Folks

While a return to St Davids had long been my intention, I could never decide when.  Out of the blue I got an invitation from my Cousin Christine to her 65th birthday celebration at the RAFA in St Davids.  Well there's the decider.  Christine is the youngest child of my Uncle Ron and Aunty Eirwen.  As she was only 5ish when we emigrated from England, I did not know her well.  I had seen her on return trips to Wales but she was always busy with her own family and my image of her is moving through St Davids with a gaggle of girls.  Christine no longer lives in St Davids but saw the chance of a party there bringing everyone together again.  I was excited about that but also eager to enter the mysterious 'raffa'.  When we were children, our parents would sometimes leave us in the evening to go to the raffa.  I was intrigued but didn't give it much thought because it provided  opportunities to spend more time with cousins.

It was a 70s party so I didn't really need to find suitable clothes.  I have a caftany dress and made a flower garland like the one in the photo below.  I made the flowers from wool using a 'daisy wheel' from the 1970s.  Remember them?

Here one of Christine's daughters sings her Mum's favourite song

and Christine is overcome.

There was also Oriana's 11th birthday.  Here she cuts a monster cake at her grandparents' house.  Oriana is David and Frances' much loved and indulged granddaughter.

David and Frances also took their much indulged cousin, ie me, to Carew Castle.  This was Mum's favourite castle.  It is a ruin but has beautiful grounds and an easy path all around.

We discovered they do excellent sausage rolls, ie a baguette with 3 pork sausages encased, served with a tangy salad and mustard relish.  There is a special name for these rolls.  They feature on just about every menu in Wales but I can't think of the name.

Another day we went to Fishguard.

Frances, David and Yodi

at the end of this breakwater.

That long, sloping piece of land on the right is where Mum, David, Frances, Cairo and I walked from Pwllgwaelod around the headland to Cym yr Eglys - the day I nearly became an orphan.  Mum was 84 at the time.  After my recent cliff walks, I am in even greater awe of her now.