This free event will be stimulating to the eyes and ears. Hot and cold refreshments will be offered from our café throughout the session with regular interval breaks.
Llys Cyncoed care home, Cyncoed Dementia friends
Tuesday 8th October, from 11am
Thursday 17th October, from 2pm
Wednesday 23rd October, from 10.30am
Learn more about dementia, how it can affect individuals, and what you can do to help people living with dementia. Trusted to care
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Stop Press, Newsflash: Our eleven-year-old bitch, Wookie, died last Friday afternoon. I’d taken her to the vet because she had had a few days of difficulty passing urine. The vet intended to put her under anaesthetic and take a urine sample directly from her bladder. The whole procedure was supposed to take about half an hour, so call me surprised when the vet returned within fifteen minutes. She told me that she had opened up the dog, as agreed, and found that she had a mass (growth, lump) on her spleen which was also attached to her spine. A successful, curative, operation would not be possible. The choices open to us were for the vet to sew her up so that I could take her home for the family to say our goodbyes; or the vet could put her to sleep on the operating table.
I chose the second as the option least likely to cause the dog unnecessary suffering. I felt a little shell-shocked driving home, sans dog. The Boss and I shared a few tears and broke
by Wyn Evans
the news to The Girl, my eighteen-yearold daughter, who has Down Syndrome. Wookie was The Girl’s animal, and I was impressed at her resilience; she was mature in her reactions and thanked me for choosing to end Wookie’s pain. However, she doesn’t miss a trick, telling me we’d need to hurry and get a replacement, to keep Daisy company and stop her getting lonely.
Daisy is our six-year-old bitch. The Girl has decided that the new puppy will have to be named after a flower too and announced her preference for ‘Rosie’.
Thankful that she didn’t choose something like Fuchsia, The Boss and I gave way gracefully.
All we have to do now is order the new puppy.
Luckily, Caroline at the wonderful Starshot
kennels (https://starshot.co.uk/females) will have two Hungarian Vizsla females coming into season in the next couple of months. Rosie will be with us before we know it.
A friend asked me this week how The Girl was enjoying her time at Cardiff and Vale College. Well, she runs from the house to the taxi when it arrives each morning, with a big grin on her face, so she seems to be having a blast. Since our Girl turned eighteen we’ve had to address refresh our wills. She has grown into her adult freedoms but her Down Syndrome means she still needs more support than do typicallydeveloping young people. Thus, when I’m not writing this column, I have been working with our solicitor drawing up Powers of Attorney, draft Wills, a disabled person’s Trust, a Letter of Wishes and explanatory notes. A family friend will chair the Trust and three of The Girl’s cousins will sit as Trustees.
Hopefully, the arrangements will stand the test of time and the support we are putting in place will be everything our Girl needs to live a fulfilling, secure, and worthwhile life.
A particular bugbear of mine concerns the misuse of ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ (DNR) orders. A DNR order on a patient’s file means that a doctor is not required to resuscitate a patient if their heart stops and is designed to prevent unnecessary suffering. There have been many cases where the clinical guidance around the use of DNR orders has not been followed, where there has been inadequate or no consultation with the patient or their relatives. The clear guidelines on DNRs had to be firmly restated in 2000, after a number of seemingly healthy patients discovered they had ‘do not resuscitate’ or DNR orders written in their medical notes without consultation with them or their relatives. Age Concern warned that the UK’s elderly feared they were at risk of not being revived simply because of their age. There was further concern when it emerged that junior doctors had sometimes made DNR decisions because senior doctors were unavailable. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/ euthanasia/overview/dnr.shtml) There are too many instances of people with Down Syndrome being deemed unable to live a fulfilling and worthy life. From conception forward too many parents of kids with Down Syndrome are pointed towards termination of pregnancy. Similarly, at the other end of life’s journey, the Trustees will be charged with being all over this issue. Deeming people with Down Syndrome to be unworthy of life didn’t end with the Nazi’s Aktion T4 programme.
Similarly, in the news again, Sir Keir Starmer appears ready to fast-track a bill to legalise “assisted dying” and push the measure through the Commons before Christmas. This would give adults who are terminally ill with a life expectancy of less than six months an option to end their lives with medical assistance. I believe that the consequences to society of such a development could be very dangerous. As Mel Phillips writes in the Times, there’s the danger of pressure from unscrupulous relatives
or those who can’t bear the suffering of their loved one. The terminally ill patient may be frightened of becoming a burden on the family. Other frail and elderly people might also want to spare the overstretched NHS. The most vulnerable who need the greatest protection are likely to be the greatest victims of this. And we need look no further than Canada or the Netherlands to see how it could develop. In the former, the operation of a law initially restricted to individuals whose natural death was reasonably foreseeable had expanded to include those who could expect a normal lifespan but suffered from chronic illness or disability. A healthcare ethics professor who served from 2005 to 2014 on a euthanasia review board, said he saw Dutch euthanasia practice evolve from death being a last resort to death being a default option (reported by Mel Phillips). Again, the Trustees will need to be on their mettle.
My meetings with our solicitor will be keeping me busy for a while yet. Hopefully, there’ll be a new puppy along soon to dominate our attention.
