1 January 2018

"Hywel, are you free to talk?"

Ffion makes a clandestine phone call;  “Hywel, are you free to talk?   I’ll try to get Gethin out of the flat later – are you up for it?   I’ll text you later.”   

Gethin comes in, drying his hair

When he comes in, Ffion tells Gethin, “Arwen wants pancakes, 

"Go and get me some eggs, please"

“but I haven’t got any eggs – and I promised her.   Will you be a darling and go to the shop for me?”   

"It's Bank Holiday – the shop is shut"

He reminds her that today is a Bank Holiday, and the shop is closed;  “I can’t lay eggs,” he adds, but Ffion suspects that Hywel might have some, with all the fresh pasta he is making.   “It’s a bit odd, going over to ask for eggs,” considers Gethin, “It’s worth trying – I’ll go over after making the tea.”   

"You'd better go now!"

Ffion wants him to go now, before Arwen starts moaning, 

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

and he gets the idea that she is trying to get rid of him.

“It will be worth it – you’ll see!” she replies, so he complies with her wishes.

The fire makes the front page of the Western Post 

In the Western Post, there is a report on the fire, with a photo of Jason and Ifan;  

"Have you checked the smoke alarms?"

Dani asks Garry if he has checked the smoke alarms, and he tells her he has done all the ones downstairs.   “Jason and Ifan were so lucky!” Dani remarks, then the baby begins to cry.   

"You want Mami's milk, don't you?"

“What’s this?   Your second or third breakfast?   You want Mami’s milk, don’t you?”

When she calls the baby, “Sugar Lump,” 

"Isn't it time he decided on a sensible name?"

Garry thinks it is time they decided on a sensible name for her;  he is not keen on her suggestion, Holly, as it is not relevant now that Christmas is over.   

"That sounds a bit religious"

He rather fancies the name Mair, but Dani thinks that it has religious connotations.  

"How about Gwenan?"

Then he suggests Gwenan, which would go with Gwern.

"Sound like children's TV characters"

“Gwen and Gwern?” demands Dani, “They sound like children’s television characters.   I don’t want anything starting with G, because she can’t be Greta.   

"We want a nice Christmassy name"

“We want a nice Christmassy name, don’t we?” she asks the baby.

"They've gone shopping – and left muggins to clear up!"

Chester arrives at Bryntirion, asking if Diane is there, and is told by a rather grumpy Dai that they have gone shopping;  “It’s amazing how everyone can get up to go to the sales – and leave muggins here to clear up!” Dai complains.

"As a councillor, she has done speeches"

“I was hoping that she could help me with my homework,” Chester explains, “I’ve got a public speaking task, and she has done a few speeches as a councillor.   Why didn’t you go shopping?   Did you drink too much last night?”

"I'll give you a masterclass on public speaking"

Dai replies that he has stocktaking to do;  “If you’re bored, come with me to earn some pocket money – I’ll give you a masterclass on public speaking.   

He lists his various positions . . .

“I’ve got years of experience at the Lodge, I’m chairman of the rugby club, at the golf club.”   

. . . then downs his Alka Seltzer

As Dai swigs down his hangover cure, Chester concedes that he could do with some cash, and points out that as it is a Bank Holiday, it will be double time.

Sheryl is not pleased to see Gethin on the doorstep

Gethin goes across the road and knocks on the front door of Hywel’s house;  the door is opened by Sheryl, who appears rather less than happy to see Gethin.   

"We said we would avoid each other"

When he explains his errand, she points out, “We said that we would avoid each other.”   Nevertheless, she invites him in, 

"This is where we usually keep eggs"

but then discovers there are no eggs in the bowl, or in the fridge.   

"I can't stop thinking about you, Sher!"

As she at last finds some in the cupboard, and he says that he cannot stop thinking about her;  she reminds him that his resolution was to keep things simple, and he says he had better go.   

