Whitchurch and Llandaff Living 18 (May/June 2012)

WHITCHURCH AND LLANDAFF

Living

Issue 18 May/June 2012

E E L I B JU

N O I T EDI

E N I Z A G A M E E R F YOUR F F A D N A L L , H C R U H C T I H W R O F H T R O N F F A D N A AND LL

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news

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letters

competitions

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interview

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gardening

16 21 25 memories

local issues

Welcome Croeso

W

e were recently contacted by the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. The librarian there had requested back copies of our magazines to ensure their ‘safekeeping for generations to come’. While this was very flattering, it meant that we had to head into the shed, fight our way past the barbeques and Christmas decorations and pull out all our back copies.

It soon dawned on us that we were well on our way to our ‘half century’ of issues. Back in 2007 when we launched our very first issue of Rhiwbina Living, we had no idea that our magazines would go on to become an intrinsic part of the North Cardiff community, let alone become enshrined by the National Library of Wales.

We’ve put together a rather ‘regal’ issue for you in recognition of the Queen’s Jubilee this summer. Whether you’re a fan of the Royals or not, who would turn down the prospect of another Bank Holiday?

We look back at memories of past Jubilees, and have some very British recipes to get your teeth into. We’ve got an exclusive interview with Ceiri Torjussen, who grew up in Whitchurch. He’s now swapped all that for a successful musical career in LA, where among other things, he orchestrates many of the scores featured on some of Hollywood’s biggest movies.

Once again, we ask that you support our advertisers where you can.

They keep Living Magazines very much alive.

See you in late summer.

Patric and Danielle (editors)

pets page

28 30 recipes

column

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A: 222 Pantbach Road, Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6AG T: 07772 081775 / 07974 022920 E: editor@livingmags.co.uk W: www.livingmags.co.uk While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents, the publisher cannot accept any responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any matter in any way arising from the publication of this material.

Every effort has been made to contact any copyright holders.

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living is an independent, apolitical publication.

Advertising booking and copy deadline for Issue 19 Friday 25th June 2012.

Issue 19 publication date - July 2012.

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living is published 5 times a year.

HSBC IN LLANDAFF TO CLOSE The Llandaff branch of HSBC on Cardiff Road is set to close its doors on 13th July.

CALLS FOR INSOLE COURT PLANS TO BE PARKED A group of Llandaff residents have launched a campaign against plans to turn a memorial garden into a car park as part of Insole Court’s £4.5m revamp.

The Insole Court Trust recently submitted plans to Cardiff Council, looking for permission to repair and refurbish the Victorian Gothic mansion house.

The building was constructed in 1856 by colliery owner James Harvey Insole. The Trust’s proposals included the restoration of the house’s upper floors, and the creation of a new community hall and workshops.

Local residents were alarmed though at plans to create an 86-space car park at the back of the house. The majority of car parking spaces would be on lawns that currently make up a memorial garden.

The garden – which was used as an ornamental garden from the 1880s and a kitchen garden in the 1930s – contains more than 30 trees, including maples and acers, and five memorial trees. One of these is dedicated to Captain Claude Insole, who was killed in the First World War.

news

Llandaff Gets Royal Visit

Photo courtesy of Hannah Todd

QUEEN AND DUKE VISIT LLANDAFF CATHEDRAL TO GET THEIR JUBILEE TOUR OF WALES OFF TO A START The Queen recently visited Llandaff at the start of a twoday tour of Wales to mark her Diamond Jubilee.

She and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived in Cardiff on the Royal train and drove to Llandaff Cathedral for a service

celebrating her 60-year reign.

A crowd of hundreds, including schoolchildren waving flags, cheered as she arrived in Llandaff. The Royal party then headed off to mid Wales to continue their tour of the country.

Farmers’ Market Forced to Close

Llandaff North Farmers’ Market has been forced to close after organisers told of a significant rent increase from the venue owners.

The fortnightly Llandaff North Farmers’ Market was launched by the RCMA Social Enterprise for a trial period in December 2010. The introduction of the market followed a request from the local traders’ association.

But the market, which had been held in the car park of The Railway pub on Station Road has been cancelled.

RCMA’s enterprise development manager, Gareth Simpson, said the Llandaff North venture had been forced to close after new

management at The Railway pub imposed an “unsustainable fourfold increase in rent”.

He said: “It’s one of our quieter markets, so it was not sustainable to tolerate an increase in rent on this scale.”

But Esther Phillips, the new landlady at The Railway, said that up until now RCMA Farmers’ Markets had paid £20 a week to use the pub’s car park once a fortnight, and this was not financially sustainable for an ongoing business.

She said: “It’s not viable as part of our business to allow them to park there for only £20 when they are using our electricity and heating.”

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news

It’s ‘Likey’ For Steph

North Cardiff Dance Instructor Gets A Date And A Holiday To ‘Isle Of Fernando’ On Saturday Night TV Show It was definitely ‘likey’ for Rhiwbina’s Steph Sanders when she recently appeared on the popular Saturday night TV show Take Me Out. The former Whitchurch High School student was picked from 30 other contestants by bachelor boy Doug in April and whisked off to the ‘Isle of Fernando’ where she enjoyed a helicopter flight and a romantic meal with her date.

“It was probably one of the greatest experiences I’ve had. I had applied for a bit of a laugh and a confidence boost and never expected to get on the show, let alone get picked and whizzed off to the Isle of Fernando!” the 28year old told Living Magazines.

“The filming process is really exciting; we had professional hair and makeup done by the team that work on Strictly Come Dancing, as well as being styled by the wardrobe department. It was every girl’s dream! Meeting Paddy was one of my highlights.

He is a lovely, genuine guy and exactly the same in real life as he comes across on the TV. Not only that, but I have made some friends for life from the process as you get to spend a really 4

intense amount of time with the other girls and bond very quickly.”

Steph was picked by 22-year old Doug for a date, but for all the chemistry that was there on the official date, things cooled off after.

“As for me and Doug, we travelled home together and had quite a few dates since the show, but then it became clear we wanted different things. Whilst the six year age gap is no issue for me, it just highlighted the fact that I wanted to settle down and he didn’t. We still keep in touch and are good friends because we shared such an awesome experience but there was no further romance I’m afraid!”

Steph was proud to highlight that fact that she hails from Cardiff on the show.

“Being a Rhiwbina girl I’m pretty well known in the local pubs and for walking my dog! I take him everywhere with me.