Goodbye Wookie, welcome Rosie!
‘And Another Thing...’
Taking Offshore Several Sovereigns by Vince
I don’t know about you guys but prior to the recent General Election we followed the trend set by folks we are acquainted with of placing our money offshore in case there was a Labour victory. Ours is buried in a small tin box on Sully Island.
However, women are so much better at financial planning than men. To illustrate the point, our marriage is based on trust and according to the Current Mrs Nolan’s lawyers, that trust is based offshore too (Lundy I believe). This picture is offshore New York where our priceless treasures are really located.
Staying with matters financial, Mike was a single bloke, living at his father’s villa on the Costa del Sol and working in the family’s various businesses. He found out he was in line to inherit a fortune when his sickly father died so he decided he needed to find a wife with whom to share it. One evening, at an investment meeting, he spotted the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her
Nolan
beauty took his breath away. “I may look like an ordinary bloke,” he said to her, “but in just a few short weeks, my father will die, and I will inherit £200 million.” Impressed, the woman asked for his business card. Three days later, she became his stepmother.
I wondered whether the Vicar of Dibley was a Bird of Pray? Just asking. Non PC I know, so don’t write in please.
Local press: “A weather warning has been issued for the entire of Wales.” Top writing I thought. The same paper whilst reporting on a recent court case said: “A man was sentenced to 38 moths in prison.” One assumes this was some kind of Lepidoptera tickling revenge or possibly a new Government policy. All of which reminded me about the man who walked into a dentist’s surgery and said: “Help, I think I’m a moth!”
The dentist replied: “You shouldn’t be here. You should be seeing a psychiatrist.”
The man replied: “I am seeing a psychiatrist.”
The dentist said: “Well, what are you doing here then?”
The man replied: “Well, your light was on.”
Recently stayed in our favourite Seagate Hotel in North Devon with She Who Must Be Obeyed, (I know I spoil that woman). A former member of staff told us that she had to deal with a complaint from a lady who refused to pay for her room because she had booked a sea view and did not have one. On closer inspection the guest was informed that the tide had gone out. Alas, a true story.
The Leader of the Opposition and I were
and went to hell which went something like
made of hamster fur for her birthday and took
Imagine the final, six contestants and six
enjoys his favourite cheese and ham toastie (the horse that is). Is it us? A horse walks into
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In The Words Of by
October 2024
I hope those who were fortunate enough to get Oasis tickets did. I didn’t bother. I was relieved once I saw the mess the ticket seller had made of the ‘in-demand pricing’ afterwards. Let’s see if I can get review tickets next year.
There was scope for me to write a review of a hotel and seaside attractions visit to Paignton in Devon, but… the PR person failed to sort out the attractions, and expected me to drive all that way to stay in a Travelodge which would have cost me more in fuel. I didn’t wish to just write about the four walls of a hotel I can find anywhere around the UK! And the PR were bemused as to why I chose not to go, even though they admitted they didn’t sort the attractions out. Lesson learnt!
Interviews for your perusal include a TikTok comedian who’s quite a huge star; a 1980s musician who once continuously spent over 60 weeks in the Top 40, and an RAF Officer who along with his pilot was shot down in Iraq in 1991, was held hostage by the Iraqi forces for some time!
Movie Review: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
If ever there was a film that I’d hoped had a sequel, it was this one. Following on from “Beetlejuice” which came out in 1988, for this one to take 36 years is perhaps too long a wait. Yet, was it worth it? I think it is. Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara are back, and Tim Burton is also directing once again. It’s set three decades after the first movie, which as expected makes sense and adds to the storyline; almost writing itself! The movie is a fantastic ride, for old fans and new. I only wished it had a little bit more to offer seeing as the wait has been so long. Perhaps the anticipation got the better of me, as you’d expect with me being a fan having now grown up by a huge margin since the first “Beetlejuice”.
Carl Marsh
It’s just missing that wow factor for me to give it more than…
Movie Review: Wolfs
Written and directed by Jon Watts [he who directed the last three “Spider-Man” movies!], “Wolfs” stars two of Hollywood’s biggest talents, George Clooney and Brad Pitt. The two leads play underworld fixers, the types that you’d call if - as in the case of this movie - you want a body moving, and a crime scene cleaning, without any Police involvement. They aren’t partners to start with, but that’s sure how it pans out. The movie is greatly influenced by Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction”, even the ‘fixer’ in that movie was called The Wolf! This is no Tarantino movie though. It’s a fun watch, it’s a fun film. The plot seems too confusing at times, but I reckon it was meant to be second fiddle anyway. The chemistry between Pitt and Clooney is what you want to see this movie for. The rest of the support, the production and settings are all quality. It’s just a shame I got disinterested in trying to work out the plot by the end.
Enjoy
October
Carl Marsh
Twitter - @InTheWordsOf_CM
YouTube - InTheWordsOf
Henry Rowley Words by Carl Marsh Nik Kershaw Words by Carl Marsh
Quite a star on TikTok with his comedy skits, Henry Rowley is now taking his comedy on tour, stopping at Glee Club in Cardiff on Wednesday 6th November. You don’t need to be a viewer on TikTok he wants you to not know about that stuff and to come along and be there for his live standup!
