In the Haymarket in Newcastle, there is a large Church beside the City Hall. It isn't an ordinary church and has a Master rather than a vicar. The Master, Kit Widdows, was talking to a charity that he was associated with in Byker, when he collapsed and died. Terrible shock for all. Today was his funeral. Even 3/4 hour before the service, there were a lot of people. By the time it started at 11.00 the Church was full, including big galleries. At a guess 500 to 600 people. This included 2 Bishops a Lord Mayor and a Mayor.
The Lord Mayor opened the service. He told us he is a Buddhist and gave us an outline of their belief re life and death. We had 5 hymns, the Eucharist liturgy and several readings and words about Kit. The Gospel was a reading from Kit's novel 'Fourth Witness'. It is Kit's translation of St John's Gospel, Chapter 1. After the normal intercessions we had a Jewish prayer on the same lines. There was a reading from 'Four Quartets' by T.S.Eliot. After the consecration of the bread and wine, his children (grown up) talked about their Father. He was an amazing man. I had got to know him while on the Diocesan Synod and had a great respect for him. He had his own ideas about things and a very good mind, but was extremely kind. The children's eulogy was very moving, especially when they moved away from the man the world new and talked about him as their father.
Immediately after that, we had the Communion. As Kit had intoduced into the Church, the bread and wine were passed from person to person. Kit's wife had baked the bread, as she had done throughout his ministry. There were a lot of vicars there and they took the bread and wine to various points and set them on their way. This way it was easy for everyone who wanted to, to participate, including those in the galleries. I received from the wife of the Bishop of Newcastle and gave to a Canon of the Cathedral. Very humbling.
After the post communion prayers, there was a reading of 'Batter my Heart' by John Donne, which I had not heard before. Then we sang Thine be the Glory to the orchestra and organ, all at full volume - sending him off as he would have wished. Bishop Martin and Assistant Bishop Paul shared the Commendation and he was carried out to the Grand March from Aida.
Everyone was invited to a reception in the Civic Centre Banqueting Hall, but as I was due at Belsay School at 1.00 and it was then 12.40, I had to head for the Metro and my car on the outskirts of the City. I was only 20 minutes late!
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
Thursday, 6 December 2007
Christmas Concert
Tonight G and I went to the Matfen Hall Hotel, which is in a very large Victorian building. We gathered in the Hall - which rises up to a very high roof, with a stair case rising up to the first floor with a Christmas tree in the corner.
Mowden Hall School were giving their Christmas concert for parents and friends, using the staircase and the area below as their stage.
We were greeted by G's eldest daughter and husband and settled down for what we knew would be a memorable hour or two.
We were not disappointed. From Goldfinger played by the Concert Band to Tango and Jingle Bell Rock by the same group, we were held spellbound by the enormous talent and dedicated teaching and leading for 1 1/2 hours. We were allowed to join in too!
It would be wrong to name names but even so I will name 3. Every soloist or duettist or group player deserves a special mention.
Anyway - first to be named is Camilla. She is G's grand-daughter and sang Young's Christmas Night with another soprano. It is a beautiful piece and was a joy to listen to.
A young man called Fergus played Telemann's sonata in f minor for bassoon. He is enormously talented and plays a number of instruments. I think it was the bassoon that he took up by request last summer and went straight to Grade IV. He also joined 3 girls to play in a Flute Ensemble with Rae's Vegas Vacation.
The last is way out the most accomplished performer. His name is Steven and I think he is Vietnamese, though I am not sure. He plays the Cello like a master. Tonight it was Squire's Tarantella. He well deserved the longest ovation of the evening.
In amongst all this the concert band were kept busy. They accompanied us all in O little Town of Bethlehem, See amid the winter's snow, Good King Wenceslas and God rest ye merry. They accompanied the Mowden Choir for several pieces and they also played 'I don't know how to love him' - Lloyd-Webber - as well as the start and end as mentioned above.
There were 4 readings all beautifully practised and read. Unfortunately the accoustics were not perfect for readers, so my slightly dulled hearing meant that I did not get all the words.
On top of all that we were entertained by two pianists, a trumpeter, 2 flautists and another soprano.
The school is incredibly lucky to have a very strong music department. A brand new carol written especially by one of the teachers, was excellent and all the settings were written by the same man. He also played in the Concert band if not accompanieying on the piano.
After that eulogy I think I must see if I can get something out of the school - a term free for Camilla perhaps!!!
What ever, we went home very happy.
Mowden Hall School were giving their Christmas concert for parents and friends, using the staircase and the area below as their stage.
We were greeted by G's eldest daughter and husband and settled down for what we knew would be a memorable hour or two.
We were not disappointed. From Goldfinger played by the Concert Band to Tango and Jingle Bell Rock by the same group, we were held spellbound by the enormous talent and dedicated teaching and leading for 1 1/2 hours. We were allowed to join in too!
It would be wrong to name names but even so I will name 3. Every soloist or duettist or group player deserves a special mention.
Anyway - first to be named is Camilla. She is G's grand-daughter and sang Young's Christmas Night with another soprano. It is a beautiful piece and was a joy to listen to.
A young man called Fergus played Telemann's sonata in f minor for bassoon. He is enormously talented and plays a number of instruments. I think it was the bassoon that he took up by request last summer and went straight to Grade IV. He also joined 3 girls to play in a Flute Ensemble with Rae's Vegas Vacation.
The last is way out the most accomplished performer. His name is Steven and I think he is Vietnamese, though I am not sure. He plays the Cello like a master. Tonight it was Squire's Tarantella. He well deserved the longest ovation of the evening.
In amongst all this the concert band were kept busy. They accompanied us all in O little Town of Bethlehem, See amid the winter's snow, Good King Wenceslas and God rest ye merry. They accompanied the Mowden Choir for several pieces and they also played 'I don't know how to love him' - Lloyd-Webber - as well as the start and end as mentioned above.
There were 4 readings all beautifully practised and read. Unfortunately the accoustics were not perfect for readers, so my slightly dulled hearing meant that I did not get all the words.
On top of all that we were entertained by two pianists, a trumpeter, 2 flautists and another soprano.
The school is incredibly lucky to have a very strong music department. A brand new carol written especially by one of the teachers, was excellent and all the settings were written by the same man. He also played in the Concert band if not accompanieying on the piano.
After that eulogy I think I must see if I can get something out of the school - a term free for Camilla perhaps!!!
What ever, we went home very happy.
Wednesday, 28 November 2007
My Governesses
I mentioned my Governess in the chat room last night and have been asked to write more about it, so here goes:
The days before the second world war were very different from those we live in now. We were a middle class family. My father was a retired regular army officer, who had fought all the way through the first war and retired shortly after. My parents were married in 1929 and I was born in 1930.
At first, I had a Nanny who looked after me and took me into the sitting room after tea until 6.0, when I went to bed. At least that happened as I got a little older. I do not know what happened when I was a baby.
When I was 5 I had my first governess. Her name was S'wo. She appeared ancient and had her grey hair in a bun. She can't have been really because she died not so very long ago! I had lessons in the morning and was taken for a walk (always along the road where there was a footpath) in the afternoon. Now that I was older, I sometimes had tea with my parents as well as the play time after. My father was good at that. We played begga-my-neighbour, snap or happy families. Also he read to me and that was the foundation of my love of reading and books. He read the Peter Rabbit Books and the Grey Squirrel ones. Then Winnie the Pooh and When we were Six. Later on we got to Kipling. He read well and I was enthralled. My poor mother had difficulty reading. She had broken her nose, hitting a branch riding in her teens and always suffered from cattharr. Also she was a bit dyslexic. She did not read to herself that much.
For all this time, I did not meet other children. My mother was very shy and had absolutely hated meeting children when she was a child and did not want me to suffer the same way. I find it hard to forgive her for that - it has affected the whole of my life. Other children of our circle also had governesses but had a social life too. When I was 5 I was given a most unsuitable pony, whom I loved deeply all her 22 years of life. The groom was told to teach me to ride and I did very little with the parents, who were both extremely good and fearless riders. (I was a frightened little thing!) The groom, of course was thoroughly bored with the whole idea so I didn't learn much. S'wo was not into horses so there was no way she was going to take me out on Jenny.
Then my life was transformed. My mother became pregnant with my eldest brother. S'wo said she could not possibly work in a house with a baby and a nurse (or Nanny). Shortly after my 7th birthday, Bo arrived. She had not been with us long before she had me greedily learning everything she could teach me (with the aid of the Parents National Educational Union). She made the parents buy a car so she could take me out. They got a Morris Minor and we went all over the place. I began to meet children but it was too late. They had been learning social and communication skills all their lives while I only knew how to talk to grown-ups. Still I must have begun to learn a bit. She took me to dancing class which was terrifying! I only have odd snapshots of events in my memory of that period, but it must have done something for me!! She also took me out a lot on Jenny, though she could not ride herself. (This went on right up to her leaving and during the war, we had to cope with convoys of army lorries, which Jenny hated!)
Then the war came. The house filled with children. 3 cousins came to stay for a while, from Tunbridge Wells. They were a girl of my age, one about 3 years younger and a boy who was about 2. We had evacuees. The first lot were a story on their own, but the second included Doffy who was a year younger than me. She stayed almost all the war. She went to the village school but Bo gave her extra teaching until she (Bo) left in 1942. This gave her a good foundation and she went on to Grammar School in Gateshead in about 1944. Many Governesses were called up early on in the war, so 2 local children came to Bo daily. A girl from the village and a cousin who lived not too far away.
