Cwmderi Diary 2017: 19 December 2017

"Phone me any time, day or night"

Diane looks worried as she speaks to Emma on the phone; “Phone me any time, day or night,” she says, and Hannah asks if everything is all right.

"Your mother and Dirk have separated"

“Your mother and Dirk have separated,” Diane replies sadly.

"Mam is better off without him!"

“No way!” exclaims Hannah, joyfully, “Excellent! Mam is better off without him,”

"She's alone on the other side of the world"

but Diane points out that she is alone on the other side of the world. She wanted Emma to come here, but she is staying with friends instead. “She’ll be fine,” insists Hannah.

Dai hands out Christmas money . . .

Then Dai comes in and gives £5 to DJ and £20 to Hannah, remarking to Chester, “Sorry, family only!” He also gives money to Diane;

. . . and DJ thinks he is seeing things

DJ thinks he is hallucinating, seeing Dai handing out cash. “Your Christmas present – you need money before Christmas, not after,” is Dai’s reply.

Diane is angry, and retrieves the money from DJ and Hannah, returning it to Dai

"You're buying proper presents this year!"

and demanding, “You’re buying proper presents this year! This is a difficult Christmas for DJ as it is – his first without Linda. So pull your finger out!”

"We'd better go to school"

Chester thinks it is time they left for school, and Diane asks DJ for a lift down to the village;

"Let's get out of Scrooge's way!"

“Let’s get out of Scrooge’s way!”

"Puss, puss, puss!"

As soon as they have gone, Dai opens the back door and calls for the cat.

They are going to collect Arwen . . .

Gethin parks the car outside Cysgod y Glyn; he and Ffion are about to go and bring Arwen home. Sheryl happens to be passing and asks how she is;

. . . and Ffion is looking happier than for some time

Ffion is overjoyed to reply that Arwen is coming home, and hopes there will not be a hitch.

She hurries off to get a pink cake

“I’m going to the café to buy her one of those pink cakes,” she says.

"It's nice to see her smiling again"

Sheryl tells Gethin that it is nice to see her smiling again that; “I’m glad that you can talk to me,” she adds.

"Can I speak to Santa?"

Kelly hurries into the shop, asking Eileen if she can speak to Santa;

"I want to pick his brains"

“I want to pick his brains now we don’t have a lorry – I told Dai where to go!” Eileen replies that Jim is not there, and expresses disgust at Kelly’s attitude.

“He was on the fiddle – going to use the charity money to pay the rugby club’s debt,” Kelly insists, but Eileen thinks they still could have used his lorry.

Eifion wants to advertise the homebrew kit

Eifion has come in, wanting to advertise Mathew’s homebrew kit, which he is selling.

"If you know of anyone with a few reindeer"

“While you’re at it,” Kelly comments, “If you know anyone with a spare Santa sleigh and a few reindeer, let me know, yeah?”

"It's Dirk's fault I left Australia"

As they come out of the café with their coffees, Hannah explains, “It’s Dirk’s fault that I left Australia. “Mam will be heaps happier without him, trust me,” but she senses that Chester is not happy.

"There's nothing stopping you going back"

“Well, now that Dirk’s out of the way, there is nothing stopping you from going back,” he answers,

"Of course there is – you!"

but she makes it very clear that she is not going back – on account of him. Nevertheless she points out that Diane will be hard work now, stressing about Mam.

“Colin has loads of Christmas lights he needs shifting,” he suggests,

"Diane would love some extra bling in the house"

“Diane would love some extra bling in the house – it would cheer her up –

"We would be in the good books"

“and we would be in the good books.”

In the café, Eifion informs Cadno that he has put several posters up in the village; she will be happy when the homebrew kit is sold.

"There's money in home brewing"

Dai interrupts, explaining how there is money to be made from brewing; Cadno is quite clear that the homebrew kit is going and that is the end of it.

