World Book Day & St David's Day

Today is World Book Day.  Don't forget to check out the online book tokens; the £1 books; the Quick Reads and the Quick Reads in Wales.

Interestingly, in Wales there's a quick read from Fiona Phillips (of GMTV fame) called "A Day to Remember" - is this a fiction début  for Phillips?

But, for the crime fiction related/interested, Wales offers "Bring It Back Home" from Niall Griffiths; "The Rubber Woman" from Lindsay Ashford (also a Megan Rhys story) and "The Corpse's Tale" from Katherine John (which I believe was part of last year's offering).

Today is also St David's Day in Wales.  This is the day when the young ladies of Wales get to dress up in the Welsh National Costume (and if they're lucky, they have a half day holiday at school).

I did this too (in my time) and I have the black and white photos to prove it.  Alas, even though it was fun, I never smiled for the camera (a habit that started even before I could walk and something I'm famous for in my family). 

Masters Jones, Jenkins, Davies, Griffiths etc. don't have this fun, but their national pride is usually based on the size and quality of the leeks they adorn on their chests.  And competition can be rife, let me tell you.  (When I was at school, we were astounded one year when a fellow female turned up wearing a real leek, extending to almost the full extent of her torso.  The rest of us lacked imagination and had stuck to the felt replicas that were no more than three inches in length.  We also remained "fragrance-free", however and it's good that we had the afternoon as a holiday, which was a standard then.)

Today is also the day that Welsh singer, personality and more lately "chat show" presenter Charlotte Church has chosen to announce her pregnancy.  Congratulations to her and her rugby playing boyfriend Gavin.  Another talented Welsh offspring will launch later this year, no doubt.  Where the nightclubs of Cardiff may lose out, I'm sure Mothercare and Welsh based JoJo Maman Bébé will gain.  Church will lead in her new role and life as she has before.

Have a good World Book Day and St David's Day!