So Bo had a class, with the cousins who were staying for a while too, which she loved. She even taught my little brother who was only 2 when the war started, but 5 when she left.
Sadly, Bo was called up in 1942, so I was sent off to Boarding School, as had always been intended and she went back home and I think worked in a factory for a while. Later, after teachin in the Prep School that Princess Margaret's son attended, she went back to Governessing . She went to a well known family and took the girls through School Certificate.
So you see, having a governess was not strange in those days, though it seldom happens now, except that sometimes a group of children may be taught in their very early years in a similar way. If only my first 7 years had been more normal, I would have benefited even more from Bo's influence. As it was I owe her an enormous debt of gratitude for all she did for me. She remained a friend of my Mother's until she died.
The days before the second world war were very different from those we live in now. We were a middle class family. My father was a retired regular army officer, who had fought all the way through the first war and retired shortly after. My parents were married in 1929 and I was born in 1930.
At first, I had a Nanny who looked after me and took me into the sitting room after tea until 6.0, when I went to bed. At least that happened as I got a little older. I do not know what happened when I was a baby.
When I was 5 I had my first governess. Her name was S'wo. She appeared ancient and had her grey hair in a bun. She can't have been really because she died not so very long ago! I had lessons in the morning and was taken for a walk (always along the road where there was a footpath) in the afternoon. Now that I was older, I sometimes had tea with my parents as well as the play time after. My father was good at that. We played begga-my-neighbour, snap or happy families. Also he read to me and that was the foundation of my love of reading and books. He read the Peter Rabbit Books and the Grey Squirrel ones. Then Winnie the Pooh and When we were Six. Later on we got to Kipling. He read well and I was enthralled. My poor mother had difficulty reading. She had broken her nose, hitting a branch riding in her teens and always suffered from cattharr. Also she was a bit dyslexic. She did not read to herself that much.
For all this time, I did not meet other children. My mother was very shy and had absolutely hated meeting children when she was a child and did not want me to suffer the same way. I find it hard to forgive her for that - it has affected the whole of my life. Other children of our circle also had governesses but had a social life too. When I was 5 I was given a most unsuitable pony, whom I loved deeply all her 22 years of life. The groom was told to teach me to ride and I did very little with the parents, who were both extremely good and fearless riders. (I was a frightened little thing!) The groom, of course was thoroughly bored with the whole idea so I didn't learn much. S'wo was not into horses so there was no way she was going to take me out on Jenny.
Then my life was transformed. My mother became pregnant with my eldest brother. S'wo said she could not possibly work in a house with a baby and a nurse (or Nanny). Shortly after my 7th birthday, Bo arrived. She had not been with us long before she had me greedily learning everything she could teach me (with the aid of the Parents National Educational Union). She made the parents buy a car so she could take me out. They got a Morris Minor and we went all over the place. I began to meet children but it was too late. They had been learning social and communication skills all their lives while I only knew how to talk to grown-ups. Still I must have begun to learn a bit. She took me to dancing class which was terrifying! I only have odd snapshots of events in my memory of that period, but it must have done something for me!! She also took me out a lot on Jenny, though she could not ride herself. (This went on right up to her leaving and during the war, we had to cope with convoys of army lorries, which Jenny hated!)
Then the war came. The house filled with children. 3 cousins came to stay for a while, from Tunbridge Wells. They were a girl of my age, one about 3 years younger and a boy who was about 2. We had evacuees. The first lot were a story on their own, but the second included Doffy who was a year younger than me. She stayed almost all the war. She went to the village school but Bo gave her extra teaching until she (Bo) left in 1942. This gave her a good foundation and she went on to Grammar School in Gateshead in about 1944. Many Governesses were called up early on in the war, so 2 local children came to Bo daily. A girl from the village and a cousin who lived not too far away.
So Bo had a class, with the cousins who were staying for a while too, which she loved. She even taught my little brother who was only 2 when the war started, but 5 when she left.
Sadly, Bo was called up in 1942, so I was sent off to Boarding School, as had always been intended and she went back home and I think worked in a factory for a while. Later, after teachin in the Prep School that Princess Margaret's son attended, she went back to Governessing . She went to a well known family and took the girls through School Certificate.
So you see, having a governess was not strange in those days, though it seldom happens now, except that sometimes a group of children may be taught in their very early years in a similar way. If only my first 7 years had been more normal, I would have benefited even more from Bo's influence. As it was I owe her an enormous debt of gratitude for all she did for me. She remained a friend of my Mother's until she died.
Thursday, 22 November 2007
A mixed two days
A long time since I did anything here. I have a mixed bag.
after 72 hours of rain, I actually got out into the garden yesterday. At least not the garden proper - into the greenhouse. I got cracking with the secateurs and cut the Pelargoniums fairly hard back. Not too hard, they will go on growing I expect and I want to be able to cut them again in the spring. There was lots of good cuttings material but I have given up on that. A matter of space and not looking after them properly if they are kind enough to root.
Nex on the list were the Scarborough Lilies. I am down to 3 pots now and getting rid of one of them. It has flowered a little but is really over-the-top-crowded. The other two, I tidied up, removing all the baby bulbs and most of the dead scales. They will get watered in passing from now on till the spring, when it will probably just be on feeding days. They reward me with lots of lovely red flowers in September.
Next on the list was to tidy the Streptocarpus that are outside - there are still 3 in the Conservatory. As they are still giving colour in the Greenhouse, I just removed leaves that were clearly dead or nearly so. Will have to be nasty to them before long and the ones still in the house.
Finally, I attacked the Abutilon and Fuschia. Both were cut back hard.
That was that for the garden. The next happening came alot later. I was having a happy time chatting. There were a number of people in the chat room and it needed plenty of concentration. I must have had pressure on one side of the mouse because a message came up saying something about having kept the mouse pressed for 7 seconds, so I must want to do something to my hot keys. I can't remember which side it said. What are hot keys? Anyway, I pressed cancel and everything went haywire. It all went blue and I couldn't do anything with it. Tried everything I could think of but to no avail. In the end closed chat and found that the other lot that I had up, with the rest of Purple Coo and email was also infected. Loaded a Word document and it was infected too. Finally gave in and closed the computer down. Spent a wakeful night worrying about it and the first thing I did thismorning was to boot up. Glory be, all was well. However, it suddenly went odd in the chat room. All except the actual chat is highlit in deep blue and I cannot persuade it to go. If I type, it highlights as I go but posts OK.
Anyone reading this - could you tell me what hot keys are and why this is happening?
Today, having been in Hexham all morning, I spent the afternoon making large quantities of mince to freeze for a fortnight tomorrow, when the bridge club comes here and I am feeding 18. Have not yet made up my mind about the puds. Possibly the Chocolate mousse torte mentioned elsewhere, on the forum I think. Also cheats Clanachan - icecream, oatmeal biscuits, whiskey, raspberries and I can't remember what else. Think they wiould go well together.
If this blog is abit adrift it is because I have been in the chat room at the same time. Sorry!
after 72 hours of rain, I actually got out into the garden yesterday. At least not the garden proper - into the greenhouse. I got cracking with the secateurs and cut the Pelargoniums fairly hard back. Not too hard, they will go on growing I expect and I want to be able to cut them again in the spring. There was lots of good cuttings material but I have given up on that. A matter of space and not looking after them properly if they are kind enough to root.
Nex on the list were the Scarborough Lilies. I am down to 3 pots now and getting rid of one of them. It has flowered a little but is really over-the-top-crowded. The other two, I tidied up, removing all the baby bulbs and most of the dead scales. They will get watered in passing from now on till the spring, when it will probably just be on feeding days. They reward me with lots of lovely red flowers in September.
Next on the list was to tidy the Streptocarpus that are outside - there are still 3 in the Conservatory. As they are still giving colour in the Greenhouse, I just removed leaves that were clearly dead or nearly so. Will have to be nasty to them before long and the ones still in the house.
Finally, I attacked the Abutilon and Fuschia. Both were cut back hard.
That was that for the garden. The next happening came alot later. I was having a happy time chatting. There were a number of people in the chat room and it needed plenty of concentration. I must have had pressure on one side of the mouse because a message came up saying something about having kept the mouse pressed for 7 seconds, so I must want to do something to my hot keys. I can't remember which side it said. What are hot keys? Anyway, I pressed cancel and everything went haywire. It all went blue and I couldn't do anything with it. Tried everything I could think of but to no avail. In the end closed chat and found that the other lot that I had up, with the rest of Purple Coo and email was also infected. Loaded a Word document and it was infected too. Finally gave in and closed the computer down. Spent a wakeful night worrying about it and the first thing I did thismorning was to boot up. Glory be, all was well. However, it suddenly went odd in the chat room. All except the actual chat is highlit in deep blue and I cannot persuade it to go. If I type, it highlights as I go but posts OK.
Anyone reading this - could you tell me what hot keys are and why this is happening?
Today, having been in Hexham all morning, I spent the afternoon making large quantities of mince to freeze for a fortnight tomorrow, when the bridge club comes here and I am feeding 18. Have not yet made up my mind about the puds. Possibly the Chocolate mousse torte mentioned elsewhere, on the forum I think. Also cheats Clanachan - icecream, oatmeal biscuits, whiskey, raspberries and I can't remember what else. Think they wiould go well together.
If this blog is abit adrift it is because I have been in the chat room at the same time. Sorry!
