Lawks a mercy

Sometimes it does my blood pressure a world of no good to read some of the proliferation of posts on social media.

Blame it on a grammar school and university education. No, I do not expect everyone to write with authority on whatever subject. But, I would like it if people were their own editors and did not willy-nilly share anything and everything. 

I suppose it is my fault for continuing to read a long involved nebulous posting about a particularly serious topic. 

Nor ought I to take much heed of morning 'news' programmes which instead of making appropriate use of in-house political correspondents (London-based) - send a general factotum type wally to stand outside Parliament with a microphone and cameraman.

The other so-called 'news' topic that 'got to me' was this mythological idea that feckless 'millennials'  blame 'baby-boomers' for the world today!

Hooray for Tai Chi and the weekly opportunity to work my way thro' some of the 'old form'. 
Guaranteed relaxation with mindfulness and exercise. Not forgetting the before and after chat in the group.

Only 8 today, must be the 'Half term effect' when grandparents take charge of grandchildren instead of doing Tai Chi. Hopefully, it'll get back to normal next week.

Times change...

Time to post a few images now that this place has been raised to the ground.

Chen style

Apart from an enforced break for part of last year, I like to go to Tai Chi weekly. One group is composed mostly of ladies of a 'certain age'. We're a friendly, chatty bunch and meet up to socialise almost as much as for Tai Chi training.

I must have been practising Tai Chi for some four or five years, am not sure which. However, there was an enforced hiatus from November 2014 to April 2015. Only in the last two weeks have I resumed going twice a week.

The tutor(s) are the same for both, but other group is far more professional / serious.

Friday's group - meet up for a chat before the tutor arrives One of the ladies brings a CD-player and our movements are practised to gentle background music. At the end we have another chat them go our separate ways.

Saturday morning is far more business-like and the group is mixed. A few of the more advanced practitioners do two sessions one after the other. Some day I might, just might end up joining in both sessions. Before things went pear-shaped in Nov. 2014 I was well on my way to doing just that.

Happily, Tai Chi teaches patience...

It's an unusual situation, Friday's group are progressing by adding to the frame moves. Saturday's group has more beginners, we're revisiting the opening moves of the 'Old frame'.

Six stages of learning

• First stage is xue jiazi or "learning the frame". 
• Second stage is known as lien xi jiazi or "practising the frame". 
• The third stage is nie jiazi or "correcting the frame". 

I think that's the stage I'm at for several parts of the frame.

"The student must be patient as every aspect of their body, movement and posture is carefully rearranged - drop your elbows, relax your shoulders, push out more with your hands" 

Finishing on a lighter note...
This weekend there are celebrations for the Chinese New Year.
We're entering the Year of the Monkey or as some Australian wit would have it the Year of the Tasmanian Devil.

Shopping took longer then expected

Occasionally, we make a trip to Warrington shopping. Not the mad busy shopping centre but to one of the trading estates followed by a cheaper supermarket.

What a good thing I keep puzzle books in the car to occupy myself. I certainly needed it today. Instead of quick-in and quick-out the time dragged on. No problem as I was busy with my puzzles until I began to feel cold. It was a miserable grey day with rain and gusting winds. Eventually, I gave in and moved to the driver's seat, started the car and began to warm myself up.

When he arrived, it became apparent there'd been ordering difficulties.

The way home was also unusual. There are massive roadworks involving a new interchange, so you never know which routes will be closed and have to be ready for diversions. Having successfully navigated that part we came to a halt not far from home. No vehicles were moving in either direction apart from those turning round to go the opposite way. The long stretch of road between two main junctions had been emptied of traffic. Leaving plenty of room for the fire services and obligatory police presence.

Gone are the days when no matter what happened, the flow of traffic was maintained.

Checking social media, there's no reports of the incident. Hoping the fire & rescue service will post something tomorrow.

We did not have long to wait, the fire was out when we arrived at the queue. 

Torr Top Tunnels

New Mills is a remarkable place for its setting apart from anything else. This Derbyshire town is near Stockport. It is in the valley of the river Goyt at the confluence of the Goyt and the Sett. Words do not give it justice.

