Car's Blog

 This story wasn't included in my book Cwmbran History and Mystery as I had only heard one account of it and the activity could have been put down to natural causes.  The story I heard happened in the late 1960's, my parents had moved to a house in Rede Road and my Mam claimed she could hear footsteps in the house when there was no one else there.  I put this down to being alone in a new environment with central heating that may have made the floorboards creak.  Anyway, there was plenty of new housing in Cwmbran at that time so they were able to move. Fast forward fifty plus years and I am told a second story of spooky goings on in a house in that area.  It is a similar story - footsteps and also the sound of ghostly wheels. It is common knowledge these houses were built near the Henllys Incline where until around a hundred years ago the noise of trams carrying coal from the Henllys Colliery would have been an everyday occurrence but on one day in particular a t...

 Using the census enumerator's route, the original Cross Keys pub was situated between Ty Pwca cottage and the lock-keepers cottage, also known as Canal Cottage, in Five Locks. On the 1861 census it was occupied by John Makeley, 44, who only gave his profession as that of a coal miner, so it may not have been serving drinks at this point.  John lived with his wife, Sarah, 42 and sons William, 18 and George, 15. At the time of the 1871 census it was known as Cross Keys Beer House.  Again its occupier, Robert Hart, 30, only gave one occupation - that of a bolt maker.  He lived there with his wife Emma, 25 and son William, 2. We know that alcohol was being served there in the mid 1870's because of an article in the Monmouthshire Merlin of June 1874 when a man called David Davies was charged with being drunk and refusing to leave the premises.  He was fined ten shillings. The inn made the news in March 1883 when James Thatcher, a brewers haulier from Newport was sum...

 Where are you? That sweet, smiling man in the photograph The man that would never hurt me My hero and my friend Why can't I find you You never said goodbye Just switched off the love inside I've never known why Where did you go? The man I meant everything to And who meant the world to me The funny man who loved to see me smile That made silly videos and kissed me goodnight Where is the man who called me beautiful And the best girlfriend he ever had Why does he look at me now with eyes of stone And leave me to love him all alone copyright 2022 carol ann lewis

 Went for a road trip to llanbedr to St Peter's Church.  It's a building dating back to medieval times though there was apparently a structure there in the 10th century.  The most interesting thing about this place is it has a yew tree growing in the churchyard that is around three thousand years old.  You might think, well its just a tree but as you get near to it it is a truly impressive specimen.  Its trunk is hollow and so wide that you can fit inside it.  People bring offerings to the the tree and ask for healing.  To put its age into perspective this tree pre-dates the birth of Jesus by a thousand years.  It was probably a place of worship for the druids and has withstood storms, plagues, war and just about everything the world can throw at it and is still standing and growing.

 Never in a million years did I think I would find myself here mourning the loss of someone  so perfect You've got to trust me he said  I did, though wasn't prepared for the deception and stories he created around him So deep was my soul entrenched in his own  I could barely see where I  began and he ended And then to be torn from the place I called home and replaced as if completely drained of my senses Now my soul is tired done with cheats and liars it wants to leave this world once and for all His presence in this room still haunts in the gloom at the seeping darkness calling me home So let me sleep now and when tomorrow comes round let all memories of him  be discarded Let my soul live again and create a new end to the one he would have seen me die in image by Pixabay free images

 St Aeddan's Church was founded by an Irish saint, Aedan of Ferns (558-632) first as an oratory.  The first church on the site had 12th century origins but the building that stands there today is 15th century.  It is a grade 1 listed building and has the best example of an oak rood and screen probably anywhere in the UK. If you look at the second photo you will see I have captured an orb on the left-hand side. The churchyard contains an ancient Yew which is about 2000 years old.  A rhyme about the tree stands in the entrance to the church. Some other photos of the area A tiny place with loads of history, well worth a visit :)

  image by pixabay free images It was an August afternoon My Avon rep had called To deliver a parcel My latest cosmetics haul Just in time, I was going out To a club to watch a band And maybe if I was lucky Might find myself a man So I did my hair and dressed up I was almost good to go When I spotted a bronze bottle With the name of Summer Glow I didn't remember ordering it I thought what harm can there be So I poured a dollop in my hand And plastered it over me On my legs and on my face I'd have a lovely tan For when I have a photo of me And the singer of the band All was well for a while Til in the mirror I could see I was turning orange! Like a radioactive baked bean Brighter and brighter it got From my head to my feet My screams of horror could be heard At the other end of the street I cried into my beer that night As I sat home alone Like an angry Oompah Loompah Cursing my summer glow copyright 2022 carol ann lewis