Sunday, 28 October 2007
OE's in Durham
I had an early lunch on Wednesday and then set off for Durham. It is only 3/4 hour away, so I arrived before 2.0 when the rooms are ready. Took my stuff over to the River-side rooms, where I was overlooking the river Wear. When I came down again, I found 2 ladies who had arrived a day early so had a chat with them. From where they were sitting we could see when others arrived. As I had organised the whole thing, I wanted to be sure that all was well, so tried to welcome people. Many had arrived by 4.30ish, so went up to my room and had a snooze - much needed! 
After the service, another girl and I set off at speed down the st
eps, and down the hill to the Wear, over Prebend Bridge and up to the Cathedral to contact the Guides for a tour. Nearly every one got there by 3.15, the set time, much to my surprise! It was important, as the guides like you to be prompt. We had a very interesting tour of the Cathedral. I think we will be paying for an hour but had at least 1 1/4. They were all so nice and love their cathedral. Walked down the hill back to the County Hotel. (I had hitched a lift to the school). The drivers didn't find it quite so easy! You can't take a car up to the Cathedral. They charge a bomb if you go anywhere near!
What was this all about? I went to a school called Queen Ethelburga's. When I arrived it was evacuated to Studley Royal (by Fountains Abbey) and in April 1946 it moved back to Harrogate. There were only 3 of us in the group who had been at Studley, as most of them had left in the 50's and 60's. We totalled 26, with the 2 who came for the day only.
We have had several gatherings. The first was at Linlithgow because the old school organ had arrived there. (The school now belongs to a father near York, the Harrogate site is a housing estate and the Chapel was razed to the ground). The next was at Southall (I am not sure why) and then at Lyminge, where Queen Ethelburga died. The sister of an old Dunelmian suggested that we had a gathering in Durham, with lunch at Durham School.
So - that first evening we had a great deal of catching up and chatting, then a dinner with all 24 of us on one table in the main dining room. The staff of the Royal County Hotel could not have been more helpful or caring. By the time we had finished dinner, I was more than ready for my bed - a very wide affair with 3 sets of pillows and a duvet type thing under the sheet. Very comfortable!
Next morning, after an excellent breakfast, we climbed into the minimum number of cars plus one taxi and went off to the School. Signs saying 'Welcome to the Old Ethelburgians' made us feel immediately at home. After a cup of coffee or tea, we were given a tour of part of the school and an account of its history. All very interesting and as it was quite warm, with no wind, very pleasant to walk around. We were impressed by the accommodation for both boarders and day pupils. We visited a girls' house, not a boys'. It being half term there were no students there, though team members had come in for practice. That's dedication for you!
Lunch followed, in a room off the old large hall. The food was excellent though the portions were
large enough to feed growing teenagers and we were nearly all over 60!
large enough to feed growing teenagers and we were nearly all over 60! The Chapel is up 90+ steps, each representing Old Boys killed in the war. It helped to shake down the lunch, climbing up! For those who felt unable to climb (wimps and halt and lame!!) there was a mini bus. We had a short service, which an old girl and I had put together, with a favourite hymn, the school lesson, school psalm, school song, prayers, including one for old girls, and God be in my head, which I had sung nearly every school day for 6 years at morning prayers (assembly).
After the service, another girl and I set off at speed down the st
eps, and down the hill to the Wear, over Prebend Bridge and up to the Cathedral to contact the Guides for a tour. Nearly every one got there by 3.15, the set time, much to my surprise! It was important, as the guides like you to be prompt. We had a very interesting tour of the Cathedral. I think we will be paying for an hour but had at least 1 1/4. They were all so nice and love their cathedral. Walked down the hill back to the County Hotel. (I had hitched a lift to the school). The drivers didn't find it quite so easy! You can't take a car up to the Cathedral. They charge a bomb if you go anywhere near!So back to my room to rest - I was exhausted - but a lie down recovered me! So down again for a gin and dinner with still more talk. Can't think what we still had to talk about!
Friday morning, the Secretary and I (the Treasurer couldn't come - she works) paid the bill - over £2000. Of course, everyone had payed their share already - to the OEA. And after many goodbye's - and see you at Lancing's (the next trip) - left for home.
Non Bridge players skip the next paragraph!
I'm not sure how I managed it but that evening we went to the first meeting of the Tynedale Bridge Club for this winter. It was great fun and interesting how different the people were! I was the partner of 3 amazing hands. The very first of the evening, my partner had 25 points and I had 9 but neither had a suit, so bidding was very difficult. In the end we bid a small slam and my partner made a grand slam. Later another partner called quite high and I had a lot of points, so I went straight to a game call - not like me at all. Anyway we made it. Then towards the end, we had a similar situation and we ended with a small slam called and made. So very unusual to have 3 hands like that in one evening - usually not even one! I was definitely in the money! We play 10p a hundred.
Sunday, 14 October 2007
Harvest and Baptism
Continuing from yesterday's concert and supper -
This morning there was a full church again. It was a combination Harvest Festival and Baptism. The latter was very special. The baby's grandfather lived in the village. Her father works all over the world and lives in Azerbaijan. There is no Christian Church there, so he asked for his daughter to be baptised where her Grnadfather lived. People came from all over the world, which was also very special. Because it was Harvest Festival, there was a good local turn-out too. And lots of children!
The wee babe was not so wee! - about 4 or 5 months at a guess. She was very good, but did not get rid of the devil! She loves showers, as her mother takes her in with her. Consequently, water being poured over her head was kids stuff!! It was not until later in the service that she started to cry - she was hungry, wasn't she? A bottle solved that.
The Harvest part was good too. Lots of things - earth, seeds, plants, flowers, an instrument used at harvest, (a small instrument for measuring moisture content in the grain) water, bread and wine - were taken up to the altar by a small person, with a grown-up to say what was there.
We sang harvest hymns. The majority of the congretation went up to the altar, though some went for a blessing, as did the children. The children had been drawing a picture of what grows on the ground, while the sermon was on - and after too!
It was a noisy, busy service that meant a great deal. If you want to go to a Communion Service where you have quiet and can concentrate, you do not go to such a service. But I say to all those (usually oldies) who think that children should be seen and not heard, - read your New Testament and remember that Jesus said 'Let the little children come unto me' etc.
There was a very young gentleman with curly blond hair in front of me. At the end I said to him and his Mum that if I had had one, I'd give him a gold star. It was the first thing that really made him stop and look at me! (He really had been good!) His mother said how nice it was to see a smily face behind, because sometimes all she gets is black looks! Children are the most important - they can be won or lost - we oldies are either in the church or not there at all.
Quite enough of that. I came home and after lunch got on with the garden. I am trying to get things tidied up before the weather goes bad on us. Today, I had help. He finished off cleaning the green house roof, as I had not been able to reach it all yesterday. Then he cut the top out of a pillar type conifer growing by the house, which really must not get too tall. He also took out some bits of the top of a holly that had been missed last time he got at it. In between wondering if he was going to fall off the ladder and generally bossing him about (!) I was weeding pruning etc.
Now blogging after roast lamb. A good day!
This morning there was a full church again. It was a combination Harvest Festival and Baptism. The latter was very special. The baby's grandfather lived in the village. Her father works all over the world and lives in Azerbaijan. There is no Christian Church there, so he asked for his daughter to be baptised where her Grnadfather lived. People came from all over the world, which was also very special. Because it was Harvest Festival, there was a good local turn-out too. And lots of children!
The wee babe was not so wee! - about 4 or 5 months at a guess. She was very good, but did not get rid of the devil! She loves showers, as her mother takes her in with her. Consequently, water being poured over her head was kids stuff!! It was not until later in the service that she started to cry - she was hungry, wasn't she? A bottle solved that.
The Harvest part was good too. Lots of things - earth, seeds, plants, flowers, an instrument used at harvest, (a small instrument for measuring moisture content in the grain) water, bread and wine - were taken up to the altar by a small person, with a grown-up to say what was there.
We sang harvest hymns. The majority of the congretation went up to the altar, though some went for a blessing, as did the children. The children had been drawing a picture of what grows on the ground, while the sermon was on - and after too!
It was a noisy, busy service that meant a great deal. If you want to go to a Communion Service where you have quiet and can concentrate, you do not go to such a service. But I say to all those (usually oldies) who think that children should be seen and not heard, - read your New Testament and remember that Jesus said 'Let the little children come unto me' etc.
There was a very young gentleman with curly blond hair in front of me. At the end I said to him and his Mum that if I had had one, I'd give him a gold star. It was the first thing that really made him stop and look at me! (He really had been good!) His mother said how nice it was to see a smily face behind, because sometimes all she gets is black looks! Children are the most important - they can be won or lost - we oldies are either in the church or not there at all.
Quite enough of that. I came home and after lunch got on with the garden. I am trying to get things tidied up before the weather goes bad on us. Today, I had help. He finished off cleaning the green house roof, as I had not been able to reach it all yesterday. Then he cut the top out of a pillar type conifer growing by the house, which really must not get too tall. He also took out some bits of the top of a holly that had been missed last time he got at it. In between wondering if he was going to fall off the ladder and generally bossing him about (!) I was weeding pruning etc.
Now blogging after roast lamb. A good day!
Saturday, 13 October 2007
Sat 13 October
What an evening! I have just come up, still shaking from the tension! Three very large purple cheers for Johnnie. He just lives down the road from here, so to speak. Just next door in Northumberland speak!
