5 June 2025

Revision is not going well

Gwern, who we have not seen for some considerable time, is sitting in the deli, trying to do some revision and does not appear to be having much success.   He throws down his pencil in disgust.   

"What has that pencil done to you?"

Cassie has just picked up her purchase and comes across to him and asks what that pencil has done to him.

He picks it up again

“Nothing – I’m just frustrated with this revision!” he snarls and she can remember throwing a few pencils when she was doing that.   

"Welsh doesn't make any sense!"

She advises him not to give up so easily, but he insists, “Welsh doesn’t make any sense!”

“You’ll have to ask for help, then,” says Cassie, 

"Explain the rules of 'Cynghanedd', then"

so he wants her to explain the rules of ‘Cynghanedd’ to him.   [In Welsh-language poetry, cynghanedd is the basic concept of sound-arrangement within one line, using stress, alliteration and rhyme.]

"People are waiting for these croissants"

She answers by saying there are people waiting for her croissants in the Deri.   “Listen, you should ask someone who can explain it properly, OK?”

Gwern looks across at Rhys

He appears to have no idea who that could possibly be, but Rhys has been listening to this conversation and tells him, “Don’t even think of asking!   

"I know someone who could help you"

“But I do know someone who could help you.”   He gets out his phone and looks up a number.

"I don't know why you're so angry"

Gaynor and Tom arrive back at Llwyncelyn from the court, with him saying, “I don’t know why you’re so angry about it – it’s not a shock that you’re going to lose your licence, is it?”   

"You only got a twelve month ban"

She protests that she was only just over the limit, but Tom is surprised that she only got a twelve-month ban and a fine.

“You don’t need to drive, anyway – you can walk to the village,” he goes on, 

"What if I want to go to Carmarthen or Llanelli?"

but she protests that she might want to go to Carmarthen or Llanelli.   “I can take you,” he volunteers, “Or you could take the bus.”   [Did not Megan kick up a fuss about the bus service being cancelled some months ago?]

"Why don't we have lunch?"

“I can’t understand why you’re making such a fuss,” he reprimands her, “Why don’t we have lunch?   Just the two of us – 

"Do you fancy cooking up a surprise for me?"

do you fancy cooking up a surprise for me?”   

"Of course"

Of course she agrees, but in the meantime he says he is going to pop into work.

Ffion is resting in the sofa

Ffion is relaxing on the sofa and Jinx brings her a glass of water;  

"Do you want any tea or coffee?"

he asks whether she wants tea or coffee before he leaves and whether she is comfortable.   She urges him to stop fussing and he apologises for not being supportive yesterday.

"If you want to see that hypnotherapist – great!"

“If you want to go and see that hypnotherapist – great – I’ll even drive you there myself.”   

"I would like some peace"

She thanks him for that, but would now like some peace;  she is not saying that because she is angry with him, but she just likes her own company.   

"I just want you to be safe"

“I just want you to be safe,” he assures her.

"Please go to work"

“Yes, I understand that and I’m grateful – but please go to work for a couple of hours.”

There is something else which Jinx wants to say, but he is rather reluctant to say it;  

"I don't trust that Tom"  — and with good reason

“I saw you talking to Tom yesterday – I don’t trust him.”   She maintains that Tom has supported her and is a good friend.   Jinx has suspicions that he is more than a friend.

"Jump from one woman's bed to another"

“Every man round here doesn’t jump from one woman’s bed into another!” she informs him, so he will go and leave her in peace.   

She is looking forward seeing Tom

However, as soon as he is out of the door it is obvious that she is looking forward to her visit from Tom.

Anita comes downstairs 

At number 7, Kelly is doing some paperwork when Anita comes downstairs carrying a box.   

Kelly is getting frustrated

“You know what?   I could do with a break from trying to save Y March Gwyn, right?” Kelly groans, 

"You need patience, Kelly"

but is told that she needs patience.

She thinks otherwise;  “Customers what I need, Auntie Neet, not patience!”

"I hope there's a magic recipé book in there"

Anita is sorting things;  “I take boxes from house to house and I’m not sure what’s in them.”   Kelly hopes that there is a magic recipé book for her 

She anticipates her latest venture will fail

 is convinced that if she does not think of anything pronto, she predicts that she can add Y March Gwyn to her list of failed businesses.

"It's butternut squash soup"

Tom is back and remarks favourably on the meal, which Gaynor is cooking;  she announces that it is butternut squash soup, but once again he says that he cannot stay for lunch.   

Tom has his own agenda – as usual

“And you’ve gone to so much trouble, I feel awful – sorry.   It was busy at work this morning – the boss is on his way in – a surprise!   

"Would you mind if I took this soup over?"

“Would you mind if I took this soup over?   It  would impress the boss – he likes his food.”

"I suppose not"

Gaynor acquiesces, as she always does these days and 

"You could go out for lunch as a treat"

he suggests that she could go out for lunch as a treat after this morning.   

He takes out two containers . . .

She thinks that she might do that so he takes two containers from the cupboard,

. . . and fills them with hot soup

 filling them with butternut squash soup.

"What on earth are you wearing here, like?"

