The new landlady of the village pub is in fact a former landlady called Ceri
The young woman with a young family who, with her husband Nathan has braved the covid economic decline is in my mind one of the real heroes of this dreadful year.
The Crown reopened last night.
It was a very different pub to what Affable Despot Jason and I remembered.
Table service only, on line booking , no standing at the bar
But every table , throughout the pub and restaurant was filled by villagers happy to have the pub lit and warm and alive again.
Ian and Jo ( without their three legged whippet) Tim, Tim ( Nice and not dim) Trelawnyd Val, Village Leader Ian,
It was nice to be there to support the opening night
Booking for tables can be done here on line via Facebook
I will leave you with this video which is doing the rounds
A former New York Ballerina, suffering from Alzheimers is played Swan Lake
Enjoy x
John, was the two week lock down effective? Two weeks is not long.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear your pub reopened. I am sure it will do a great Sunday lunch. You should treat yourself.
We shall see Andrew. I think it’s got to the stage now that although the Majority are complying everyone is dragged down by it.
DeleteThe mood last night was bright and you could tell that was needed
Thankyou for your blog and sharing so much of your life. I was a British physio and worked in the spinal injury in CapeTown so relate to your background. I loved this video as Swan Lake was my daughter's favourite dance in her youth.
ReplyDeleteWe would have a lovely chat over coffee and cake me thinks xx
DeleteThought you were talking about thenTV series!
ReplyDeleteIt’s a soap all of its own
DeleteGood for you. I'm glad you can enjoy your local once again. Ours are all closed at the moment, I believe. (We haven't been to a pub since at least March!)
ReplyDeleteIt’s my first pub trip since then
DeleteThe video brought me to tears.
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful, the memory of music and dance has remained.
I'm in absolute bits watching the video of the lovely ballerina remembering all the moves she made when she was well and healthy. Her facial expressions really got to me; it was almost like she was realising she could no longer dance physically, only mentally.
Deleteand me xx
DeleteAnd in her wheelchair she danced...and danced beautifully
DeleteI found that video last night and have watched it several times. Still so graceful, and obviously reliving a life well-lived. It brings tears to my eyes every time.
ReplyDeleteA little flash of sweetness
DeleteStunningly Beautiful . . .
ReplyDeleteThank you John . . .
I just found it lynnex
DeleteSo glad The Crown has reopened, it seems Wales is waking up again, my inbox has been flooded with notifications of places opening up.
ReplyDeleteThe video is beautiful isn't it.
Yes....it was nice to feel more alive
DeleteI guess Swan Lake made the ballerina feel more alive...for a while. Beautiful.
DeleteThank you for the video, I was looking for it earlier today. Beautiful but sad.
ReplyDeleteBut once a diva , always a diva eh?
DeleteGreat news about the pub. My mum used to make me play the piano at the old folks home, I was terrible. But they clapped and sang along and some even got up and danced. I cant remember which country it is, I think it might be the Netherlands where they have a community for people with dementia and alzheimers where it is like being back in time.
ReplyDeleteOne nursing home in this country has made a room into a train carriage to stimulate old memories
DeleteWhat a wonderful video. I watched it in tears it was so poignant. Two days before my aunt died my brother brought her a tape of all her favourite songs (she was a performer in her youth). He put headphones on her and suddenly she sat straight up and sang along. It was so wonderful to see and was the last time she said or did anything. Memory is a strange and wonderful thing. x
ReplyDeleteAnd such a precious thing
DeleteBeautiful video, I hope there were people there to clap for her when she finished.
ReplyDeleteShe shut down at the end and waved the memory away, Alzheimer’s often get over stimulatedthen shit down very quickly
Deletewow...that is just amazing and so very beautiful.
ReplyDeleteA bit of class
DeleteLovely to see you last night and to see the pub so busy! Good news they are still dog friendly so we can take our 2 and 3/4 whippets along! The swan lake video was beautiful, I think Ian must be chopping onions very nearby xx
ReplyDeleteHi jo, I’ve missed seeing your fractions whippets around the village
DeleteLovely to see you too xx
Has my name come up? Didn't mean to be anon
ReplyDeleteHi jo
DeleteJohn, I just love that your local pub is opened, and so many are going. Your little town sounds so warm and comforting and supportive. The video was quite touching. She still had the grace of a swan in her tiniest of movements, and with such delicate placement of her arms and hands. The Other Side for her will be a delightful place of music and dancing. Thank you for sharing this, and for sharing your life.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Karla x
DeleteMusic stirs deep memory, my grandmother couldn't remember who her only daughter was, thought I was her long gone brother, but could still play the piano, something she hadn't done in 30+ years. Glad to see the pub is open, have you seen that James May has bought a closed pub near within walking distance of his country house and reopening it?
