Does anyone know the Welsh for Ash Wednesday, (which happens to be today–doing double duty as St. Valentine’s Day this year) please? It is not in my Modern Welsh Dictionary, nor Welsh Grammar 
As a kid, growing up under the shadow of a steelworks, depending on the wind direction it could be Ash Monday or any day, but Monday was washday and my mum taught me some interesting words (that are also not in the dictionary) as she flicked soot off the once-clean sheets drying on the line.
Even more curious were the other kids who came to school late on Ash Wednesday with soot on their foreheads. Being ‘chapel’ so not into ‘that sort of thing’ I felt sorry for them assuming they must live even closer to the works than we did. Eventually I did figure it out, and must have heard every variation on a theme in sermons that recommended we give something up for Lent (starting today). However, as if by magic, sometime around the 80s preachers suggested we take something up for the 40 days of Lent (which apparently exclude Sundays as holy-days/holidays–nice!).
Putting that positive thought together with the notion that it takes 3 weeks to make or break a habit (is that a fact?), it looks like we have got a bit of leeway–so for anyone out there trying to set up a good SSiW habit, today is the day 
. OK, maybe tomorrow–you are 8 hours ahead ‘over there’ and there is always that leeway.
40 days… hm. I LOVE the sound of the new 6-month intensive and certainly figure that is a fantastic opportunity, especially for those of us who cannot make a flying visit for a bootcamp–yet. But for anyone not signed up for either, perhaps plateauing or just wanting to create a little challenge as a boost, here we go–40 days for what? A new word every day? A 5-minute listening practice every day? A Lesson/Challenge every day (including repeats if you like)? What could it be? There are loads of ideas on this Forum. It’s a bit late for a New Year’s resolution, but any day… Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, can be the start of a new habit. Oh, and I have heard it is excellent psychology to pre-arrange rewards… so whatever fits the bill for you every X days you manage your goal.
Good luck!
Marilyn