Anita and Kelly are looking at photos from the box;  “Auntie Neet!   What on earth are you wearing here, like?”   Anita considers that she looks posh with all those ruffles and that Kelly does not understand fashion these days.

Then she finds another photo which makes her laugh;  “No way is that fashion – even in those days, like.”   

"That was probably at the carnival"

Anita points out that it is fancy dress, probably at the carnival.   Kelly is surprised that they used to be a carnival in Cwmderi, but it was a long time ago.

"There was one outside Ponty every year"

Anita reminisces, “There was one outside Ponty every year – don’t you remember?   It was the best day of the year – the sun was always shining, everybody came out.   

"You were carnival queen one year"

“There were children in the floats and everyone had been working on their clothes for months – and you were the carnival queen one year when you were small.”

"I remember a really itchy dress!"

Kelly can vaguely remember a really itchy dress, which apparently took Anita ages to make.   “Everyone came out on the day of the carnival, hundreds of us – and every small business put money towards it and then everyone supported them throughout the year.   

"They were good days"

“That was a community – they were good days.”   

Kelly is developing an idea

An idea seems to have been planted in Kelly’s head.

Ffion moans about Jinx fussing

Tom arrives at Deri Fawr, where Ffion complains to him, “If I had a pound every time he asked me if I’m OK, I’d have enough money to retire.”

"He's only trying to help"

Tom points out that Jinx is only trying to help;  

"As if I'm some fragile flower"

she goes on, “I want to look after you – as if I’m some fragile flower.   I don’t like a fuss.”   He imagines that her face must have been a picture when she got the flowers from him, 

"I loved the flowers"

but she insists that she loved them.

He has brought fresh bread and home-made soup;  “Do you like butternut squash?   

"Sit down and I'll bring it over"

“Sit down and I’ll bring it over to you – 

"Eat it while it's hot"

“eat it while it’s hot.”   

He gets his from the other container

She comments that it is lovely.

Kelly is passing the Deri

As Kelly is passing the Deri, she encounters Rhys;  “Ah, here he is – the main man!   I’m absolutely on top of the world, just like you will be,” she says, 

"Carnival – we're having a carnival!"

“Carnival!   We’re having a carnival – in Cwmderi – come on, catch on, like, Rhys.   You and I are going to be the main organisers.”

"You are joking?"

He hopes that she is joking, but she shows him one of the old photographs;  “Look at all these happy faces.”   He is less than enthusiastic;  “Don’t be so boring – did you go to a carnival growing up?”

"Mam-gu insisted we go to every one"

“Well – yeah – there were loads around Aberystwyth – and Mam-gu insisted on going to every one!” he moans.   Kelly imagines that they were a load of laughs;  she will not entertain any objections.

"It's up to us to organise something"

“We’re the grown-ups now and we’re the business owners, so it’s up to us to organise something for the community – and it will be really profitable for our businesses – so win-win!”

Cassie has come out of the Deri

Cassie has come outside to collect the empty glasses 

"I've got no idea how to organise it"

as Rhys protests that he has no idea about organising a carnival.   

"The people of Bethesda are the best at planning carnivals"

arCassie cannot resist interrupting to point out, “The people of Bethesda are the best at planning carnivals – they’re lots of fun – 

"I was never carnival queen!"

“but I was never carnival queen – no, Llywela Owen stole my crown, the cow!” she snarls.

"First meeting in the Deri at six . . ."

Kelly announces that the first meeting of the carnival committee will be in the Deri tonight at six o’clock, 

". . . don't be late"

so they must not be late.   

Rhys and Cassie look at each other

What have they let themselves in for?

"I'd have to take something to play music"

As they partake of the soup, Tom and Ffion are presumably talking about being stranded on a desert island;  “I’d have to take something to play music,” he says, but Ffion points out that if he is on an island, 

"There would be no electricity"

there will be no electricity, so he does not want to go any more.

"I'd have to bring you to cook for me"

“Well, as you’re such a good cook, I think I’d have to bring you to the island with me, she continues 

"It's nice to see you smile"

and he remarks that it is nice to see her smile.   He has been worried, as has everyone, but assures her that she will be all right.

"I've been thinking about a hypnotherapist"

She reveals that she has been thinking about going to see a hypnotherapist next week, which he says is a good idea and he hopes that they help her remember.   “It must be difficult to move on, not knowing what happened – you’re doing the right thing, he adds, as he takes her empty dish.

"Gwaed y Groes a gwyd y graith"

Gwern is getting his revision help from Gaynor, who explains, “You have to hear the ‘Cynghanedd’ by saying it out loud.

He recites, “Gwaed y Groes a gwyd y graith,” [literally ‘The blood of the Cross and the scar’] 

"It's the sound of the words"

and she points out the sound of the words.   

"I'm hopeless!"

Gwern comes to the conclusion, “I’m hopeless,” but she urges him not to be so hard on himself.   He protests that he cannot even find the Welsh word for things.

“But you’re trying your best – and that’s what is important,” Gaynor stresses, 

"I wasn't expecting company"

but then Tom comes in, not expecting company.   She explains that Gwern wanted some help before the exams, 

"Don't tell anyone"

but he does not want anyone to know because it is embarrassing.