Carl Marsh
A lot of people will be coming along to your show having seen some/all of your videos on social media, but they’re often you playing different characters. How will the live tour differ?
Henry Rowley
So, it varies from sketch to sketch. There are some which are predominantly voice-over with me sort of acting out on stage, which is… I enjoy that dynamic. There’s some where it’s just a single character, sort of monologue. So I’m working on one of the new sketches, which is a speedy border, and what goes through their head when they are at the airport. Sometimes it will be me jumping between characters, which is… it’s quite fun to sort of do that, you know because I’m a very, very sweaty performer. After all, there’s so much physicality, and then you leap into this other one. And, yeah, it’s quite exciting to sort of do that.
Carl Marsh
I like that you’re doing another character at the airport, I watched one of your videos where the character is the one that sits down watching the idiots standing and queuing once the boarding gate is announced. I’m that guy who will just look in bewilderment, very reminiscent of your character in that video.
Henry Rowley
Because I’ve always had this thing, and I’ve always posted about it on my Instagram Stories and stuff. It’s the look of pride and superiority that speedy borders have when they’re called up, they go to the front and they sort of look around and like, they’ll look at you like they’re better than you. And so I’ve sort of created this character being like, “What is going through your head?” Like, this is your this is their greatest victory. And so, yeah…[Laughter]
Henry Rowley - Glee Club, Cardiff Wednesday 6th November 2024
Legendary musician Nik Kershaw brings his tour to Cardiff on Saturday 12th October at Tramshed. He’ll be playing both of his first two albums [‘Human Racing’ & ‘The Riddle’] in their entirety, so it’ll be a long night with no warmup acts!
Carl Marsh
When you come to Cardiff in October, you’ll get to perform both of the albums in entirety. I think you did one of the albums (‘Human Racing’), maybe about 12 or 13 years ago where you played that in full. Yet, you’ve never done ‘The Riddle’, or so I believe. Would I be correct?
Nik Kershaw
Yeah, you are correct because in 2012 we did… for no apparent reason, we just did the ‘Human Racing’ album. And it wasn’t an anniversary or anything. We just did it and some other random songs. That was popular. It’s just a popular format. I went to see Peter Gabriel who played the ‘So’ album, and I get why people want to hear those albums again because you don’t normally as the album tracks get dropped over a period of time, and shows end up being the best of for that period. So, it’s just nice to be able to revisit some of those album tracks again.
Carl Marsh
Are there any tracks on ‘The Riddle’ that you’ve never played live, or have you played each and every one at some point during the last 40 years?
Nik Kershaw
There’s one on there that we’ve never played live. And it’s a track called ‘Easy’. And the reason we’ve never played it live is because it isn’t! [Laughter] Well, it’s not too challenging for most of us, but it’s quite challenging for our bass player because it was Mark King from Level 42 who played on the record. But my guys are up to the job. I’m sure he’s a bit stressed about it, but he’s making reassuring noises to me, and I’ve checked in with him now and again because he started practising… when I sort of told him we were doing these shows… his face went white, and he’s been practising ever since! [Laughs] But yeah, there are other songs on there that I haven’t played since 1985, so it’s going to be interesting. I’ve got some songs to learn or re-learn because you can’t rely on muscle memory to retain all of that information after 40 years. Nik Kershaw: The 1984 TourSaturday 12th October at Tramshed
Interview with John Nicol
Former RAF navigator, John Nichol, anyone of a certain age that remembers the first Iraq War will know he was one of the two airmen that got shot down in Iraq and was held hostage for many weeks. Now an accomplished author and speaker, he’s bringing his latest book ‘The Unknown Warrior’ to Newport’s Riverside on Saturday, 26th October.
Carl Marsh
I have to confess I didn’t know too much about the story of the Unknown Soldier and how it came about. I went to Ypres last Christmas and got to understand a lot more about WW1, and happened to see many War Graves with many having graves with no names. Yet, what blew me away was in your book reading that there are more than 500,000 graves with no names!
John Nichol
I mean, it’s interesting, Carl because I didn’t know anything about it at all, being in the military. So I knew about the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey. I have seen it, I don’t know how many times; hundreds of times, but I’ve never really stopped to look at it. I never really understood what the significance was, other than it is a tomb to the Unknown Warrior. I was at an RAF service in 2018, and a World War 2 veteran was telling me about it, about how it represents all the missing of the First World War. And that’s
Words by Carl Marsh
when these figures that you found so astonishing came out.
So, the concept is that there were about a million British Empire soldiers killed during the First World War, and around half a million have no known grave.
I mean…, and as you said, I was blown away by that, and that’s what started me on the journey to discover what that stone, what those words meant. COVID knocked it on the head for quite a long time, but it took kind of 18 months, probably two years, I suppose. And the book is the story of my journey of discovery because it was a journey of discovery. The theatre show is my story told on stage. It’s not a book in that way, it’s a theatre show. And the way the people are planning the production, it’s looking really good.
Hopefully, it does look amazing for those that come to see it.
So what started as a passing chat in Westminster Abbey ended up with me being in a van for six weeks driving around the country. It’s going to be like being in the military again, and hopefully a lot more comfortable!
John Nichol: The Unknown Warrior - Saturday, 26th October at Riverside, Newport
With more than 35 different traders under one roof it is easy to while away an entire afternoon at this welcoming destination - you can even enjoy a coffee at the onsite coffee shop.
Here at The Pumping Station you will find so many wonderful examples of clothing, jewellery, antiques, furniture and home furnishings from the Victorian era right through to modern day, there really is something here for everyone.
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Sparking Curiosity this Autumn
Autumn half-term is always one of the most popular times of the year for a visit to Techniquest. Alongside all the amazing hands-on exhibits, perplexing puzzles and curious contraptions that are waiting inside, there’s so much more that can be added to a ticket to make this visit the best one ever!
In the Science Theatre there’s a brand-new Live Science Show called Festival Fusion, exploring the science of celebrations — from the explosive chemistry of Bonfire Night and the spooky thrills of Halloween to the dazzling lights of Diwali and more. With plenty of fun alongside the learning, and audience participation guided by one of the centre’s live science hosts, the show is aimed at families with children aged 5 and above.
Another option is to journey through space with a fabulous Star Tour in the Planetarium: explore the wonders of the universe without any clouds to spoil the view. Aimed at ages 7 and above, the show unwraps the curiosities of the constellations and the planets of the solar system while audiences stay
safe and warm in the super-snug sky dome.
We Are Guardians also runs in the Planetarium over the holidays, so visitors can experience the Earth from satellite imagery, taking a closer look at how climate change is affecting the world. The 360° immersive film experience can be enjoyed by anyone aged 5 or over.
And for those who want to get really ‘hands-on’ with science, the KLA Lab is running Survival Science where participants can learn about building shelters, foraging for plants to eat and the techniques to start and maintain a fire. Please note that there’s a strict age restriction for this activity of ages 7 and above, who must be accompanied by an adult to take part.
There’s so much happening at Techniquest for curious minds to enjoy this autumn that opening hours are being extended right across the half-term dates, from 9am to 6pm. For more details and to book ahead visit: techniquest.org
Actually, it was clanging as Mr G had fitted all the telephones with cymbals of various sizes all bought quite economically at cart boot sales, thereby ensuring no telephone calls went unheard, or, unanswered. This latest improvement in technical communications had, he felt, taken the establishment further into the century, which century that was still under discussion with Madam, but it had undoubtably been one of the reasons that they were so busy.
“This is beyond reason!” their Front of House Manager who happens to be a very grand ginger cat, Frobisher the Fourth, had exclaimed when he was turfed out of his favourite sleeping place – a wicker basket full of that day’s clean linen – so that a Jack Russell, (the size of a small rat, Frobisher noted during registration at the Front Desk) with an address in Wolverhampton could be accommodated in comfort. He was there to accompany his owners on their honeymoon.
Frobisher the Fourth went off muttering to himself. “A dog? And that small! What exactly is the point? In the name of Pegasus when will this madness come to an end? When will we return to the easy somnambulism of yesteryear? The peace and quiet when the hotel was full every summer season with Trappist Monks from Dorset, who arrived on foot, barefoot, with no luggage to speak of, or the North Yorkshire and Part of East Lancashire Very Senior Citizens All-Time Silent Meditation Society.”
Frobs had had, as you will have realised by now, a classical education which helped enormously when the family had a quiz night with a sausage and mash supper. Frob’s fine mind was a great comfort to Mr G who frequently consulted him on subjects such as square roots, as found on the old oak tree near the front porch, magazine articles published in Esperanto and shadows, in the late summer evenings, when the light was fading, and questions regarding close-up crows or very far away condors.
Madam went off to answer the telephone. Again. This time it was Mrs Dugley Ucklen wishing to book a double wedding with full reception, trimmings, icing, floristry, swags, matching table linen with the de-luxe scented ambiences as described in the brochure. Mrs Ucklen was unsure about what the ‘scented ambiences actually were but was determined to have them anyway. Her two daughters, Unity and Ursula pretended to be engaged. They had each bought their own rings in the fair at Whitsuntide.
They were not so sure about marriage: thanks to their parents’ paranoid discretion about relationships between the genders, both personal and physical, the entire business of marriage was a complete and total mystery to them.
It was still a mystery to their mother.
Unity Ucklen was thirty-nine and her older sister, Ursula was, well, a little older.
“The names of the grooms, parents, and all dietary requirements?” enquired Madam who dealt with details and principles concurrently. “To be decided all in good time, please leave that side of things entirely to me” replied Mrs Ucklen and in no uncertain terms.
Madam took a deep breath.
“The date you wish to reserve as we continue to be very busy?” Mrs G had decided to use her second most professional voice, thereby reserving her Most Professional Voice for bookings for ‘Celebrations of the Life of the Deceased’ an event considerably more prestigious, important and, ultimately final, in all parts of Gwalia, than a mere temporary wedding.
“The first of April if you please?” ventured Mrs Ucklen who was slowly being drained of her nerve, like an elderly wealthy gentleman meeting a beautiful young nymph. “May I point out that is NEXT week” responded Madam not missing a beat. “Oh! I am sorry to confuse the issue,” Mrs Ucklen explained, “I meant April the first NEXT year. I shall need a year to track down two grooms. I understand they only come into season in these parts between Hay and Harvest.
Counterpanes. Mrs Grizzly needed a few minutes to regain her well known composure and a brief visit to the lavender-redolent linen cupboard always worked wonders for her. Lavender! with such wonderful memories of the early days and nights of her earlier years. A speedy audit of all the hotel counterpanes, a fresh list in ink and capital letters and some safety pinned on cream card labels should calm me ready for the re-entry into the hubbub, fray, and jollifications of the afternoon events at the Castleweeds Hotel.
Mrs G got swiftly underway and very soon all one hundred and thirty-seven counterpanes were sorted into neat piles under their labels. The sizes went as follows, largest first; Megalomaniac, Maniac, Ambitious Despot, Small-time Dictator, Emperor, King, Queen, Average Person, Big Fairy, Large Elf and Petbeds (assorted) for the use of. “Right” she said to herself, “that is done, what is next on the menu?”
Meantime while Mrs Grizzly was back in the linen cupboard undergoing self-imposed therapy and getting back in touch with the boss within her, Mr G was on the telephone at front reception. He cheerfully and casually accepted an early bird booking from The Viking Re-Enactment Society from Llanelli for afternoon tea for eight hundred and fifty.
They requested plenty of cakes please, Swiss rolls, Battenburg slices, Eccles cakes, Bath buns, Chelsea buns, Genoa cake, Dundee cake, Madeira cake, Yorkshire ginger cake, Banbury cake and Florentines, oh! and a few hundred Cornish pasties.
“The cakes help us to celebrate all the places we have pillaged, and subsequently where we have had our Re-Enactments” explained the voice on the telephone, “however our problem is that we can never get a booking for the following year. In the same place. We do not really know why as the event is lots of fun, very genuine especially the rampaging and generally everyone has a lovely time. We will pay for any damage, and I will confirm by letter.” “Righty oh!” said Mr G and went back to his plans for mining a tunnel from the boiler room in the basement which was an important safehouse for him and for Frobisher, directly to his salubrious (prize winning) shed in the garden near the rockery.
Madam did not venture into the boiler room because of
all the official looking notices and signs saying, DANGER, LOOSE ELECTRICITY, MEN AT WORK, GENTLEMEN PLEASE CHECK YOUR ATTIRE BEFORE LEAVING and NO PLACE FOR A LADY. New signs were added from time to time by men in boiler suits, wearing horn-rimmed spectacles, with large noses and carrying large toolboxes who all reminded her of her husband’s brothers, but she could not say why.
Time passed pleasantly enough, and Mrs Grizzly had numerous meetings with Mrs Ucklen. She got on with all the orders, arrangements, re-arrangements, plans, recipes, traditional touches, sequins, lace butterflies and appalling graphics, always in silver, that were essential to pacify ambitious Mothers-of–Bride even ones who reminded her of Creatures from The Black Lagoon, ‘The Undead from Hell and Beyond and Aliens from the Antipodes. All posters she had scurried past on dark rainy nights when passing the ‘Picturerama” in Elevenby.
Mr Grizzly was working surreptitiously on his tunnel. Unfortunately, without Frobisher’s help through that summer as Frobs had Opencast University examinations to prepare for. He had signed on, and sent off a postal order, registered post, for the modules on reading, spelling, and sums, in his own words. He was still awaiting delivery of the promised booklets: sometimes the postal service to these parts took weeks. In the meantime, he was sleeping on all the quality newspapers he could get his paws on, including the Literary Supplement of the Parrot News.
This sought after weekly contained reviews of books you had already read and returned to whomever you had borrowed them from in the first place. All cats firmly believe that useful information can be absorbed through the fur from printed material.
Without Frobisher’s extensive knowledge of the basic principles of civil engineering, Newton’s Law. Boyle’s Law and the essence of Bertrand Russell’s Principia Mathematica, Mr G was a bit stuck.
In fact, from time to time he was completely stuck, in his new tunnel, especially when he had been too generous with his own portions of jam roly-poly pudding, a favourite of his. Captain Bryce-Pryce, a good friend and neighbour who had a fearsome reputation locally for problem solving with rope, string or rug wool was on daily standby.
If a narrow plume of purple smoke was not seen ascending from the shed chimney by tea time it meant, “To whom it may concern, I am stuck in the tunnel, I cannot go backwards or forwards, I must have misplaced the decimal point again in my calculations and need a stout chap with a length of hemp, thank you.”
As so often happens, discussing the tunnel with Frobisher on evenings over a mug of hot chocolate made with local coconut milk (a thousand calories a gulp, thought Frobisher to himself) a plate of Welsh cakes, with both butter and jam even though they were made that very day (no wonder you are getting jammed in your tunnel – leave out the jam, giggled Frobisher to himself) a solution emerged. Frobisher was resting on a pile of books bought from Carberth’s Annual
Clear Out your Attic to Make Room for More Sale Stuff. The street chosen to string the banner across to advertise the (poorly attended) event was not wide enough for the full story so people only read, “Carberth’s Annual Clear Out.”
Mr G and Frobisher set off early on the day of the sale to catch both the bus and the best bargains.
Some of the other waiting would-be passengers thought it was another mystery charabanc outing and after boarding the vehicle with the papered over windows, went nowhere at all! They allowed an hour to elapse out of politeness and sensing not much had happened, but sniffing an unfamiliar smell, decided to get out of the charabanc only to discover they were still at the depot and the newspaper pasted–over windows were because the vehicle had been sold and was being resprayed a nice colour.
By this time Mr G and Frobs were picking their way around the sale with eagle eyes and deep concentration. They had not boarded the sold bus but had a horse and cart lift with Islwyn and Dryslwyn, two old school friends running a haxi (a local word for horse and cart) service around the countryside.
The delay for the other potential customers allowed Mr G and Frobs to have first go at all the items laid out by the sellers, who always seemed to come from Away, never local.
So far, he had bought a pile of books at a good price but had not had a chance to examine them. There was a notice on them that said, ‘cheap but a lot of big words’. The pile of books turned out to be most helpful. One was full of useful suggestions and was for immediate action.
One of his problems was that his shed had windows, no curtains or blinds. So, if he needed to leave the shed unattended anyone, anyone at all, could have a good look in as they passed the window. He did a pretty painting of himself, at his desk, bending over some plans. He cut it to fit the bare window and fixed it up, painting side out. Anyone passing, especially a close relative would think Mr G was very busy and would be for some time. Close to genius, he decided.
To the casual passer-by it would appear that all was as it should be. The picture showed Mr G seated at his desk, the new one made from up-ended milk-churns, scaffolding planks and masking tape, the sort used for sticking wings on aeroplanes, it is supposed to peel off easily and never does. With Cat Frobisher normally snoozing, but still semi alert, on clean washing rescued by Mr G from the clothesline and then left lying. The rest of the picture on the blind consists of piles of things. Cabbages and Kings. Turnips and spinning tops. Empty egg boxes and manuals for repairing motor cars no longer manufactured in the known world.
Back in the hurly-burly of the Castleweeds Hotel, a brouhaha had broken out in the inner vestibule amongst the hall stand with the oversized umbrellas, Mackintoshes (one size fits all), spare dog leads and small barrels of brandy ready for emergencies when guests managed to mislay themselves –even on the coastal path which only goes in one direction.
Mrs Ucklen accompanied by her daughters Ursula (means ‘the bear’) and Unity (means ‘on your own’) are insisting The Weddings will go on as planned even in the total absence of any grooms!
Mrs Ucklen is close to the change (her husband who knows little of such matters presumes it is a change for the better, he has put up with a lot since she took no notice of the censor’s warning and went to see ‘Psycho’ on her own). “Never go alone to see a film titled in wavy writing dripping with blood,” her friend Elsie told her next day. In addition, Ursula and Unity had been crying since a year last September but cannot remember why.
Mrs Ucklen is trying to persuade them that what with the Brass Band from Elevenby, the release of the doves during the exchange of rings (that throws up two more problems, no doves in these parts but plenty of seagulls: would they do instead?) and, as yet there was no one to exchange rings with, not even one possible chap to share between them. Then she thought that what with the floral arrangements on tall stands borrowed from all the funeral parlours in the entire county plus the twelve matching attendants on loan from the local orphanage all dressed in maroon moiré – no one would notice the absence of grooms.
End of Part One
Part Two will feature in next month’s magazine.
Note
If you enjoyed this tale, more stories of characters living in Centrix can be found in the book,
SEVEN TALES OF CENTRIX by Sara John, available through your local bookshop from the publisher y Llolfa Cyf, Ceredigion.
If you or a loved one have received substandard treatment from your GP, hospital, dentist, chiropractor, care home, or any other medical professional, and it has happened within the last three years, you may be entitled to make a claim. By
It’s Called Boxing
In this month’s boxing column, I thought I would give a break down on some of the terms used in the sport and list the many weight divisions. When watching boxing on TV, it can sometimes be a little difficult to both follow and understand. Just who is the world champion and what is going on inside the ring are just some of the questions many find themselves asking. So, I hope the following will help to some degree.
The British Boxing Board of Control
The British Boxing Board of Control is based in Cardiff, Wales and controls the sport in the UK.
World Boxing Organisations
There are four major world boxing organisations in the sport these being.
WBA World Boxing Association.
WBC World Boxing Council.
IBF International Boxing Federation.
WBO World Boxing Organisation.
Each of the above organisations often recognise different world champions in various weight
by Ralph Oates
divisions at the same time.
Undisputed World Champions
An undisputed world champion is a boxer who holds all versions of the world title hence WBA,WBC, IBF, WBO. Truthfully, it is very rare to see an undisputed champion crowned but it does happen from time to time.
The Promoter
The promoter is an individual who is responsible for staging the boxing contests.
