Hi Momma, Poppa and Daisy-May Graig, who have fewer than four days to prepare for the threatened post-natal appearance of Bamps.

Messaging to confirm that, all but the minute the clocks go forward an hour, he is scheduled to attempt the 120-mile drive from the water meadows of Cressroads to the valleys of Rhondda Cynon Taf at the wheel of his 18-year-old Escort LX for an air-force-blue Ford racer.

Or time for Alresford’s septuagenarian town hack to whisper goodbye to his adopted Dorset Copper Arms-of-Tichborne for six days, and to head west for an Egyptian welcome from Pontypridd’s Landlord Saad.

A former Met police officer, who quit the force to pump pints of bitter Welsh Brains from behind the bar of his Morning Star.

What troubles nine-day-old Daisy Mae’s Bamps-the-blog this evening is whether or not he can afford to put on hold as many as half-a-dozen ever more pressing tales of town and country for his Continuing Story of Cressroads?

Or for him to want to imagine exchanging life in Cressroads for that in South Wales when his one son is returned home to do battle with a mental breakdown, his younger one continues to seek gainful employment at the end of six months going on seven, and the family cat is known to have enjoyed better health.

In fact, bets are taken on who will outlast the other.

Will Trixie, an 18-year-old arthritic moggy, be first of three to depart her mortal coil? Or will Wings for a beloved but gas-guzzling Escort of the House of Henry Ford be sentenced to the breaker’s yard in the sky?

Or is the money on a former Fleet Street by-line changed wrinkly and living on borrowed time before, during and after his hours twixt laptop, leaning on the bar of the Arms or wherever and determining whatever next takes his fancy.

Until Sunday’s 1600-hour ETA Pontypridd,

Grumpy Bamps

p.s. When suddenly we have a problem unlocking and relocking Wings’ petrol cap. - www.blogsbody.co.uk