thought it best to move closer to the high school to minimise the distance she’d need to walk. Thus it was in that Year 7 Summer that we sold Ty Draw Road. Not all of it, of course, just the bit we held the freehold to, number 40.
We had nowhere to move to at that point and instead went AirBnB in Llandaff staying there for the summer months while searching for a place of our own. Eventually, we found our current home on Rhydypenau Road, which links the Cyncoed and Rhydypenau roundabouts. A mad rush ensued and by the start of term, we’d moved in. The one thing that niggled though was that we’d had no time or opportunity to do those minor building works that would make the new house our home; install a new bathroom, lay a new lawn, and set down new raised vegetable beds; arrange for bookshelves to be fitted, reinsulate the loft, and address the problem of the hall, stairs and landing.
The HSL we inherited had very little space between the opened front door and the first stair.
Also the existing stairwell seemed very narrow and turned sharply ninety degrees left a metre from the top. As we discovered, the effect of this was that one of our existing wardrobes would have to be sold simply because we couldn’t get it upstairs. Worse was to come. Because my wife, The Boss, has Multiple Sclerosis it was necessary to have installed a Stannah stairlift, which used up even more of the space available. We managed to get it fitted more or less concurrently with our moving in but we had no opportunity to address the more pressing issue that was the overall poor design and lack of space in both the top and bottom parts of the HSL.
Here we now are, six, nearly seven years on and at long last we have determined on a suitable course of action. And, as I said, we are greatly excited! We have taken architectural advice and come to the reluctant conclusion that the stairs cannot be moved backwards a couple of feet; the stairs themselves would become too steep. But what can be done, relatively painlessly, is to rip out and sell the existing stairlift thus clearing a couple of square yards of floorspace which is currently dead space squatted-on by the stairlift. And, of course, the width of the stairs themselves is essentially broader because, with no stairlift, there is no need to have a tubular rail or track for it to run on.
Now the quick-thinkers amongst you will already be asking how we intend to get up and down the stairs without the trusty Stannah. After all, multiple sclerosis isn’t going to go away. Neither is my Parkinson’s for that matter. This is what we are excited about. We are doing away with a stairlift and putting in a ‘Stilts-lift’ instead. Siting it in our utility room (off the living room) the lift will rise and fall vertically through the ceiling decanting in our main bedroom. It will be a oneperson lift. There will be no visible hoists or noisy motors. It runs using discreet wire rope hoists and built-in drive equipment which is all neatly concealed within the lift car roof-space. It is freestanding so no load-bearing walls are required. (See attached picture.)
So The Girl and her parents can’t wait for the work to start in two weeks’ time. As soon as the work is underway I’ll take some before and after pics and post them here so you can see how we get on.
The Girl is no less enamoured of a gift we got her for her birthday: driving lessons.
One of The Girl’s birthday presents was a one-hour driving lesson, given by a firm who specialize in dual-control vehicles, for kids aged 4-17. It was held at the new Cardiff City stadium’s spacious car parks. She was in a SEAT. She only just managed to reach the pedals without need of the cushion we’d brought along for behind her back. So next time we’ll get a deeper cushion. She did a tidy job at the spatial awareness section and nailed the slalom. Her parking and reversing were OK too. When we asked her had she enjoyed herself she just grinned and gave us both a hug. Looks like we’ll be booking a few more monthly lessons!
There follows a secondary benefit. Moving out the old Stannah will allow us to knock down an interior wall to what is now our study (and was once a small fifth bedroom), which is above the stairwell and front door. We’re going to replace this with translucent safety glass, opening out she space some more, raising the ceiling at the top of the stairs, and flooding the landing with natural light.
The WELSH PROMS are back Saturday 8 – Friday 14 July, and this time we have even more reason to celebrate as it’s the 40th anniversary of St David’s Hall!
Now in its 38th year, the Welsh Proms are some of the biggest events in Wales’ cultural calendar and the exciting programme starts in style with the Family Prom (Sat 8 July, 3pm). Conducted by Michael Bell MBE, Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra and host Mike Church guide us on an intergalactic journey through the cosmos. From interstellar to extra-terrestrial, Adventures in Space includes Star Wars, ET, The Planets, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Also Sprach Zarathustra (featured in 2001: A Space Odyssey!)
Also introducing young people to classical music is the Tiddly Prom (Sat 8 – Fri 14 July, 10,30am), which returns for seven fun-filled performances of Bert’s Magical Musical Kitchen. This accessible and interactive concert devised by Arts Active on Lefel 1 is ideal for children aged under five.
The following afternoon sees Owain Arwel Hughes CBE lead the world class Philharmonia Orchestra in a Classical Extravaganza (Sun 9 July, 4pm) featuring Rossini’s Barber of Seville and Greig’s In the Hall of the Mountain King. Then take a trip to ancient Egypt for Verdi’s Aida and into space with John Williams’ Star Wars before experiencing the haunting moonlight of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake.
Jonathan Scott plays a breathtaking repertoire of Bach and Beethoven in a lunchtime performance of the Organ Prom (Mon 10 July, 1pm). This programme not only demonstrates the full range of symphonic sounds and capabilities of the magnificent organ at the National Concert Hall of Wales, but also features Scott’s own arrangements of masterpieces like the Finale from Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony
That evening, there’s the Folk Prom (Mon 10 July, 7.30pm) showcasing two talented partnerships – one of UK's top young bluegrass acts in The Carrivick Sisters, plus Americana duo Tapestri featuring Welsh duo Lowri Evans and Sarah Zyborska.
The following afternoon, Arts Active presents the Soundworks Prom (Tues 11 July, 1.30pm) in Lefel 1, which provides a relaxed summer concert for adults and young people with learning disabilities and autism.
Then it’s time for the glitz and glamour of Hollywood as the Movie Prom (Tues 11 July, 7.30pm) celebrates the great film composers including John Williams, Ennio Morricone, Hans Zimmer and John Barry. From Star Wars to Superman and Jaws to Jurassic Park, you won’t want to miss this blockbuster soundtrack from the Welsh National Opera Orchestra!
Owain Arwel Hughes CBE and a selection of Wales’ finest choirs are joined by the legendary Cory Band for an evening of evocative choruses in the Brass & Voices Prom (Weds 12 July, 7.30pm). Is there a sound more evocative of the spirit of Wales than a 200-voice male choir in the magic of Joseph Parry’s Myfanwy, or the full-throated hwyl of John Hughes’ Cwm Rhondda? Plus, there’s the stunning grandeur of Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance.
The penultimate performance sees the Jazz Prom (Thurs 13 July, 7.30pm) return to the L3 Lounge with the Capital City Jazz Orchestra. Acclaimed vocalist Jeff Hooper breathes thrilling new life into the music of Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darrin and Tony Bennett, as well as Big Band classics from Duke Ellington and Count Basie.
Owain Arwel Hughes CBE then brings down the curtain with the Last Night of the Welsh Proms (Fri 14 July, 7.30pm) as the Welsh National Opera Orchestra and soloist Shân Cothi join forces for an epic finale. Bring your flags and be ready to join in the singing with a rousing repertoire featuring Shostakovich, Strauss, Tchaikovsky and the stunning grandeur of Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance!