The Curse of Anna strikes again....

 I've been shockingly remiss in updating this blog.  You'd think that, now I've retired form work, I'd have lots of time on my hands.  Somehow, though, it doesn't work out like that. Before I know it, every day has run under my nose and it's too late to start anything.  Many people told me that, once I retired, I'd wonder how I ever had time to work;  and it's absolutely true.  Anyway, enough of the pitiful excuses, it's time to tell you about my latest adventures.

Have I mentioned the curse of Anna? It goes back to the time when, whenever Anna was present at a home celebration, I'd somehow set fire to my robes,  These days it's morphed into something going wrong whenever we venture out together - usually getting lost (see our outing to the Skirrid Inn). This time I had Covid just before we were due to go ghost hunting at City Hall, Cardiff.  I'd managed to escape the virus ever since the first (mild) episode in April 2020, but this time it got me! Finally a variant that managed to dodge my heavily-defended immune system. Still, at least I got to use one of the tests I'd hoarded since they stopped being given out for free. 

I was reasonably confident that I'd manage to make it to the Ghost Walk at St Fagan's museum without getting list - I've been there and back often enough that I know the way.  As a matter of fact, I'd visited there with my friend Dave earlier in the summer, and I took quite a few pictures that day, planning to make a slideshow of the event (another thing I haven't got round to, but never give up hope!)

That day was lovely and sunny, and we'd timed our arrival before the influx of parties of schoolchildren so we had a lovely time ambling around the site going from building to building before admitting we were too tired to continue and heading for home.  The night of the Ghost Walk, however, saw a storm alert in force and the drive there took me longer than usual because of the weather conditions, leaving me worrying that we'd be late.  However, we made it in the nick of time - and we weren't the last to arrive.

The walk was interesting - we visited several of the buildings and were told about the experiences that had been reported in each of them.  I'll be honest, I didn't have any sense of any spirit activity, but the stories were interesting.  

The Kenixston Farmhouse, for example, was said to be haunted by the apparition of a woman with a "maniacal grin" who sometimes appears in photographs of the kitchen window.  Anna took a photo of the window...and there is a peculiar smudge in one of the panes..!  

It was a very interesting evening, even if it did pour down at times and toad-dodging became a popular activity - the toads were obviously used to having the run of the place after dark and saw no reason not to to cross the footpaths if they felt like it.  I learned that there was a battle of St Fagans in the Civil War, which was something I'd never heard of, which made me feel as if my education was somewhat lacking.  In my defence, the period of history I studied started with the run-up to the American war of Independence and ended with Gladstone and Disraeli. 

Then, in the final building of the evening, the Cilewent Farmhouse, things got a bit spooky.  

For the first time in the evening, I got the sense of a spirit energy - that peculiar "gripped", pins-and-needles feeling that lets me know a spirit has moved close to me.  Someone wa blowing in my face and fiddling with my hair.  The party of women standing next to me reported similar feelings and they asked to leave the building.  I stayed - but I nearly asked to be let out as well.  Whoever was there was not nice!  After the leader had told us about the things that had been experienced there (and we'd all jumped out of our skins when the clock struck 11!) he offered everyone the opportunity to peek into the kitchen behind hime, which was allegedly an active space.  My reaction was"F___ no!" and I got out of there.

The journey home was uneventful, I managed to negotiate the Culverhouse Cross Roundabout without too much difficulty and we got back to Swansea around midnight.

Our next adventure, for once, did not involve the supernatural at all - we were going to see Lucy Worsley talk about Agatha Christie, but nevertheless the Curse of Anna would not be thwarted.  We'd decided to go by train to Cardiff so I didn't have to worry about driving (and could have a glass of wine if I chose) 

Anna enjoying First Class travel

It was a sweltering hot day, so we were looking forward to the air-conditioned comfort of First Class. We arrived in good time, but our train wasn't ready for boarding.  Eventually we were told that our train was a double-header and there was a problem connecting the two trains.  They did allow us to get onto the front end of the train after a bit so we were cool.  The train got going 20 minutes late, which meant I could claim compensation for the delay. As we were not in any hurry, we just enjoyed the journey.  Anna was delighted to discover that the complimentary refreshments available to First Class passengers included cake.

After a gentle stroll around Cardiff and a stop for food (a place called Fat Hippo - very nice too!) we still had plenty of time before the event.  It was very hot, so we found a small shop selling Joe's Ice Cream near to the castle.  We sat outside enjoying our cones, and witnessed a collision between a taxi and a young woman on a bike.  I couldn't see exactly how it happened - there was a bump and suddenly the young lady fell off her bike in front of the cab.  My guess would be that she was overtaking the taxi and the driver, who was in a queue of slow-moving traffic, didn't expect her to be coming up alongside.  

I think she was more shaken than hurt, and the driver came back and spoke to her  as soon as he could find somewhere to park.  It was all very amicable and there were several people helping when we left to go to the St David's Hall.

It was a very enjoyable talk.  Lucy Worsley is a very engaging, entertaining speaker and the hall was full.  The journey home was without incident - we got back into Swansea about 11 p.m., agreeing to decide upon our next adventure soon as possible (we're booked onto a Mary Beard lecture but that will be a virtual event so doesn't count).  

It was the next day that the news broke that St David's Hall is constructed with RAAC - the stuff that's been discovered to be unsafe - and is bieng closed for the next  4 weeks.

Anna says even she is beginning to believe in the curse now.