Image by Pixabay free images  I returned to the old pier Days of us behind me Clutching my symbol of so-called love Between my fingers tightly Before me waves crashed The sun burned my skin Viscious seagulls fought and squawked At an overflowing bin My steps along the creaking deck A journey I must take With my heart in my hands A funeral for the fake At Captain Jack's Bar I sat a while And bought myself a drink Re-playing memories over Giving me time to think Then I took that precious sapphire heart Held it to the light Walked to the pier edge Still holding on to it tight It sparkled as I let it fall Into the murky depths of the sea You said this heart was forever But your forever wasn't with me copyright 2022 carol ann lewis

 Today you denied you knew me Walked past, looked right through me Must admit that hurt a bit Then I thought, what a tit! Cos why are your grandad pants Still draped over my chair And your ten cans of spray To puff up your hair Why do your shoes Still sit next to mine And the necklaces you gave me Still sparkle and shine Why are there photos Of you in my bed? Was it someone else I had in there instead? Come now don't tell me You can't remember that Cos the smile on your face Was like the Cheshire cat I encouraged your dreams While I put mine on hold How did you become  So heartless and cold Erased your memory I think you have Had an encounter With the Men in Black Or maybe some aliens Left beside you a pod Then crept out one night And took over your bod! You reduced our relationship To just four words 'Only speak to her' Well how absurd So I'll add to your story A dramatic plot twist From this day forward You don't exist You never did image - pixabay free images

 Waiting at the bus stop I saw you passing by You paused for a moment Turned to me and smiled Then I recalled a dream I had Just that very night You'd been there in my bedroom Arms around me, tight Such a strange experience As real as life could be As is your spirit travelled Just to be with me In the dark your voice was clear As vivid as I've ever known You told me that you loved me But when I awoke I was all alone So I wonder when I dream tonight Will you return to my bed Or is it just the Horlicks Messing with my head! copyright carol ann lewis 2022 image - pixabay free images

 There comes a time in life When you see through the reality lens You see hate filled monsters Who you once thought were friends Your heart will sink and break From a loss as heavy as grief For in their crumbling façade Lies an evil underneath Cleverly disguised as love But not for you anymore You only have to take a breath To irritate them to the core One wrong move, it's all your fault Gives them the excuse to run away And everything you did for them Is thrown back in your face It's all been so fruitless Loving someone who doesn't care Try and deny it all you want The truth is standing right there And you feel so damn stupid As you look back on your life Trying to find that perfect gift Just to see them smile You discover you're a tear filled fool As you sit alone and cry You'd give them your very last breath While they don't care if you live or die But don't you go and give up my friend I know it's not what you want to hear There'll come a day whe...

 Drinks for two That's how I knew That you were a liar A binned receipt Torn up so neat Told a tale most dire Cos I'm a nosy cow I fished it out And put it all together Drinks for two For you and who? I was at the end of my tether When I was at home Stuck all alone You were out there cheating Buying things for me? Your lies were obscene You were really meeting Someone else Now it all makes sense I don't know why you're mad Shouting at me Because I now see Why you treated me so bad Not allowed In your part of town I often wondered why Now it's revealed For all to see You led a double life It is unreal How you make people feel That you are the victim Yes, of yourself There's no one else Behaving like a cretin As for me I know there'll be Days that are much brighter And if my poem you hate Well it's too late Shouldn't have pissed off a writer copyright 2022 carol ann lewis image - pixabay free images

  image pixabay free images I wonder if he'll miss me When the future finally calls When a gentle voice whispers my name And in love again I fall Will he regret letting me go Over a few silly words Or will his ego keep him tied To a narcissistic life on Earth Will he think of me when Im in the arms of another man Will he regret his rage And how far from us he ran I wonder what went wrong What could have changed overnight How did, How are you Become his trigger for a fight Make no mistake I'll miss him and all the time we shared And the message he sent when I was ill Gives me hope that he still cares Our eyes met for a moment today Was that sadness I could see Don't wait too long, for now at least You still have all of me

 It had been a whole three weeks I'd been deserted by my man He'd had some kind of meltdown And from my life he ran I was in a state of limbo Was I wanted or not? Not a word or explanation As to why he'd lost the plot My weekend was looking bleak After work Friday afternoon There'd be no smiles or kisses for me No love or laughter anytime soon But the universe was plotting My weekend behind the scenes As I went to bed at nine pm To escape into my dreams For there on Saturday morning On Facebook I did see Ten new friend requests From men, all wanting me One of them sent a photo Of a certain body part! Proudly holding it in his hand Was a very horny man! I thought I should be offended Report him to Facebook But then I thought 'Bugger it' And had another look! Off out then for rugby Drinking cider and rum Having a laugh with my friends My weekend was becoming fun Downing shots under a starry sky Log fire burning bright I don't remember going home But I know I h...

