Goodbye 2013

We mark another year of the “quiet” country living! It has been anything but quiet here as the village seems to get busier as we do, with visitors and caring for our canine friends. We have a little departure from what has become as New Year tradition as we intend to celebrate 2014 when with friends back in Scotland, well just, Melrose in the borders, but in the first week of February!

The Street Market was a success for our bric a brac stall, raising funds for the causes in the village but the major fund raiser for us was the Game Cock’s 7th Anniversary and Halloween Charity Night, raising £1374.20p for Austwick School.

Our personal funds have been enhanced by regular visits to the Gala at Morecambe! Although able, Frank is not driving so I’m the chauffeur meaning I enjoy the Gala experience too! Writing this annual note, it is over a year since Frank was taken ill at the Gala, amazing recovery with superb NHS care, something we are grateful for, so much words cannot express our feelings. Perhaps I’m more Scottish than I thought!

We are not sending Merry Yule cards this year as the social media seems to be more effective at this than a privatised mail company. However our greetings are as before and we will be thinking of our friends, no matter where they are, at the holiday time.

So what of 2014? With Scotland backing, by an overwhelming majority in the Parliament, the general principles of the equal marriage bill, we may transfer our 2005 civil partnership, a) because we can (we would have the transfer in Scotland as our CP is registered there) b) any excuse for a party but c) on a more serious note, just like the fight for our civil partnerships, the effect of the message it sends out in society, beyond any of our borders, is vital to the state of equity. Our rights have been hard won, but complacency could now be the enemy from within! What are the other aspects for the coming year we know about? Alec hot coal walk in aid of children affected by cancer and his pot hole experience with Clapham adventure centre, no more need to be said except, health and happiness to you all, and of course prosperity in everything you do in 2014.

Game Cock Halloween

What a brilliant night at the Halloween Charity Auction Night at The Game Cock Inn! We everyones help it raised over £1000.00 for Austwick School and celerated Eric and Maree's 7th year at the pub! Thanks to all who paricipated, assisted wi...th the village wander, donated items for the auction, bid and bought the goods, cooked the wonderful pies, and stayed (late) for the pub quiz, congratulations all round for a great scary Halloween - and it was scary! Some fabby constumes, well we think they were in costume! Hugs for Joanna for doing our make-up and all the best for your future in Switzerland!See more

The first cut

Reflection continued- so powered up, again thanking neighbour of demonstration, the mower started first and subsequent times as with five lawn areas, the need to empty the cutting, although the bag seems to compact the cutting well saving the need for constant visit to the compost bins, the job was done. I would like to think I can get a better result but that has been more me that the machine, as you can see! Now sure if anyone will make the connection was Honda, but yes, we did buy the Honda Civic car for less that the Honda Izy! So happy days all ready for the winter! Em - does one cut the grass in winter? A special mention to Ernest our neighbour, now in his 80's who has cut the lawns for the last 15 years. We do appreciated his support and work with a hope that once regaining his health he will find a Honda Izy 415SD a dream to use!

First cut with the Honda Izy 415SD

Reflection




HONDA IZY 415SD

 

As one gets near another year older reflection is not something to do lightly. However it can be joyous and dangerous, as our recent purchase demonstrates. The time was when the interest and excitment was the new edition of "Aramis", rushing down to Fenwicks in Newcastle to make sure they had it, but more important, to see if there was a free tester so you could smell of it! Then party on! But now Mr Gala of Morecambe fame has provided the resources for us to purchase a lawn mower, not just any lawn mower but a Honda Izy 415 self drive lawn mower! After some assistance from our neighbour Russ, the item was found on www.justhonda.co.uk purchased at a fair price, delivered free, although the delivery guy, Craig, was on his own and I had to help get it off the van, me with a reputation of accidents, damaged quads etc, I think he thought it might have been better to do it on his own! That apart the box was damaged, which Craig duly noted, but the contents seemed fine. Now the challange of putting the pride and joy together with lousy instuctions consisting in the main of penciled picture, what can on expect from the French? Elements against me and Frank supervising, started to assemble, so in the course of time had a Honda 415SD ready to fire, oops, given my history of garden fires and burns and considering petrol used, perhaps the wrong word there!  

Minnie

So sad to know that Minnie, of 16 dog-years, has gone, after her quality of life deteriorated so much that Debbie had to make the brave decision. However life does go on and their new golden labradors, Jip and Blue are getting the love and affection that Minnie so much deserved.
Folk will remember when Frank was taken ill Minnie was in residence with us and saw me through many a lonely night!
We will miss her so much but know that she will be remembered.