I’m a local girl – my mum has even been running for the role of Councillor of Rhiwbina and Pantmawr along with Jayne and Adrian for the Independent Party.”

MOVE FOR CARDIFF DESIGN SCHOOL A building which houses elements of CSAD, will make way for the new facility at Cardiff Met’s, Llandaff.

Haus Celebrate A Year In The Village Rhiwbina’s contemporary furnishing shop Haus is celebrating its first birthday in the village this month.

Headed by two former Maskreys employees, Gail and Vivian, Haus has become a focal point of the popular North Cardiff village.

“We’ve been delighted at the way that the people have made us welcome here, and we’d like to thank everyone who has made our first year a success.” said Gail.

Fancy Getting Creative With Wood?

Cardiff and District Woodcraft Club are offering the opportunity for beginners or those with a love of wood, to join them in their woodcraft classes.

New members are welcome to come along on the evening of their choice - Mondays or Thursdays, 7pm to 9pm.

Contact Dave Povey on 02920 616545 or Frank McLean on 02920 899467 for more details on the group, and to start creating your very own wooden products!

If you’d like to get in touch, you can find our address on the inside front cover.

Alternatively, you can email us at editor@livingmags.co.uk

letters

COMMUNITY SPIRIT ALIVE AND WELL IN LLANDAFF NORTH

Dear Editors I don’t know if you will be interested in my story but I felt I had to write to you as people say that there is no community spirit but Llandaff North has community spirit in abundance!

One of my family members had been diagnosed with breast cancer and I felt that I needed to do something. So last October, I organised a coffee morning at Llandaff North RFC, Radyr Road.

It was a great success and we made £455.73 for Macmillan Nurses.

Because it was such a lovely morning - people all getting together and pulling together, I was asked when the next one would be.

I left it five months and organised another one for 31st March 2012.

Once again, Llandaff North RFC came through and lent us their facilities and Martin the steward opened up early for us to use the kitchen and the Club Room.

People who knew that they couldn’t make the morning were willing to donate prizes for the raffle or buy a few raffle tickets and we made £100 before the morning had even arrived. We decided that this time, all the money would go to Velindre Hospital as this is where my family member received treatment.

The morning arrived. I didn’t have to ask any of my friends to help - they just turned up and got stuck in. Some people made peg bags, aprons, knitted toys, and cakes were brought in abundance.

We also had a book stall, table raffle, Name the Teddy and count the jelly beans in the jar.

The atmosphere was fantastic.

Everybody was speaking to everybody else. So many people work these days that they don’t have time for coffee mornings. But for a cause like Velindre Cancer Care, about 60 people made the time and spent a lot of money, as at the end of the day, we had made a total of £700.

Hopefully, at the end of the year, we will hold another coffee morning and all catch up again.

I would just like to say that I love your magazine and look forward to each edition. I’ve even sent some to a family member in Australia.

MRS JEANETTE THOMAS Colwinston Street Llandaff North

THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLE OF NORTH CARDIFF Dear Editors On behalf of the Rotary Club Of Cardiff, may I thank all those readers of Living Magazines who donated old garden tools, carpentry tools, sewing machines etc for the Tools For Self Reliance project.

The tools are currently being repaired or refurbished in

workshops in Crickhowell before being sent out to Tanzania and other African countries in order for artisans to start working for themselves or others.

If any other readers have any old or broken tools please contact Dafydd Thomas on Cardiff 20614242 or e-mail dafyddthomas1@googlemail.com.

DAFYDD THOMAS on behalf of the Rotary Club Of Cardiff

NEW-LOOK LLANDAFF UNDERWHELMING Dear Editors I’m not sure if I’m the only one that seems let down by the redevelopment of Llandaff High Street.

After many months of inconvenience to us the public, it seems that it all became a bit of a last-minute rush job so the Queen could come and visit.

What happened to the promise of ‘restoring it to its former glory’?

Is that really as glorious used to be?

D MARTIN Fairwater Road Llandaff 5

Connie Fisher returns to Wales Millennium Centre in the musical comedy, Wonderful Town.

Recreating the bright lights of 1930s New York City with spectacular sets, dazzling choreography and featuring a superb score by legendary American composer Leonard Bernstein (West Side Story), the show has received countless awards since its premiere in 1953 including the prestigious Tony Award for Best Musical.

Connie plays aspiring writer Ruth Sherwood who arrives in New York City fresh from Ohio with her beautiful younger sister Eileen. Bursting with dreams of romance, riches and perhaps a free lunch at Walgreen’s deli, the indomitable pair meet an array of colourful characters in their search for success, causing chaos and delight at every turn.

Living Magazines have teamed up with the Centre to offer one lucky reader the opportunity to win a pair of tickets to see the show on opening night, Tuesday 3 July 2012 at 7.30pm.

For your chance to win a pair of tickets for this show in July, simply email us at editor@livingmags.co.uk or send us your name, address and telephone number to our address on the inside front cover.

All entires must reach us by Saturday 30th June.

Wonderful Town brings the Big Apple to Wales Millennium Centre from 3 - 7 July 2012. For more information or to book tickets call the Ticket Office on 029 2063 6464 or visit wmc.org.uk

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Top photo: Alastair Muir

Elle Woods can handle anything. So when her boyfriend, Warner, dumps her she decides to follow him to Harvard Law School and win him back. With some help from new-found friends Paulette, Emmett, her Chihuahua Bruiser (and a Greek chorus!), she learns that it’s so much better to be smart.

Winner of Best New Musical 2011 (Olivier Awards) this all singing, all dancing romantic comedy is about knowing who you are and showing what you’ve got.

Directed by Tony and Olivier Award winning Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray), Legally Blonde The Musical is the funniest and most fabulous musical around, case closed.

For your chance to win a pair of tickets for this show in July, simply email us at editor@livingmags.co.uk or send us your name, address and telephone number to our address on the inside front cover.

All entires must reach us by Saturday 30th June.

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Get in touCh 7

interview

F

or LA-based Ceiri Torjussen, being able to make a living out of his art is a way of life. One hailed by a UK newspaper as one of the brightest British musical talents in British history, Emmynominated Ceiri has already a wide-ranging and successful musical career. But the success story started right here in North Cardiff.

“I was born in Rhiwbina, then moved to Whitchurch when I was about four years old. Then we moved back to Rhiwbina when I was about eight. Mum and Dad still live in Rhiwbina.

