Dylan Thomas would sometimes write 200 versions of a poem. Was watching a program about him last night. You don’t see that these days with word processors where versions overwrite themselves in real time. Doesn’t quite carry the same romantic vision. I also heard that he made much use of a thesaurus. It makes sense although it somewhat tempers the image of him as the ultimate wordsmith. It makes me feel a little better that sometimes I am scrabbling around for a word that I know is there but I can’t quite lay my hand on. Sometimes it eventually comes to me but sometimes I have to make do with a lesser alternative. Not that any of it really matters but I do take pride in my words.
This morning’s Sunday Service is coming from the Isle of Man. Quite enjoying it. Some nice vocals. Enhanced by the fact that I grew up there. We are off back there before Easter. They are talking about the fact that they have 27 dark sky places. I’d be quite tempted to experience one but the problem is we are in Peel and by the time it gets dark we are usually in the pub.
This next trip we are on the boat from Heysham. It’s a longer journey but gets in at a more sensible time than the cat from Liverpool otherwise we’d have caught that. At least they have nice cabins with double beds and balconies on the Heysham sailing. Believe you me if it’s rough being able to lie down on a bed helps. In those circumstances the balcony is somewhat redundant.
Uhoh. They’ve slipped a happy clappy modern job into the running order. Soz IoM. The radio is going off. The pic is from the webcam on Peel Breakwater. One of our fave spots. Petty deserted at the time of the pic. There’s a caff there where you grab a cuppa and sit on the roof watching the boats go by. Saw a basking shark, once. At one time I was Mayor of Peel Breakwater caff until I dumped 4square as a waste of time. Ditto Lincoln Cathedral.
It was cold overnight and the frost lingered but now it is warming up and the garden is a mess of dull grass and soggy wet leaves. I do have a job to do. THG has identified a place on the wall where she wants a picture putting up. Not much of a job you’d think but picture hooks are rubbish these days. The nails bend all too easily. Probably always have done. I might try drilling a hole with a v thin drill bit first. See how it goes. There is no rush, unlike yesterday’s dash for the Park Run.
Breakfast was a small bacon roll and a slice of sourdough toast with THG’s very fine home made orange marmalade. It must be said that this is a great batch. Best of our married life, fair play.
Re read a book on life and traditions in rural Wales last night, specifically about the woollen industry. It was interesting to observe that the industry really took off in the mid nineteenth century at the same time that my 3g grandfather Benjamin Davies got into the business around 1860 running the Abersannan woollen factory in Llanfynydd. This was a small spinning mill and the building is still there today. I suspect he didn’t own this mill. Then he moved to a place called Felin Obaith (hope mill) in Rhiwadar, or Bird’s Hill. Three of his kids got into the business including my own 2g grandfather JP Davies who after a number of interim stages ended up at Maesdulais mill in Porthyrhyd where my dad was born. The industry went into decline after the first world war but the mill continued to function for some time after that. JP died in 1928 but one of his kids, “Twm Ffatri” continued there. Don’t know when they finally shut up shop but my sister Sue remembers seeing the factory equipment still in place. The decline of the business at Maesdulais reflected what was happening in the wider industry. Sister Sue and I both have blankets woven at Maesdulais.
My current activity is still very much centred around our time as farmers and I’ll get to looking at the woollen industry in the fullness of time.
Fox came at 8pm last night. THG is off to church.