The rest of the evening:-
For once G came with me to a 'Church' thing - a concert to start off Harvest Festival. Clever really - instead of just a Harvest Service and Harvest Supper, we had a concert tonight in one of our churches. Having a musical Vicar helps!
About 80 people trooped into the Church, accompanied by 2 locals playing the Northumbrian pipes. The concert started with the Vicar playing the Treble recorder accompanied by the Harpsichord (the magic of the modern electric piano type thing) They played Handel's sonata in F major.
Then the Benefice choir (ecumenical) sang Bobby Shaftoe. This is very topical as the Shaftoes owned a house in the benefice, and only sold it a few years ago.
The Vicar then appeared again, with a box sot of thing that looked like a very basic accordian! She explained that when she was a wee girl, the neighbours threw it out and she saved it. It is called a Button Box. It has 2 rows of buttons, but more advanced ones have 3, the third one acting like the black notes on a piano. She proceeded to play a number of short pieces, despite the lack of the semi-tones!
We had 2 sets of Northumbrian Pipes pieces. The two who welcomed us played various local folk tunes the first time and later another set, with the Vicar on her beloved guitar. This lot ended with Keep your feet still Geordie hinnie which produced a certain amount of sort of singing and a great deal of foot tapping!
Between these 2 sets we had first a talented violinist playing Johann Sebastian Bach's Solo Sonata. Those who could see were entertained by his small son playing a pretend violin, beside him, with great seriousness the whole way through! He was followed by the Choir singing Maa Bonny Lad and then the Vicar on the Descant Recorder, accompanied by the piano this time, playing Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag.
The concert was wound up by the Choir singing The Keel Row and then the assembled company earning their supper with Blaydon Races.
After that we moved over to the Village Hall for a pooled supper. The local parish provided the fist course, mostly hot and the other parishes brought the puddings. We all had a seat and a happy time was had by all.
G's comments - Couldn't hear much of the concert! Knew a few people at the supper and the food was good. That was quite an accolade in itself!!
I was delighted that I had G with me because I had to take him home so was not able to help with the washing up - as I usually do!
The rest of the evening:-
For once G came with me to a 'Church' thing - a concert to start off Harvest Festival. Clever really - instead of just a Harvest Service and Harvest Supper, we had a concert tonight in one of our churches. Having a musical Vicar helps!
About 80 people trooped into the Church, accompanied by 2 locals playing the Northumbrian pipes. The concert started with the Vicar playing the Treble recorder accompanied by the Harpsichord (the magic of the modern electric piano type thing) They played Handel's sonata in F major.
Then the Benefice choir (ecumenical) sang Bobby Shaftoe. This is very topical as the Shaftoes owned a house in the benefice, and only sold it a few years ago.
The Vicar then appeared again, with a box sot of thing that looked like a very basic accordian! She explained that when she was a wee girl, the neighbours threw it out and she saved it. It is called a Button Box. It has 2 rows of buttons, but more advanced ones have 3, the third one acting like the black notes on a piano. She proceeded to play a number of short pieces, despite the lack of the semi-tones!
We had 2 sets of Northumbrian Pipes pieces. The two who welcomed us played various local folk tunes the first time and later another set, with the Vicar on her beloved guitar. This lot ended with Keep your feet still Geordie hinnie which produced a certain amount of sort of singing and a great deal of foot tapping!
Between these 2 sets we had first a talented violinist playing Johann Sebastian Bach's Solo Sonata. Those who could see were entertained by his small son playing a pretend violin, beside him, with great seriousness the whole way through! He was followed by the Choir singing Maa Bonny Lad and then the Vicar on the Descant Recorder, accompanied by the piano this time, playing Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag.
The concert was wound up by the Choir singing The Keel Row and then the assembled company earning their supper with Blaydon Races.
After that we moved over to the Village Hall for a pooled supper. The local parish provided the fist course, mostly hot and the other parishes brought the puddings. We all had a seat and a happy time was had by all.
G's comments - Couldn't hear much of the concert! Knew a few people at the supper and the food was good. That was quite an accolade in itself!!
I was delighted that I had G with me because I had to take him home so was not able to help with the washing up - as I usually do!
Sunday, 7 October 2007
A very special lady
On Friday I drove down to SW Durham for a service of thanksgiving for the life of a very special person. Having had 2 children, her husband was killed in 1944. It was a lovely idea that her husband was included in the thanksgiving. During the war there was no funeral, no goodbye.
For the first years after the war, she settled down to bring up the children and to run a farm. Later, when she could leave them, she set off for India in a land-rover with goods for starving/sick people. I don't know whether she was the first to do this - but almost certainly the first woman. She continued in this vein, usually taking a young person with her. After the service, I was talking to one of these girls, who said that it was the most amazing experience. There was no room for wimpiness or the like. She hated to sleep in a bed all her life. On these trips, she slept across the front seats. It was up to the young companion to find herself somewhere to kip. This one chose the roof of the land-rover, as being the safest place!
We were not given a diary of her life. Rather comments on different aspects of her character and life. Consequently, I cannot give a list of all the trips she made. I know that later on she went to Eastern Europe, usually with one companion. She spent more of her time on her travels than at home. She was not short of money, but material things meant little to her. As long as she had enough to survive and serve others, she was happy. She was virtually a vegetarian so did not mind the dietary hardships on her travels. She continued to serve the poor and needy in this way long after the normal person would have. She was indomitable. In amongst it all she was bitten by a rabid dog and survived. Much later on she suffered a nasty illness whose name I do not know, which involved complete paralysis. She spent a long time in intensive care in hospital but amazingly she recovered completely.
When, at last, she had to stop her travels and would really have liked to go then. Serving others was the only thing that made her happy. Shortly before she died at the age of 97, she was still knitting gloves and socks for the needy. As I sat in that Church, I couldn't help thinking that there were many similarities between her and Mother Theresa.
She leaves 2 children and spouses, 5 grand children, and at least 6 great grand children. They are all lovely people - not into her sort of life, but all people she was, I'm sure very proud of.
For the first years after the war, she settled down to bring up the children and to run a farm. Later, when she could leave them, she set off for India in a land-rover with goods for starving/sick people. I don't know whether she was the first to do this - but almost certainly the first woman. She continued in this vein, usually taking a young person with her. After the service, I was talking to one of these girls, who said that it was the most amazing experience. There was no room for wimpiness or the like. She hated to sleep in a bed all her life. On these trips, she slept across the front seats. It was up to the young companion to find herself somewhere to kip. This one chose the roof of the land-rover, as being the safest place!
We were not given a diary of her life. Rather comments on different aspects of her character and life. Consequently, I cannot give a list of all the trips she made. I know that later on she went to Eastern Europe, usually with one companion. She spent more of her time on her travels than at home. She was not short of money, but material things meant little to her. As long as she had enough to survive and serve others, she was happy. She was virtually a vegetarian so did not mind the dietary hardships on her travels. She continued to serve the poor and needy in this way long after the normal person would have. She was indomitable. In amongst it all she was bitten by a rabid dog and survived. Much later on she suffered a nasty illness whose name I do not know, which involved complete paralysis. She spent a long time in intensive care in hospital but amazingly she recovered completely.
When, at last, she had to stop her travels and would really have liked to go then. Serving others was the only thing that made her happy. Shortly before she died at the age of 97, she was still knitting gloves and socks for the needy. As I sat in that Church, I couldn't help thinking that there were many similarities between her and Mother Theresa.
She leaves 2 children and spouses, 5 grand children, and at least 6 great grand children. They are all lovely people - not into her sort of life, but all people she was, I'm sure very proud of.
Friday, 28 September 2007
School visit to Belsay Hall
This morning 4 mothers and I gathered at Belsay First School to hear what we had let ourselves in for. We had a briefing and found that we were not just there to keep the little darlings safe. Much more was expected of us!
We were each allocated 4 children and a colour. We had to gather our little flock and get them safely onto a coach and their safety belts done up. We had a horrific hazard paper, which I didn't read. I thought that common sense would do instead.
The coach set off for a 5 minute trip to Belsay Hall, a Palladian House built by the Middletons who had lived on the site since the 12th century at least. We all moved from the coach to the entrance to the Hall, where the children were told something of the history of the house. By the way, they were years 2, 3 and 4 years. My 4 consisted of all years and very lovely kids they were too. At last we were let loose. There was an exhibition of art, using spaces i.e. rooms to depict things to do with the house and the family.
The imagination and understanding of what was going on amazed me - way beyond my ability!! I will not try to describe the individual exhibits. It would take yards of space and probably not mean anything to you. Suffice it to say that the children knew what they liked and what they didn't. What they found spooky and what they didn't. What was intriguing and what wasn't.
There were 2 tasks to be undertaken. There was an upper room that had 2 trees growing out of the floor and a 3rd out of a bed (yes, really!) and a nightdress hanging on a branch and next door, a wardrobe, open with dresses hanging and an eye looking through a hole in the back and blinking(!), a fireplace and a dressing table with a lady who came and went in the mirror, brushing her hair. Here they had to draw a picture. Even with my 4 children it was fascinating what they drew. One boy drew the fire place and some of the old wall paper. 2 girls drew a chair which was, for some reason, lying on its side. The 3rd drew the wardrobe with the eye. One then drew a tree. I found it fascinating as to why these were chosen.
The second task was in a room where there were masses of keys all over the walls, each with a label saying where it was from. This room apparently represented the housekeeper. The children had to draw a key, a label with their name on and a border of keys. This was more straightforward.