Typical of Derbyshire towns in the North of that county, the town was built from Millstone Grit.

Fast-flowing rivers were harnessed to power mills in the 19th century. The rivers pass thro' a gorge called the Torrs. Today it is a riverside park and includes a small hydro-power scheme. The deep gorge is breath-taking and is sometimes used by climbers.

I love making connections, some historical, others geographical and on occasion social. 

WWI Belgium is known for the extensive trench system. What can be the link between WWI and a town in Derbyshire?

War diary

16 Dec 1917 - Torr Top Tunnels and Forrestor Camp Battalion moved into the TORR TOP TUNNEL SYSTEM and relieved the 17th Bn. Kings Liverpool Regiment. The Battalion entrained at FUZEVILLE at 12.15 p.m. and detraining at MANOR HALT at 1.30 p.m. Relief complete at 3 p.m. Battalion details were accommodated at FORRESTOR CAMP under command of Captain W.Hobbs [Wilfred HOBBS, MC]. 1 O.R. accidentally wounded.

In WWI the trenches and tunnels were named after local places.

Torrs river and mill

Millennium walkway

Long ago

in the days before retirement...

Downward from Ladybower dam.

Somewhere I used to go in July to do a fieldwork investigation

Birchinlee village aka 'Tin Town'

Constructed to house and cater for the workers involved in the Derwent Valley construction project. 

The Secret Valley - is the name of a booklet written about the construction of the reservoirs down the valley. It's full of images to show the removal and destruction of the villages, and farms that disappeared under the reservoirs.

Most unusually, construction took place during WWII. 

One of the dams, Derwent has the two valve control towers crenelated and shaped like towers belonging to a castle.

That dam provided a practice site for the Dambusters raid as can be seen in the film 633 Squadron.

There have been a number of anniversaries when the valley has played host to vintage aircraft such as the Lancaster.

Unfortunately, I have no photographic evidence as it was in the days before digital photography and the aircraft flew past too fast. But, in the 1980s I was there when a pair of Phantoms (jet aircraft) beat down the valley. I still remember the sight and sounds as they roared past. What amused us was the group of students was frightened and tried to hide. The staff by contrast were looking skywards to enjoy the experience.

When

your nearest and dearest, favourite computer Luddite goes on-line, there are suddenly a lot of random questions.

HP support assistant says...? Then it's a case of describing what to do next. I'll give him his due. For someone that once vowed 'never to use those damned things' he's coming on well.

What's brought about the change of mind?

Quite simply, a catalogue that used to arrive with a resounding thump on the doormat has gone on-line only. Added to that situation his shopping list for that catalogue and an invitation to subscribe to email for a £5 voucher off an order...

Mr Luddite is now ensconced with laptop and browsing the on-line catalogue.

As the saying goes - better late than never.
 

Today

has been in two different parts...

1. Calming down a friend on social media who is prone to anxiety and was winding herself up over something beyond her ken, let alone beyond our control. Got her to re-focus away from world events and much nearer to home. She's returned to interacting with her playful puppy and anxiety has subsided.

2. Lexicogrammatical analysis. With one week to go, time to buckle down to my latest assignment. Who knew disassembling two contrasting media reports of the same event could yield so much to opine and to write about!

Our unseasonable weather is confusing Spring bulbs

Reporting...

Just because something appears in print does not make it a valid assertion. Yesterday the traffic was congested and some were performing U-turns to find a different route. Why?

As was went thro' the traffic light controlled junction (on green) we noticed that a police car was blocking one corner of the junction preventing access to the road leading to a number of schools. 

In their 'wisdom' planners have in the past 5 or so years, demolished a primary school in one part of the Borough, built a new school about half a mile away and in so doing increased traffic congestion on nearby roads.  

In a small area there are 4 schools.
2 primary total pupil numbers 440
Community academy with 965 on roll.
Private nursery taking 52 youngsters.

To access these schools means traffic uses one main road and a side road. Think for a minute...implication traffic numbers?

Since the majority of pupils are chauffeured to and from school, those local roads have too many vehicles using them. Add on the fact that both roads are main bus routes, the main road handles business, commercial and local traffic.

