Word Of Mouth On Tonypandy,Treorchy......And Bridgend Town

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

What I'm going to say has absolutely no scientific basis on it whatsoever. Just word of mouth. But I would contend no less interesting because of that.

Yesterday friends from the Valleys came down for the evening. Given that it was the first opportunity for them to come down and give my daughter her birthday present. It was a pleasant time, and as these things go the conversation led to one thing and then another till suddenly for no obvious reason Tonypandy came into the conversation.

I have not been there for many years. Before indeed my daughter was born. I remember buying something from a greengrocer's (can't remember what) and the shop assistant's surprise that I was speaking with an English accent.

Well apparently that shop has closed down. Along with a number of others. The ASDA's nearby is blamed. Note to self. Have a look next time you're up there.

From then on the conversation moved onto Treorchy and how that town has relatively survived the effects of austerity. Daughter's and wife's eyes rolled upwards. For as I've said on this blog before if my wife dies before me that's where I want to move to.

"But..." said I moving it onwards "surely Tonypandy can't be as bad as Bridgend Town?"

And the answer?

"Umm Someone else has told me Bridgend Town's not that nice".

And that's the point Bridgend Labour Council. When a town's reputation spreads beyond the borders of the borough, then things are really serious.

It may be word of mouth Bridgend Labour Council but it spreads rapidly.

And Bridgend Labour Council you are to blame.

Until the next time.

Treorchy Before I Die....Possibly

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

House news first. Six houses have been seen this weekend (it was meant to be seven but one, the one for me which I liked the most when I saw it online was sold before we were about to go out today) and none was liked by us all. So unless anything unexpected occurs a renting we will go.

Yesterday though we did nothing much except when friends, a couple from the legendary Rhondda Valley came round to visit. In the beginning it was to deliver some Easter eggs for my daughter but eventually it always develops into gossip as to how things are between us.

Normally the way things  turn the lady goes to chat with my wife whilst the gentleman and I watch some motorsport I've recorded for him. He is a fan, I'm more neutral. Today however all of us actually watched four episodes of the Welsh language channel's S4C programme Pobol Y Rhondda, Now it's second series it highlights the various interesting characters of that region, which as I've said before if you consider Wales as Italy with rain then this is the Welsh Tuscany.

To our friends it was a home movie full of people and places they recognised. I'd shown them the original series when that was on (they're not Welsh speakers) and they became fans. To my wife however it was a prompt to something I told her and indeed mentioned in this blog on Christmas day.

"My husband" she told them "has said that should I die before him he will move to Treorchy".

They turn and look a little surprised. You could tell from that comment that the wife was unimpressed when I told her this the first time. Suspect she thought it was rather ghoulish. Mind you in the scheme of things it's not as if I said that I was going to shack up with a woman half my age and we would perform sexual gymnastics to the limits that my heart and back would take me.

(Don't forget that this move to Penarth and the surrounding areas has been mainly been powered by the wife who gradually has been homesick for her homeland. As she was there for me (even when she didn't know it) when I suffered in silence from an agonising and paralysing depression on being unemployed I feel I owe her)

She had apparently also told this to some people in Cardiff/surrounding area who it appeared laughed at my plan. Wasn't bothered by this. There are some snobby people who consider a journey of over ten minutes from of the Welsh capital to be a trek outside of civilisation. And a journey to the Valleys? Why you need to hire Sherpas first.

The irony that they mocked my plan given that I'm a Londoner is not lost on me.

(And please note I said some snobby people. They are an extremely small minority. They do however exist)

The choice of Treorchy is simple. It's a town so in easy reach of shops. It also has a train station so if there came a time I was unable to drive would still would be able to travel. It is also, even from the town close to those Tuscan views that I treasure, but rarely in hot weather which I don't.

On reflection our friends were not surprised, They already knew how much I was a Valleys fan. What they did mention was that Treorchy is apparently considered the "posh" part of the Rhondda. Nearby Tonypandy has apparently experienced a marked decline. Last time I passed Tonypandy it was on a Bank holiday, shops were closed so couldn't really have an opinion.

Will it happen? Only the future will tell. Could be dead the moment I finish this post and just be marked as some deluded old romantic. The grass is always greener on the other side and in this case it's the green grass of the valley.

Until the next time.