Cwmderi Diary 2017: 2 February 2017

"Why shouldn't I hang up this phone?"

At Bryntirion, Dai has a phone call; when he hears that it is Diane, he explodes with anger, “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t hang up this phone! Tell me, when are you coming home? If you can’t answer one simple question, what’s the point of phoning?

"Me – unreasonable?"

“What – I’m unreasonable? You’re the one who disappeared like Scotch mist – what planet are you on, Diane?”

Hardly time for a sip of tea . . .

He has hardly had a chance to drink his tea when the phone rings again; “Look, I’ve told you once!” he bellows, but then calms down,

. . . and this time it is Kath

“Oh, it’s you, Kath. Look, I’m very busy – right, I’ll be there later this morning.”

Gwyneth is plotting something . . .

At Y Felin, Gwyneth is also on the phone; “Yes, I’m quite happy with my decision – will the legal documents be ready later today?”

. . . and appears pleased with her plan

She looks quite triumphant.

"50th birthday, isn't it?"

Outside the chip shop, Britt wishes Siôn, “Happy birthday! 50, isn’t it?”

"I'll be ignoring birthdays from now on"

He reports that the boys have forgotten about it, and he will be ignoring birthdays from now on. Colin comments that his life would not be worth living if he forgot Britt’s birthday.

"I found these tapes"

When Siôn has continued his walk, Colin reveals to Britt that he has unearthed some tapes of his old group Y Cloriau (The Covers). “We had groupies everywhere – from Tregaron to Tresaith!” he boasts,

"I'll let Gaynor know"

and begins composing a text to Gaynor; “She’d love to hear these!” he says.

Ffion, perhaps unwisely, explains her frustration

In a corridor at school, Ffion meets Chester, who commiserates that she did not get the job. “You need skin like an elephant in this place,” she moans, “Especially when someone you trust stabs you in the back!”

"Hang on – should that be the other way round?"

Gaynor approaches as Chester advises her of what Garry always says; “Keep your enemies close and your friends closer – or is it the other way round?” Gaynor comments that she is sure that Chester has work to do, then begins to apologise to Ffion about yesterday.

"You said it would be handed to me on a plate!"

“You said the job would be handed to me on a plate!” snarls Ffion, but Gaynor points out that it was a very close thing.

"I thought Garry was my enemy!"

“Yes, and I was weaker – I thought Garry was my enemy!”

"I hope we can be professional about this"

Gaynor hopes that they can be professional about this,

"I have a sudden headache!"

but Ffion tells her, “I don’t feel well, I’ve got a headache all of a sudden. I’m going home – I’m sure you’ll get by without me!”

Kath moans about the leaking skylight

Dai arrives at Maes-y-Deri, and is harangued by Kath about the skylight upstairs, which is letting in the rain.

"That's nothing to do with APD!"

He tells her, in no uncertain terms that it is not the responsibility of APD, and that she should contact the manufacturers.

“Were you hiding under the duvet when they were handing out manners?” she demands, but he stresses that APD did not supply the skylight and leaves the house.

"Fetch me a tablet, love"

Vicky wonders what they will do now, and Kath insists she will phone the makers, adding, “Fetch me a tablet, love – I’ll be fine if I have one. I’ll finish the ironing for you.”

"It's not time yet!"

Vicky refuses as it is not time yet, and leaves for the Deri.

"You can help me in the chippy"

Chester has a couple of free lessons, so goes home, where Britt suggests he can help in the chippy; he protests he is supposed to do school work.

They hear about what has happened at school

“There were some fireworks at school this morning,” he announces, “Gaynor stabbed Ffion in the back, and didn’t make her deputy!” Colin doubts that Gaynor would do that, as she is very fair, and says he is going over to Llwyncelyn now, with the tapes and an album he has been compiling of their youth.

"We were cool, weren't we?"

Showing Chester, he comments, “We were cool, weren’t we? Gaynor was gorgeous – well, she still is – no wonder I fell for her!”

Slight jealousy creeping in here . . .

Britt appears disconcerted,

. . . which amuses Chester

and Chester smiles wryly.

Mathew's prowess at darts . . .

In the Deri,

. . . is eclipsed by Vicky's

Vicky manages to get a dart closer to the bullseye than Mathew; as she sits, watching him practising, she tells Dani, “I’m not just a pretty face! He is cute, though.”

"If you like him, you should do something!"

Dani advises that if she likes him, she should do something, before someone snatches him.

"I've finished the ironing . . ."

Kath comes in and tells Vicky she has finished the ironing and lost her temper with the skylight company.

". . . and now I need another tablet"

“I’m starting to go off the track!” she wails, but Vicky refuses to give her another tablet, until Mark tells her to. “I’ve done you a favour, and expect one in return – this is not easy for me!” pleads Kath,

"Go and watch a film or something!"

but is told to go home and watch a film or something.

"What are you doing here?"

Gethin is surprised to find Ffion at home; “I pretended to have a headache – I can’t look at Gaynor after what she did!

"She's so two-faced!"

“She’s so two-faced!” Gethin wonders if she really wants to be deputy, with all its stress, and warns her not to let Gaynor upset her.