I think Im over the worst.  I'm sleeping better though I've woken up a few times from sweating.  I'm not sure what day it is and my brain feels a bit foggy.  My sore throat is easing and so is my cough slightly though Im still coughing up fluid off my lungs..  I've now been able to eat a piece of toast without throwing it back up!  The worst part now is having very little energy.  I feel totally washed out.  I've tried doing small things around the house but I cant.  So, I have started taking high strength vitamin D, iron and drinking Lucozade.  I now have to take a test on day 5, if it is negative I have to take another on day 6 and if that's negative Im free!  Unfortunately mine is still showing positive. So its back to bimge watching sci-fi films and the manic street preachers for now!  

  Covid doesn't like chilli!  In a scene that wouldn't have looked out of place in The Exorcist, that's out too. Had a horrendous night, still feverish and exhausted from coughing. Had a man from Test, Trace and Protect Services banging on my door this afternoon.  I opened it and he threw a letter at me, literally. It said to isolate or the police may call!  what did he think I was doing?  Im having enough problems trying to find the energy to get from the sofa to the kitchen never mind anywhere else!  Maybe its because there's a rugby game on tonight.  Yes I'm really going to go out projectile vomiting everywhere aren't I!  Anyway, missed most of the rugby, fell asleep. My daughter cooked a pork dinner, that's also joined the chilli. I've now not had food that's stayed in  for three days.  Feeling really ill, the kind where you feel like crying but you cant.  Its getting so painful to cough my lungs are so sore.  No problems b...

  Terrible Night!  I've barely slept.  My temperature is raging but at the same time Im shivering.  I've sent lemsip down by the bucket load! I've gone to bed in my thick woolly sheep pyjamas,  I've got a dressing gown on top.  Over that I've got a cardigan and to finish it off I'm wrapped in a quilt cocoon!  It hasn't worked Im still shivering.  My head is pounding.  I've got a pretty bad cough now too which is making me sick,  Im not throwing anything up because I haven't felt like eating, even though I was starving earlier.  What is coming up however is frothy watery stuff!  For most of the day I've sat on the sofa falling asleep because the fatigue is overwhelming.  My son has decided to cook Chilli.  I am going to try some, something hot and spicy might sweat this Covid out.

To be honest I didn't really notice having Covid at first,  I felt a bit shivery overnight and woke up with a runny nose feeling a bit 'off'  but that was it.  I thought I'd caught a chill as it had been cold.  My son said to do a test, so I did and there it was, a positive result.  I was shocked, it was like a surprise pregnancy test all over again! Except I was home to Covid not a baby. At that point I didn't feel too bad, which was good because between texts from the NHS and phone calls from work I wasn't having much rest at all.  So ,here I am,  stuck in my house isolating.  In five days time I have to do another two tests twenty-four hours apart and if they are both negative I will be free again.   Main symptoms are a runny nose (like a tap), cough, banging headache, very sore throat and a fever.  Im also feeling very hungry.  I haven't lost any sense of smell or taste.  

  In January 1848 in Glasgow, George Fay was charged with culpable homicide and also the cruel, barbarous and unnatural treatment of his wife Margaret in so far as on 30 th June 1847 he caused his wife to be confined in a water closet until 23 rd September following which from the effects of such treatment, she died. George Campbell, Inspector of the Poor, said “I went to the prisoner's house on 23 rd September. I inquired for the prisoner and found he was at home. Asked prisoner where his wife was. He said in the country and would be home the next day. Told him I must see her as I had information that she was in the house. There are three rooms, a kitchen and a water closet in the lobby. There was a window a foot square in the door of the water closet. I asked the servant, Margaret Hume to light a candle and asked the prisoner again if his wife was in the house, when he admitted she was. He was then leading me to a room behind when I noticed a bar across the wate...

 There was a wedding in County Clare one summer's eve around 1898.  The celebrations were at their height and all were wishing good luck to the bride and groom.  Then one of the guests told the groom that someone wished to see him by the gate. He stepped aside and found an old woman, in her hands a wreath of gold. "This" she said "is for your bonny bride but first let me see it upon yourself" And with that she laid it on his bare head. "Now give me a kiss and go back to the fun" she added. He stooped and kissed her and turned back to the house, but all was dark and silent,  He knocked and after a long wait a strange man opened the door. "Where is my bride and guests" exclaimed the dazed youth.  He asked in vain. All he could learn of the occupant of the cottage was that he had heard his grandfather say that once there was a wedding in the house at which the groom had suddenly disappeared and never returned! Evening Express  10th September 189...