After that we had a little time to spare, so they were able to run and run outside.
We had a packed lunch inside because it was horribly cold. Then our group moved to the Education Room. The morning group had made a number of rooms out of boxes, lit by a torch and viewed through a keyhole. Our lot each had their photo taken and printed and cut out by themselves and put into one of the rooms. This sounds simple but a great deal of imagination went into it all. The rooms were up a secret staircase in the Hall, never seen by anyone before and only accessible by the keys! As someone who has never done any teaching or anything like it, it was an eye-opener. What can be got out of these young minds is amazing. I loved every moment of it.
By the time I got home, I was exhausted - but a lovely sort of exhaustion. Now I must take G to see this exhibition!
We were each allocated 4 children and a colour. We had to gather our little flock and get them safely onto a coach and their safety belts done up. We had a horrific hazard paper, which I didn't read. I thought that common sense would do instead.
The coach set off for a 5 minute trip to Belsay Hall, a Palladian House built by the Middletons who had lived on the site since the 12th century at least. We all moved from the coach to the entrance to the Hall, where the children were told something of the history of the house. By the way, they were years 2, 3 and 4 years. My 4 consisted of all years and very lovely kids they were too. At last we were let loose. There was an exhibition of art, using spaces i.e. rooms to depict things to do with the house and the family.
The imagination and understanding of what was going on amazed me - way beyond my ability!! I will not try to describe the individual exhibits. It would take yards of space and probably not mean anything to you. Suffice it to say that the children knew what they liked and what they didn't. What they found spooky and what they didn't. What was intriguing and what wasn't.
There were 2 tasks to be undertaken. There was an upper room that had 2 trees growing out of the floor and a 3rd out of a bed (yes, really!) and a nightdress hanging on a branch and next door, a wardrobe, open with dresses hanging and an eye looking through a hole in the back and blinking(!), a fireplace and a dressing table with a lady who came and went in the mirror, brushing her hair. Here they had to draw a picture. Even with my 4 children it was fascinating what they drew. One boy drew the fire place and some of the old wall paper. 2 girls drew a chair which was, for some reason, lying on its side. The 3rd drew the wardrobe with the eye. One then drew a tree. I found it fascinating as to why these were chosen.
The second task was in a room where there were masses of keys all over the walls, each with a label saying where it was from. This room apparently represented the housekeeper. The children had to draw a key, a label with their name on and a border of keys. This was more straightforward.
After that we had a little time to spare, so they were able to run and run outside.
We had a packed lunch inside because it was horribly cold. Then our group moved to the Education Room. The morning group had made a number of rooms out of boxes, lit by a torch and viewed through a keyhole. Our lot each had their photo taken and printed and cut out by themselves and put into one of the rooms. This sounds simple but a great deal of imagination went into it all. The rooms were up a secret staircase in the Hall, never seen by anyone before and only accessible by the keys! As someone who has never done any teaching or anything like it, it was an eye-opener. What can be got out of these young minds is amazing. I loved every moment of it.
By the time I got home, I was exhausted - but a lovely sort of exhaustion. Now I must take G to see this exhibition!
Thursday, 27 September 2007
W.I. Hut
Today we had another meeting of the committee trying to save the WI Hut. We have a questionaire which we plan to take to every household in the neighbourhood. We have to find out how many people would use the new hut if it gets built. To my surprise everyone was prepared to spread some of the questionaires. It's easy for me, I have done canvasing for the Conservatives for longer than I care to think, so I shall set off in great heart - and gradually get more and more depressed!!!. It is much more difficult for the others - they haven't done this sort of thing before.
I was heartened the other day because I met the Chaiman of a large local trust and he assured me that Village Halls in small communities were of interest to them. Our main difficulty is the smallest of our communtiy.
I was heartened the other day because I met the Chaiman of a large local trust and he assured me that Village Halls in small communities were of interest to them. Our main difficulty is the smallest of our communtiy.
Saturday, 22 September 2007
Queen's Own Yeomanry - Guidon Presentation
After a good deal of faf - pinning on medals, finding a hat and generally getting tarte
d up - we left here at about 10.45 for Alnwick. We arrived in plenty of time, at about 11.45 but still found ourselves well back in the car park. Plenty of people we knew were arriving at the same time. We soon got onto a shuttle bus and were driven into the Castle. There we hung about a bit saying hullo to people we hadn't seen for ages and making use of a rather smart green loo. After a while, we made our way through to what I think is called Castle Green - it is a large expanse of grass anyway. There we found seats - not on a stand, unfortunately, so I was not able to see much of what went on. While we sat there we saw the Royal Standard slowly rising to the top of the flag pole on top of the castle.
Dead on 12.45, the band marched on and the Parade began. This is the point to explain what was happening. The history of the 5 Regiments that now form the Queen's Own Yeomanry goes back a long way and is complex. Suffice it to say that they ended up as Territorial Army Regiments, that engendered great loyalty amonst the men who served in them. Each Regiment had a Guidon - the flag that was used in times past to act as a rallying point for soldiers in battle. It is the heart of the Regiment and symbolises all that the Regiment means to the soldiers. Over the last 30 odd years, these 5 Regiments have gradually been amalgamated as there have been less and less resources and latterly there was a great fight to survive. The Regiments were The Yorkshire Yeomanry, The Ayrshire Yeomanry, The Northumberland Hussars, The Fife and Rorfar Yeomanry and Scottish Horse, and the North Irish Horse. Each Guidon bore the battle honours of their Regiment. Today, as a final act of the amalgamation, Prince Charles, the Royal Honorary Colonel of the QOY, presented a new Guidon to the 'new' Regiment.
Before that could happen, or even the Roy. Hon. Col. appear, they had to march off the old guidons, which had marched on with the Regiment. This was a very moving moment or two as all those years of history marched off through the ranks of soldiers to Auld Lang Syne.
PC (not purple coo you silly) came on and inspected the troops before the new Guidon was consecrated in a 
short service conducted by the Chaplain-General HM Land Forces. PC then presented the Guidon to the Regiment, who did a march past with it proudly carried in the middle.
At this point, an order came over the loud speaker that all Old Comrades should assemble as previously instructed. What a scramble!! Some had always intended to march, some most certainly were not and others thought they probably wouldn't! Well, you've guessed it - they all marched, including one who could barely stand, let alone walk!! But he made it as did all the rest. (I tried to upload a video of them all but it told me the web page couldn't be accessed. I think it meant that the method I was trying to use was no good).
That really marked the end and we all trailed off, via the lovely green loos, to a very full, very large marquee for drink and a bit of food and a great deal of meeting and greeting and talking and enjoyment. On the way we passed the soldiers preparing for a photo, but I was not allowed to stand about long enough to get a pic with PC on it!
Friday, 21 September 2007
Friday 21st Sept
Last night the Archdeacons of the Diocese (of Northumberland and of Lindesfarne) had any Churchwardens who were interested to dinner. We had to pay of course, but it was a lovely evening. I went because they had picked the brand new, custom-built County Archives as the venue.
This sounds a not particularly interesting place to go, I know, but there were 2 reasons why I wanted to go. First, it is part of the Woodhorn Mining Museum, which I had not visited for about 10 years. Secondly, in the dim and distant past, 11 0r 12 years ago, I had been Chairman for a year of the Amenities Committee of the County Council. This meant that I visited the Archives, Libraries and Museums in the County, with the head Civil Servant and got a privileged view of them all. I even went to the prison library at Acklington Prison.
In those days, the Northumberland archives were stored in an old building in Gosforth, which was part of the County before the 1972 reorganisation. It was terribly overcrowded and the conditions were far from perfect, though they did the best they could. While I was still on the
Council, they developed a warehouse on the outskirts of Morpeth for all the Local Authority records and things like the census returns. If you were seeking information, you often found that you had to visit both sites. Time after time a case was put up for a new building, but of course it was a very expensive project and time after time it was turned down. The powers that be simply did not accept the importance of records and artifacts etc and chose to ignore the legal side of it. The County is the official repository of all Diocesan and Parish records, so really did need to have proper, accessible storage.
I still do not know what made them build the new place. It was only finished about a year and a half ago. It is fantastic. There is storage space for all the records for the next 25 years. All the storage places are kept at the required humidity and temperature. The fire precautions will be very tight, though we did not hear about them. The Search Room (where the public do their stuff) is marvellous. The old one was not very big and the working space for each person was small. There were only about 4 microfiche readers and no computers etc, etc. Now there are big tables where you can spread a map out to study, plenty of room to study documents, computers where you can access "Ancestors" free (see the Family History forum), masses of microfiche and other readers, a booth for hearing recorded accounts etc etc. There are 2 catalogue systems - hard copy and on computer. The only thing is that the latter is not complete.
Having said all that, nothing really changes, does it? When I knew them and later when I was searching for stuff for the Village History, they were dreadfully understaffed. They are still dreadfully understaffed. There are only 3 of them. One is the Head Girl, so has quite a lot of admin to deal with and meetings to attend. So the other 2 have to cope with receiving records (they had just received a large number of boxes of records from a farm which had housed a tractor museum, with accounts etc etc, which all has to be checked, sorted and catalogued) Dealing with the general public. They are open from 10.00 to 4.00 Tuesday to Saturday. General caring and lesser conservation - important stuff has to go to Durham. And other things that I have now forgotten. Of course there is a permanent back-log. They do not use volunteers, because they need so much support and over-seeing that it takes more time than it is worth.
