Welcome to Wales / Croeso y Gymru

Ive been trying all evening to think how to start this, but in the end it just has to be at the beginning.

Just a little over 32 years ago I had my first visit to Wales.  It was just meant to be me meeting my, soon to be, new family. 

My mum and step dad were to be married, back in Edinburgh, on Thursday 30th August 1979 so on the Friday before my mum's two friends drove me to Wales, to Briton Ferry, for me to be introduced to the Ward clan.  We arrived early evening and my first introduction was to 18 year old Philip, who was to become my step brother.  'Hi, im Phil, want to come to the rugby club?'  First of all I was a bit taken aback, in my innocence I didnt really know what to expect from a rugby club (didnt take long to change that though LOL), and since I was only 15, I didnt really think I was allowed !! I felt a bit awful saying no thank you, but at least I could say that I was really tired after the journey and anyway Morris (my soon to be step dad) said we were all going out the following  night - to the Con Club (another new intro to me - Id never heard of a con club, or a workies or Lib club at that point - that too changed).

So the following night we all went up the hill to the Briton Ferry Constitutional Club.  Saturday night was the night where there was music upstairs in the function room, and also where I was to be introduced to the voices of quite a few of the Ward clan, the singing voices I mean, and it was pretty damn incredible as well. Before we went out I realised that there was a programme on tv that I wanted to see, it was the last episode ever as well and I had said that I really wanted to go back to the house to see it later on.  I was persuaded by Phil not to go and to be honest it didnt take much as I was really enjoying the evening, enjoying meeting new people and was thoroughly wrapped up in the welcome that I was receiving into a family that knew hardly anything about me.


It could only have been about half an hour later when everything was gturned upside down.  Morris had the microphone and was singing away, his brother Hwyel suddenly appeared and ran across the dance floor, grabbed the mic from Morris's hand and frantically started telling him something. In the rush the mic was dropped onto the floor - my god that makes a terrible sound.  All of a sudden everyone was running, I was sitting in a corner of the room and was completely lost as to what was happening.  I picked up my coat, Phils jumper, my bag and I ran too.  I heard someone say 'fire' and my heart was in my mouth, 'My god' I thought 'My god the club is on fire'.  I ran down the stairs along with everyone else.  The club was emptying at such a speed.  I was looking frantically for my mum, for Phil, for anyone that I had been introduced to as family.  At the bottom of the stairs Phil suddenly appeared, looking as frantic as I felt.  I grabbed his arm and asked what was going on.  'My house is on fire! he said.  He was shaking and then he turned and ran too.  I felt someone grab my elbow, it was my mums friend.  'Come on, quick' she said, and we ran to the car.  I dont know why to this day that we took the car.  Maybe because we didnt know the area but it may have made more sense to run with everyone else but 2 minutes later we were standing outside the house, the fire brigade busy with hoses, foam everywhere. On the way down the hill we had passed people running, running on the road, disappearing down the lanes, short cutting to the house, to the place where everyone knew the Morris and Phil lived.  Now they were all in the street too and finally the fire was out. 


What happened next is really the reason for this long post.


The Brigade of course wouldnt allow us access to the house.  So now what did we do? Nowhere to stay, no clothes, nothing.  Suddenly all these voices started offering help. First was Morris's sister who lived in the same street, 'Come on, lets have a cuppa, sit down and make a plan' then people saying 'Morris, you and Cath stay with us' 'Phil, you and Fiona can stay in our house. Dont worry Fiona, we'll do introductions later' 'We'll be down tomorrow to start the clean up if we are allowed in' 'Morris, what about your suit for the wedding?  Cath what about your outfit?'  Offer after offer after offer of help, support and sympathy.




