A few weddings snaps

Seth and Monique: gan ddymuno i chi:

Cartref yn llawn heulwen
Calonnau yn llawn llawennydd
Cariad sy'n dyfnhau
Bob diwrnod o'r flwyddyn.

That is:

We wish you a home full of sunshine,
Hearts full of cheer,
A love that grows deeper
Each day of the year.

Not the Corbett Family Christmas Letter

If I were to write a Christmas letter this year, I wouldn't know where to begin. This is not an acceptable admission for a writer. You are supposed to start where you start and, once you have finished the whole piece, work out where it was supposed to begin, then write it all over again. But, it's the week before Christmas and I'm in Adelaide with Mum. After which, I fly to New South Wales to spend Christmas with Jack and Ness. There's no time for creativity. Or to grapple with a piece of writing. I asked Biskit whether he'd consider putting pen to paper again.

‘No, Liz. I'm putting my paws down this year. Why don't you ask Thelma and Louise to do it?'

'Thelma and Lousie!' My mouth fell open. 'But they're fish, Biskit.' Our new fish, in fact. They live in the pond at the back of our house. I wondered whether Biskit might be a tiny bit jealous.

'Don't you like Thelma and Louise?'

'Can they curl up on your lap? Biskit asked with a twitch of his ears. 'Go for walks? Guard the house? No Liz, I'm not jealous. I'm tired. It's been a big year.'

Biskit had a point. He wasn't the sharpest pup in the litter (despite his journalistic aspirations). Nowadays, he spends his time chasing doggy dreams. But he knows how to look after himself. I thought, perhaps, I could take a lesson from him.

'Send an email,' he said, snuffling up to me. 'Go one. No one needs an epistle. Why not attach that nice photo Andy took of the kids? Tell them Phoebe has enjoyed her first year as a social worker and Monique her first year as physiotherapist. Seth started a Master of Public Policy, proposed to Monique, and started planning for their Australia Day wedding. Priya entered the workforce and Jack has finished his Phd.

'What about the baby? We mustn't forget the baby.'

'Of course not. Tell them that as well as working full time and running early morning boot-camps, Ness is expecting. You and Andrew are going to be grandparents. You have recently sold the family home and moved into a quaint, down-sized, empty nest close to the city. You've also hosted, Sylvia and Pierre Francois, Phoebe's family from Switzerland.

'What about my Welsh? I was on TV. Surely that's significant?'

'No. Keep it simple.' Biskit shook his furry head. 'It's on your blog, if people are interested.'

'Alright, I said, flipping my iPad cover open. 'How does this sound?'

'Dear Friends, as we journey towards Christmas we find ourselves thinking of peace and goodwill, family and friends, and the birth of that one special baby long ago. We trust this email finds you well and that, as you gather to celebrate, you will have time to reflect on the Christmas message as well as your simple every day blessings. We'd like wish you all the best for the year to come.'

Perfect,' he said. 'You could get a job with Hallmark.'

'Hallmark! Really? Is it that bad.'

'It's pretty bad. But you haven't time for anything else. Just attach the photo and press send.'

Mae eisiau S4C binge arna i!

Here is a nice quote:

Hiraeth is in the mountains where the wind speaks in many tongues and the buzzards fly on silent wings. It's the call of my spiritual home, it's where ancient peoples made their home. 
Hiraeth - the link with the long-forgotten past, the language of the soul, the call from the inner self. Half forgotten - fraction remembered. It speaks from the rocks, from the earth, from the trees and in the waves. It's always there.

Not sure where this quote comes from originally but Owen from FFlic TV wrote it on the SSiW forum and lots of people liked it and I pinched it and I'm feeling pretty happy because I've just worked out how to stream videos from my Macbook to my iPad and watch them on our big TV screen. 

There is a a need for an S4C binge on me. 

Mae eisiau S4C binge arana i!

Oh, and this is my new favourite song.

Just click on this link ...