That junction became an accident waiting to happen. 

A 13-year old came into contact with a double-decker bus and survived with leg injuries. 

Reading local newspaper reports you'd be forgiven for thinking accidents were a regular occurrence. 

The newspaper quoted local residents giving the impression that the road is extremely dangerous.

Stepping back from the media hyperbole...

Near the junction there's a row of shops that includes a newsagents / sweet shop and 'butty-shop'. 

Both roads have traffic calming measures. They are  controlled by traffic lights and zebra (pelican) crossing. The side road has speed bumps.

Think back in time, some 30 years to another schoolchild accident at that junction. No-one blamed the driver, as there were numerous witnesses that saw and reported the lad running across the road without paying any attention to traffic.

I'm guessing something similar occurred yesterday as a lad dived across the road and was 'collected' by the bus. My sympathies lie with the bus driver. I lay the blame at the door of the planners. Expecting a road junction with its 'honeypots' schools, shops and traffic volume to cope with some 1450+ youngsters, parents, commuters and goods vehicles...
beggars belief.






 

Another 12 months

Saw the G.P. and duly went thro' my 'shopping list' of queries. Usually when on repeat medication, there's a 6-monthly G.P. review. Fortunately for me, mine has now become 12-monthly. This means my prescriptions will continue to arrive electronically with the pharmacy and they can dispensing at 2-monthly intervals.

It is a sign of ageing but one that is easy to cope with. 

As I said, it was a new G.P. for me, and OH knows him well as he's had him for several years and gets on well with him.

Another problem of our creaky N.H.S. is that some areas have been taken over by companies that have a contract to provide G.P. services. They have medical centres but each has only one full-time G.P. From time to time there are temporary part-timers who arrive, stay for a few months then move on. 

Long gone are the days when a doctor knew a family from 'cradle to grave'.

Such is 'progress'.

Goods and services?

The start of the New Year and thinking that the refuse collection would happen in the early hours c 7 a.m. for once we put the bins out overnight. Did they come then, no they did not. They turned up in the afternoon. Changing the collection day from Fridays to Mondays has been challenging when you've spent goodness knows how many years on the other system.

In another schedule change, we decided to do Thursday's shopping today. That was a good plan. Roads and shop were quiet and we were back by 10 a.m.

Next, our friendly window cleaner arrived to do his usual good offices. He was taken aback when he noticed the results of my fall (Dec. 30th 2015)
Truth to tell, I am mending well. After all it is over two years since the last time I measured my length.

Coincidentally, I have a G.P. review tomorrow morning, but not with my usual G.P.
I'm told the guy has good English skills and OH has nothing but praise for him. Time will tell. Here was me hoping for a 'rubber stamp' appointment, but I guess falling might be discussed. I was putting it down to tempus fugit, but some reading up leads me to think it might be a Vit. D absorption problem. I've spent since last June taking additional Calcium and occasional Vit. D. top-ups. There's something called short bowel syndrome and I guess my op in Nov. 2014 might have contributed to it.

Fingers crossed the G.P. does not find any other underlying problems.

End of year

October to December are the darkest days. From time immemorial people have been driven to find and use light sources to chase away the darkness.

In recent years these months have become tainted by loss. 
November 2014 and now December 2015 click on the mouse friends have passed away. In both cases the tyrant cancer claimed their lives.

Words can not express the chasm left behind by their departure. Their families have a long painful journey ahead as they come to terms with what has happened.

Unlike yesteryear blogging has enabled them to share their loss and their feelings. In one case the person kept her blog going as long as possible. It remains a rich vein of memories.

I shall not name names, it would be disrespectful to do so.

Farewell my friends.

Farewell 2015

I am not going to miss you. In fact, I shall be heartily glad to consign you to the past.

How was 2015?

The sort of year you never want to repeat, at least my experience of it has left behind some not so good memories.

I spent from Dec. 2014 and all the way thro' 2015 recovering from major surgery (no details). Suffice it to say that December's op was life changing but at the same time the important part is staying alive to face the future.

Himself also had a major op (hip replacement) which went like clockwork as the saying goes. He went from as our American friends would say extreme pain 24/7 to being pain free. As another saying goes 'you can't see the join'. In fact the community care (district) nurse brought her colleague with her to confirm it and to discharge him from outpatient care.

Some happy parts of the year - coffee and friendly chats with neighbours. We even managed to go for a Chinese meal together. It had been delayed by one or more of us having ill health, but we did it. The three of us have our birthdays in November, December and January. Not good months to go out at night. In 2016 we will find another occasion to celebrate our birthdays no matter when. We like the Chinese restaurant. They have grown used to us and although we officially have a 'set' menu, they let us alter it according to our needs without any extra charges. Our blind friend tends to go there more often with different sets of people.

The three of us are still fund raising towards research into diabetic retinopathy. M & M do the sorting of donated goods and then the sales. I do anything that requires using technology.  We began by making craft goods to sell and it grew from there.

1939

Recently, a genealogy site has begun to make parts of the British 1939 census details available for a price.

Fortunately, being a subscriber meant I received a discount code which opened a record of my choice at a much reduced price. But, some parts are still blacked out unless that person died before 1991. 

This means I have to do some guesswork. My memory tells me that during WWII (1939-1945) my grandparents had a lodger. I have no idea apart from the lodger being male. Looking at the street it appears that other houses have an extra person that's not part of the family. 

There's no record of whoever lived at no. 1. Yet, I knew the people living there and that they'd been in the house since new.

Whilst the discount of 50% was applicable (one record) I've opened some more to read and to save.

In the news

Mona Helen Muriel Stonyer from Hereford...

The London Gazette posted her demise 

4 Grove Road, Hereford, Spinster. 26th July 1990.

How come this lady made the news in the 21st century? Apparently an academy came across notebooks from her schooldays. Some bright-spark had the idea to investigate further and compare then with now.

Books dating from 1929-1930 were found during the emptying and relocation of Broadlands Primary School. 

Close-ups showed the meticulous hand-writing and drawings from biology. Then, it struck me when one of today's pupils commented on how neat and tidy they were. Cue a memory from long ago, okay 1950s and to my generation not 'that' long ago. We were taught to always do our best work and that meant neat handwriting and careful drawings. No-one ever rushed through their work, there was no incentive to do it faster. Then, we could and did focus our attention on our studies with nothing to distract us. 'No talking' was the rule, and although rooms were light and airy windows on one side were too high to look through even when standing. The opposite wall would have looked into the corridor and out to the quadrangle but its windows were opaque.

 Who was she? MONA H M STONYER was born in Hereford1914.
1897 WILLIAM FUCKES STONYER married ELLEN ALEXANDRA SHERRATT 

The more it rains...

The more I come to the conclusion that the North-South divide remains very much in place.

Media go-fors have headed to more of the flood hit areas. They have gathered to interrupt ongoing work with facile, futile questions.

Of course an historic city, York now claims most of the coverage.

The good folk of Cumbria and Lancashire have lost the media spotlight. Their desperate plight remains but the news-hounds have moved on.

Then there's the knowledge gap, made worse by the popular news media that have their words / writings set for a reading age typical for a 10-year old child. 

Yes, my cynicism knows no bounds.

Because happenings are in the Northern England, rubberneckers from the south have arrived to look, spout words then scuttle back to the S.E. (Having spent ££££s on themselves).

Tis the Season?

Reading the latest magazine it was heartening to read that -

 "You will have heard it said that there is so much busy-ness at Christmas that we lose the heart of it. Buying, shopping, wrapping, and choosing...   It’s very easy to find ourselves disconnected from the very story which should have meaning to us: the birth of Jesus."

Media broadcast 'Christmas' carols, but so many of them are merely catchy tunes with empty words. Films with 'Christmas' in the title, that are all about a mythical man in a red suit, nothing to do with St. Nicholas and even less to do with the Nativity.

In childhood years, a favourite part of December was to walk 'up street' to Castle Gate to see the Manger and listen to the old carols. The background scene changed from twinkling stars to the Star of Bethlehem. Figurines amidst the strewn hay depicted the nativity. How fortunate to have such a precious scene to view and listen to.