“I always remember the area fondly - loads of music, friendly people, good beer, lovely places to go in and around the city.

Places were generally very easy to get to, unlike here in LA!” Educated in Llandaff North, Ceiri had already started playing the trumpet and piano at the age of eight.

“Glantaf was a great school.

There was always great music

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in musical form

there, great teachers; it was a great school! I wouldn’t say that I was musically talented as a child though. I had to work hard.

Piano was always a chore, but I somehow persisted. Trumpet was my instrument, but I tended to be more interested in improvisation and composition.

I found I got bored reading other peoples musical notes.”

But it was Ceiri’s move to Los Angeles that catapulted him into the Premier League of composing.

“I moved to LA in 1998 to do my Masters at the University of Southern California. I was there for two years, and taught there simultaneously. I was lucky enough to get some orchestrating work on some big studio films when I graduated, so that allowed me to get my visa and stay in the country. I then gradually started scoring my own films and TV shows, and have been doing so ever since. I was never scared. Definitely excited, and a maybe little daunted.”

Ceiri’s music has been described by the Los Angeles Times as a “…sudden bolt of creative lightning”.

“The only single word with which I could describe it would be eclectic.” says Ceiri. Although trained in classically, Ceiri’s range of music includes jazz, nonWestern music and electronic.”

His art has gained much in the way of awards. Ceiri has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship (which offers scholarship awards and exchange programmes for UK citizens to study, lecture or research in the USA), in addition to scholarships from the British Arts Council, S4C and the Welsh American Foundation. He won the Composers Medal at the Urdd National Eisteddfod three times, and has received the Daily Telegraph Jazz Arrangers Award.

In 2000, he was made a ‘White Druid of the Island of Britain’ for his services to Welsh music, and was the subject of a TV documentary. His orchestral work, Momentum, has been

performed widely, notably by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. He has also had work recorded and broadcast on both radio and TV in Europe and the US. Ceiri has also scored six feature films to date. Most recently he composed additional, heartthumping action music for the 2007 blockbuster, Live Free or Die Hard, starring Bruce Willis. His music demonstrates an expansive creative range and versatility, being at home in many arenas, including horror (Dracula III: Legacy, Soul’s Midnight, and additional music for Underworld: Evolution) and comedy (Funky Monkey and additional music for Scary Movie II). No stranger to television, he provided additional music for the TV show Glory Days, the CBS network shows Cold Case and Close to Home, and for the series Dead Like Me. Ceiri has also worked extensively in animation, composing music for high-profile animated shows such as Ni Hao Kailan (Nickelodeon), and for Mike Young Productions’ Max and the

interview

Mechanicals, The Mr. Men and Dive Olly Dive for which he received a 2007 Daytime Emmy Nomination for Best Original Score.

But how does anyone start with a score?

“I mostly write to films that have already been edited.

Having a film edited around a score is a dream come true for a composer, but it happens pretty infrequently.”

“I’m very much a morning person - like to get creative early.

The schedule has been a bit unusual over the past six months since we just bought a new house in Topanga Canyon, so I’ve been juggling various things, notably music work, and work on the house which doubles as a studio.

I feel like a bit pulled in multiple directions at the moment, with all the house stuff to deal with.

But once the house is in more order my day will be more back to normal (which is generally: wake up: breakfast, compose,

lunch, compose, hike/exercise, dinner, compose, relax, bed!)

After 9pm I tend to be pretty useless unless I have a crazy deadline, in which case espressos are the only option.”

Ceiri is proud of his Welsh roots and is a fluent Welsh speaker.

“My Welsh heritage and the Welsh language is important to me. I have a few Welsh friends and we meet up, especially to watch Wales play rugby (usually at 6 in the morning on a Saturday in the King’s Head pub in Santa Monica!) I miss home a lot though. I try to visit at least once a year.”

“Out of all of my achievements, it’s being able to make a living out of my art which gives me the greatest satisfaction. I’m always grateful for that.”

Ceiri at work in his studio 9

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the summer garden T he days are growing longer, the mornings brighter and the evenings spent in the garden go past the children’s bedtime. A heady mix of the perfumes of old shrub roses, lavender and mock orange (Philadelphus spp.) carries on the warm sultry air.

Uncomfortably hot days have put paid to the last blossom of spring and it is soon apparent that summer has arrived. Flowering honeysuckle and jasmine act as a beacon to passing moths; they stop by on their nocturnal journey around the neighbourhood, occasionally lured in through open windows if the lights are left on. The combination of a bright light and a white sheet left out for a few hours reveals the huge diversity of insects which visit the garden at this time of year; countless varieties of moths in all shapes and sizes and rarely seen lacewings, the larvae of which are invaluable in the fight against greenfly in the garden.

Evergreen star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is invaluable now with a mass of

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by Kevin Revell

fragrant flowers which last for weeks as well as providing an attractive backdrop of polished foliage steadily disguising the panel fencing with a verdant cloak.

The first rose of summer is usually the creamy white climber ‘Madame Alfred Carrierie’, a mass of bloom by the middle of May, the sweetly scented flowers waft their perfume through the open bedroom windows, warm nights permitting.

The thorny growth runs riot over the front of the house and threatens to bring down the walls with the weight of its profuse growth by autumn. A few hours spent up a step ladder with the secateurs saves a major insurance claim and ensures a good show the following year. Less responsive to my pruning is the red climber ‘Etoile de Hollande’ beautiful highly fragranced blooms stud the plant in early June but the strong growth is extremely thorny and resists all attempts to tame it, usually shearing off when I try to restore order or breaking in the occasional summer gale.

Rambler roses flower last in

July but the display is worth the wait. Like cherry blossom, their flowering is brief but overwhelming in its abundance.

The pink pom-poms of ‘Minnihaha’ even threaten to outgrow the wisteria on the pergola for a while. The massed tiny flowers of ‘Goldfinch’ are interesting in that the flowers greet the morning egg yolk yellow but fade to creamy white within hours.