And evidently she is just as bad

However, she grasps his hand, 

Careful that you do not drop the eggs!

and they kiss.   She says that they are crazy, and that Hywel is only upstairs.   However they have managed to move apart by the time he comes down, 

"I was just going over to the Deri for a drink"

and proposes that he take Gethin over to the Deri for a New Year’s drink.

As Chester checks the stock on the shelves at APD, he practises his speech;  “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re here today to discuss . . .” 

Dai gives Chester some constructive critcism

but Dai tells him that he needs a grammar lesson first, and he should not be so formal, talking to a gang of youngsters.

He is looking for fund-raising ideas

“Know your audience, and take them with you,” he says, as he labels a box, ‘Cwmderi Rugby Club – ideas box – fund raising,’ which he intends to take to the Deri.   

"Didn't get what you wanted from the Christmas procession?"

Chester comments on the fact that the Christmas procession did not provide the anticipated windfall.   

"Does Mr Public Speaker have any ideas?"

“Does Mr Public Speaker have any bright ideas?” Dai enquires.

"We could discuss them over lunch"

Chester replies that he has a couple of ideas, and says that he will discuss them over lunch in the Deri, but Dai is not receptive to this idea.   

Garry is looking at some old photos

In the Deri, Garry is looking at photos of the Monks when they were young.   Vicky comes to apologise for her outburst last week;  she asks which child he is, 

"I'm the one on the left!"

and he points out the one on the left.   

"You're really podgy!"

“You’re really podgy!” she comments.

Garry says that Britt reckons that their baby looks nothing like he did, 

"Have you chosen a name yet?"

and Mathew joins the conversation, asking if they have chosen a name yet.   Garry replies, “Dani is insisting that we pick a Christmassy name – the front runners are Celyn and Holly – I don’t have a choice.”   

"I would choose the name Carol"

Mathew maintains that he would choose the name Carol, and Garry returns upstairs.

"I'm going shopping for something for the baby"

Vicky tells Mathew that she is going shopping to get something for the new baby, and he suggests a teddy.   

Hywel is carrying out Ffion's instructions

Hywel is making small talk with Gethin over a drink, 

"Well, I'd better get back to Ffion"

but Gethin thinks he had better get back to Ffion.   

"He's on his way home"

Hywel phones to warn her that he is on his way, then realises Gethin has forgotten his eggs.   

Mathew looks again at the baby's photo

Meanwhile Mathew looks wistfully at the photo of the baby on his phone.

"She looks like me and has your brains"

Upstairs, Dani is of the opinion that the baby has her looks and Garry’s brains.   He tells her, “Colin has offered to take some pictures of us – 

"Britt wants to come round with the children"

“and Britt wants to come round with the children.”   She is more interested in whether he has checked the smoke alarms;  

"What do you think of Carol?"

as he goes about this task, he asks what she thinks of Carol as a name, and she describes it as a pretty name, but she still prefers Holly.

Then he tests the alarm and wakes the baby

He presses the test button on the smoke alarm, and the resultant loud noise wakes the baby, and earns him a reprimand from Dani.

Gethin looks puzzled when he returns

Ffion is lighting candles on the table when Gethin returns;  “Have you got the eggs?” she asks, and he realises he left them behind.   

"The eggs were only an excuse"

She reassures him, “It doesn’t matter – they were only an excuse anyway,” and he wonders what the special occasion is.   

"You've been a rock for me and Arwen"

“I don’t know how I would have got through the last few weeks without you, Geth,” Ffion tells him, “You’ve been like a rock for me and Arwen – I could never have managed without you.   It has made me realise how much our relationship means to me – I want to be with you for ever.   

"Will you marry me, please?"

“What I’m trying to say – or ask – is will you marry me, please?”

Without any hesitation, he agrees that of course he will, but, 

Gethin does not look entirely happy

as they embrace, he looks somewhat troubled.   

"I understand why you wanted me out of the way"

“Now I understand why you wanted me out of the way,” he says, and she is eager to organise a party to tell everyone.   

"We must invite Hywel and Sheryl over"

“I guess people are fed up with parties after Christmas,” he answers, but Ffion is insistent that they have to invite Hywel and Sheryl over, and should do it now.