Times have changed and not for the better. Now I read the on-line news instead of visiting the scene. I no longer want to go because of the various acts of gratuitous vandalism that have occurred over the intervening years.

2009 

CLITHEROE'S Mayor says there might not be a Nativity crib scene at the Castle gates next year due to persistent theft of its figures. In the early hours of Boxing Day, around 3-45 a.m., five figures including baby Jesus, Mary, an angel and shepherd, were taken from the crib.

Drunken revellers?

 CCTV cameras picked up images of two people in their 30s or 40s taking the figures. They left the castle grounds by the Eshton Terrace gate in the direction of Mitchell Street carrying the figures. One wing of the angel had broken off and is now in the hands of the police.

2013

"A MODEL of the baby Jesus has been found on the roof of a Clitheroe church.

The unusual find was made while St Mary Magdalene’s gutters were being cleared. The nativity piece, which is around a foot in length, disappeared from the town’s crib three years ago."

Sadly, Clitheroe's nativity scene is not alone in receiving the unwanted attentions of vandals.

To end on a happier note - I used to really enjoy Christmas Eve as I walked across town to St. James for the yearly midnight services.

Another joyful memory floats to the surface...walking to St. Matthews in a village in the High Peak to take part in the Carol Service.

Over 100 years later

and similarities remain...

I've only read part way through, and the notes make for an interesting read.

Education, still a headline grabber in the early 21st century, but what about in the late 1800s?

Recently, I came across a report book (on-line) written in the 1800s by those in charge of a School in the Peak District. 

June 1887, 'The results are very uneven'. 

'Attendance only moderate',
'A large number of children absent in consequence of fever being prevalent in the families'.

Schools are in and their inhabitants are from nearby communities. Nature vs. Nurture.

April 1875

The Head Teacher understood his pupils and their families remarkably well. He saw the effect of events in and around the school and attempted to respond accordingly.

December, 1874, the winter temperatures being bitterly cold, neither masters nor pupils could hold writing instruments well enough to write. School closed on Christmas Eve. It re-opened on the 28th at the request of parents and pupils. Although cold, school was better than local homes.

July 1883
''The state of the Infants Class is creditable to the Mistress. She should have more assistance. 
There should be a teacher's desk'.

Curriculum

Pauvre Paris!

Today, the Western world is reeling from the horrific news from France. 

What I find even more appalling are the damning comments from the apologists seeking to 'justify' the actions of mass murderers. 

I suspect some will un-friend me...if so..good riddance.

Further studies

Having discovered the joy of learning, it's something I mean to keep on doing. I've always wanted to find out and in some cases to know more...

For many years, study with the O.U. has sated my thirst, but with the way the O.U. has been forced to change, especially the price hike, something has to give. I'm on transitional arrangements meaning the costs are not quite so ouch as for anyone studying post the exorbitant price increases. But, having studied under the previous pricing structure, today's costs are eye-watering.

Fortunately, universities world-wide have got together to offer some short, free courses. 

I've already covered courses by

University of Durham - life on Hadrian's Wall (excellent)
The O.U.'s First World War course (very good)
Birmingham Uni - history of aircraft WWI and development of air power (most disappointing).

Now, I'm studying corpus linguistics with Lancaster Uni, and it's another excellent course. This time it overlaps with a level 3 O.U. course E304. Or more precisely, complements E304 even tho' the two courses are independent of each other.

The tutor for E304 has been in touch about Manchester tutorials. She's changed the timing of the first two; they are now 3 hours instead of two. That means it will be even more worthwhile making the journey.

There's no such word but

Complain-aholic 

No such word, but it describes many of today's users of social media.

One group (naming no names) has already become 'moans r us'.

The course hasn't started yet the moans are coming thick and fast. I know I'm a cynic, but to me it seems the advent of social media has made some folk lazy. To me the Open University is about independent learning. I can't help but take a dim view of anyone complaining that they have not got a tutor yet. The course opens in just over a week's time, plenty of time to be allocated a tutor. Especially, when you consider that tutors only begin their responsibilities when the start date comes. 

