Umbrella's when to rescue them and when not..

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Myfanwy popped in for a cup of coffee after her morning trip into town, it's a ritual for her to go into town every morning with Angharad..She was rather wet and bedraggled as it was tipping it down, but also rather flustered........She was carrying a rather battered looking umbrella in addition to her own one..............After drying out and being now settled with her cuppa..she said "That Angharad ! We came home on the bus, and both got off at the Royal Hotel, but as we crossed the road she slipped and fell, and her umbrella went tumbling off down the road in the wind, I gave chase and managed to grab it.......but when I got back and handed it to her, she snatched it off me and stuffed it in a waste bin saying "Sod the umbrella ! You left me on the floor and some man had to help me up, a fine friend you are...........then she stormed off . To be honest Jen" Myfanwy continued "It was either chase the umbrella or collapse with laughter, she looked so funny with her legs akimbo flat on her back in the middle of the road, and you know how mad she gets when I laugh........I just cant win"

So it was with this in mind that on seeing them in town one wet day as I was driving home I stopped and offered them a lift...........Myfanwy didn't hesitate, hopping in post-haste, but Angharad looking sceptical slowly climbed in next to me into the passenger seat.....We chatted on the way home, well at least Myfanwy and I did.....But Angharad looked as if she was on a white-knuckle ride, and when I stopped to let her out scrambled out with indecent alacrity with a loud "Thank God fer that !"......and not one word of thanks....Well I didn't think my driving was that bad !

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It was a lovely day, so accompanied by Dai, Angharad and Myfanwy I went for a walk in Porthkerry Country Park...As we walked Dai entertained us with a tale of his parrot............Angharad hasn't any love for said parrot for reasons that will soon be apparent....This parrot is a very fast learner, and a wonderful talker, he also has a passion for cheese, but the cheese doesn't agree with the parrot as it gives him the most awful upset tummy........and Dai had told Angharad never to give this bird cheese again, after he had to clean up a very messy cage one day...........And all was well, until one day when the parrots constant squawks and mimics were driving Agharad round the bend...........Slicing a tiny wedge of cheese she shoved it in the cage saying "there and don't tell that old bugger Dai"

The incident was forgotten byAngharad, until one night as Dai got into bed he turned to her and said" Now just what is it the parrot mustn't tell that old bugger Dai ?"...........oooooops !

Now Myfanwy thinks this parrot a wonderous creature, as it had her completely fooled one day........

They Angharad and Myfanwy had been shopping, and they returned to Angharads house for a coffee and a natter, Angharad went to put the kettle on leaving Myfany to make herself comfortable in the lounge, very shortly Myfanwy followed her into the kitchen saying, "perhaps I'd better not stay Angharad seeing that Dai is home" "He's in work I told you" replyed Angharad. "He's not because he just shouted through from the other room" said Myfanwy......He said " Get off your fat arse and go shovel snow, what does he mean because its not snowing ?"

Of course it was the parrot who on hearing someone come into the house had shouted the first thing that came to its beak, in a perfect parody of Dai's voice.....Myfanwy told this tale to all and sundry in the following weeks as she had been so impressed with the parrots perfect imitation.

Angharad

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Angharad

She is small, she is dark, and she is Welsh. Any other affinity to the Welsh nation must have been stifled at birth. For she is the most taciturn, ungenial person I have ever met. In my corner of South Wales I have found the people to be the exact opposite, in the majority; they rattle along in that sing songy welsh accent, at full tilt, with a witty, wry sense of humour aimed mostly at themselves.

But we have a common friend, who I will call Myfanwy...... This friend was blessed with more than her fair share of that witty humour, and dry wit, so lacking in Angharad. They made an odd couple. Though as small, Myfanwy was a perfect foil to Angharad's dark looks, being a true blonde.........But firm friends they were and still are, that friendship now spanning a half century.

It is an eventful friendship, full of ups and downs, arguments and makings up............some gems I have stored in my memory, let me share two of them with you.

The Market Stall

It is market day, as per normal this being Wales, it was wet, blustery and down right miserable weather...............but nothing stops these two from bargain hunting the many, 'some from foreign land's' stalls on the local market. Angharad was after a new dress for an approaching function, after much rattling round of hangers on various stalls she found the very thing, holding it up against herself for Myfanwy's inspection, they both agreed it was ideal. The 'Man to Pay' was stood by the very edge of the stall. Keeping the said garment safe from the wet floor, Angharad proceeded towards him to purchase her find. Did I mention it was blustery? ................Where a particularly vicious blust of wind, took the awning complete with its storage of the morning’s rain water, and dumped the lot on the unsuspecting Angharad's head, body, feet, and new as yet unpurchased dress.......

