Cwmderi Diary 2018: 19 December 2018

"I have to be in Llanarthur by ten"

Hywel wakes up on the sofa in his house and asks Rhys the time, as he has to be in Llanarthur by ten; “I don’t want to be late,” he says,

"Well, you shouldn't have stayed up until four!"

so Rhys tells him he should not have been up until four,

"It wasn't that late, was it?"

watching a box set of films.

“Don’t worry about Esther – she’s with Elinor,” Rhys reassures him, and he decides to go for a shower, requesting that his son make him coffee and toast.

"What do you think I amk? Room service?"

“What do you think I am? Room service? Do you want a side order of paracetamol as well?” Rhys shouts.

"Were they very annoyed?"

At number 10, Anita asks Siôn if the Parrys were very annoyed, and says she can understand it; “Everyone wants a home over Christmas.” He is at a loss to know what he can do, but she points out it is not his fault; “The conveyancing is the problem!”

"They have to be out by the 22nd"

Siôn advises her that another family is moving into their house, so they have to be out by the 22nd;

"They'll have to stay here or at Y Felin"

“The obvious answer is to let them stay here or at Y Felin.” Anita is not impressed with this, as it would mean that they would have to live together,

"Remember the last time we tried that?"

and she reminds him of the last time they tried that. He concludes that there is nothing else they can do.

"I'm teaching him to use Skype"

As he eats his toast, Hywel tells Rhys, “This man’s son has moved to Australia, and he wants me to show him how to use Skype – I’m setting up his laptop.” Realising that Rhys is taking no notice of what he is saying,”

"Then I'll get the elephant I've bought you as a gift"

Hywel goes on, “And then I’ll get the elephant I’ve bought you as a Christmas gift.”

The last couple of words register with Rhys, and he is disturbed that he has not bought his father a gift.

Rhys is trying to promote his fitness sessions

Hywel checks what he is looking at on his laptop, and finds he is designing a money-off voucher, ‘2019 New Body Special Offer’. Rhys is going to put it on the website for people to download.

"No-one wants to go to the gym before Christmas"

His father maintains that no-one wants to go to the gym before Christmas; it may be different in the New Year, but Rhys is desperate for the money now.

Rhys has financial problems

“A lot of people have been pulling out of the group sessions – and that is where the money is,” he groans. Hywel realises that he is already late for his appointment, and has to hurry away.

Anita is grumbling, as usual

In the café, Anita demands why she has to compromise; “The choice is that it’s your choice!” she grumbles, “What happened to you giving in to me next time?”

"You'll have to think outside the box"

Kelly tells them that if they do not behave, Santa will not visit them this year; “If you don’t agree, you’ll have to think outside the box. Hotel?”

"We could look into that"

Siôn says they could look into it, but Anita imagines that it will cost thousands, as the Parrys could be there for months.

Siôn is adamant that Christmas is a time for families to be under the same roof,

"They will be here in a minute!"

so she demands what they are going to tell the Parrys, who will be there in a minute.

"What's that glamping place called?"

He wonders what that glamping place in Llanarthur is called, but she protests they cannot be asked to spend Christmas in a tent.

Kelly brings them some complimentary cookies; “And don’t chuck them at each other!” she warns,

"Just talk to the Parrys – I'm sure they'll be reasonable"

“Just talk to the Parrys – I’m sure they’ll be reasonable.”

"Yes, the baby came as a shock"

At Penrhewl, Eileen is busily embroidering the blanket, and admits that her baby was a shock, but a nice one for her and Jim after Courtney.

"Did you see Jim this morning?"

“Talking of Jim, did you see him this morning?” Angela replies that she did not, but he left her a list of things to do.

The phone rings, and Jim immediately wants to speak to Eileen; he is checking up that Angela carried out his instructions.

"Yes, she put the tractor back as well"

“Yes, she put the tractor back as well,” Eileen confirms.