Next on my list of gripes is also to to with on-line comms. When you sign up for a course that says quite openly it has an on-line format, I expect folk to have some digital skills. Granted, the course has digital learning skills built into it, but too many claim problems with working on-line. I did not expect anyone to send the assignment info to fellow students in pdf and glorify in the 'achievement'. 

In fact, I'd like to send these moaners back some 15 years, when there was almost no on-line activity in any courses except the tech ones. No word processing, everything handwritten, no electronic submission, no on-line forum. You were truly reliant on your own resourcefulness. Putting cynicism aside, I ought, perhaps to feel sorry for those that hardly do anything for themselves, those that will not make an attempt to be independent.

When I want to find out something, I do the research, I do not take to social media to ask someone else to do the research for me.

All change

Another 'sign of the times'. Last year the O.U. used Archbishop Blanch School as the venue for Saturday tutorials. ABS built themselves a new school in a different location. Word went round that the O.U. had parted ways with ABS and in future tutorials would be at Hope Uni. Fine, and in theory no problem until tutorials were announced for 2015-2016. No Merseyside tutorials anywhere! Checking the tutorial finder, everything has been scaled back. The venues on offer used to be - Preston, Chester, Manchester and Liverpool. Now it's Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Nottingham, Oxford and Southampton.

Owing to 'austerity' cutbacks, several Regional Centres are closing, and this has obviously had a knock-on effect.

Students complain about the lack of face-to-face tutorials. With the cutbacks, fewer students are going to travel even further to the tutorials.

If I were to go to the tutorials, it would mean train to Manchester Oxford Road station and a 15 minute walk down Oxford St. I know, I did it some 12 months ago. I'm even less likely to repeat the journey this year. 

Getting to grips with linguistics

I've always had a fondness for reading and writing.

At Grammar school (age 11) we read Homer's Odyssey (in translation). In junior school we'd come across some poetry. Over the years, I read / studied Charles Dickens' stories and plays by Shakespeare. English Language and Literature were compulsory, with the bonus that I enjoyed most of my studies.

Recently, I took up the study of linguistics (O.U.). Worlds of English whetted my appetite for more study. This year, I'm doing E304, Exploring English Grammar. 

The website opened last week, so I had the opportunity to look at and download resources. I also accessed the first 5 weeks of the syllabus. We're going to be learning something called 'Corpus linguistics', working with corpora and doing our own research activities. I'm looking forward to it, but I reckon there'll be some who'll moan.  

I had a go at using the corpus linguistics software (O.U.) and was thankful to have done some technology courses, M150 in particular. The GUI graphical user interface looks fairly simple, but not intuitive. Looking thro' the course calendar, study they've built in time to learn to use the software, and something called digital skills.

Oops

No sooner did my friend say she hoped to be home soon; than plans have gone awry. She fell, yesterday, and now has a broken wrist.

Can't help but worry. I know she's in the right place for treatment; but to break so easily, that's the next problem. 

Hope she'll be more careful and not have any more accidents.
 

Modern comms

Being a good 60+ miles away, I visited my friend in hospital just the once.

We've kept in touch by sending text messages. Until recently, that was something she just did not do. Needs must...as the saying goes. 

Today's message was the best so far.

Surgery has been a success, the physios have given the 'all 'clear' and my friend will be discharged soon to return home. Not certain whether that will be home as in semi-detached or home as in bungalow, depending on who holds sway.

I can see the advantages of the bungalow, but after hospital 'home's best'. 

Strangers to the Truth

For several years now, I've been studying linguistics.
Today, my interest was piqued by the daughter of an acquaintance who's just gained her Honours in English & German. That she's an accomplished linguist is without doubt, but here's the caveat.

At some 21 years of age she has found herself ' in a school in Germany. Doubtless her linguistics skills serve her well. 

Why the caveat?

This 'newbie' 'greenhorn' teacher's assistant comes (as people do) with her own set of baggage from her upbringing. (Enough said).