"Easy to see who wears the trousers in your house"

Dai remarks to Eifion, “It’s easy to see who wears the trousers in your house.”

Then Eifion tells Cadno that Santa does not does not have a lorry for this procession;

"Look, I've got a trailer and a 4x4"

“Look, I’ve got a trailer and a 4x4. Our name is mud since that chaos with the turkeys –

It is obviously break-time for the workers

“this is our opportunity to change that.”

Conveniently, Kelly walks in at that very moment;

"I hear that Dai has let you down"

“I heard that Dai has let you down,” says Eifion.
Dai protests that Kelly threw his generous offer back in his face,

"How would Santa like a lift on Penrhewl's trailer?"

but Eifion continues, “How would Santa like a lift on Penrhewl’s trailer? I’ll drive the 4x4.” Kelly replies that it would solve all their problems.

"I can see your halo shining!"

Meanwhile, Dai rants at him, “I can see your halo shining!” and Eifion points out that it is the season of goodwill.”

"He's not all bad, is he, Cadno?"

Kelly responds that he is not all bad.

Arwen is home again . . .

Arwen is back home at last, but she does not seem very eager to see her toys again;

. . . but seems very withdrawn

in fact she looks rather downcast. Ffion is concerned that she has not eaten her pink cake;

"Have they sent her home too early?"

“Do you think we should phone the hospital, in case they’ve sent her home too early?” she wonders.

"She's tired after major surgery"

Gethin reminds her that the doctor said she will be tired, as she has had major surgery.

"I want our Arwen back"

“I just want our Arwen back – the one that leaves felt pens and hair slides everywhere,” Ffion frets.

"You sit with her"

Gethin advises her to be patient; “You sit with her, while I shop online for Christmas,” he says. Ffion regrets that she has not bought him a present yet, but he says, “Having Arwen home is enough of a gift for me.”

Gethin takes delivery of a parcel

The buzzer sounds, and, at the door, a delivery man has a parcel for Gethin.

Chester has fitted the Christmas lights all up the stairs at Bryntirion;

"It's really tacky – Gran will love it!"

Hannah comments, “Really tacky – Gran will love it!”

"It's really beautiful"

When Dai and Diane arrive, Diane says it is really beautiful,

"Are you having another go at me?"

but Dai regards it as another dig at him.

“Are are you surprised?” demands Diane, “You usually grumble every Christmas,”

"I've had enough of you three"

and he says he has had enough of them all, and is off to buy gifts for the three of them. “Goodness knows what he’ll buy – but at least he’s trying,” sighs Diane,

"It doesn't feel right"

“Thank you for this – it’s a lovely idea, but it doesn’t feel right – we’re enjoying Christmas while your mother’s on her own. ”

This makes Hannah think

Hannah looks pensive.

"We could make the trailer like a mobile grotto"

Kelly suggests to Eileen, “I thought we could decorate the trailer like a mobile grotto – plenty of tinsel.”

"Is there any of that Cawl left?"

Jim comes in, wondering if there is any of that cawl left, as he is starving.

"I hope you're more jolly when you're Santa!"

Kelly remarks, “I hope you’re more jolly than that when you’re Santa! We don’t want to upset the kids on Christmas morning.”

Unfortunately, Eileen had not mentioned this to Jim, but when he hears their proposition,

"No way, José!"

he replies, “No way, José! You can’t force me to be Santa. I’m not letting the children down because I never volunteered!

"I'm not doing it!"

“You’d better find someone else because I’m not doing it!”

Gethin hides the parcel

Gethin find a space in the cupboard under the sink and hides his parcel. Ffion comes in and reports that Arwen is still asleep;

Ffion's back is giving her trouble

Ffion is obviously in some discomfort with her back, and Gethin is not surprised as she is so tense. She thinks that the a few balloons would would be nice for Arwen, and she has some in the cupboard under the sink, but he dissuades her, advising her to relax instead.