"It would be nice if Courtney's name was on it"

“I understand why my name isn’t on this blanket, but maybe it would be nice if Courtney’s name was on it,” Angela suggests, and her mother agrees,

"Jim would like that, too"

commenting that Jim would like it, too. “Who are the godparents going to be?” Angela enquires, and is told that Eifion was considered, but they have changed their minds, and are not now going to bother.

"Have you found us a place to live?"

The Parrys have arrived and ask Siôn, “Have you found us a place to live?” He replies that he has not quite done so,

"Perhaps you could stay in a hotel"

and Anita stresses they have given it a lot of thought, and perhaps they could stay in a hotel.

"Have you sorted something or not?"

Gerwyn demands whether they have sorted somewhere or not, and Siôn wants to meet them again at four o’clock, when he will have a final answer. “All right, but this is your last chance, Siôn – no excuses!” says Gerwyn.

"What if they can't find us an alternative?"

“What if they can’t find us an alternative?” worries Jaclyn, and Gerwyn replies that they can always go to the newspapers and embarrass them, but they do not want that. He confesses that they are completely stuck at the moment.

"How about this one?"

Eileen is discussing with Angela what she should wear at the christening;

"The customers loved their thank you gifts"

Jim comes in and reports that the customers loved the thank you gifts with their orders; “And the sprig of holly was a stroke of genius.”

"That was Angela's idea"

Eileen points out that it was Angela’s idea,

Jim is obliged to thank Angela . . .

so he very grudgingly thanks her,

. . . but then issues her with further instructions

adding that the food trays need to be moved into the old dairy, and cleaned.

She goes off to carry out his instructions,

"You're being too hard on her"

and Eileen tells Jim, “She’s doing her best – and you’re being too hard on her.” He points out that she is here to work, but she goes on, “You were supported to help you cope with your grief after losing Courtney.

"She got a cold flat in Swansea, and no support"

“What did did she get? A cold flat in Swansea, with no support –

"She's missing Courtney, too!"

“Angela’s missing Courtney, too!”

Betsan wants to cancel her session . . .

Rhys’ phone rings, and he finds it is Betsan, who wants to cancel her session today, as she is going to Goa for two weeks. He is disappointed to hear that she does not want to reschedule,

. . . and Rhys' future bookings look sparse

and as he leafs through his diary, it is obvious he has no bookings.

His situation seems hopeless

He is becoming rather disconsolate.

"A hotel is far too expensive!"

“A hotel isn’t an option – they’re far too expensive!” protests Anita, “They need somewhere for at least two weeks.” Siôn stresses that the solicitors said it would be no more than two or three weeks. “What are we going to do?” she wonders, “I do feel sorry for them.”

"We'll have to move in together"

Siôn comes to the conclusion, “We don’t have a choice – we’ll have to move in together – we’re adults.”

"Right, when are you moving in?"

She agrees, as it will only be temporary, and asks when he intends to be moving in.

"You can move to Y Felin"

She is not at all happy when Siôn answers, “No, the Parrys can move in here, and you can move to Y Felin.”

"I'm not cooking Christmas dinner in a strange oven!"

“If you think I’m cooking Christmas dinner in an oven that I’m not used to, you can think again!” she insists,

Siôn smugly believes he has found a compromise

but it appears that Siôn may have an idea to keep everyone happy.

"Why can't they decide on their order in advance?"

Rhys comes into the café, and Kelly wonders why people cannot decide on their order before they queue up at the counter; “It’s not rocket science – I’ve read out the menu forty times today!”

"I'm not sure what I want, Kelly!"

He winds her up by saying he is not sure what he wants, then enquires if she wants to start boot camp training again,

"I get plenty of exercise walking back and forth to the kitchen, like!""

but she declines, saying she gets plenty of exercise just going back and forth to the kitchen, and she deduces that business is slow. He asks if he can talk to some of her punters, as he might be able to find a few clients.

Rhys does not consider the café's customers . . .

However, looking at the customers currently in the café,

. . . to be his target audience

he considers that not a good idea. “Don’t be so judgemental!” Kelly warns him,

"Haven't you every heard of armchair aerobics?"

“Haven’t you ever heard of armchair aerobics? Maybe they’ve had hip replacements, and need gentle exercise – I bet they’re more fit than me!”