Fragrant old shrub roses in flower are the epitome of a British summer’s day, ignoring the fact that most of them are French. No matter, they have been in cultivation for nearly two centuries some date back to the crusades, so they have become part of our gardening heritage and should be preserved. ‘Tuscany Superb’ and ‘La Ville de Bruxelles’ are among the best and look superb with herbaceous geraniums sprawling around their feet. Other plants to associate well with roses include lavender, foxgloves and delphiniums. Old roses however beautiful or fragrant usually only flower once around mid-summer, many gardeners grow more recent Kevin Revell is Plant Area Manager at Caerphilly Garden Centre and is a Llandaff North resident

introductions which flower throughout summer and late into autumn often without the benefit of fragrance although shocking pink ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ and crimson purple ‘Munstead Wood’ buck the trend and are as good as any that have gone before.

While roses are often taken to be the indicators of the arrival of summer, a more reliable sign is the first Dahlia flower. These exotic natives of South America simply refuse to flower until conditions suit them when the days are long are the nights are warm. Once started however, the display continues right through the summer well into the autumn.

Large flowered hybrids favoured by competitive allotmenteers have now largely been replaced by dark leaved hybrids typified by the ubiquitous red Bishop of Llandaff. Only wet weather and the nocturnal activities of slugs and snails will halt their serene progress through the lazy days of summer. Along with ornamental grasses these plants are used to inject some late summer interest into the traditional herbaceous

The time comes when you can border. Tall spires of delphiniums just sit back and enjoy the fruits and foxgloves rise up in early of your labours, that pruning job summer followed by the outsized will probably wait until tomorrow daisies of Leucanthemum and or next week and the energetic indestructible Hemerocallis. Late thrusting growth of spring has summer into autumn sees the slowed and matures in the harsh blooming of Aster, Echinacea light of summer drought. and Helenium all much loved by The lowering sun as summer butterflies seeking respite from the ubiquitous buddleia, while red hot weakens, reveals a blush on the late-ripening Blenheim Orange pokers or Kniphofia thrust up to apples. At school the harvest greet the hot summer sun. festival was celebrated in autumn Redcurrants and blackcurrants are the first fruit to ripen followed but in my garden at least it is over by the end of summer apart from a by the blackberries and a frantic search of cookery books in search few resolute rock hard conference pears clinging on as the first of the of a solution to the seasonal autumn gales race in. glut. Plums are usually ready for picking at the end of July CUSTOM LANDSCAPING SERVICES and in a good Fencing year will still Decking be cropping in Returfed/Mowed early September. Lawns Patios Early pears such Trees Removed as Williams Bon Hedges Trimmed Chretien are not Pruning / Lopping General Maintenance far behind while All aspects of landscaping the well named and gardening undertaken 10% Scrumptious deck off fencining and apples are ready Call for a FREE quote on this v g with ouche r in late August.

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e e l i b Ju

s e i r o Mem GORDON THOMAS (aged 16 in 1952)

I was living in Grangetown at the time of the Coronation.

I’m not sure whether my day out with my friends was on Coronation Day itself or not, but it was certainly around that time.

A few friends and I had walked into town to celebrate our new Queen. The first pub we walked into was a small Irish pub near the Brains factory.

As we were all 16, we were very conscious of the fact that we should not have been there, especially as everyone there seemed to know someone from my family. There were a few awkward moments, especially when it came to getting served at the bar. We ordered ‘Three pints of bitter’, the landlady cottoning on to the fact that we were so young by deliberately asking what bitter we wanted.

The looks we got from the regulars were intimidating to say the least. It was the quickest pint of beer I’d ever drunk. As we swigged our last dregs from the bottom of the glass, the landlady came over to us, leant into my ear and said quietly: “I think it’s time you left now lads.”

So we headed over The Great Western, where we were met with a similar atmosphere but we did manage to at least get a few pints in there.

We walked home to Grangetown afterwards, a little merry and singing to our new Queen.

When we got home, most of my family weren’t there. After some questioning around, I found them in a house owned by a family friend over in Llandaf. They were the type to have all the latest gadgets. This time is was a new-fanlged thing called a television. The worst thing about it was that they were charging people to come into their house and watch the Coronation on their telly!

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DAFYDD WILLIAMS (aged 34 in 1977)

Most of the Silver Jubilee celebrations took place on the weekend of the Queen’s official birthday which was 6th June. I remember that celebrations started with a string of bonfire beacons being lit across the country.

It must have been the 7th, the day after, when we had the street party. We were just one of many that day - there must have been thousands going on that day. It was nice because there was a real community spirit about the place. People dragged tables and chairs out. I had got my two kids to help me make some bunting. The night before the party, I’d been up a ladder, hanging it all off the street lamps (no Health and Safety red tape back then!) and I always remember that the bunting hung there for days.

My wife had made plenty of jelly, trifle and sandwiches. The pop man who used to come round in his lorry must have had a done a roaring trade leading up the festivities.

We had a nephew who was very much into the Sex Pistols at the time and stayed in his room all day listening to them. I’m sure he was disappointed to miss so much trifle!

DARREN HOCKNEY (aged 9 in 1977)

I wasn’t too fussed about celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee to be honest. The thing I remember most about it were the ‘commemorative items’ that my mum’s friend seemed to collect. She had loads of things - mugs, teatowels, plates, but also some things such as a compact mirror and even a penknife. For some reason, I thought all the money that was made on them went to the Queen for some reason, which is probably why I wasn’t too interested in celebrating anything as I thought she was rich enough anyway!

SUE TUCKER

(aged 13 in 1977) The Silver Jubilee for me was all about the fancy dress. Me and my best friend Julie had spent weeks making the most beautiful dresses, and a few more weeks sewing thousands sequins onto them.

We debuted our dresses at the street party that we held, but our thunder was stolen by a boy who came from Penylan (which we always thought was posh in our house!).

His mum had made a perfect little Beefeater outfit, and once he turned up, everyone flocked to him. Julie and I were upset at the time but we do look back it and laugh these days!

OLIVIA ROBERTS (aged 15 in 1977)

Even though there the Jubilee was celebrated against a backdrop of social unrest, we did have lots of fun. The street party was the main thing I remember - it’s what we used to do back then. We had one to celebrate Charles and Diana getting married a few years later too. Those days seemed innocent and free of danger. It’s a shame that my kids won’t get to experience any of the street parties like we did. People these days don’t seem to know their neighbours and I’ve heard that it’s hard to get permission to organise anything like a street party these days

IVOR JENKINS

(aged 21 in 1953) I was in the US on business on the big day. I got up in the small hours to watch it live on the TV. They tried to bounce the signal off the upper atmosphere which did not work, so I went back to bed. A recording of the Coronation was flown to US networks in an RAF Vulcan bomber. It beat the sun across the Atlantic, and was available to the nation before dawn.