After our tour, we all had dinner done by the catering staff. Very good too. As there seems to be a big overlap between the Museum and the Archives, I am not sure who was in charge of that. After the Archdeacon of Lindesfarne, who is on the brink of retirement, had given us a summary of all that has happened in the Diocese in the last 20 years, we did a bit more networking and then went home. The 20 years covered most of the time that I had had contact with the Diocese, so I found it very interesting. I was on the Diocesan Synod for quite a lot of the time and new the Archdeacon well in all the jobs he did before his last post.
This sounds a not particularly interesting place to go, I know, but there were 2 reasons why I wanted to go. First, it is part of the Woodhorn Mining Museum, which I had not visited for about 10 years. Secondly, in the dim and distant past, 11 0r 12 years ago, I had been Chairman for a year of the Amenities Committee of the County Council. This meant that I visited the Archives, Libraries and Museums in the County, with the head Civil Servant and got a privileged view of them all. I even went to the prison library at Acklington Prison.
In those days, the Northumberland archives were stored in an old building in Gosforth, which was part of the County before the 1972 reorganisation. It was terribly overcrowded and the conditions were far from perfect, though they did the best they could. While I was still on the
Council, they developed a warehouse on the outskirts of Morpeth for all the Local Authority records and things like the census returns. If you were seeking information, you often found that you had to visit both sites. Time after time a case was put up for a new building, but of course it was a very expensive project and time after time it was turned down. The powers that be simply did not accept the importance of records and artifacts etc and chose to ignore the legal side of it. The County is the official repository of all Diocesan and Parish records, so really did need to have proper, accessible storage.
I still do not know what made them build the new place. It was only finished about a year and a half ago. It is fantastic. There is storage space for all the records for the next 25 years. All the storage places are kept at the required humidity and temperature. The fire precautions will be very tight, though we did not hear about them. The Search Room (where the public do their stuff) is marvellous. The old one was not very big and the working space for each person was small. There were only about 4 microfiche readers and no computers etc, etc. Now there are big tables where you can spread a map out to study, plenty of room to study documents, computers where you can access "Ancestors" free (see the Family History forum), masses of microfiche and other readers, a booth for hearing recorded accounts etc etc. There are 2 catalogue systems - hard copy and on computer. The only thing is that the latter is not complete.
Having said all that, nothing really changes, does it? When I knew them and later when I was searching for stuff for the Village History, they were dreadfully understaffed. They are still dreadfully understaffed. There are only 3 of them. One is the Head Girl, so has quite a lot of admin to deal with and meetings to attend. So the other 2 have to cope with receiving records (they had just received a large number of boxes of records from a farm which had housed a tractor museum, with accounts etc etc, which all has to be checked, sorted and catalogued) Dealing with the general public. They are open from 10.00 to 4.00 Tuesday to Saturday. General caring and lesser conservation - important stuff has to go to Durham. And other things that I have now forgotten. Of course there is a permanent back-log. They do not use volunteers, because they need so much support and over-seeing that it takes more time than it is worth.
After our tour, we all had dinner done by the catering staff. Very good too. As there seems to be a big overlap between the Museum and the Archives, I am not sure who was in charge of that. After the Archdeacon of Lindesfarne, who is on the brink of retirement, had given us a summary of all that has happened in the Diocese in the last 20 years, we did a bit more networking and then went home. The 20 years covered most of the time that I had had contact with the Diocese, so I found it very interesting. I was on the Diocesan Synod for quite a lot of the time and new the Archdeacon well in all the jobs he did before his last post.
Wednesday, 19 September 2007
Wednesday 19th Sept
This morning I had to go to the Health Centre to see the District Nurse to have my ear syringed. Very satisfactory. A nice big piece of wax was washed out, so now I can hear a good deal better.
After lunch, it being nice and sunny, I decided to go up to the wind turbines to try to take a picture of the Germans abseiling. Off we went up the lonnen (we because G decided to come too) but when we got there the cupboard was bare.
In other words, because there was quite a wind blowing, they had gone away, so yet another day without electricity production. No 3 turbine is still working but will be stopped for similar work when they are ready. We were able to see where they had done their work. Quite horrifying that these things that have to withstand so much stress can just have patches put in. I think they told G that they inject resin into the cracks but it looks like a patch. Of course it is quite a long way up, so it may just be that they paint over the area after. I am adding up-to-date pictures of the turbines, taken today, but you can't see the work. The rather dramatic one
is of G with the sun behind him. The one of 2 turbines, shows No 2 static and No 3 working. This operation has come out very odd because I uploaded all 3 at the same time, which I haven't tried before. I told them to come rt, lft and ctr but they
all came in the middle and would not move sideways. Also the text won't wrap. And goodness knows what it will look like when it is published! (In fact it has worked OK)!
In other words, because there was quite a wind blowing, they had gone away, so yet another day without electricity production. No 3 turbine is still working but will be stopped for similar work when they are ready. We were able to see where they had done their work. Quite horrifying that these things that have to withstand so much stress can just have patches put in. I think they told G that they inject resin into the cracks but it looks like a patch. Of course it is quite a long way up, so it may just be that they paint over the area after. I am adding up-to-date pictures of the turbines, taken today, but you can't see the work. The rather dramatic one is of G with the sun behind him. The one of 2 turbines, shows No 2 static and No 3 working. This operation has come out very odd because I uploaded all 3 at the same time, which I haven't tried before. I told them to come rt, lft and ctr but theyall came in the middle and would not move sideways. Also the text won't wrap. And goodness knows what it will look like when it is published! (In fact it has worked OK)!
After our little walk I tackled a job that I had been postponing - bringing tender things in from their summer quarters. This means making enough space in the greenhouse and putting things into the conservatory is only a temporary measure as I won't have them there if they are'nt flowering. There were only 2 groups, first the orchids - 2 cymbidiums that are quite old and 4 that look young but I have had them for ages and they still haven't flowered. I got them in Madeira, years ago, as tiny little things. Secondly the Azaleas. One very large one that is a long way from flowering, it will do it in the Spring, if I'm lucky. The other 2 have never really stopped flowering so I don't know whether I will get a good display this time. They are rather smaller.
In the picture, the plant on the right is an Abutilon which G sweet-hearted out of the head gardener at Wallington. It has is lovely dark red one. I have a nice cutting coming on well already!
Tuesday, 18 September 2007
Tuesday 18th September 07
Yesterday, there was .03in of rain in my gauge. This was the first measurable rain for 19 days. What a funny year. Early on we had a long period with little or no rain. Then we had a lot but not as much as in the South and West. And now we are coming to the end of another long dry period. They keep talking about rain in the North East but as you can see it has not happened so far.
Today was school day. For the first time I did library - year 2 were selecting books to take home. How quick they were to choose. It would have taken me ages! Then more filing etc, with embarrassing thanks from the Assistant! I keep telling her how much I enjoy it but I don't think she believes me!
Later off to a small place called Ugham for a Deanery Synod meeting, in their church. Not too boring business and then a fascinating talk by the Police Chaplain. He leads a team of mostly volunteers and a few ordained chaplains, who look after individual stations. They give pastoral care to police, civilian workers in the stations and their families.Whilst telling us some pretty harrowing stuff they have to deal with, he larded it with a good deal of humour. It was something I knew nothing about, so was fascinated.
Then, believe it or not all the way home (35mins) I listened to a program on Radio 4 all about sex. Cor - I'm a lot wiser now!! And I know that the enormous pressure to perform to perfection these days does not compare well with the ignorance of my early days!!!
Today was school day. For the first time I did library - year 2 were selecting books to take home. How quick they were to choose. It would have taken me ages! Then more filing etc, with embarrassing thanks from the Assistant! I keep telling her how much I enjoy it but I don't think she believes me!
Later off to a small place called Ugham for a Deanery Synod meeting, in their church. Not too boring business and then a fascinating talk by the Police Chaplain. He leads a team of mostly volunteers and a few ordained chaplains, who look after individual stations. They give pastoral care to police, civilian workers in the stations and their families.Whilst telling us some pretty harrowing stuff they have to deal with, he larded it with a good deal of humour. It was something I knew nothing about, so was fascinated.
Then, believe it or not all the way home (35mins) I listened to a program on Radio 4 all about sex. Cor - I'm a lot wiser now!! And I know that the enormous pressure to perform to perfection these days does not compare well with the ignorance of my early days!!!
Sunday, 16 September 2007
A Rainbow
This morning, as I went up to Church in a very fine drizzle with the sun out, there was a rainbow. This was a rainbow such as I had never seen before. It was absolutely symetrical but only came half way to the ground. It seemed to be riding on 2 clouds. Of course, the first thing I thought of was that the Bridge Builder, recently taken from us, was either desperately needed by God, or he had started work and had had to remove alot from the bottom on each side, before tackling the rebuilding.
Jacko - please don't think I am being un-feeling, if you read this. Quite the opposite. Your lovely idea about why God should want to take your Father so early had moved me deeply and some-how, seeing a rainbow in a form never before seen by me, made me think of you all and carry you on up to church with me.
Jacko - please don't think I am being un-feeling, if you read this. Quite the opposite. Your lovely idea about why God should want to take your Father so early had moved me deeply and some-how, seeing a rainbow in a form never before seen by me, made me think of you all and carry you on up to church with me.
