typing in a language you can't speak

I am taking a break here from my penance for the day. Well, it's not really a penance. I am re-typing the information leaflet for the family history society - in Welsh. Being Chairman of the society means I get all the exciting jobs

I don't speak Welsh, I have never tried to learn Welsh so I am not privy to the mysteries of the spelling and pronounciation of the language. I just have to type it into the draft copy of the information leaflet so that we have the said leaflet in both Welsh and English to satisfy those who think that the old county of Monmouthshire should be Welsh-speaking just because it is in Wales.

Several years ago when I was just (those were the days) Sales Officer for the Society I managed to persuade a welsh speaking member to translate the information leaflet for me. I then typed it into the correct template, had it corrected and proof-read and got it printed so that we had copies of it for the National Eisteddfod and the few who insisted on having a welsh copy and not just a boring old english one.

Now we have had several changes withing the Society, including one branch closing and two Branches moving their meeting place - oh and all the branches changing their name slightly - so the leaflet needs to be brought up to date. Because I did the last one it is understood that I will do this one.

I have been in front of this screen for three hours with the Welsh/English dictionary in front of me so I can compare the English leaflet with the copy of the Welsh and know exactly what I am about to delete. My brane is mushed! I am going to go and play tennis for ten minutes on the Wii just to get my legs and arms moving then I might do a session of step aerobics - again on the Wii and then I might sit down for a bit of mindless daytime TV watching, or a nap. Which ever comes first.

Then I will scrap a couple of pages about our holiday in the Lake district and then, well who knows it might just be 9pm then and time to watch Who Do You Think You Are for the last time this season.

This is one of the many funny signs we have collected over the years. I have decided that I am going to make an album of them and keep it on the table where most of our visitors sit.