It was a wonderful era. As well as the Coronation, Hillary scaled Everest there was also an Ashes win - all brought to us by Pathé News!

PAMELA EVANS (aged 11 in 1952)

How could I not remember? My older brothers and sisters had gone London to watch the Coronation.

I was just 11 at the time so I went with my parents to their friend’s house. They had the good fortune of owning a TV, but the screen was so small, they had to fit a large magnifying glass over the front of it. I dare say it, but it was in fact, quite a boring day.

I’d amuse myself by leaning back in my seat and altering the angles of viewing. With the magnifying glass in place, it’d sometimes stretch the faces of those on the TV. The room was a bit dark and the whole event was rather long. It was ok for the grown-ups as small glasses of I-don’t-know-what were passed around. I was glad to go home!

When we went back to school after the event, I remember learning about the Crown Jewels, with all the stunning emeralds, rubies and diamonds.

When I look back and watch it now, I appreciate it all the more for what it was.

17

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Name: Geraint Thomas Speciality: Cycling Born: 1986 (Cardiff) Former Whitchurch High School student Geraint was a member of the Olympic team pursuit squad which broke the world record in the both the heats and the following day in their gold medal-winning ride-off.

Name: Andrew Selby Speciality: Boxing Born: 1986 (Barry) Andrew is the younger brother of professional Lee Selby, who won the British and Commonwealth featherweight titles in 2011.

Name: Hannah Mills Speciality: Sailing Born: 1988 (Cardiff) Hannah was congratulated by American rap singer Snoop Dogg on Twitter after she was selected for the 2012 Olympics. He also appeared on YouTube dressed in a Cardiff City shirt and said: “A big shout out to Hannah Mills, a 23-year-old who has just made it to the Olympics!”

Name: Tom James Speciality: Rowing Born: 1984 (Cardiff) Gold medallist in the 2008 Olympics and 2011 World Championships.

L A C O L S E O R E H C I P OLYM Name: Nicole Cooke Speciality: Cycling Born: 1983 Nicole is the current Olympic road race champion, defying heavy rain and swirling winds that swept across Bejing in the 2008 Olympics.

It was the first Olympic cycling title ever won by a British woman and the 200th gold medal won by a Briton.

Name: David Davies Speciality: Swimming Born: 1985 (Barry) David swam for Wales at the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games and represented Great Britain at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.

As of the end of 2010, he held the British records in the 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyles.

In the open-water 10K race in 2008 Olympics, David finished second. Shortly after, he was put on a stretcher and received medical attention.

“I was delirious, I wanted it so bad.” he said after.

19

St John’s College, Cardiff a leading independent day school for boys & girls aged 3-18

Top A level Results in Wales for the 12th Successive Year Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral Choir is now recruiting boys & girls with enthusiasm for music We have a small number of vacancies, especially in the following age ranges:

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WAY TO GO WHITCHURCH YOUTH OFFERED A CHANCE TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD During November 2003, a meeting was convened at Ararat Church Hall to which residents, local politicians, police and representatives of schools and churches in the Whitchurch area were invited. This meeting was well attended by around fifty people.

The objective of the meeting was to discuss problems associated with anti social behaviour displayed by the youth of the area; to identify reasons for such behaviour and ultimately to come up with and put into practice ideas to minimise the problems.

At this stage, outreach workers were an invaluable asset as they met with the youth congregating on the Common, by the shops and in the Library Park.

The resulting messages loudly proclaimed that there was a total lack of decent amenities for teenagers in the Whitchurch area. It was felt that the initial meeting attendees were too many to be a feasible working group, and that a smaller representative group should be formed and tasked with considering and taking forward ideas which the teenagers suggested. Hence WAY was formed.

At that time, the group consisted of Sophie Howe (Councillor for Whitchurch at that time), mothers from Eglwys Wen and representatives from Whitchurch High School, the Community Police, Whitchurch Library, Whitchurch Youth Club, Bethel Baptist and Ararat Churches.

A new well motivated Youth Leader in the Youth Club encouraged more members and helped to bring unruly members under control by the introduction of new or revitalised activities at the Centre. The present Youth Leader has built on this example and the Club now gains the respect of both teenagers and

parents alike. Membership for all ages increased with a thriving Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme at all stages and many other facilities and activities.

So where do WAY go from here? We hold meetings at Whitchurch Upper School, the next being on Monday 21st. May at 5.30pm.

If you were at the original meeting perhaps you would like to join us once more.

If you have only just heard of WAY perhaps you have ideas which you would like to share with us.

We aim to keep activities in or around the Whitchurch area if possible.

WAY would welcome YOUR ideas and YOUR support.

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readers’ stories

Pick and Mix

By Eric Fletcher

I don’t know how many there are.

A couple of dozen; maybe thousands.

I have no idea. You can’t count things you can’t see; things you cannot hear or feel. Possibly there’s one sitting next to you as you’re reading this; maybe one standing behind you as you load your shopping into your car outside Tesco. We need a name for these unseen, unseeing mystery beings. The best I can come up with is the inbetweeners. Try as you might, there are no references to them on Google; no mention in even the most comprehensive of dictionaries.

How do I know of their existence? I was at school with one, one who became, and presumably still is an inbetweener. His name was John but everyone with the exception of his mother called him Jack. He was never what you’d call a Jack of all Trades, but he did become the master of one, if you can call a life of crime a trade.

It all began at the ‘Pick and Mix’ in Woolies. Jack and I would stroll towards the display, all innocent like. I was the look-out man, keeping an eye on the shopassistants while Jack filled his pockets with toffee creams, sherbet lemons, Turkish Delight anything that was going. I suppose I was as guilty as him, an accessory I think it’s called but we were only nine or ten, just a bit of fun, a laugh.

It was about that time that Jack’s family moved house. He went to a new school so we saw less of each other.

We’d meet up occasionally, perhaps share a can or two of coke. After A levels, I went away to Uni, so didn’t see Jack for, oh could have been four years, maybe more. I remember I did meet him once outside the football ground, but to be honest, he wasn’t the same Jack I’d known at school. Ok, we all change, grow up, our lives go in different directions, but Jack’s seemed to have carried on as before except he’d progressed, if progressed is the right word, from stealing sweets from Woolies, to running a black market operation, dealing in the latest ‘must have’ trainers and designer tee shirts.

