Hwyl fawr Llandudno!

I must confess to have been rather slack recently so far as regards updating the blog and, due to various injuries, commitments and sheer reliance on public transport home from work, even keeping up my attendance at classes. Shelley drwg!

However, I wouldn't want you to think I have abandoned my studies completely. As a late Christmas present to myself, I acquired two chickens from Llangefni who have been dubbed Myfanwy and Blodwen in an attempt to inspire me. I wasn't the only one who was inspired however and, after three weeks of asking "Sgynnoch chi wyau i fi?" each day, I finally got a satisfactory response! I am however yet to remember the fine difference between hens (ieir) and liver (iau) and received more than one perplexed response to my ridiculous offer: "Ti isio weld fy iau?"

My little Bangor menagerie gained a further addition in the form of a large tabby who alas doesn't provide eggs on a daily basis, nor has he been given a enw Cymreig. He has been dubbed Stimpy by my boyfriend (an apt name to anyone familiar with the fat, needy puss from the cartoon Ren and Stimpy, for this hungry monster whose idea of heaven is a warm lap) who wasn't too keen on standing on the doorstep calling "Mr Bumble!", as his previous owner had done.

Stimpy too has been subjected to my faltering Cymraeg skills: being asked "Be' syn bod, cariad?" or "Ti isio cwtch?" when he cries, or having "Paid!" shouted at him when discovered atop the dining table. Old Stimpy must have an excellent grasp of the Welsh language - he seems to shift quickly enough when reprimanded!

As I am moving to the Caernarfon Herald to cover Porthmadog and Blaenau Ffestiniog, I thought that I would really have to pull my finger out and get back to class. I got back into the swing of things last week at Coleg Menai, but snow stopped play on Tuesday. As such, I didn't feel too guilty about spending the evening listening to Radio 4 with a a cat on my lap and a frittata, fresh from the garden, in my stomach - bliss!