"It's peace and quiet we need, not balloons"

“It’s peace and quiet we need, not balloons,” he says, “She will be running rings round us before long –

"Put your feet up, while you have the chance"

“put your feet up while you have a chance.”

She heads towards the bedroom

She goes off for a lie down,

Gethin sends a message to Sheryl

and he gets out his phone to compose a message to Sheryl.

"It's your favourite cake, Jim"

Eileen brings Jim a cup of tea and a piece of his favourite cake;

"It won't work!"

he informs her, “I know what you’re trying to do – but it won’t work!”

"You'd make a great Father Christmas"

She regards it as a shame, as he would make a great Father Christmas. “I am in a cold sweat, just thinking about it,” he tells her,

"I won't know what to say to them . . ."

“All those children’s faces – it’s years since I’ve had anything to do with little children. I won’t know what to say to them –

". . . what if I make them cry?"

“what if I say the wrong thing and upset one of them? Make them cry or something? It’s better for you to get someone who’s used to it – someone who is a father . . . or a grandfather. Listen, I’m more than willing to help – there is no one better at rattling a bucket,

"I'm not going to be Santa Claus"

“but I’m not going to be Santa Claus.”

"Sorry for putting you under pressure"

Eileen says that she is sorry for putting him under pressure; “After the procession, we’ll come back here and will have a day fit for a queen,

"Just you and me"

“just you and me.”

Gethin has unpacked the present . . .

Gethin is at Sheryl’s house, and thanks her for letting him hide his parcel there; he has unwrapped it, and it shows it to her. “It’s one of those things that gives you a massage,”he explains, “Ffion’s been having a few problems with her back,” and he invites Sheryl to try it out.

. . . but Sheryl is reluctant to try it

At first she refuses, but he insists he has to check that it works; she sits down and he adjusts the controls.

"Turn it down – it tickles!"

“Turn it down – it tickles!” she squeals, and he tries another setting

"Ah, that's better"

which she finds much more relaxing.

"I could get used to this"

“At least, Ffion will have a laugh, even if it doesn’t help her back,” he says, and Sheryl thinks that she could get used to this.

"It's great to see you laughing again"

She is pleased to see Gethin laughing again, and says he deserves to be happy.

"Have you persuaded Jim yet?"

Kelly comes stalking into the shop and asks if Eileen has persuaded Jim to be Santa.

"I don't want you putting pressure on him"

“No, and I don’t want you putting pressure on him either,” she replies.

"You've left me in a real mess!"

Kelly squeals that they have left her in a real mess, but Eileen points out, “You’re not so perfect yourself, madam – Santa could be hitchhiking because of your antics!” Kelly stresses that there is no Santa now.

In desperation, Kelly tries DJ . . .

Then she sees DJ and tries to enlist his help, with no success;

. . . and then Gethin, without success

Gethin is next in the shop, but has the excuse that he cannot leave Ffion and Arwen.

Then he spots some jewellery he like the look of

On the counter he notices some jewellery made by a local girl, and buys one of the items; Eileen remarks that Ffion will love it.

"I'm sick to the back teeth of this flippin' procession!"

Kelly is seriously considering cancelling her plans; “I’m sick to the back teeth of this flippin’ procession!”

"Where's your shopping, then?"

Dai returns to Bryntirion, and Diane demands where his bags of shopping are; “You haven’t come home empty-handed, have you?” she asks, but he replies that he did not say that.

"Dai, man of mystery!"

Chester describes him as a man of mystery.

"I've persuaded Mam to come here"

Hannah comes dashing down the stairs; “I want to see a smile on your face now!” she tells Diane, “I’ve phoned Mam and persuaded her to come here in the New Year.” Diane replies that it is fantastic news. “Well, we try our best, don’t we, Chest?” Hannah laughs.

Chester looks at the flickering lights

Then the Christmas lights start buzzing and flickering; Dai comments, “Typical Monk – faulty wiring runs in the family! Health and safety has gone through the window with those lights.”