I asked where he got them. ”Fell off the back of a lorry, didn’t they?” he replied. Anything not tied down was

fair game to Jack.

A few times my father would cut out pieces from the Echo about Jack.

Usually under a heading such as LOCAL BOY MUGS ELDERLY SHOPPER. Another one I recall was OLD AGE PENSIONERS SAVINGS STOLEN. LOCAL MAN ARRESTED. We did meet once more. Wasn’t planned to be honest. Our lives had gone in totally different directions. We had nothing in common any longer.

But I must tell you the strange story.

Jack told me at what would turn out to be our last meeting. He reckoned he was ambling down the road making his way towards the park.

He’d pinched one of those long French loaves and a couple of bananas from outside the deli. When all of a sudden, (and this is where I began to have serious doubts about Jack’s mental state) he was adamant that there was a strong smell of burning and standing in front of him was the Devil.

According to Jack, this Devil looked him straight in the eyes and said ”I’ve been keeping a watch on you and you are just the man I need - an apprentice to help me in hell.” Jack took a few steps backwards, the Devil’s hot breath was scorching his face, and shouted: “No way! I’m getting out of here!” He dropped the bananas and tore the French loaf in two, holding the two pieces of bread in front of him in the shape of a cross. Jack strode towards the Devil, who, covering his eyes, backed away. The Devil had only taken a few steps when he bumped into a road sign. He turned around, screamed an almighty yell of anguish.

It was a cross roads sign. I almost felt sorry for the Devil. There he was, unable to move backwards because of the cross on the road sign or forwards because Jack had lain the bread in the shape of a crucifix on the road just out of his reach. Believe it or not, it’s up to you, but that’s the story as Jack told it.

As I said that was the last time I saw Jack. A few months later, he was dead. I seem to remember it was a day or two before the New Year. He came out of his local pub, possibly for a smoke and stumbled into the path of a speeding taxi. The paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. I went to his funeral, after all, our mothers had been friends and I think

our dads would sometimes meet up at the football. Didn’t recognise anyone.

Looked like an ‘away day’ for the local Mafia. You know - closely cropped hair, tattoos and sunglasses. All it needed was a couple of violin cases.

Now I don’t know how long it takes from being a corpse at the side of the road to arriving outside the Pearly Gates, but no doubt Jack was very surprised to find himself surrounded by fluffy white clouds and celestial music.

Anyway Saint Peter said ”Hello Jack.

We were expecting you.”

“Well it’s a total surprise to me. Who do say you are?” replied Jack.

“You don’t know? Didn’t they teach you anything in R.E. lessons? I’m Saint Peter. I’m in charge of the gates…..”

“Oh I know. Pete. Like a bouncer outside the Pig and Whistle club in town.” Jack interrupted. Saint Peter looked puzzled.

He reaching out to make sure the gates were secure, and replied. ”Two things you need to know Jack.

The first is – don’t address me as Pete.

I’m Saint Peter, never Pete, never mate and certainly never butty. Only ever Saint Peter. Got that?”

“And the second?” Jack asked.

“Well I’m afraid we’ve had a meeting and the committee decided, unanimously I may add, that we don’t want you here. You’re too disruptive, a real danger. We don’t do crime up here. Sorry Jack but you’ll just have to go back down. You could try the Devil.

I’ve heard he’ll take anybody.”

So Jack, or at least Jack’s soul, arrives back on terra firma. Guess who’s there to meet him? Yes . That’s right. The Devil. ”Before you ask Jack I don’t want you anymore. I was stuck up against that road sign for hours, couldn’t move until a stray dog ran off with your broken loaf and that was after he’d cocked his leg up against my cloak.

I’m afraid you’re destined to spend eternity as an in-betweener. “What’s one of those?” Jack shouted. Too late.

The Devil had vanished. All that was left was burn marks on the road.

Now I don’t know if this story has a moral but if any of your children or grandchildren start hanging around the ‘Pick and Mix’ display, take note.

Beware - they may be on the road to becoming an in-betweener.

Rhiwbina Living Page 19

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Pet problems CHRIS TROUGHTON OF HEATH VETS ANSWERS YOUR PET-RELATED QUESTIONS

IF YOU HAVE ANY PET-RELATED QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE CHRIS TO ANSWER, PLEASE EMAIL US AT EDITOR@LIVINGMAGS.CO.UK AND WE’LL PASS THEM ON.

Most of my furniture has had the life scratched out of it by my 3 year old cat. Is there anything I can do to stop her doing this? I’ve tried a scratching post but she seems to prefer my new furniture every time.

The usual reason that cats scratch furniture is for marking their territory. The pads on their paws secrete a pheromone that has a friendly smell and reassures the cat that they she is in ‘home’ territory. Roughening the surface by scratching enables the scent to be held more securely and therefore last longer. You will often see cats scratching on treetrunks, fences etc outdoors - we take little notice because it doesn’t matter; it only becomes an issue when it’s your best furniture or new wallpaper that’s at risk.

Your cat is probably marking your new furniture precisely because it is new - she needs to impregnate it with her pheromones to make it belong in her home. Sometimes, cats will start to scratch furniture or wallpaper which has been around a while. This is usually because they feel under stress, perhaps because of a lot of visitors, changes in the house, a new baby, or new cats in their outdoor territory. They are seeking to increase their feelings of security.

A scratching post can sometimes help deflect a cat’s need to mark. It needs to be in a prominent place, near to an entrance because this is where the cat prefers to put the pheromone.

You can enhance her interest in the post by spraying it with catnip solution (available in most good pet stores).

However, the most effective treatment is a synthetic version of the cat’s own pheromone called ‘Feliway’. This is available as a spray which you apply sparingly to the areas where the marking is happening. Your cat will detect the smell and realise she has no need to reinforce it. This also works well for cats who mark their territory by urine spraying.

You can get Feliway at your vet’s surgery, along with lots more advice if the problem persists.

Are all dog feeds essentially the same? I spend a lot of money on the expensive stuff. A friend of mine feeds her dog the basic stuff from the supermarket and her dog appears as fit and healthy as mine who’s on the posh stuff! Am I throwing money away?

No, and No! is the short answer here. Dog food varies enormously in both the quality of ingredients and the care with which it is formulated and made.

The ingredients can contain just meat which you and I would be happy to eat, or stuff which has been rejected as unfit for human consumption, or a combination of the two.