The MC
The Master of Ceremonies announces the fight before the contest begins.
The Weigh-in
Both boxers before they meet inside the ring will attend a weigh-in to check their weights to ensure they are at the correct stipulated weight for the contest.
The Purse
The purse is the amount of money paid to the boxers by the promoter.
The Corner
The two opposing boxers occupy a corner where they on sit on stools between rounds aided by
Photograph of Joe Calzaghe - courtesy of Les Clark Joe Calzaghe boxes in the southpaw stance
their cornermen.
The Cuts Man
The cuts man is part of the corner team who will attend to any facial damage which the boxer may sustain during the round. (cut eyes etc)
The Manager
The boxers will have a manager who will obtain the bouts for them during their careers.
The Referee
The referee is the third man in the ring who ensures the two fighters abide by the rules.
Judges
There are three judges outside of the ring in championship fights who will score the fight as it pro-gresses.
Timekeeper
A Timekeeper is an official who sits outside of the ring who times the respective rounds.
Between Rounds
The two competing boxers will have a minute’s rest between rounds.
12 Rounds
Men’s world championship contests are scheduled for 12 rounds.
10 Rounds
Women’s world championship contests are scheduled for 10 rounds.
Southpaw
A boxer who fights in the southpaw stance is one who leads with his right hand.
A Contender
A contender is a boxer who is rated as a challenger for a title fight.
Break
An instruction given by the referee when the two boxers are in a clinch.
Orthodox
A boxer who fights in the orthodox stance leads with his left hand.
Switch hitter
A boxer who switches his stance from southpaw to orthodox during a contest is called a switch
hitter.
A Jab
A jab is a punch which is pushed forward towards an opponent during the contest.
Uppercut
An uppercut is a punch which is delivered in an upwards direction towards the chin of the opponent.
Bolo Punch
The bolo punch is much like the upper cut but starts lower down.
In Fighting
This involves the boxers fighting at close quarters.
Shadow Boxing
A boxer will throw punches at an imaginary opponent in the gym.
The Lonsdale Belt
The Lonsdale Belt is a trophy presented by the British Boxing Board of Control to the boxer who has won the British title. To own the belt outright the said boxer must win four title bouts.
Roadwork
Part of a boxers training is to run a certain number of miles to keep their weight down and to build stamina.
WEIGHT DIVISIONS IN THE PROFESSIONAL RANKS
Minimumweight/Strawweight 105 lbs/7st 7lbs
Light-flyweight 108lbs/7st 10lbs
Flyweight 112lbs/8st
Super-flyweight 115 lbs/8st 3lbs
Bantamweight 118 lbs/8st 6lbs
Super-bantamweight 122lbs/8st 10lbs
Featherweight 126lbs/9st
Super-featherweight 130lbs/9st 4lbs
Lightweight 135lbs/9st 9lbs
Super-lightweight 140lbs/ 10st
Welterweight 147 lbs/10st 7lbs
Super-welterweight 154lbs/11st
Middleweight 160 lbs/11st 6lbs
Super-middleweight 168lbs/12st
Light-heavyweight 175 lbs/12st 7lbs
Cruiserweight 200 lbs/14st 4lbs
Heavyweight Over 200 lbs/14st 4lbs
There is a new weight division which was recently introduced. The poundage is called the Bridgerweight by the WBC and Super-cruiserweight by the WBA. The division lays between cruiserweight and heavyweight.
Hopefully this will be of assistance when you next watch a boxing contest.
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‘Dancing is a feeling expressed from the inside out’ by Natalie McCulloch
The exquisite American ballet dancer, Jacques d’Amboise once said
“You can dance anywhere, and you dance in your mind, in your heart”
Similarly, actress Mia Michaels expressed that
“Dancing is a feeling expressed from the inside out”
Just a quick glimpse at social media or tik tok gives insight into the truth in this. You can dance practically anywhere if you wish to… in a class, on your own, at a party, in the kitchen, in a supermarket aisle…the list really is endless but what about in a hospital or in a wheelchair? Thanks to charities such as RUBICON DANCE this is very much possible too! And the benefits would make even Craig Revel Horwood and co give a big 10/10!
Registered charity RUBICON DANCE was established in 1976 to give people of all ages and abilities access to dance in different community settings, including when the late
Princess Diana opened their building right here in Cardiff in 1983. Nearly 50 years later RUBICON DANCE continues to give people from all walks of life opportunities to connect with others, improve their health/ wellbeing and nurture their own skills and confidence through the medium of dance. They deliver dance opportunities for people and communities across Newport, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan and have built a strong, nationally recognised reputation for an exceptional ability to reach those who are often excluded from the arts.
Rubicon exists to unlock self-expression, so that people discover their potential, feel motivated and connected to the world. They believe everyone should have the opportunity to discover their own potential and nurture their individual talents and they have made it their mission to challenge traditional views of what it means to dance; whether this is where we dance, who we dance with, or what artistic expression looks like.
In just one working week the amazing RUBICON crew will work with approximately 1000 participants based in schools, health and social care settings and community venues to facilitate fabulous dance sessions for children and young people, the disabled, stroke survivors, socially isolated elderly and socially disadvantaged people and aim to do so on a continuous basis throughout the year to develop confidence and skills for all involved. Pretty impressive to say the least!