"What subjects?"

Tom enquires what subjects he is having trouble with and is told that it is Welsh and maths.   “Maths?   With Gaynor?   

"She'll tell you how to spend money!"

“Watch out – she’ll teach you how to spend money, not count it!” Tom laughs.   Gwern thinks that he had better go now, 

"I have to collect Gabriel"

as he has to collect Gabriel from school, anyway.

Gaynor remarks that it is nice that Tom has come home early 

"Did your boss enjoy it?"

and wonders if his boss enjoyed the food.   

"You didn't mention Gwern was coming"

Tom is more interested in the fact that she did not mention that Gwern was coming over, 

"You're not angry?"

and she imagines that he is angry.  

"Of course not"

He denies this, 

She knows that is not the case

although his manner says otherwise. 

He has been poisoning Ffion yet again!

Ffion comes slowly downstairs, as once more she does not feel well, 

Jinx arrives home

just as Jinx returns to the house, but she pretends that she is OK.   He is sorry that he was so long at work and wonders if she has had lunch.   

She says she had a sandwich

She lies that she had a sandwich and maintains that she had a good day.

"What do you want to do this afternoon?"

“What do you want to do this afternoon?   Watch a film – or we could do another jigsaw?” he asks, 

"I'm going back to lie down"

but she intends to go back and lie down for a while.

"Kelly asked me to go to a meeting"

“Kelly asked me to go for a meeting in the Deri, but I don’t have to go,” he says, 

However she ignores him and goes upstairs

but by this time she is going up the stairs.

"I forgot Gwern was coming over"

Gaynor brings Tom a cup of tea, remarking, “With the hearing this morning and preparing lunch, I forgot that I’d organised for Gwern to come over.   I don’t invite people over every time you go to work, you know.”

"I don't know what to believe any more"

“I just don’t know what to believe any more,” Tom grumbles, “You’re making me question everything now – 

"Are you telling the truth?"

“are you telling the truth when you say you love me?”   

"What must I do to prove it?"

Gaynor wonders what she has to do to prove it to him;  

"Not keep secrets from me!"

he stipulates, “Not keep secrets from me – it doesn’t matter how small or silly they are, OK?   I would like to have known.”

She capitulates once more and says that she is sorry;   

"Have you got any other secrets?"

“Have you got any other secrets?” he enquires, 

Then he kisses her

then kisses her.   

Surely even Gaynor can see why he is doing

She seems to be coming to the realisation that something is wrong.

Ffion is feeling worse . . .

Ffion tries to raise herself up from the bed 

. . . but tries to get up from the bed . . .

but is feeling very groggy 

. . . then collapses back on to it

and lies down again.

"We shall need music"

In the Deri, Kelly tells them, “We shall need music,” and instructs Rhys to write it down, 

"Where do we get the money from?"

but he is more interested in where they are going to get the money to pay for the carnival.   

"It will be profitable, Rhys"

Kelly is extremely vague about this, but still convinced that it will be profitable.

Cassie points out that for that, people will have to come, and asks where they are going to put the waltzers.   

"We'll close the High Street"

“Outside – we’ll close the High Street,” answers Kelly, “It’s a good job Auntie Anita is married to Griffiths.   Actually, I do have an ulterior motive for the carnival – 

"Auntie Anita hasn't been feeling special"

“Auntie Anita hasn’t been feeling special and I want to give her something to look forward to.   She said the carnival was, like, the highlight of her year, so . . .”

Rhys suggests that perhaps Dafydd Iwan or the Welsh Whisperer might come back.   

"Where are you going?"

Jinx finishes his drink and gets up, whereupon Kelly demands where he is going, as they have not discussed pizzas yet.   

"The toilet?"

“The toilet?” he replies.

"How is Ffion?"

Gaynor and Tom come in, with Gaynor asking for an orange juice;  then she enquires about Ffion with Jinx, who reports that she is having an early night;  he suspects that she overdid it yesterday.

"Selling pizzas on the rollercoaster"

“I have to get back before Kelly has me selling pizzas on the rollercoaster,” he says, which Gaynor finds very puzzling.

"I did cancel Megan off the rota"

Tom wants to apologise to Jinx and admits that he was right;  “I did cancel Megan off the rota – but I did it for Ffion’s sake – she was going to bring the rota to an end and I knew it was too early.   You know, as well as I do, that she does not enjoy Megan’s company.   

"Do you want a pint?"

“Do you want a pint?”

He still looks suspicious

Jinx agrees to this ploy, designed to stop him going back to Ffion, but he still seems suspicious of Tom.

Ffion tries to get her phone to call for help . . .

Meanwhile, back at Deri Fawr, Ffion is becoming more and more disorientated;  

. . . but knocks it to the floor . . .

she reaches out to her phone on the bedside table, but only succeeds in knocking it to the floor.   

. . . and cannot reach it

When she turns over to try and retrieve it, she appears to be in imminent danger of falling out of the bed.   

She is in a very bad way

She is increasingly unaware of what is happening to her.