A Year of Late Cornish

Dew Cansves Dedh ha Seytek De Lün ew, an wheffes dedh a vis Est. It’s Monday, the 6 th day of August. “A Vamm Wynn, ellesta gweres dhebm? Na vedn an baby cosca ha na ellama gwil traveth.” Etho me eth dhe’n dre ha golhy an listry, glanhe an gegin ha fittya boos. Nei a gerdhas dhe’n gorvarhas. Na wrüg an baby cosca whath. Ha, soweth, thera bond ros platt moy dhe’n gwily ros. Thera spern etto. “Nanny, can you help me? The baby won’t sleep and I can’t do anything.” So, I went to town and did the washing up, cleaned the kitchen and did some cooking. We walked to the supermarket. The baby still didn’t sleep. And, sadly, the pram had another flat tyre. There was a thorn in it.

Dew Cansves Dedh ha Whetek De Sül ew, an pempes dedh a vis Est. It’s Sunday, the 5 th day of August. Thera vy o scodhya o mergh wydn vian en hy attentys dhe voas awenek. Rag hedna, shiek ew aganchei lies gweyth. An vos vian a gavas kisten a wernisyow ewines coth, lies liw – rüdh, kigliw, dû, gwydn, arhans ha purpur. Hei a venja limna pyctour a wedhen gen flourys ha lavalow ha lies ticky Duw. E’n gwettha pres, nag era liwyow luk rag gwedhen. Thera odhom dhebm whilas en kisten aral rag gossen leskys ha gwer “viridian”. Lebmyn ma bord brith dhe nei saw ma pyctour pur deg dhedhy. I support my little granddaughter in her attempts to be artistic. Therefore, our house is often messy. The little girl found a box of old nail varnishes, lots of colours – red, pink, black, white, silver and purple. She wanted to paint a picture of a tree with flowers and fruits and many butterflies. Unfortunately, there weren’t enough colours for a tree. I needed to look in another box for burnt ochr...

Dew Cansves Dedh ha Pemdhek De Sadorn, pajwora mis Est. Saturday, 4 th August. Harth! Harth! Harth! Ma’n kei na a’m muskeg. Ma’n kentrevogyon o moas mes, ma’n kentrevogyon o toas tre, ma tüs erel o moas war an vownder ahes dres agan yet. Pub pres an kei a harth. Ma nebonen o cowsel e’n nessa lowarth, ma’n letherwas o trei letherow, ma’n gentrevoges hag hy mab o marhogeth. Pub pres ma’n kei o hartha. Nag ewa o hei. Thera vy o qwitha ortho rag o mergh. Ma va o cavos tol e’n ke ha scappya. Hedna ew lowr!   Gwra doas, a vergh vy, ha’y gemeres dhe ves. Bark! Bark! Bark! That dog drives me mad. The neighbours are going out, the neighbours are going out, other people are going along the lane past our gate. Every time the dog barks. Somebody is speaking in the next garden, the postman is bringing letters, the neighbour and her son are riding. Every time the dog barks. He is not my dog. I am looking after him for my daughter. He finds a hole in the fence and escapes. That is en...

Dew Cansves Dedh ha Peswardhek De Gwener, tryja mis Est. Friday, 3 rd August. Otta vy en chei o mab. Ma trei flogh et aga gweliow. Thera vy o qwitha warnedhans. Me a wrüg redya dhodhans, dhort trei lever deffrans. Gellys ew ow mab hag y wreg dhe woslowes orth bagas en Truru. Here I am in my son’s house. There are three children in their beds. I am looking after them. I read to them, from three different books. My son and his wife have gone to listen to a band in Truro.

Dew Cansves Dedh ha Terdhek De Yow, nessa mis Est. Thursday, 2 nd August. Ma dohajedh dhe nei heb traveth oll dhe wül. Ma kyttrin o moas diweth e’n jedh dhort Porth Peran (Tywar’n heyl) dhe Porth Ia – an kensa pres e’n mettin ha’n nessa pres òja pres ly. Nag eus termyn luk dhen dhe voas oll an pellder po rag oll an jorna, etho nag era nei o moas bes dhe Porth Treth. Thera nei o kerdhes war an treth ha esedha war asedh reb an mor.   Nag ew re dòbm na re yeyn; pur wheg ew. We have an afternoon with nothing at all to do. A bus goes twice a day from Perranporth to St Ives – the first time in the morning and the second time after lunchtime. We don’t have time to go the whole distance or for the whole day, so we only go to Portreath. We walk on the beach and sit on a seat by the sea. It is not too hot nor too cold; it’s very nice.

Dew Cansves Dedh ha Dewdhek De Merher, kensa mis Est. Wednesday, 1 st August. Gellys ew an jedh ha na ora vy pe le! Me a wrüg clanhe, fittya boos, gwitha flehes, gwary cartednow (gwary co gans an flehes), kerdhes gen keun, redya letherow, maga cònidnas ha cathas. Nag eus ourys luk e’n jedh. Na wrüga vy nakevy dhe dhebry ha dhe eva lies hanath a de ha coffy. Lebmyn, skith o vy. Nos da! Dursona dhewgh!   The day has gone and I don’t know where! I cleaned, cooked, looked after children, played cards (a memory game with the children), walked with dogs, read letters, fed rabbits and cats. There are not enough hours in the day. I didn’t forget to eat and to drink lots of mugs of tea and coffee. Now, I am tired. Good night! God bless!

De Meurth, üdnegves warn ügens mis Gorefan. Tuesday, 31 st July. Hedhyw ew an diwettha dedh a’n mis. Avorow a vedh an kensa dedh a vis nowydh. Thera dhen awel dòbm en mis Gorefan, ha nag era dhen glaw lowr. Crin ew o glesin. An gwels ew melen (keth ew an whynas glas). Ma dens lew rag an cònidnas. Saw, martesen, nag eus boos lowr rag an edhyn. Rag hedna, me a bernas üdn kilogram a has edhyn ken metya gen o howethes dhe gawas coffy. Today is the last day of the month. Tomorrow will be the first day of a new month. We had hot weather in July, and we didn’t have enough rain. My lawn is parched. The grass is yellow (though the weeds are green). There are dandelions for the rabbits. But, perhaps there isn’t enough food for the birds. Therefore, I bought 1kg of bird seed before meeting my friend to have coffee.