The impact speaks for itself
“I have another group of friends now….we go for coffee after…it enables me to distract from my pain for a little while” Participant
On a personal note, I see the many benefits to the patients having Rubicon dance sessions, who the majority of whom have had strokes. It’s difficult to quite put into words the impact it has on patients to an extent that showcases the magic of it, it ‘lights up’ the ward. Its surprising how many patients will say no to attending because they ‘can’t dance or have limited or no mobility’ and then many of these go onto being avid fans due to the way the dance teacher, Anwen, skilfully adapts each session in order to enable everyone’s active participation regardless of their potentially limited movements or stage of recovery.
Patients are doing their rehabilitation without even realising it, utilising movements they didn’t know they had retained since their stroke and being given choices of music where so many other parts of care have to be prescriptive. And most importantly, perhaps, they’re mixing with others and having FUN!
During Covid periods, when the groups were closed, the patients miss these sessions and in all honesty a lot of the staff, myself included, did too. What other hospital setting do you get to see patients enjoying a good dance in the dayroom or hear blasts of ACDC played vigorously on the violin or snippets of music from all eras echoing through the
And the RUBICON team enjoy it and see the benefits too: -
“Patients may have physical weakness, may have lost speech or be non-verbal. The sessions give them a ‘voice’ to show their personality” NHS Staff Member
So, why dance? Overall, the benefits of dancing include:
•Connecting people socially
•Improves mood
•Triggering new connections in the brain which encourages neuroplasticity (the brains ability to change)
•Releasing pain relieving endorphins/feel good chemicals
•Improved muscle strength and bone density
•Improved heart health
•Improved balance and flexibility
•Plus let’s not forget the essential element of FUN!
So, its no wonder that sessions such as those delivered by RUBICON help people in so many amazing ways!
However, much like other arts in healthcare settings and charities, Rubicon relies on support and sponsorship from the community to enable it to continue working its magic!
If you can help, have any ideas for ways that could support, or simply wish to share your positive memories and experiences of dance at Rubicon or to know how to get involved yourself, please get in touch at
info@rubicondance.co.uk. If you want to support Rubicon financially, please donate on their page www.rubicondance.co.uk
Over the decades Rubicon has shown that dance can change lives and with your support will help ensure that Rubicon can continue to engage and inspire.
The Handyman
‘A man for all reasons’
•ROOF
•UPVC
•KITCHEN
•EXTENSIONS
1984 - 1985: The year Margaret Thatcher took on the mining communities
Tickets are now on sale for Amgueddfa Cymru’s brand new exhibition Streic ’84-85 Strike which opens at National Museum Cardiff on 26 October. The exhibition brings to life the historic story of the Miners’ Strike and the profound impact it had on our nation.
For a year, miners, their families and trade unions went head-to-head with government. A government which sought to break union power and assert authority. Forty years later, the effect of the 84-85 Miners’ Strike lives on.
Amgueddfa Cymru’s Director of Collections and Research, Dr Kath Davies, said:
“The ’84-85 Miners’ Strike fostered unprecedented solidarity and political awakening in Wales. The human cost was immense: families suffered hardship, communities divided, and the mining
industry’s decline continued.
“From photos and placards of protest to personal stories of comradeship, loss and hope, we’re proud to introduce this moving exhibition which recounts a momentous year that permanently changed the social, political and geographical landscape of Wales.”
Marking the 40-year anniversary of the Miner’s Strike, the exhibition follows a year of politics, passion and protest. From the summer of hope and high-spirited defiance, leading to a winter of violence, hardship and loss of livelihoods across some of Wales’ hardiest communities.
Tickets for Streic ‘84-85 Strike (26 October 2024 – 27 April 2024) are on sale now: www.museum.wales/strike.
Amgueddfa Cymru’s exhibition programme has been made possible thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
£12 £12
* Broken Glass
* Replacement
* Misted Glass
* Replacements
* Faulty/Broken Hinges
* Locks, Handles
* Pa�o Door Problems
* Draughty/Leaking
* Windows, Doors
* Conservatories
* Ca�laps, Le�erboxes
* New Door Panels * Stained Glass Repairs and Replacements * Glass/mirrors of all types cut to size
* uPVC New Windows/ Doors Installed
* Upgrades to Locks and Handles
* Fascias, Gu�ering, Clading
* Coloured Composite Doors
30 Tachwedd & 1 Rhagfyr 2024 30 November & 1 December 2024 Jingle Bells and Elves: Nadolig yn yr Amgueddfa Jingle Bells and Elves: Christmas at the Museum
4–22 Rhagfyr 2024
4–22 December 2024
7 & 8 Rhagfyr 2024
7 & 8 December 2024
7 Rhagfyr 2024
Te Prynhawn Nadoligaidd Festive Afternoon Tea
Ffilm yr ŵyl: ‘The Snowman’ Festive Film Screening: ‘The Snowman’
Disgo Tawel Silent Disco Immerse yourself in Christmas book your
