Hymns and Arias

"Dansons la capucine" (Watch on YouTube)

Also RIP Merv the Swerve.

For anyone for whom the above is impenetrable - today Wales is playing France in the Six Nations. If they win they will also have won a Grand Slam, which means they have won all their matches. :) This is kind of important to the people who care.

Merv the Swerve was one of the star rugby players back in the 70s when winning Grand Slams was a fairly regular thing. He died on Thursday. Flags fly at half mast and both teams today will wear black armbands as a mark of respect. That's kind of important too for anyone old enough to remember that long lanky body topped with a Mario moustache legging it across the pitch. "The best number 8 ever to pull on a Welsh jersey", oh bless.

Chwarae teg, which means fair play, no fouls and keep your tempers, and pob hwyl, which means not just good luck but the sudden ecstatic inspiration that causes jaws to drop and breath to stop and a crowd of 40 thousand to scream as one. There's nothing mild about the Welsh language.

Not Too Busy on May 17th?

I'm going to have a bash even though there are already masses of people who have signed up. Authors, publishers, reviewers all welcome. If you want to have a go you can sign up here.