She phones, “Hywel, are you doing anything this afternoon?   Why don’t you come over?”   

"I really fancied going for a walk"

He is only too pleased to accept this invitation, but Sheryl moans she really fancied going for a walk, 

"Phone them back"

and having a quiet day, just the three of them

“Phone them back and cancel,” she instructs him, but he replies it would seem rather strange after accepting, and it would be nice to celebrate the New Year with a drink.   

"Start with something that gets their attention"

Dai continues his tuition on public speaking in the Deri;  “The important point to remember is to start and finish strongly – start with something which gets their attention, and finish with something they’ll remember.   

"Stick a couple of jokes in"

“The middle can be quite light – stick a couple of jokes in.”   

Then he gets out his wallet and gets out a couple of notes;  

"Jokes – like this money?"

“Jokes – like this money?” says Chester, but Dai protests that it was not even a full morning.   They each ask Matthew for a pint of squash, 

"It's the hangover from hell!"

and Chester explains, “The hangover from hell!” then has a brainwave;  “You could ask people to sponsor you to stay dry – a fund-raiser for the rugby club.”

"There is something between your ears!"

Dai is pleasantly surprised;  “There is something between those two ears after all!   That’s a good idea, and I could ask the whole team to do it – 

"Raise money and keep fit at the same time!"

“they could raise money and keep fit at the same time.   

"You can be the first to sponsor me"

“You can be the first one to sponsor me,” as he quickly retrieves one of the notes.

"You're very quiet"

Ffion tells Gethin that he is very quiet, and he maintains that he is still in shock;  “We don’t have to get married if that’s not what you want,” Ffion insists, 

"I don't want to spoil things"

“If you think we should stay as we are, I don’t mind.   I don’t want to spoil things.”   He is adamant that he does want to get married, 

Another kiss

and as they kiss, the buzzer sounds.

"You'd better have these eggs"

Hywel and Sheryl come in, with Esther, and Ffion announces, “It’s going to be a very happy New Year for Geth and me.   

"I've asked him to marry me!"

“I’ve asked him to marry me!”    

"Doesn't that only happen in a Leap Year?"

Sheryl thought that sort of thing only happened in a leap year, but Ffion says she could not wait that long.

"It looks a bit cheap"

When Vicky arrives back at the Deri with the teddy bear, Mathew comments that it looks rather cheap;  she protests that she went round loads of shops to find something.   

"Well, you take it back, then!"

“You can take it back, if you think you can do better!” she snarls.

"She doesn't want any visitors"

Vicky manages to talk Garry into letting her take the gift upstairs, but he warns her not to stay too long.   

"We have a present for the baby"

Dani is not very pleased to see them, but Vicky says that it is a way to say sorry for being so stupid last week.   

"She's gorgeous"

She picks up the baby, remarking on how gorgeous he is, and Mathew comments that it is a pity she does not look like Garry.

"Any time you want a babysitter"

Dani draws the line at allowing Mathew to hold the baby, and he assures her that he and Vicky are willing to babysit any time.   

"I told you I didn't want visitors!"

Garry has come upstairs by the time they leave, and Dani reminds him that she said she did not want visitors.

What is this – Dai's secret distillery?

Dai is singing, “Happy New Year to you, and to everyone in the house,” as he enters the shed at Bryntirion, and proposes to try ‘the hair of the dog’, 

"A little noggin before going on the wagon"

picking up one of the bottles stored there.   He mumbles to himself, “It’s important to have a little noggin before going on the wagon – the New Year has arrived.”

"Unless you fancy a double wedding!"

At Cysgod y Glyn, Sheryl asks if they have named the day yet, and is told, “If you and Hywel don’t get a move on, we’ll beat you – unless you fancy a double wedding!”   

"It would be cheaper for everyone"

Hywel points out that such an arrangement would be cheaper for everyone, 

"To Ffion and Gethin!"

and they drink a toast, “To Ffion and Gethin.”