Straight from uni, she shared on social media a cartoon from one of the textbooks and it shows a jaundiced view of the English. Typically, I did some research and the author/editor of that particular series is an ex-pat with negative views of life/politics in England.

Another storm in a teacup - as one might say.

What a difference...

a week makes...

Last weekend, some nervousness about driving North, finding my way around the grounds of Waddow Hall and finding out what had been happening to some dear friends.

C & S were super-busy and completely worn out by all the work they'd been doing / organising. Folk tend to watch events such as the Tour of Britain Cycle race without a thought for what it involves. It is not simply close some roads and get on with it. Planning had been going on for several months. It's not just about riders, teams and their road crews. The bigger teams booked themselves in to some of the more prestigious hotels. Sky were at the Dunkenhalgh. 

Then there's the welfare of all the residents and businesses along the route. Liaising with police, fire, ambulance and mountain rescue teams was another 'must'.

Add on to that an accident and the pressure as they say was 'ramped-up'.

N is a volunteer fund-raiser and a marvellous one. For a number of years part of the round of fund-raising has involved crossing Morecambe Bay. For several years this has always involved one of the grandsons. Not this year, unfortunately. N had almost competed the walk when the accident happened. Result, Westmorland Hospital followed by Blackburn Royal Hospital. A plaster cast on a realigned foot and waiting for swelling to subside.

Next, the cast was 'clam-shelled' as in sliced on half, foot checked to see no further alignment needed and another wait.

This weekend, the super-busy pair are having some well-deserved r&r. The casualty is (hopefully) having surgery to plate the injured foot and I'm waiting to hear about the op afterwards. 


Later on
I have officially been instructed to , 'stop worrying'.
The op is over and post-op recovery is under-way.
Worry mode has been disengaged.

Went the day well...

The Tour of Britain Cycle Race came to the valleys of Ribble and Calder.

Pendle Hill adorned with an outline of a racing bike.

Bowland & Pennine MRT shared images of the event.

Ribble Valley Police had a busy day.

Waddow Hall lunch

LFHHS Committee at their 'top' table

Ladies who lunch...

Table 4

Hazel Bleazard, Edna Redpath, Heather Penswick, Pat Allouis, Audrey Gunson.

(no particular order)

Pat is a sculptress and also restores paintings.

A good time was had by all.

Eventful, to say the least

Yesterday, I did a tour involving three rivers - Ribble, Hodder and Calder.

I drove northwards, and in my mind was the recommendation to 'avoid the A59'. It was a bright, sunny day, perfect for viewing the countryside. Journey's end #1 was Waddow Hall, just across the Ribble on the Yorkshire side. Yorkshire that is by everyone locally except the movers & shakers of local government and central government. They upset everyone locally by moving administration into Lancashire. As on speaker put it, 'Administration comes from Lancashire, but we still live in Yorkshire.'

After Waddow Hall, I drove towards Pendle and the main road along the lower slope. Thence on to Rishton to stay with friends.

Back to journey #1

Heading northwards, being 'a friend of the M6', I left the motorway at Longridge instead of the A59. I had a lovely time meandering along country lanes, through picture-perfect villages towards Clitheroe and Waddow Hall.

The event was the LFHHS annual lunch to be held at the Hall. (Lancashire Family History & Heraldry Soc.)

Instead of going to the Hall from the Lancs. side I came via the village of Waddington (Yorks) not to be confused with Waddington, Lincs. home to R.A.F. Air Command.

Waddington, Yorks. was basking in the sunshine and looked charming apart from the visitors, walkers, cyclists & bikers. 

Time for a trip down memory lane, a long time ago, when as a child one of our favourite walks was a circular tour to the Ribble, along its banks, crossing over the river and return along the opposite bank. 

Waddington's war memorial and gardens along the brook that flows thro' the village. 

Tranquillity in the heart of the village

When you can see the gardens in bright sunshine, they are at their best!

Thinking of times gone by when Wakes Weeks were in effect and most shops and businesses closed for the fortnight.

Imagine the image without flower baskets and the lower half of the sash window open. Newspapers spread out inside the room on a table by the open window. This was where people bought their newspapers and children bought sweets.

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