ReplyDeleteSuch a precarious time for the young couple who is renting it
DeleteI'm so glad The Crown didn't take long to find a new life. As for the video, I'd seen the link but hadn't watched it until now. I'm having a difficult time seeing the screen through the tears.
ReplyDeleteThat is exactly why I chose not to watch the video
DeleteIt’s worth the viewing traveller
DeleteIt gives much more than it takes
Good to hear the pub is open and busy again. The video caused shivers down my spine x
ReplyDeleteEvery table was filled, it was like a movie
DeleteSuch a beautiful video of a beautiful lady.
ReplyDeleteThe gracefulness seems innate
DeleteI love that video -- saw it on the news last night. What a beautiful triumph of the human spirit!
ReplyDeleteMoving and like you said a real triumph
Deletewhen she moved her graceful arms, I thought she was going to fly. thanks for a touching video this morning.
ReplyDeleteMuscle memory ,,amazing
DeleteSuch expressive arms and hands, she must have been a beautiful dancer. I hope she still gets joy from the music.
ReplyDeleteSee below , the ballerina has since died 😳
DeleteSo happy you have your pub. What a wonderful sense of community. My father died of Alzheimer's. Near the end, we had a young woman come in and sing him songs accompanied by her guitar. He would come a bit alive. Music really does attach itself deeply within us. This vid? Heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteYes heartbreaking, more so for you, I’m sorry
DeleteThat was actually her dancing in the 1960s wasn't it. I understand she has since died but what a lovely way to reconnect, and that young man's kindness in kissing her hand - just lovely!
ReplyDeleteA little bit of magic
DeleteShe has more grace in her little finger than most of us will ever have in our entire bodies in our entire lives.
ReplyDeleteI've just seen and shared this video on FB. It brought tears to my eyes.
ReplyDeleteA very important part of the village. I am not sure I would be going to a pub here. Not yet.
ReplyDeleteUnderstandable, I just had to make the break
DeleteI can hardly see to type for the tears from seeing that poignant video. When we sang the birthday song for what was my mother's last birthday,she, who had been lost in the mists of Alzheimers, perked up, smile a huge smile, and sang along. What a gift.
ReplyDeleteSo happy The Crown is open again, thanks to Ceri and Nathan. May their venture be a safe haven and wildly successful.
Hugs!
Such a moving film John. It is truly awe inspiring the way music can reach and transport all of of us, regardless of our physical or mental state. She has such elegance still.
ReplyDeleteAnd the way she moved her hand to raise the volume
DeleteVery the diva lol
this video moved me to tears, it was so lovely xx
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this lovely video.
ReplyDeleteGlad the pub is open again. The video is marvelous. Joyful too.
ReplyDeleteI am happy for you that your village pub has opened!
ReplyDeleteThat video is so beautiful. I have heard that music can reach Alzheimer’s patients when nothing else can.
It tickled every emotional bone
DeleteThat video is so moving. My Dad died of Alzheimer's and it reminded me of how thin he got towards the end when it became difficult to swallow.
ReplyDeleteShe still has the graceful movements, tho. Thanks, John.
It teaches us a great deal x
DeleteThe video was moving. We had an Alzheimer patient in the last stages. A lady began to play a hymn on the piano. Her eyes opened, her head turned, and she began to mouth the words. It was a profoundly moving moment to me.
ReplyDeleteYes Debby , thank you for your comment and thank you for your defence last night...bad behavour on line is getting me down x
DeleteBritish pubs are the best. Friendly with lots of camaraderie. Bringing people together for good times is good for all. So glad your pub has re-opened. Despite the disease, gracefulness and love of ballet stayed with her. Sweet, moving and sad all at the same time.
ReplyDeleteThe video is heart warming and heart breaking.
ReplyDeleteTaken to another time and place, the heart remembers, grace and beauty never leave.
ReplyDeleteGood news. I trust the beer was tasty.
ReplyDeleteThe most beautiful video pure magic every hand gesture made you imagine she was leaping through the air and in her mind no doubt she was. A beautiful lady.
ReplyDeleteGlad that you enjoyed meeting up with the locals at the pub we all long for interaction with friends and we need to support our local establishments.
Lovely video. Thank you for sharing. Also thank you for the introductory sentence that made it clear there is a video to watch. I usually read your blog on my phone, and for some reason videos are just empty places. If I know there's supposed to be something there, I can switch to the web view and watch it. So thanks again for mentioning that there is a video there.
ReplyDeleteJulia