Myfanwy tried, she really did; but the huge bubble of laughter inside her must have its out!...........Angharad was furious! Flinging the by now bedraggled dress to the floor, she stamped on it; before storming off to the nearest cafe, a still giggling Myfanwy hot on her heels.........Angharad had borrowed a towel from the cafe owner to dry off, and now sat there refusing any attempts at apology, or conversation from the by now contrite Myfanwy.....she did not speak to her for two months.

Walking in the Snow

It was quite deep, and some of the buses weren’t running, nothing daunted this pair Angharad and Myfanwy so they set off for town on foot. But Angharad was nervous of falling, "just take very small steps" advised Myfanwy "and try and step into my tracks and you'll be ok."............It worked! By the time they reached town a more confident Angharad was able to step up the pace, albeit taking smaller steps than usual.........having made a few purchases, and warmed numb fingers, by holding brimming mugs of hot chocolate, they decided to walk home........They almost made it ! Just two more streets and a few more corners and they would have.............but no, a foot slipped, and a nonplussed Angharad was deposited firmly on her behind with shopping scattered in a circle around her. And what did Myfanwy do? She rushed to help of course, but not before that same bubble of laughter, that had betrayed her so many times before, escaped, and reached the ears of poor Angharad.

"Right that’s it" explodes a once more furious Angharad, "you said if I took small steps I wouldn’t fall, so I'm staying here now", and so saying she crossed ankles and folded her arms and lay back in the snow. ........A brave Taxi slid to a halt beside's them, "are you alright love?" The driver enquired. "Oh fine "came back the terse reply.”I always lay in the snow, didn’t yer know? Quite relaxing, why don’t you join me!" (All this with out so much as a smile, a turning up of mouth corners. I have yet to see Angharad smile, and fear I will end my days without witnessing such a big event.) It took the combined efforts of Myfanwy and Taxi man to gather Angharad up plus shopping, and manhandle her into the taxi cab for the short distance drive to her home.

Another two months silence!

Crochety old woman !

I awoke;today I had determined a new start. I stumbled to the bathroom, quickly washed and changed, and with pooch face waddling in my wake, made tracks for the kitchen and that first morning cuppa, so necessary to my system, the kick-start to my day.

I had a lot to do, dare I risk a quick peep on the computer, and yet have the will-power to stop when I needed to ’get on', well I won’t know until I try I reasoned. It was ok; I allowed myself a limited time and logged off when my time was up.

I started to tackle the tasks, and attempted to reach the goals I had set myself. Everything was going along smoothly, to smoothly; I should have known from past experience that things don't run smoothly in this home.

Poochy barked, and again! A red car had turned into the street; the barks were accompanied by a rotary wagging of tail. If she was lighter she would take off, an animalated helicopter in the making. We knew the car, we knew the owner, and we also now knew that today was NOT the day we could now make a fresh start.........oh help!

He came in, no need to knock these days, as he knows, barks and wags forewarn me. He spoke "I've so much to do today Jen, but I can’t seem to find the impetus." I clamped my mouth shut, swallowing down the riposte “so have I, and all the impetus required". I should have been firm, I should have determined! But I am weak, and he stays.

Now I had two followers hard on my heels, the one I have learned to step over and avoid, but I cannot step that high to avoid the other, indeed if any stepping over be done, he would have no trouble stepping over me. On went the kettle again, “I’ll have to go for bread" I said, "Please make the coffee while I’m gone".

12 pm came, he remained, I made my way into the kitchen and started to clean, he followed. "I have to go to B and Q" he said; my ears pricked up, Ah! Maybe a chance here,”But it doesn’t shut until quite late" he added. False start! My hopes dashed, I tried aversion tactics, "while your here would you look at the shower for me?" I asked "it’s not working". He scurried to his car returning with the required tools for the job. So much for my tactics!

The shower is kaput; I am not allowed to use it, on pain of death. I have been warned.

One lunch, one dog walk, and 10 coffee's later, he leaves, as I see him out he hesitates and turning round with a cheeky grin says " oh just time to catch B and Q", and my mind flashes back to when this man was but a boy of nine, leaving my house, with that same cheeky grin, the same loose limbed walk, as he reaches his car another flash, and he's that long haired teenager in leathers, motorbike at the ready, (he never did get me on the pillion) .

As he drives away I reflect on our conversations throughout the day, we had as always set the world to rights, rehashed funny incidents long since past, he had ribbed and teased me , as he always does. And I am glad that I was weak, that he had stayed. Howard, my son’s friend since childhood.

Still Moaning and the teapot is hot !

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Grrrr, still trying to get something done in the garden........and waiting for delivery from Tesco.........Maybe I'll have something more positive to post about later...

With Teapot Rampant

Am totally peed off with the garden having been let down yet again by odd-job- man.

If it was larger it would be like ranging the prairie every time I go down the back garden to hang washing out.......I have been doing battle with bind weed this morning and haven't even made a dent in it..........oh well tomorrow is another day and I will go into battle yet again with tea-pot at the ready.