Finding life hard?: Ancient and not so history

Leslie arrived on Monday and not wanting to waste the day I dragged her around the village of Oystermouth.

As part of the Swansea Festival of Stitch - while needles are anathema to me I do have friends who stitch - bollards at the pier had been yarn-bombed.

The pier was such an important part of my childhood. Various relatives worked there including, after he retired, my grandfather. I used to love to visit him: he was the ticket man in the little box at gate. A little snug box with a heater and enclosed against the weather. A childhood den.

But it's gone now. I was shocked to discover that not only has the entrance gate gone but all the railings have been removed as they've finally started work on repairing the pier itself. It's about time. Walking along it for the last few years has been a bit like playing Russian roulette.

Then after a lunch break in Verdi's we continued to Oystermouth Castle ...

Leslie and an old ruin

and to All Saints' Church. I wanted to show Leslie the commemorative stained glass in memory of the crew of the lifeboat who all perished in the 1947 disaster but I also pointed out to her the ancient font, of prime importance because I was christened there.

We continued the local history theme with a visit to the birthplace and early home of Dylan Thomas - the place where he wrote two thirds of his works. It's largely the brainchild and investment of one man, Geoff Haden, who bought and restored the house to its former glory, and furnished it in the style of the early twentieth century when it was first built. He was fortunate enough to meet a woman who had been a maid for the Thomas family and she was able to give him a lot of information about how the place looked.

The front bedroom. Although Dylan was born in this room his parents later kept if as a guest bedroom. The room they slept in was at the back of the house over the kitchen - meaning it was warm - and with lovely views of Swansea Bay. My grandparents had a bed like that.