As we left one house to move to another house to stay I realised that my feet were soaking wet, that I was freezing cold, despite it being August, and I was shaking.  Then it hit me, if I had gone back to the house to watch that tv programme, I would have been in the house when the fire really took hold.  Now as Ive said before, I am the type of person who deals with things at the time and then, later, when everyone else is relaxed, fine and over it, thats when I go to jelly, to pieces and end up in a heap with people thinking ive lost the plot.  'Phil, I would have been in the house!' I struggled to get the words out but he nodded and said 'I know' I think that was the point when his friend could see how much I was shaking and lifted me up and carried me to where we were staying that night.


Jump forward this evening.  Peter and I went out to so some shopping, on the way back we went through Pontardawe and past the makeshft memorial to those poor guys lost in the mine last week.  I dont know why it took me till today to remember the events of 1979 but it just struck me that despite my first visit to Wales being a traumatic and dramatic event, it was also my first introduction to how community minded, how generous and how incredible the people here can be.  Jump back to last week, to that dreadful announcement of the mine collapsing and those four poor miners trapped, and as we now know, lost. How the whole world watched as the emergency services, mines rescue, divers, cavers etc etc fought to try to save those men, how local businesses, neighbours and friends and strangers, rallied to help, support and sympathise.  Sound familiar?  Okay so our fire actually does pale against this event, but what doesnt pale is the strength of character of the people of Wales, their ability to rally, link arms and show a united front the second its needed.

So we went and got a candle, and we took it back to that makeshift memorial and lit it.

I was told once that I would never be happy until I went back to Scotland! How very wrong that person was.  Im so glad that I moved here, not glad that there are families suffering loss just now, but very grateful to be living in a community, a country, that when faced with a crisis, large or small, stands up and makes what they do count.

Da iawn Cymru!

Memory Walk

As you can see there is a nice little addition to my page - its my sponsorship link for this Sundays Memory Walk - would love it if you would sponsor Pete and I to raise money for this brilliant charity.

Get on Free

There hasnt been many posts lately, not because I havent been doing anything but because ive simply not been in the right frame of mind to post but Ive been prodded to add this. 

About a month ago I finally, FINALLY, managed to achieve another long, long held ambition.

Thanks to a scheme called Get on Free I’ve actually now had a go on a bike - not a moped (well, if I’m honest I had a go on one of those first) but a motorbike (automatic I admit - but hey you have to start somewhere). I have to say a huge thank you to Richard for his patience (especially when I couldn’t get the damn thing of the stand - such a weakling).  He told me that if he saw the whites of my eyes then he'd know I was too scared. In fact the only thing I had been scared about was that it would get cancelled as the weather just a short while earlier had been horrendous with heavy rain, dark skies and a bit more of a breeze getting up. As I got more confident and I was riding around the 'course' Richard just left me too it (keeping a watchful eye of course) but out of the corner of my eye I could see him talking to my husband and shaking his head.  I have to admit that my heart sank a little, obviously he thought that I wasn’t doing that well.  At the end of the session he called me over and we talked about the geared bike.  I really wasn’t ready to have a go on that (yet).  I was still feeling a bit like I hadn’t done that well when he said that I’d done really well and explaining what I could do next.  Once I got over the shock and we were leaving, I asked Peter what he had said when he was shaking his head.  He started laughing and said 'He said 'Well - no whites of the eyes and she's smiling! Sorry mate! she's going to cost you a lot of money!''

Well no, not at the moment, for now im glad to just have had a go, I'm not ruling out having one but for the minute lets just say that there's one more thing ticked off my list.


Get On Free

Chickens

This is just a quick post to put up a link to my friends blog - Jo you are doing some amazing work.  It was heartbreaking to see the new arrivals but I know, from seeing the girls aready in yours and Garys care, that it wont be long until they are all fluffed up and beautiful again.

http://lifewiththeexbatts.wordpress.com/

Race for Life ... 2

A group of us are doing the Race for Life on the 24th July in Swansea. 