"It's freezing out there, Mam"

Angela returns to the farm kitchen, and complains that it is freezing cold out there;

"Jim doesn't want me here"

as she warms herself in front of the fire, she says that Jim does not want her there, but her mother is confident that he will come round. She has nearly finished her embroidery, and invites Angela to make coffee,

She needs something to warm her up

adding some liqueur to hers, to warm her up.

“Jim’s never going to forgive me, is he?” Angela says, but Eileen replies that there is nothing more she can do, but just give him time.

Rhys is pessimistic

Rhys finds his father in the Deri, and tells him about the cancellation;

"Nobody wants the service I'm offering"

“Nobody wants the service I’m offering!” he moans.

Hywel has thought of a new business venture

However, his father has had a good morning, and has thought of a new business venture; “Teaching people to use Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and all that.” Rhys asks him whether people phone each other and talk these days.

Hywel will pay Rhys to help develop the idea while it is quiet at Chwys Rhys [Rhys’ Sweat], but he does not seem to be interested;

"I don't want to work for you, Dad"

“Living with you is one thing, Dad, but I don’t want to work for you.”

Embroidery is exhausting work

Eileen has fallen asleep over her embroidery;

The name of Courtney has been added

Angela sees the name Courtney, and takes the cup from her hand.

"You have no idea how much that means to me"

“You have no idea how much that means to me,” she says, and Eileen replies that it was important to put her name before Huwi’s. “It means the world to me,” continues Angela, “I miss her – even more since coming back here. I half expect her to walk through the door, full of beans.”

"She would have loved Huwi"

Eileen knows that she would have loved Huwi,

"Courtney would have her own baby, too"

and Angela remembers that Courtney would have had her own baby too.” She is rapidly becoming tearful.

Rhys is eating Jaffa Cakes

Rhys is idly watching the television when his father comes in and apologises to him;

"I have an A-level in being insensitive"

“You didn’t know I had an A-level in being insensitive, did you?” Rhys cannot work out what he is doing wrong,

"That's what business is like – up and down"

“and is told that is what business is like – up and down.

Hywel assures him, “Perhaps people don’t want your service now – but don’t panic, as it will be different in January.” They settle down with their cans to watch more of the box set.

"Did the lady find her bag of gifts?"

In the café, Jaclyn asks Kelly if the lady found her bag of gifts for the charity;

"An elf had left it on her doorstep"

Kelly reports, “She woke up this morning and an elf had left it on the doorstep – guilty conscience, if you ask me!”

Gerwyn comments that at least someone has a conscience, and complains that Siôn and Anita should have been there by now.

Siôn and Anita arrive at the café

Right on cue, they arrive,

"Right, Siôn, hit me with it!"

and Gerwyn says, “Right, Siôn, hit me with it – what have you got to offer?” They are advised that Anita is moving into Y Felin, and they can move into number 10, her home on the High Street, until Morawel is ready.

"I just want somewhere decent to live"

Jaclyn is given the house key, and is pleased that they have someone decent to live. They wonder when they can move in, so they can put up a tree and decorations. “You can move your stuff into number 10 whenever it suits you,” Siôn tells them,

"I've booked you into a hotel"

“But, seeing at that I’ve caused you so much bother, I’ve booked you a hotel from the 22nd until Boxing Day. We’ve paid for everything, and you will not have to spend a penny.”

"And we sorted out a tab for you at the bar"

“And we’ve sorted out a tab for you at the bar,” Anita adds, “All you have to do is enjoy yourselves.”

Christmas is looking like a happy one after all

Gerwyn and Jaclyn are now much happier as they leave the café.

Eileen finishes the embroidery for today

Eileen has had enough of embroidery for one day, and comments, “I don’t know how people did this by candlelight in the old days.”

"How old is the blanket?"

Angela asks how old the blanket is, and her mother replies, “Well, Miriam’s name is on it, and that she was my grandmother, born in 1910, then there was Mam in 1935, so it has to be over 100 years old. Every generation has taken care of it – it’s the family history.”