Like the curious case of Benjamin Button

I haven't blogged for a while - in fact forty two days worth of while. I expect you've been wondering what I'm up to. What? You hadn't noticed my sad little absence from the blogosphere? I'm shocked and saddened and, so that you don't become too unnerved by my absence, I'm here to fill you in one what has been happening.

Firstly, we've moved house.
Secondly, we've been on a holiday in the Grampians.
Thirdly we've had guests from Switzerland.
We've also celebrated a friend's fortieth birthday in Sydney.

In fact, I'd have to say we've been out more than we've been in. Busy despite our newly purchased slice of tranquility.

But perhaps the biggest life change of the last forty two days ago has been my bike. 

Now, I made a lot of noise about my intention to cycle more once we moved to Coburg. But I don't think anyone, including myself, actually believed this would ever happen. When Andrew handed me my bike helmet on our first night in Rolls Street and said: enough, let's go and get a gyros. I wasn't quite prepared for it.

What now? I gulped, looking down at the helmet as if it had teeth. Can't we just walk the first night.

No. Apparently we had to start as we meant to go on.

We donned our helmets and headed towards Sydney Road.

I have to admit, before this fateful night I'd scarcely ridden a bike in the last twenty five years. I'd stopped at the tender age of seventeen (when I first got my driving license). But putting my helmet on and riding out to dinner that first night and then packing our grocery shopping into my panniers to ride home again felt like the Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

I felt myself growing younger by the minute.

Since then, I haven't been able to get enough of the experience.

I've ridden to Welsh in the city and home along Sydney road. I've done a Boroondara Cyclewise course and overcome my phobia of public showering. I've ridden to work. Eaten at Beatbox, joined a yoga class and shopped at the Coburg night market. In between, I've walked my dog, finished the SSiW intermediate course and danced to Fflur Dafydd's, Martha Llwyd in my living room.

But most importantly of all, I've been writing.

Yep, that's right. My muse has followed me to Coburg. In fact, I'd have to say she rather likes it here. I'm putting this down to genetic programming. I mean, think about it? Before my parents emigrated, the family had never lived in anything bigger than a semi-detached house in Essex. Yep, that's right small - so this empty nest, masterfully renovated Federation cottage suits me perfectly.

In fact, I'd even go as far as saying I've probably been overwhelmed for the last twenty five years.

Not that I regret the experience - kids, guinea pigs, school fetes, and trivia nights - a woman needs those things. But now my nest is empty and, although Andrew is looking around wondering where his audience has gone, wrth fy modd or in my element as the half-Welsh-woman in me is wont to say.

So folks, this blog is a great, big long winded way of saying I'm fine but you may not hear from me for a while. Oh, yes, I know it's heart breaking. But don't fret. Just think of me at my writing desk, drinking coffee, taking power naps, or smiling like a gate as I ride the wide flat streets of Coburg, and know I've got a novel to write.

Hopefully, 2013 will see it finished.

Tan fy mlog nesaf - Hwyl Fawr!

Just one last photo

And another

That's it. We're gone.

Goodbye Phyllis Court

If these walls could talk they'd tell a simple but ordinary story.

A young man brought his family to Melbourne. They had no friends. No family for support. Money was in short supply.

They bought a house in the eastern suburbs, not a dream house by any stretch of the imagination. There were rat droppings in the oven. The carpets were damp and mouldering. The gas hearter leaked into the living room.

They knew struggle a plenty in those early years - illness, sadness, empty pockets. Oft-times laughter too. They made friends. Cared for their neighbours. Belonged to a faith community. Then fortune carried them to another part of the world.

Coming back after four years in the pacific, the suburbs felt endless and monotone. But they raised a family there - safe between the cream bricks and plaster board. Gained three daughters. Watched another spiral out of control. And all the while their friends and neighbours were there helping to ease the load.

Now they are leaving the eastern suburbs. Their friends and neighbours. This house where they raised their family. It's been hard and it's been easy. At times just plain ordinary. But they are grateful for twenty four happy years.