Diolch @hewrop 
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I finished "Bywyd Blodwen Jones” by Bethan Gwanas yesterday evening, so time for another update. Imagine what might happen if Bridget Jones had a cousin who had moved to Bethesda… Blodwen Jones is a librarian who dreams of marrying her Welsh tutor, the lovely Llew. She shares her cottage with her snooty cat HRH and has all sorts of good intentions about living “The Good Life”. She also owns a very naughty goat called Blodeuwedd. As a result, there is plenty of scope for Blodwen’s life to go wrong…
The spiel on the back of the book says it is suitable for those who has been learning for a year or two. There are usually some glossed words at the bottom of each page, but you will probably need access to a dictionary too. I found there were times when I could read a whole page and only have to look up a couple of additional words in the dictionary, and others when I had to look up several words in every sentence.
It is written in the form of a diary, and entries range from a couple of sentences to several pages. It isn’t as easy to pick up and put down as "E-Ffriendiau” and I’ve nearly missed my bus stop several times over the past three weeks because I’ve been too engrossed with Blodwen’s misadventures. If you’ve only been studying Welsh with SSIW, it probably isn’t the best book to read first, but it definitely makes a fun second or third read.
In other news, unfortunately, I haven’t made quite as much progress with Course 2 and Level 2 as I would have liked this month. Had a rather frightening asthma flare up that put me out of action for over a week. As a result, I’m only on Lesson 8 and Challenge 6. However, I’m currently loving the “how to complain about work" vocabulary in the Challenges, and I fear that I’m going to struggle to keep a straight face next time I’m at a departmental meeting as I’ll be playing “business bingo” in Welsh in my head!
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You probably know, but in case not, there are two sequels to "Bywyd Blodwen Jones” that are also worth reading.
"Blodwen Jones a’r Aderyn Prin " and
“Tri Chynnig i Blodwen Jones”.
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In case anyone else is in the area and fancies joining us, @aran, @siaronjames and I are planning to meet up for a panad on Sunday afternoon at Fron Goch Garden Centre near Caernarfon at 3pm.
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Again, its been a while since I last updated this thread. I’ve been keeping up with my challenge to read a Welsh book a month, and have two more book reviews for you:
First up - Blodwen Jones a’r Aderyn Prin (by Bethan Gwanas). Unfortunately, poor Blodwen is single yet again. Life continues to be challenging, with a flea infestation in her cottage, a garden full of weeds and a goat that is still eating everything. Will a chance encounter with a rare bird on Bardsey Island improve things for the better?
Secondly - Tri Chynnig i Blodwen Jones (again by Bethan Gwanas). After all her relationship woes in Books 1 and 2, I’m very pleased to report that Blodwen’s luck has finally changed. Only problem is that she now has to decide which man she wants! In the meantime, strict metre poetry, bird watching, strip-o-grams and a wedding (amongst others) provide plenty of scope for Blodwen’s life to be as eventful as always…
If you’ve read and enjoyed Bwywd Blodwen Jones, there is no reason why you can’t enjoy these two too! There are usually some glossed words at the bottom of each page, but you’ll need access to a (decent) dictionary too as the range of vocabulary used increases as the series progresses.
I’ve really enjoyed the series, so thank you very much @AnneEvans and @AmandaLaing for recommending them to me on Bwtcamp. Onwards and upwards…
On the Lessons, Challenges and Vocab front, I’ve had plenty of distractions over the past two months trying to compete with learning Welsh. Living in a hotel for 4 weeks wasn’t much fun at all. Pulled out of new-build flat purchase (was just so fed up of being mucked around, lied to and had massively cold feet), and now in a 6 month rental while I work out what I want to do in the longer term. Despite this, now on Lesson 15 of Course 2, Challenge 15 of Level 2 (ouch - not a good lesson to be trying to do whilst doing a 3k time trial, but it certainly made it go quicker) and recapping Course 1 Vocab 2.