Same sex marriage in Scotland

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b030jhhc/Reporting_Scotland_27_06_2013/

Some very familiar faces here and the link to the excellent campaign video from the Equality Network
"it's time"

http://www.equality-network.org/its-time-equality-network-launches-scotlands-equal-marriage-video-campaign/

Launched to mark five years since the Equality Network started Equal Marriage, the UK’s first campaign for same-sex marriage, in June 2008, It’s Time is Scotland’s Equal Marriage video campaign. The video campaign aims to help build momentum for a change in the law as MSPs decide how they will vote on Scotland’s equal marriage legislation. We also hope that it will help focus the minds of MSPs on the positive issues at the heart of the bill; love, equality and freedom of choice.

Wheels

After the Honda Logo's exhaust fell off and attempts to fix it that resulted in nothing been done, we are now pround owners of a "P" reg Honda Civic - not wanting to invest in a car at our grand old age - Frank is 66 next week - so wheels on, exhaust there and engine running we can go and collect bird food from Clapham!

Red one like ours!

Strange goings on at cuckoo time

The Austwitch Morgana

Once again the troops rallied for Austwick Cuckoo festival but with threatening weather forecast we were not expecting a good day. However, we were fortunate that the rain held off until the afternoon so the bric a brac stall raised £250.30 for the Street Market funds. Cuckoos were very much missing after a crazy idea of taking them from folks homes and placing them on the Sunday night in the church yard. Morgana did make an appearance and together with Witch Hazel stayed very much in Highfield and Low Bank despite requests that they should move on! Rodders is missing from the group picture but managed to pose with Elaine while wandering amongst the Street Market - eyeing up the competition perhaps? So since the May holiday the weather has much improved and we are bathing in brilliant sunshine, getting tanned and enjoying the garden which folk are saying is looking a treat! Off to the physio today with a hope that they can sort my left knee without surgery being done again. From Sunday 9th we are dog caring up until August so will get plenty of exercise that will get some weight off the legs! Frank is well, although with some breathing problems due to the COPD. Mary came down to sort him out and we both ended up at the GP with viral infections! Cheers Mary!



Lad - A Yorkshire Story

TRAMPS showed this film on Friday in the village hall toa packed house and stars of the film answering questions.

Dan Hartley the writer/director says:

"I grew up in the Dales. Every formative experience I had was shaped by the landscape that surrounded me. I can't begin to describe just how powerful that feeling still is to me today.​

But I can show it.

In telling this story I'm coming home. I'm returning to the villages and communities that I grew up amongst and to my great delight I'm finding that the inhabitants are the same people that I grew up with. The boy from down the street is now married to the girl who lived in the farm. The builders merchant, the publican, the quarry man, they all still live here, drink there, celebrate this and disagree about that. The communities that I left behind when I was sixteen live on and I want this film to be celebration of that.

The ranger in my life was a man called Al Boughen whom I would accompany during school holidays and weekends. He was a stalwart of the community and a steward of the countryside and for a time he was a father figure to me.

In 2010 he passed and I'd like to dedicate this film to his endeavour"

Lad a Yorkshire story is about a young man whose father dies and his world collapses but with a mother that fights to keep her family together there are heart string moments, humour, tenderness and yes, laughter! Refused access to Leeds film festival owing to it not being "professional" the film has gone forward winning accolades and prestigious awards - this week being shown in Hollywood - so stuff the Leeds film festival as Tom's mother would say!

http://www.ladayorkshirestory.com/

New Zealand do it!

http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/04/17/new-zealand-house-of-commons-bursts-into-song-after-legalizing-same-sex-marriage/

WOW what a party too!

Hey ho the witch is dead!

In 1988, the Thatcher government legislated Britain’s first new anti-gay law in 100 years: Section 28. At the 1987 Conservative party conference she mocked people who defended the right to be gay, insinuating that there was no such right. During her rule, arrests and convictions for consenting same-sex behaviour rocketed, as did queer bashing violence and murder. Gay men were widely demonised and scapegoated for the AIDS pandemic and Thatcher did nothing to challenge this vilification.
In more recent times the country has reaped the rewards of Thatcherism and is presently in the financial mess of the era she created. Next week a "ceremonial" sent off will follow the eulogies with no apologies for the sadness created by Section 28, the miners strike, the boom and bust years, the privatisation of the national assets, welfare cuts, taking milk from children, the war for the Falklands, highest unemployment since the 1930's and of course encouraging the ignorance of HIV/AIDS - what an inheritance - may she be put to rest but not in anyway peaceful for us all!

Rehab

With Frank well on the way to recovery we are back in the routine of life in Austwick in addition to regular health checks and hospital visits, then of course to the Gala Morecambe!
Recently had the chimney swept, so no heat in the house overnight and the Monday when of course it was snowing, Frank cam up with the idea solution as you can see.
Busy here with visitors more dog sitting than human ones but even that pays the bills. Minnie was in our care for two weeks and will return in April! Wonderful family pet!