Gristle, fat and skin and even feathers can be processed and incorporated and they count towards the percentage of protein you see stated on the packaging, even though they may not be of any nutritional value. Cereals are also used in dog food - wheat, maize, rice, potato, carrot etc. These do add valuable nutrients, but they are much cheaper than meat and are often used to bulk up the product. It’s much the same as the variability in sausages for people - you can buy expensive premium brands with a high meat content which taste excellent, or you can get cheap stuff which frankly doesn’t taste much better than cardboard!

Some manufacturers spend a great deal of money on research to find out the nutritional needs of dogs and cats, and go to great lengths to ensure their products provide everything the pet needs. Others are far less conscientious. Usually, the ingredients of dog food vary from batch to batch, depending on what is cheapest on the market at the time. For example, if a food is labelled ‘chicken’, as long as the majority of the meat in it is chicken, the balance could be made up of any other meat or fish. Only in the best ‘prescription’ diets made to treat particular diseases does this not happen.

The amount of money you pay for your dog food largely reflects its quality, both in terms of the ingredients (and therefore the digestibility) and the care with which it is formulated and manufactured. Many dogs will manage on a poor quality cheap food, as do people, but most will enjoy better health if they have better food. A few dogs cannot tolerate poor quality ingredients, and must have expensive food to thrive.

Pets Page is sponsored by Heath Vets 02920 621511

whitchurch, llandaff, llandaff north, danescourt, rhiwbina, cardiff

get noticed

IT’S EASY TO SEE WHY LIVING MAGAZINES ARE PROVING SO EFFECTIVE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ORGANISATIONS

WHITCHURCH AND LLANDAFF LIVING Launched in 2008 in response to requests from businesses in Whitchurch and Llandaff.

6,000 copies are available from our established distribution network, including our custom-made stands in Tesco Extra (Western Avenue), Tesco Express Whitchurch, Co-op Whitchurch and Spar in Llandaff. Published five times a year.

RHIWBINA LIVING Rhiwbina Living was launched in 2007 with the aim of helping local businesses who didn’t want to spend money on expensive adverts in regional publications that overlooked the potential business on their own doorsteps. Published four times a year, and personally handdelivered door-to-door by us (ensuring that they don’t end up dumped in a stream!),we ensure that everyone of our 4,400 copies land on our readers’ doormats.

DANESCOURT LIVING The latest addition to our portfolio, Danescourt Living is the ‘little baby sister’ of the bunch. 1,500 copies are personally delivered by us to homes in this Llandaff suburb.

Its A5 size has been a hit with commuters of this younger population. Launched in 2010, the magazine replaces the now defunct Danescourt News.

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NEW! NEW! ONLINE ADVERTISING! Our popular website has attracted over 350,000 individual visitors since we launched it in July 2010. We actively promote our advertisers through our Facebook and Twitter.

We have now launched online advertising. For £50 a month, you’ll feature on our home page, and your advert will even be clickable to take viewers straight to your website.

WHAT OUR ADVERTISERS SAY “We have been advertising in both Rhiwbina Living and Whitchurch and Llandaff Living since their very first issues, and not a week goes by without someone saying that they have seen our advert in the magazines. We are pleased to be associated with such professional magazines and we can honestly say that it’s far better to be in the magazines than not!”

Paul Ballard, Serenade, (South Wales Echo’s Winner of ‘They’re the Business’ Award 2010), Rhiwbina “We decided to advertise in both editions of your publication in 2010 and were very pleased with the response it generated in terms of attracting new customer enquiries and comments received from our existing customers. Your magazine is eagerly anticipated by its readers and most importantly read unlike other free publications. Has advertising in your magazines worked for us? Yes it has. Will we be advertising in the future. Yes we will!”

Matt Trevett, Absolute Care (Wales) Limited, Roath, Cardiff I placed an advert in Rhiwbina Living in autumn this year to try to boost my food trade and was extremely impressed with the results. The advert generated a terrific amount of new trade through the door. Its now very difficult to get a table in my restaurant on a Sunday afternoon! I was so impressed that in the next quarter, I placed an advert in both the Whitchurch and Llandaff Living magazine as well as the Rhiwbina Living magazine for a second time.

Paul Beales, Landlord, The Butchers Arms Rhiwbina.

Call 07772 081775 or visit www.livingmags.co.uk for rates and dates!

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Page 29

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Neighbourhood Watch with Matthew Lock

It’s been a very busy few months for Neighbourhood Watch in Cardiff. First I’d like to thank our previous Chairman Bill Farnham for doing a great job keeping everyone uptodate with our news and events. Bill is still a very active part of our team and stands as our Vice Chairman.

We have a new Chair, Jo Huntley; Treasurer, David Cargill and I took over as Secretary at our AGM in November 2011.

We’d all like to thank Terry Lewis who has stood down as Secretary due to ill health. Terry has been at the heart of what was

Cardiff West NHW for many years. I believe Bill has previously mentioned last year we changed our name from Cardiff West NHW to (deep breath) South Wales Neighbourhood Watch Association, Cardiff but it’s simpler to call it Cardiff NHW. So we have a new committee, a new name and a fresh new approach to preventing crime, building community links and making people feel safe in their homes.

In the first three months of the year we’ve launched over a dozen new schemes across the city in Rhiwbina, Pontprennau, Cyncoed, Grangetown, Llandaf and Whitchurch. We’ve also been knocking on doors with local police teams in areas that have suffered high crime rates and the response from the residents is usually very high with new schemes in the making.

This is all great news and we’re clearly moving in a positive direction but I still feel unless you already belong to a NHW

Cardiff 02920 697101 Bridgend 01656 818564 Pontypridd 01443 204197 www.thomasvaughanltd.co.uk group or have had spate of crime in your street then you probably won’t know much about Neighbourhood Watch.

This is something we have only just started to tackle with a new website, Twitter and Facebook page and we’ll be attending various events and festivals during the summer months.

If you do see us out and about, please come and say hello and we’d be happy to tell you more or answer any questions. We’re in the process of designing a new leaflet which we hope will explain more about us and how easy it is to start a new NHW group.

In the mean time if you would like to get in touch please do: www.cardiffnhw.org.uk www.facebook.com/cardiff twitter: @cardiffnhw phone: 07731 80 60 40 You can also telephone PC Tony Parker from Community Safety at South Wales Police who works very closely with us (029 20338407).