It was lovely spending a morning with @Novem at the Eisteddfod, and even better to actually be able to talk to you this time (after my lack of vocabulary issues on Bwtcamp). Also lovely to see @karengo again, and to have lunch with her and @Novem. It was a shame that I didn’t realise @Netmouse was hiding in the Science tent - all the more reason for me to ditch the ‘dumb’ phone (even with its two weeks of battery) and enter the 21st century…
And to finish (I hope this is OK), the first in a series of pictures of things made whilst SSIWing. Made between Christmas and New Year for my cousin’s new baby, who was born at the end of January.
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The elephant is gorgeous - what a good way of occupying the other half of your brain in lessons…
Sorry to have missed you. I did spend a disproportionate amount of time in the science tent, it had to be said! I’m looking forward to hearing how your Welsh has come on when our paths finally cross again!
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I’m currently wondering how it can be the end of November already. I’ve (just about) managed to keep up with my challenge to read a Welsh book each month, and have three more book reviews for you:
Firstly, Sgwp by Lois Arnold. Lowri Glyn is a young cub reporter, working for the local newspaper in the seaside town of Pen-y-Bae. She dreams of being famous in the future, but she spends her time reporting on coffee mornings and flower shows, and typing long-winded letters about dog poo on the town’s pavements. When she gets the opportunity to investigate some vandalism at the caravan park where she grew up, it turns out to be part of something much bigger. Is this her first big scoop?
Sgwp is aimed at those studying ‘Sylfaen Dau’ and ‘Canolradd’, and there are usually some glossed words at the bottom of each page, as well as an alphabetical list of glossed words at the back of the book. My Oxford Modern Welsh Dictionary wasn’t up to the task at times (I’ve been finding the English to Welsh section far more useful than the Welsh to English section), and I had to resort to lots of bookmarks before looking words up in Geiriadur Bangor Online in my lunch break or once I got home from work. The chapters are short (typically 3-6 pages), making it easy to dip in and out of. I definitely enjoyed the story, but do wonder whether Lois Arnold is planning a sequel, as she leaves a number of loose threads unresolved.
Secondly, Ffenestri by Lois Arnold. This is a collection of short stories and poems for learners, divided into three sections - one for ‘Mynediad’, one for ‘Sylfaen’ and one for ‘Canolradd’. I initially found Sgwp quite a step up from E-Frindiau and the Blodwen Jones series, and suspect that I might have found it a lot easier if I had read Ffenestri first.
The short stories and poems are on a variety of different subjects. My particular favourites were the poems ‘Hwyl Gyda Geiriau’ (I’m sure I’m not the only one who has initially struggled with pronouncing with ‘computer’ in Welsh) and ‘Mynd i’r Eisteddfod’, and the short stories ‘y Warden Traffig’ (which reminded me of my previous job and my weekly battles with the Council’s Parking Team) and ‘Y Dyn ar y Mynydd’. Like E-Ffrindiau and Sgwp, there are glossed words at the bottom of every page, as well as an alphabetical list of glossed words at the back of the book.
After Sgwp, I found this a very easy read indeed (my first read through took just four days), and I didn’t need to look up many words in the dictionary at all (around 20 in total over a 150 page book).
Thirdly, Cysgod yn y Coed by Lois Arnold. This is a little book (75 pages) of short stories, aimed at those who have been learning for a year or two, and who want a bit of a challenge. I had originally planned to give this book a miss, but following a brief encounter with some more literary Welsh (albeit of the Stori Sydyn persuasion) after finishing Sgwp, I stocked up on a couple more books in learners Welsh to put off the inevitable until I’m a little more confident. I’m glad I didn’t miss this one out, as I have really enjoyed these short stories, more so than those in Ffenestri.
The language used felt comparable to the ‘Canolradd’ section of Ffenestri, although I had to look up far more words. There are glossed words at the bottom of most pages, but there is no alphabetical glossary at the back like E-Ffrindiau, Ffenestri and Sgwp. The stories tend to be about 6-10 pages long, enough to set up a story, and then to introduce a twist at the end.
As this is already rivalling War and Peace, I’m going to leave it there for today. There is still more of an update to follow…
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