Saturday, 15 September 2007
Wind Turbines
This morning, G went walking up to the wind turbines, about 1/2 a mile up the lonnen. He found 3 or 4 men sitting eating their sarnies, so stopped to talk to them. We had noticed that once again 2 of the turbines were stopped, despite a good wind. He was about to find out why.
First, let me go back a year or two. One turbine was stopped. At dusk a huge low loader stopped outside our gate and stayed for the night. On it was a single blade for a turbine. Next day it went on up. Later, another vast great piece of transport came by with a huge crane on it and another smaller crane separately. The smaller crane lifted the blade off and the huge one removed one blade from the turbine and put it on the low loader, which went away. The huge crane put the new blade on and then they all went away. I later discovered that the blade had come all the way from Denmark. I was very busy wondering how much carbon etc was put into the atmosphere by all this activity, and how long the 3 turbines would have to work at full capacity to make up for it. Did not add up as far as I could tell.
Back to today. One of the men was a van driver, who had brought the others from the Airport Hotel, where they were staying and was going to take them back. He spent the day reading in the van. The others were blade menders! Apparently you get lots of cracks in blades. I had understood that that was why the one above had to be changed. Anyway, these men were over from Germany. They climb up the inside of the turbine and out onto the blade to be mended and then abseil down to do the repairs. Or something. G was not entirely clear as to how they do it as his German is rusty and they didn't have much English. However he did gather that either 2 or 1 of the turbines will be stopped for the next 2 weeks, having already been stopped for a few days.
These things are meant to supply the country with green energy. Maybe, but how much and at what cost? i believe that global warming is really happening but I also believe that measures to cope with it must be realistic and I will never be persuaded that wind power on this scale will ever do anything worthwhile to help.
Friday, 14 September 2007
Today I had to visit my doctor to OK my repeat prescriptions and have my blood pressure taken. The BP was fine and the prescriptions were OK'd. The reason for mentioning it here, is that when I registered my presence, I was asked to fill in a questionaire. Being a mug, of course I agreed. Can you believe it? - this is a patient comment on one's doctor, nurses and the surgery in general. I wouldn't mind, but they have to provide 50 questionaires for each doctor and nurse in the practice EVERY YEAR. I agree that patient feedback is very important, but isn't this over-doing it? Anyway, I was very kind though I did object to the complete close-down every day for 1 1/2 hours for lunch and 2 1/2 hours on Tuesday for staff training. Surely they could manage some cover. We so often want to pick up repeat prescriptions after 12.00! 
G's 2nd daughter S came to tea. Her husband was away flying a BA plane to somewhere. We did a walk round the garden and I took my cam
era to update my pic of the lilies. The gable end behind the picture gives some idea of the height of the white lily. The pink one is now almost fully out. They have to be waited for but are well worth it when they come. The white one is now 3 (from 1)!
era to update my pic of the lilies. The gable end behind the picture gives some idea of the height of the white lily. The pink one is now almost fully out. They have to be waited for but are well worth it when they come. The white one is now 3 (from 1)!I also took one of this Astilbe(?) which is growing in the boggy part of my small wild-life pond. It is currently most impressive, though that is perhaps not the right word as it is not large!
And now England is being thrashed by S. Africa. As I can't bear to watch I'm on here with you lovely lot. G keeps updating me - I DON'T WANT TO HEAR!!!
Thursday, 13 September 2007
Thursday 13th Sept.
Seem to have done little except weed for the last few days! But there are one or two things.
As stated in the Common Room, we had the presentations for Northumbria in Bloom on Monday morning. There was a huge turn-out, which is a visible result of the benefit of having certificates for everyone who takes part. I am beginning to know some of the people on the other side of the fence, as well as the judges, so I enjoyed the social side of the morning as well.
On Tuesday afternoon I returned to School. It is all a little different, as last year's Reception is this year's Year 1 and there are 18 of them and about the same number of Year 2's and they are taught together in one room. It is very noisy and very crowded. It is a Victorian School slightly adapted so the main room is large. I know the numbers don't sound much individually, but they are large for this little school and of course added together they are well over the maximum 30. I think that most of the time there are 2 people working with them, so that these very small/young people are being taught separately. The lovely teaching assistant was working with them on Tuesday, but as she was ill at the end of last term and now is over busy, there are a lot of ordinary jobs like filing etc that she has not managed to do. Consequently, she was delighted to see me, who is happy, whatever I am asked to do!
I was tired when I got home so I decided that I did not need to know about the use of red in art!! This was the subject of the NADFAS lecture that night.
This afternoon, I went to Wallington to see the exhibition about the wedding of Mary Bell and Charles Trevelyan at the beginning of the 20th century. It was based on the day before the wedding, so lots of flowers, the wedding dress, (and that of Mary's mother from the 19th century) the wedding invitation, and lots of info on weddings - the origin of the Best Man, the garter, throwing the bouquet and garter etc etc. I love Wallington and mostly look at all the same things each time I go, so it was nice to have new things to see.
Otherwise, boring old routine and weeding. G cut the lawns today and they look extraordinarily good - though none of those lovely stripes that I like to see! Not sure why.
So that's that until I do something else that I want to record. Goodnight for now.
As stated in the Common Room, we had the presentations for Northumbria in Bloom on Monday morning. There was a huge turn-out, which is a visible result of the benefit of having certificates for everyone who takes part. I am beginning to know some of the people on the other side of the fence, as well as the judges, so I enjoyed the social side of the morning as well.
On Tuesday afternoon I returned to School. It is all a little different, as last year's Reception is this year's Year 1 and there are 18 of them and about the same number of Year 2's and they are taught together in one room. It is very noisy and very crowded. It is a Victorian School slightly adapted so the main room is large. I know the numbers don't sound much individually, but they are large for this little school and of course added together they are well over the maximum 30. I think that most of the time there are 2 people working with them, so that these very small/young people are being taught separately. The lovely teaching assistant was working with them on Tuesday, but as she was ill at the end of last term and now is over busy, there are a lot of ordinary jobs like filing etc that she has not managed to do. Consequently, she was delighted to see me, who is happy, whatever I am asked to do!
I was tired when I got home so I decided that I did not need to know about the use of red in art!! This was the subject of the NADFAS lecture that night.
This afternoon, I went to Wallington to see the exhibition about the wedding of Mary Bell and Charles Trevelyan at the beginning of the 20th century. It was based on the day before the wedding, so lots of flowers, the wedding dress, (and that of Mary's mother from the 19th century) the wedding invitation, and lots of info on weddings - the origin of the Best Man, the garter, throwing the bouquet and garter etc etc. I love Wallington and mostly look at all the same things each time I go, so it was nice to have new things to see.
Otherwise, boring old routine and weeding. G cut the lawns today and they look extraordinarily good - though none of those lovely stripes that I like to see! Not sure why.
So that's that until I do something else that I want to record. Goodnight for now.
Saturday, 8 September 2007
Northumbrian Drive
Today, G suddenly asked me if I was doing anything important, if not he would like to take me to Plashets, which he discovered a short time ago.
Yes I said, I don't do things to please him nearly often enough, and anyway I was happy to go. Last time I went there was a Maundy Thursday. The Bridge Club was at Carrycoats, across wild country from Cambo where the Maundy night Service was. I went to the service and then, in the dark, had to get to Carrycoats. The shortest distance was to go to Kirkwhelpington and then across country to Carrycoats. The road is single track all the way and twisty, with two or three farms nearby. If I remember rightly it was snowing slightly. Anyway, I got to the Bridge alright, but saw nothing on the way.
Today, it was fine and sunny and the views were clear. It was typical open Northumbrian countryside, with great wide skies. We stopped and walked where there was a trig point not far from the road. The view was enormous. To the North we could see Cheviot ( slightly clouded) and Simonside. To the East we could probably see to the sea, but not the sea itself. To the South, the Durham County hills passing round Lake District hills to the Pennines in the West. How many Counties, I wonder. Certainly Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Durham, Cumberland, Westmoreland (the two now Cumbria) and maybe a Scottish one but probably not!
After 26 years here, I have fallen in love with Northumberland. When I came here aged about 51, I was not really happy with the place. It was like being in a living museum. After 4 years, there was a County Council election. I had been on North Yorkshire CC before coming here so the idea was not strange. There was a seat vacant whose border was only a mile away from here, so I decided to put myself forward as the Conservative Candidate. It was a case of if you can't beat 'em join 'em. I was duly elected, got on the Planning Committee and proceeded to get to know the true Northumberland. In those days the Labour contingent were mainly old miners (not all, some of the Professional unemployed councillors were already there.) Being on the Planning Committee and willing to travel, I got round the County. So, after a while, I really began to feel a Northumbrian.
The division I represented was one of the largest (though far from the very largest!). It consisted of a large village called Heddon on the Wall, which provided at least half the population, and a somewhat smaller village - Stamfordham, and Matfen, (then quite small abut since somewhat grown), and a small one, Ingoe and a hamlet, Ryal. I've no idea what the acreage was, but there were al awful lot of farms to be visited when canvasing. I loved it and the Council for a while, but during the second 4 years, the whole atmosphere in the Council chamber changed entirely, to my mind for the worse, so I retired. I had done 12 years over-all as a County Councilor and 8 as a District Councilor on Richmondshire DC. I might do a blog on that sometime, but not now. I seem to have got a long way from driving over the wilds below the Wanny's!