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jubilee party food PIMMS AND LEMONADE Ingredients: 250ml Pimm’s No. 1™ 1 litre lemonade 1/2 cucumber, chopped 1 apple, cored and chopped 1 orange, sliced 3 strawberries, sliced handful fresh mint leaves Optional ingredients: 1/2 lime, sliced 1/2 lemon, sliced 2-3 fresh pineapple rings

FAIRY CAKES Ingredients 100g self raising flour 100g soft margarine 100g caster sugar 2 eggs 200g of icing sugar Cakes cups

Method 1. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a wooden spoon for about 2-3 minutes until well mixed. If you’ve got your children helping you out at this point, be prepared to have a messy kitchen!

2. Put the bun cases on a baking tray and spoon a tablespoon of the mixture into each of the cases.

3. Bake for about 15-20 minutes at 180°C, 350°F or Gas Mark 4.

4. When the cakes are cool, mix some icing sugar with a little water to make a thick paste.

5. Decorate the cakes with the icing and place Jellytots, Smarties or anything you fancy on the top. This is were the creativity comes in for children to learn.

6. Arrange cakes on cake stands and serve to your enthusiastic audience.

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Method Mix all ingredients together in a large glass pitcher.

Serve chilled or over ice, but it’s better chilled!

Serves 6.

JUBILEE TRIFLE

SCONES

350g self-raising flour, sifted 50g butter, softened 50g lard, softened 100-115ml milk Method 1. Preheat the oven to 190C. 2. Grease two baking trays. Rub the fats into the flour, working as quickly and lightly as possible with cold hands.

3. Add enough milk to give a soft, bread-like dough.

4. On a floured board, roll out to a thickness of 1.5cm and cut into rounds with 6cm cutter.

5. Place on the prepared trays and bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden and well risen.

6. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool.

BLOODY MARY SHOTS WITH HORSERADISH 1. For 10 shots, mix 700ml tomato juice with 50ml vodka, juice from 1 lemon and a good splash of Tabasco and vegetarian Worcestershire sauce in a jug.

2. Season then chill.

3. To serve, pour into 10 shot glasses, add a thin cucumber stick to each as a stirrer, and top with a small spoon of creamed horseradish.

8 trifle sponges 7 tbsp black cherry jam 420g (one tin) pear quarters in natural juice, drained and juice reserved 420g (one tin) of red cherries, drained and juice reserved 4 tbsp kirsch or other cherry liquer 500ml ready-made custard 150ml whipping cream Method 1. Split the trifle sponges in half, spreading generously with about 4tbsp of jam and sandwich them together. Place four in the bottom of six individual glass dishes, cutting them to fit if necessary, or arrange in one large dish.

2. Chop each pear quarter into small pieces and place some of the pieces around the edges of the dishes and some in between the sponges.

3. Mix 5 tbsp of the pear juice with the kirsch and pour half of it over the sponges. Arrange the last four sponges in the dishes (or dish). Again, cut them to size to fit and then pour over the remaining juice and kirsch.

4. Leave for a few minutes, then gently squash flat with the back of a spoon.

5. Pour over the custard, gently levelling it and leave for one hour.

6. Lightly whip the cream it should still be soft and floppy, and then spread over the custard.

7. Cover and chill for at least 24 hours.

8. To serve, warm 3 tbsp cherry jam into a small pan with 2 tbsp of reserved cherry juice until the jam has dissolved. Leave to cool, then seive to remove any lumps and drizzle over trifles.

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PATRIC MORGAN

MOBILE PHONES, TESCO AND CORNED BEEF PASTIES

my life in my pocket A few weeks ago, I was merrily minding my own business at my desk when I had a call from the wife. I didn’t know it was from the wife at first as the name calling me was that of her father’s.

At first, she didn’t speak. I thought the father-in-law had left his phone unlocked and it had called me accidentally. But then came a frantic, garbled outpouring.

“I’ve lost it...I’ve lost my phone..I’ve lost it...I had it in Tesco...I know I did because I used it....oh my God I’ve lost it.... what am I going to do?”

The rambling went on for a few minutes more before I could finally get a word in edgeways. I gathered that my wife had

lost her phone. Probably somewhere in Tesco. That much was clear.

For a few minutes, I convinced myself that she hadn’t lost it, and that it was in fact at the house.

But the more she explained that she had last used it in Tesco, it finally dawned on me that she might have lost it.

I headed home, convinced that in the panic of thinking that she’d lost it, that she had somehow ‘dreamt’ that she’d used it in Tesco. She couldn’t have really lost it. Could she?

It wasn’t at the house. Sheer panic gripped me by the throat.

My head started to spin. I checked the place it was normally kept five times, in the vain hope that it would reappear. No such luck.

My mouth went dry. My breathing took on a life of its own. Terror dragged me around the house. What about all the holiday photos? Had I backed them all up? What about those emails? Can I still access them?

Oh my god, what about those recipes I’d downloaded? How am I ever going to make that chicken casserole again?

Wave after hard-hitting wave, things I thought we’d lost forever were knocking me sideways. I staggered into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water.

Leaning on the worktop, I tried to clear my mind to figure out a plan of action. The father-inlaw rang again. Again, it was the wife. Still no joy. She was there on the phone but couldn’t speak. I told her that I’d head

to Tesco to see if I could trawl through their CCTV footage.

She clicked off without even so much as a goodbye or good luck.

Unbeknown to me, my wife had fallen to the floor in despair having emptied her handbag three times and found nothing.

I jumped into the car and tore up the road towards Tesco. The usual slow drivers got in the way. As did the refuse collectors, cyclists and even a tractor. Did they not know my situation?

My phone rang again. I screeched to a halt. This time it was the wife’s phone ringing me.

A heart-stopping moment. Had she found it? Or had someone else? Was it a nice old lady offering to hold onto it? Or was it some scally toying with us?

I clicked ‘Answer’.

Nothing. The entire world stopped for about ten seconds.

“I’ve found it” said the wife after a few agonising seconds.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I didn’t even know what to say. Instead, I headed straight to the nearest bakers and bought three pasties to celebrate - it was the only thing I could think of doing.

Later on, after the pasties had been consumed, I headed to Barry to pick up my wife. The phone had slipped through a hole in her handbag’s lining and was resting there between the two layers. And it was on silent.

Our lives are carried around in our pockets. I ask myself ‘how on earth did we manage?’

Maybe life was simpler then.

Ignorance, as they say, is bliss.

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