Stormy Weather

[Nick Armstrong]

Oh, very nice - I bet you had the Duck Magret!! And possibly the foie-gras?
A life in Chancery is all beer & skittles isn't it? One merry round of wining and dining .... squandering away the inheritences of the poor widows and orphans ....

The set menu in fact: chilled pea soup - rabbit - cheeses

And - OT - it was warm walking back in the sunshine!

[Anna]

By the way, I was in a restaurant a few days ago and the fish of the day, I was told, sounded like "suin" which the chef-proprietaire fortunately told me is Welsh for sea trout. I had it and it was delicious but I did point out that I'd not expected to hear a Frenchman in Herefordistan speaking Welsh! I thought that it was a little careless and indiscreet, anyway, since there was a part of of lawyers on the next table...

Oh dear. Sewin is indeed sea trout from West Wales, it cannot be described as anything else because it's a sort of appellation d'origine contrôlée fish. It would be a trades description offence to sell sewin as common sea trout and vice versa, so it's not a case of foisting Welsh language onto unsuspecting Herefordistanians! Plus, of course, restaurants can charge more for such a magnificent and flavoursome fish with a Welsh pedigree.

[mangerton]

... and it is Friday after all, a time for frivolity.

Not when you're working on Saturday, it ain't. However, I was off today instead, and it was a lovely warm sunny day here - until about 3.00, when the clouds appeared. No rain so far.

Thanks for the Welsh construe which I was about to ask for. I note ahinton's remarks about Welsh signs in Wales. I don't think these are quite as incongruous as Gaelic signs in parts of the country where it is not spoken, but which are erected as a sop to Gaelic speakers when the Mod (think Eisteddfod) is held in the area.

Edit: It's raining now. Me and my big mouth.

[Anna]

Not when you're working on Saturday, it ain't. However, I was off today instead, and it was a lovely warm sunny day here - until about 3.00, when the clouds appeared. No rain so far.

I used to work every Saturday, which was ok in a way, but no-one else was free all day on a Wednesday!

I note ahinton's remarks about Welsh signs in Wales. I don't think these are quite as incongruous as Gaelic signs in parts of the country where it is not spoken, but which are erected as a sop to Gaelic speakers when the Mod (think Eisteddfod) is held in the area.

ahinton's really funny, he only ventures into Wales to go to Waitrose!! Herefordshire isn't upmarket enough for them to open a branch there.

Edit: It's raining now. Me and my big mouth.

Just as well you're working tomorrow then!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I have heard that the Welsh language, though clearly not incomprehensible otherwise no Welsh would be able to speak and read it, is as difficult as it is to learn as a foreign language for the purpose of making it as discouraging as possible to any English who would try to learn it, though how true that may be I do not know.

The test is the word "Cymru" itself: if the Saesnig is the sort who whinges that the "y" is pronounced "u" and the "u", "y", then the language isn't for him/her. If they laugh and say "You're not going to put me off like that", s/he will be welcome, dim problem.

But it's nearly three years now since I last spoke Welsh - asking for a book in a shop in Aberteifi (Y Mobinogi in the "original" 15th Century Welsh - none available, alas: had to make do with the revised William Morgan Beibl) - and I remember so little!

[mangerton]

Just as well you're working tomorrow then!

That's me tellt!

[Anna]

But it's nearly three years now since I last spoke Welsh - asking for a book in a shop in Aberteifi (Y Mobinogi in the "original" 15th Century Welsh - none available, alas: had to make do with the revised William Morgan Beibl) - and I remember so little!

Are you a fan of Dafydd ap Gwilym? Swansea Uni have a cracking new version (for those who don't know, he was the foremost poet of the 14th century, and personally, I think he's brilliant)
http://www.dafyddapgwilym.net/eng/3win.htm My favourite is 137 Merched Llanbadarn, click on select poem and then choice of English translation, etc.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Are you a fan of Dafydd ap Gwilym? Swansea Uni have a cracking new version (for those who don't know, he was the foremost poet of the 14th century, and personally, I think he's brilliant)
http://www.dafyddapgwilym.net/eng/3win.htm My favourite is 137 Merched Llanbadarn, click on select poem and then choice of English translation, etc.

Wow! BIG Thanks, Anna - this has gone on my "Favourites"; what a fantastic resource!

I didn't know much of Daffyd's work beyond the prose translations in the Penguin Classics A Celtic Miscellany, so this is a real treat.

I presume you know Gwerful Mechain (1462 - 1500)? She wasn't coy, was she?! My partner gave me the anthology Welsh Women's Poetry 1460-2001 a couple of Christmases ago, and she's tons better than many a more famous (because "demure") 19th Century counterpart: I don't think frenchie would allow even the original Cymraeg, let alone English translations!

[BBMmk2]

Hi folks! Rather late today! haqd one of those days!!

Just as well the weather was alright! No jumpers!!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Hi folks! Rather late today! haqd one of those days!!

Well, the good news is that the day is coming to a close; the sun is bathing the Downs, the soft air is wafting the gardens (and is that the merest hint of the sea?) and there's beer in the cupboard and brass bands in the CD collection. The weekend starts here!

[BBMmk2]

Time for John ireland's A Downland Suite then!!

[cloughie]

Well, the good news is that the day is coming to a close; the sun is bathing the Downs, the soft air is wafting the gardens (and is that the merest hint of the sea?) and there's beer in the cupboard and brass bands in the CD collection. The weekend starts here!

Sounds good ferney, what you got in mind for the brass?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Sounds good ferney, what you got in mind for the brass?

Oh, I leave that for the expert: the Downland Suite sounds very appropriate - I might see if I can fine Butterworth's A Dales Suite for my neck of the woods!

[BBMmk2]

Sounds good ferney, what you got in mind for the brass?

Well!! I copuld giveyopu a few suggestions!!

Hmm, a weekend of brass band music!?!?!?

[amateur51]

The set menu in fact: chilled pea soup - rabbit - cheeses

And - OT - it was warm walking back in the sunshine!

Sounds a cracking place, Caliban Just round the corner from my last place of full-time employment - I wonder what this resto replaces