Cant wait!

http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/clairejames0205

Hidden treasures

After a day of feeling grotty, and wishing I had been hungover, then I at least I would have known why I felt so horrible, of food shopping, then sleeping (I rarely sleep during the day) I was persuaded to go for a walk to chase the sunset. 

Despite living here for 26 years Peter only recently found this path around the edge of one of the hills here and tonight was my first time.  It was lovely, amazing views, loads of blackberry bushes. an amazing Oak and Hawthorn hedge, millions of midges (ouch, ouch, ouch!, sadly they REALLY like me).  As we were watching the sunset something caught my eye, at first I thought it was a cat but soon realised it was a fox.  The Peter spotted a second one but it ran off really quickly.  It was a delightful surprise. The first one had stopped dead still however, and just stared at us! It didnt move for about 5 minutes. It was wonderful, as if it was daring us to move towards it.  Of course we didnt, but moved further up the path, when we spotted the other one, just its head, peeping over the brow of the hill at us.

The sun didnt set in a blaze of glory, more sank down behind Drummau, quietly, with no fuss, beautiful all the same. So it was a short but lovely walk and I was really glad that I had been persuaded to go, again being outside made things seem so much better.

The walk back brought one more surprise.  Something I had never noticed.  A small group of trees which look like a Tortoise making his way slowly up the hill.  It seemed appropriate that this is actually on one of the hills behind our house, reminding me of me.  Of slowly making my way up those hills, those mountains.  Reminding me that I will get there, what ever I decide to do.

Pen y Fan ... again

This morning all four of us ventured up the path from the Pont ar Daf car park towards Pen y Fan.  It was the first time that we managed to persuade Becky to come with us. As we set of it was cool, slightly overcast, but we could see Corn Du and Pen y Fan clearly.  'B' and I let Peter and Sarah head off ahead of us.  I remember all too well attempting this path for the first time and I knew that B's hypermobility was going to have some impact on her walking, that she was going to struggle at some so I felt it was easier to let the other two strive ahead.  She made a great start, not too fast and she managed a good third of the way up before she was in obvious discomfort.  We had paused a few times but as we caught up with the other two I could see that she was getting despondant.  We swapped walking partners for a little while which proved to be a disaster.  As much as these two are great friends, they are sisters, and sisters ... well ... are sisters.  Sarah's happy mood and 'encouraging' chatter drove her up the wall.  A cry went up to basically ... 'take her away please!' So Peter walked with her a little while and Sarah and I forged ahead.  We stopped and looked back and we could see Peter waving at us.  B had given up, couldnt face going any further. We waited whilst he caught us up and took the car keys and he and B headed back down.  Sarah and I carried out but by this time I felt awful at carrying on without her and the rain was coming in so we headed back down ... to be met by them coming back up (this sound familiar ... like my first attempt).  By now the rain was driving into the four of us and we stopped for a few minutes to discuss 'up' or 'down'?  Down was the choice. 

So down we came and by the time we were almost at the bottom the sun was out and the day was beautiful again.  Typical.

Anyway, I fully expected B to say ... im not doing that again ... BUT she said ... I will do it, I will get to the top ... and then im never doing it again LOL ... attah girl!

Sarah struggled as well, at some points, as she has an ongoing knee problem.  She doesnt find it as hard as B does, but my word I have seen her in some pain as well. She gets a 'dizzy' problem too and gets light headed and then we have to feed her. Its a bit like feeding a chick LOL ... or a Furby .. remember they used to say 'Huuunggryyyy' when they needed fed ... thats Sarah .. its normally a 'Oh oh, cant see, need food' type thing.  Aparently its because she is so tall! Hmmmm. 

But I am so delighted that they try, especially that B finally tried; I know what its like to try to do things like that when things can hurt, when joints dont do what you want them to.  Neither have arthritis, thank god,  and I need to help them to keep active so hopefully they never will, but I need them also to know that im incredibly proud of there efforts and that, for Becky, that when she does finally get up that hill ... im going to be there with her.