Yes I said, I don't do things to please him nearly often enough, and anyway I was happy to go. Last time I went there was a Maundy Thursday. The Bridge Club was at Carrycoats, across wild country from Cambo where the Maundy night Service was. I went to the service and then, in the dark, had to get to Carrycoats. The shortest distance was to go to Kirkwhelpington and then across country to Carrycoats. The road is single track all the way and twisty, with two or three farms nearby. If I remember rightly it was snowing slightly. Anyway, I got to the Bridge alright, but saw nothing on the way.
Today, it was fine and sunny and the views were clear. It was typical open Northumbrian countryside, with great wide skies. We stopped and walked where there was a trig point not far from the road. The view was enormous. To the North we could see Cheviot ( slightly clouded) and Simonside. To the East we could probably see to the sea, but not the sea itself. To the South, the Durham County hills passing round Lake District hills to the Pennines in the West. How many Counties, I wonder. Certainly Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Durham, Cumberland, Westmoreland (the two now Cumbria) and maybe a Scottish one but probably not!
After 26 years here, I have fallen in love with Northumberland. When I came here aged about 51, I was not really happy with the place. It was like being in a living museum. After 4 years, there was a County Council election. I had been on North Yorkshire CC before coming here so the idea was not strange. There was a seat vacant whose border was only a mile away from here, so I decided to put myself forward as the Conservative Candidate. It was a case of if you can't beat 'em join 'em. I was duly elected, got on the Planning Committee and proceeded to get to know the true Northumberland. In those days the Labour contingent were mainly old miners (not all, some of the Professional unemployed councillors were already there.) Being on the Planning Committee and willing to travel, I got round the County. So, after a while, I really began to feel a Northumbrian.
The division I represented was one of the largest (though far from the very largest!). It consisted of a large village called Heddon on the Wall, which provided at least half the population, and a somewhat smaller village - Stamfordham, and Matfen, (then quite small abut since somewhat grown), and a small one, Ingoe and a hamlet, Ryal. I've no idea what the acreage was, but there were al awful lot of farms to be visited when canvasing. I loved it and the Council for a while, but during the second 4 years, the whole atmosphere in the Council chamber changed entirely, to my mind for the worse, so I retired. I had done 12 years over-all as a County Councilor and 8 as a District Councilor on Richmondshire DC. I might do a blog on that sometime, but not now. I seem to have got a long way from driving over the wilds below the Wanny's!
Friday, 7 September 2007
Friday
Not much today. Have spent the afternoon in the vegetable garden. First, pulling carrots for supper. Then weeding and removing most of the peas and wire. Boring but necessary.
Supper delicious. Rump steak, beaten within an inch of its life, then marinated in oil, onion, garlic, tomato ketchup, chilli and worcestorshire sauce. In there for several hours. Grilled, while the marinade was simmered on the AGA, with juices running out of the meat added and at the last minute a bit of cream. Served with 'new' potatoes and the carrots, with butter added and lemon juice. Yummy.
Supper delicious. Rump steak, beaten within an inch of its life, then marinated in oil, onion, garlic, tomato ketchup, chilli and worcestorshire sauce. In there for several hours. Grilled, while the marinade was simmered on the AGA, with juices running out of the meat added and at the last minute a bit of cream. Served with 'new' potatoes and the carrots, with butter added and lemon juice. Yummy.
Thursday, 6 September 2007
6.9.07 - Ordinary Thursday
Thismorning I went to Hexham, as usual on a Thursday, getting away early. Having done my Waitrose (not Tesco's - aren't I good) I had some time left before my hair appointment. Having parked the car, to the butcher's in Robbs, and then, with a beating heart, to Pattinson's the Photograph shop. While in France, I decided that I needed to upgrade my lovely Olympus camera. There were various factors that were so obviously better in the camera's of other members of the family. G and my children had given me money towards it, so that I could upgrade by money as well as modernity. My lovely friend in the shop produced 3 or 4 cameras, all doing much the same. I ended up with a Panasonic with a Leica lens called Lumix. For the technophobes among us, it has 7.2m pixels. Lens - Optical 3.6x zoom. Motion picture facility with sound. Lots and lots more but it doesn't mean much to me. Bought a 2gb card to go with it.
I got home by 12.00 so had time to study the Operating Instructions before lunch, but could not try things out till after, because it takes about 2hrs to charge the battery. That's a joy in itself - my old one r
an on 2 rechargeable batteries which took 10 hours to charge! Once it had gone live, I spent quite a long time going through lots of menus etc and then tried out the camera. This is the very first picture. Not all properly in focus - now, having read more, I could do better!
an on 2 rechargeable batteries which took 10 hours to charge! Once it had gone live, I spent quite a long time going through lots of menus etc and then tried out the camera. This is the very first picture. Not all properly in focus - now, having read more, I could do better!
Then I went outside and took this one of the part of the garden that I have not yet described. I also took a piece of video which was not too bad, but I need to find out how to upload it here. It round this far lawn and shows it quite well.
Then o
ut to garden. Last night, G and I had put the ladder up against the Pyracantha, so that I could prune the upper part. It always puts up great long branched pieces along the top, and if I didn't cut them out each year, it would be at the top of the wall across a window by now! In the picture, there is only one left, on the far left. I couldn't reach it from the middle where I started. In the end G cut it out with the long cutter thing. The thing in the bottom middle of the picture is a prop which is holding the whole thing up against the wall. Last winter, the wind got behind it and as the plastic frame that it was tied to had come loose, it landed flat on its face over the herbaceous border. It was a somewhat prickly job cutting out the frame and long growths that had grown up the back. After that, G and Dave the garden helper managed to push it up with two props. Previously I had attached a strong clothes line round the main stem and out to the sides. While they held it up, I went up first one ladder and then another to attach said line to hooks in the wall. One prop was set into the ground and is still holding it, while the roots hopefully regrow. Unfortunately, the clothes line has come undone and so is no longer working, so we have a big problem. As you can see, it is wide and it is also very prickly. The prop is up against the central stem. We will probably have to put something round the front of it, but it will be very difficult to make it tight. This year it flowered quite well but has not set all that many berries and what there are look dried up. The growth, on the other hand, was as good and vigorous as ever.
ut to garden. Last night, G and I had put the ladder up against the Pyracantha, so that I could prune the upper part. It always puts up great long branched pieces along the top, and if I didn't cut them out each year, it would be at the top of the wall across a window by now! In the picture, there is only one left, on the far left. I couldn't reach it from the middle where I started. In the end G cut it out with the long cutter thing. The thing in the bottom middle of the picture is a prop which is holding the whole thing up against the wall. Last winter, the wind got behind it and as the plastic frame that it was tied to had come loose, it landed flat on its face over the herbaceous border. It was a somewhat prickly job cutting out the frame and long growths that had grown up the back. After that, G and Dave the garden helper managed to push it up with two props. Previously I had attached a strong clothes line round the main stem and out to the sides. While they held it up, I went up first one ladder and then another to attach said line to hooks in the wall. One prop was set into the ground and is still holding it, while the roots hopefully regrow. Unfortunately, the clothes line has come undone and so is no longer working, so we have a big problem. As you can see, it is wide and it is also very prickly. The prop is up against the central stem. We will probably have to put something round the front of it, but it will be very difficult to make it tight. This year it flowered quite well but has not set all that many berries and what there are look dried up. The growth, on the other hand, was as good and vigorous as ever.
After the Pyracantha, it was back to weeding. This is where I was working. I have finished now and started to cut the front of the Seneccio back off the lawn. I did the main pruning ages ago but did not finish it quite and had not tackled the front. It always looks horrid after as it has to go back quite a way and it looks all empty and gappy. I gave up about 6.0 and went in but of course, there is no rest - the supper had to be cooked and one way and another I was busy till 7.30 when we ate one of our favourites - salmon with ginger, lime and honey.
Then I came on here and read all about sad dog stories and happy wedding anniversary ones and lots of stuff about firemen, squaddies and the lord alone knows what. So now it is time for bed.
Wednesday, 5 September 2007
Introduction
I have decided that I shall have a sort of diary blog - to record things that happen, or I do, in the garden and in my life, that should not waste common room space.
Today they said it would be hot, but the wind kept the temperature down here and there was a lot of cloud.
Yesterday, I set light to the big rubbish bonfire out by the lonnen. It went up well but there is a lot of stuff left because there were great wodges of weeds and also all the moss that G scraped out of the lawn after treating it in the spring. It had absorbed an awful lot of rain! Otherwise, I weeded, yesterday and today - very boring but it looks better.
I am thrilled with the lilies. They have grown taller and flowered better and with bigger flowers than ever before. They were planted about 3 years ago. The tall one at the back is nearly 5ft tall.
Today they said it would be hot, but the wind kept the temperature down here and there was a lot of cloud.
Yesterday, I set light to the big rubbish bonfire out by the lonnen. It went up well but there is a lot of stuff left because there were great wodges of weeds and also all the moss that G scraped out of the lawn after treating it in the spring. It had absorbed an awful lot of rain! Otherwise, I weeded, yesterday and today - very boring but it looks better.
I am thrilled with the lilies. They have grown taller and flowered better and with bigger flowers than ever before. They were planted about 3 years ago. The tall one at the back is nearly 5ft tall.
For my next trick I am going to try to put a close up of one of the lilies on the other side, with my profile. It is so long since I did it for the other blog that I can't remember how! We shall see, but not tonight. I am tired and am shortly going to bed.
Tomorrow, I intend to add some more pics of things out in the same bed as the lilies. It is on the other side of the drive from the one I told you about in a garden walk some time ago.
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