"There are plenty of other jobs!"

“I can’t work for her after this – she can stuff her new school – there are plenty of other jobs!” Ffion rants.

"Calm down, Ffi"

Despite Gethin’s attempts to calm her, she insists, “I’ll find a job elsewhere!”

Siôn, back from his invigorating walk

When Siôn arrives home, after his long, leisurely walk, he is surprised by the birthday banner, and protests that there is no need, but Gwyneth replies,

"We got together a year ago"

“You’re fifty – and we got together a year ago. I thought we’d enjoy today, just us two, but I have a confession to make – I haven’t bought a gift.

"I can't wait to be your wife!"

“I know we arranged to get married in the summer, but would you mind doing it sooner? As soon as possible? I can’t wait to be your wife!”

"Great – another objective achieved!"

Siôn appears to be puzzled, but agrees with her (as he always does).

"Plenty of jobs around Cardiff"

Ffion finds from her online investigation, “There are plenty of jobs in Cardiff, but nothing suitable round here.” Gethin urges her not to do anything hasty, as the new school will want a head of PE.

"Ms Head Teacher might not employ me!"

“But I’ll have to apply – and Ms Head Teacher might not employ me! I think she wants me to resign – she wants staff to kowtow to her, and knows I won’t.” Gethin considers this to be even more reason not to leave;

"Maybe you're right"

on reflection, Ffion replies, “Maybe you’re right – she won’t get rid of me that easily! Fancy lunch in the Deri?” Gethin reminds her she is supposed to be ill,

"I couldn't care less!"

but she exclaims, “I couldn’t care less!”

"I've upset Ffion!"

Colin arrives at Llwyncelyn to find Gaynor looking miserable as she has upset Ffion; “I should have refused to be on the panel,” she laments, “Ffion has accused me of stabbing her in the back – and it’s not a nice feeling.”

"This will cheer you up"

He thinks that what he has brought will cheer her up, and hands her the album.

Gwyneth cannot wait to book the wedding

Gwyneth intends to ring for a taxi to take them to the register office; “We might as well book the date for the wedding.”

"What's the tearing hurry?"

Siôn cannot see any need for such urgency, but she continues, “Let’s take the earliest date available, not matter what day of the week it is – and I want you to come to my solicitor’s, as he has something for you to sign. I want to put your name on the deeds of my house.”

"That's a big step, you know!"

Siôn points out that it is a big step; “So is getting married,” she answers, “But I love you!” They kiss.

Vicky asks if Mathew wants to have some darts practice with her, suspecting he does not want to be beaten by a girl. Then she asks, “Come out with me tonight, and we’ll have a couple of games.”

"No, I'm working tonight"

Mathew explains he is working tonight, so Vicky asks Dani if he can have the night off.

"Where is the date going to be, then?"

Dani asks where the date is to be.

“Want to go clubbing, or the cinema?” enquires Vicky, and Dani suggests a romantic meal for two, somewhere special

"I don't want to go on a date"

Mathew is quite blunt; “There’s no easy way to say this, but I don’t want to go on a date – I just want to be friends!”

Not what Vicky wanted to hear

Vicky walks away from the bar, rather deflated.

"Any normal bloke would jump at the chance!"

Dani demands, “Mathew, do you have a problem? She’s gorgeous.” He says that he does not fancy her; “Any normal bloke would jump at the chance,” is Dani’s evaluation, but Mathew describes Vicky as ‘too keen’.

Colin's discordant accompaniment

At Llwyncelyn, the tape is playing, with Colin strumming tunelessly,

The photos bring back memories

as Gaynor looks at his photo album. “That hasn’t been tuned for a while,” she diagnoses,

Gaynor's unsuspected ukulele-tuning skills

and he hands over the instrument, ruefully recalling that it is the only St Dwynwen’s Day present he has ever had.

"I want to compose a song for Britt"

“I’d like to give Britt a special gift for St Valentine’s Day – I want to compose a song for her – and I thought you could help me. The best songs are written by two people.”

Gaynor does not relish the prospect

Gaynor regards it as rather odd for her to be writing a love song for Britt, so Colin muses,

"Pretend you're writing it for . . . um . . ."

“You could pretend that you’re writing it for . . . um . . . I don’t know!” Gaynor thinks it is time she went back to school, and offers Colin a lift to the village.

"What did he say about me?"

In the Deri, Vicky asks what Mathew was saying about her,

"That you're too keen"

and when she hears that he considers her ‘too keen’ she is furious; “If that’s his attitude, stuff him!”

"Who do you think you are?"

She marches over to the bar and exclaims, “Too keen? Who do you think you are? God’s gift?” then marches out of the pub.

Colin arrives back in the village

Colin alights from Gaynor’s car as Ffion and Gethin are approaching;

Ffion's headache has miraculously eased

“My headache is better, and I’ll be back this afternoon,” says Ffion, which pleases Gaynor.

"I respect your decision"

“I respect your decision,” Ffion advises.

Colin tells Gaynor, “There, Ffion has forgiven you – there’s nothing to worry about.” Gaynor wonders why she chose to do the job, and hands Colin his ukulele.