The Timetable

Friday:
1600-1900: cake decorating by early arrivers
1900 until late: welcome cocktails, supper, crossword & games

Saturday:
0800: light breakfast
0930-1215: surf lesson
1300-1430: lunch
1500-1800: Gower walk
1900 until late: party

Sunday:
0900-1300: recover, brunch, croquet, welcome late arrivals
1330-1615: surf lesson
1730-1800: departures
1900: the pub

Notes on the local dialect by Prof Royal

I am reading the Gower book.

The dialect section of the book is really fun -- we could use these in our dictionary game... Here are what is listed in the
Glossary:

Bett...............prepared turf used for hedging (what does this MEAN??! Hedging your betts?)
Blonkers..........sparks
Bubback..........scarecrow, or a dull person
Bumbagus........a bittern
Carthen...........a winnowing sheet
Charnel............a box-like space formed by raising the ceiling above the fireplace for hanging bacon
"Crows"............natives of Porteynon Parish
Cust................could
Cussening.........coaxing
Dree................three
Drangway.........a narrow lane or alleyway
Drow...............throw.
Dobbin.............a large mug
dumbledarey.....cockchafer(???)
Frawst.............a dainty meal
Froist...............also --a dainty meal
Frightened........astonished
Glaster.............buttermilk - in the churn
Herring-gutted...lean
Inklemaker.........a busy person
Ite...................yet
Jorum................a large quantity/helping of tea or beer
Keek.................to peep
Kernine..............ripening, also to turn sour
Leery................empty
Makth...............makes
Melted..............broken up, disintegrated
Mucka..............a rickyard (?)
Nestletrip...........the smallest pig in a litter
Nice..................fastidious
Nipparty............perky
Noppit...............perky (two types?)
Oakwib..............cockchafer (???!)
"Oxen"...............natives of Llangennith
Rining................mooching or scrounging
Rying.................fishing
Scrabble.............to gather up hastily objects on the ground
Starved..............perished with cold
Tite....................to overturn
Uddent...............wouldn't
V'rall..................for all
Zz'snow..............do you know

Anyway, I (a noppit inklemaker) will try not to be a bubback but I will certainly come and frighten you Oxen and spend some time rining from you. Don't worry, I'm not nice ite, so any accommodation with a froist and a dobbin of jorum will suit me fine. And maybe later a frawst too. If I surf, I hope I don't become starved or tite the board. I probably won't bring my oakwib or dumbledarey as I'm not sure what or where they are, zz'snow?

Love V'rall!

Barbara

Are We Really Surfing???

To those who aren't in the photo, I apologize ... I had to go with what photos I had!

Sue/Elaine! This is all "greek" to me...my first time blogging! Thanks for including me as a voyeur (and participant at this juncture!). I apologize to everyone in advance for any breaches in blog conduct that I might be violating here and now.

It was lovely meeting you, Sue, and seeing you again Dr. Holt! Learning a bit about your 100th birthday celebration is so fitting with the timeless history line I've been immersed and bathed in...here in my first visit to the U.K. I still haven't quite tied you in to the 'royals' I've been learning about ....but I'm sure at some point that will happen and come full circle.

Thanks again for trekking into London town last night.
Happy Spring to one and all!
I'll be tuning into the details of the May event!
Best.........
-SLB

Only 6 weeks to go (a post by Joe)

We sure are excited. We've missed you guys so much, and we'll get to see you real soon now.

Jack is keen to show you his special secret pine tree and I happen to know that he's planning to kill a few birds for your supper, in case you don't like paella.

Rosie claims she's going to be on her best behaviour and she won't bite anyone, though I don't believe her for a minute, the lying tart.


And me? I'm just hoping you won't think I've gotten too anglicized or lost my Californian accent. :)

...Well, that's all for now folks. I have a busy day ahead, climbing trees, sleeping and stuff.

This is your affectionate Joe Kitty signing out.

Diet and other allergies

Please leave a comment here about anything you can't eat, won't eat, or are allergic to if you do eat.

Weather and What to Bring

"We've had our summer then like" is a common saying around here in early June, when, after a delightful May, the weather goes downhill.

To be on the safe side though you should bring something waterproof, and some layers. It will still be chilly in the evening. Don't forget your bathing costume. We have heaps of towels and a lot of bedding. We have a few sleeping bags, but if you have a good, light one which you are attached to, you may want to bring it along.