Tag: February

Well how are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

Thas suffin cold out there today (31st Jan) so I thought I’d draw inside und hev a wud a’long with you all.
That old north wind thas a’blowin straight from the North Pole, I recon that’d be fit t’flare yu if you were walkin on Holkham Beach this afternoon.

Yesterday morning the Missus und I were countin the birds that cum inta our garden for the RSPB GardeN Bird Watch. There din’t seem to be s’many about this year. There were plenty o’Blue Tits un Long Tail Tits but not s’meny Finches or Starlings. We hed plenty o’Gold Finches last year but they all seem to hev disappeared along with the Black Birds und Robins.
The old Cock Pheasant hev started drawing into the garden for sum feed, tuther day he und another black cock pheasant , who I han’t seen a’for ,were havin a scrap. I recon the gold one must hev won cos I han’t seen the black one any more. Over the month I hev bin getting in my old bird hide down at the bottom o’the garden t’see if I can git a few bird photos. I hev bin puttin a bit o’feed down t’see what I can draw in. Cos there hev bin plenty wood pigeon about, they hev bin on the young Master’s crops over the road but he keep them on the move with one o’them gas bangers. I managed to git a photo or two of a Jackdaw und Jay but I missed a Magpie . You hev goota be suffin quick to get a photo cos they swoop down und crab a beak full o’food with-out really landin. I like a’gettin in my old hide cos the Missus know she mussant come und disturb me down there, if she do that’ll frighten the birds. Just in case she think o’ringing me my mobile phone I turn that off un-all.

Them up at Whitehall are a’gettin in a rare old muddle , when is a party not a party? I recon if you the one who meake the rules you can’t very well say yu don’t know what they are. They recon they were taking drinks inta Number 10 in a luggage case. If that were true what were them security folk thinkin when they opened the case at the entrance to Downing Street und saw that were full of drink.

They recon that the price o’houses are a going up, I’ll tell yu suffin, so is the price o’farm machinery. I see that there were a demonstration on a farm near Norwich tuther day o’the latest sugar beet harvesters. Folk cum from all over the country t’hev a look at um. if yu wanted t’buy one yu hev gotta hev a deep pocket cos they started at £500.000. Thas more than most folk pay for a house. The difference is a house ull last yu a lifetime but a sugar beet harvester won’t. arter five t’ten years you’ll ha’a buy another one cos the old one ull be worn out.

Hev any on yu bin a watching that TV programme about an Actor (I think he won Strictly a year or two ago) und his family moving onto a farm. They hev always lived in a town und now nothin about farming. That hant stopped them a’buyin sum sheep und pigs. He recon he thought you just turned the sheep inta a field und let them get on with it. There’s a mawther who farm next door who keep a comin in t’give him a bit of advice. The fust time he went und hed a look at har sheep one on um hed a touch o’foot rot so she got him t’help har deal with it; he recon he couldn’t do it cos that made him feel ill, then she showed how to give the sheep a dose o’worm drench. Arter he hed done a few he ha’a stop cos he come over all tired.
When you turn sheep out to grass und afore the adult sheep are shorn they git a bit dirty round the back-end so you ha’a clip that orf t’stop the old flies a’layin eggs on it ,these will then hatch out into maggots. Well boy he recon he’could’nt do that either. This week they got sum pigs, when they went to collect them they asked the folk who were a’sellin them how much feed the pigs should hev they dint write the answer down. But I recon the best one is training their sheep to be halter led at a local show. Two days afore the show they han’t even put a halter on some of the sheep they hev entered. Now afore I retired I used to show sheep at the Norfolk, Wayland & Aylsham Shows und I used to start Halter training eight to ten weeks afore the fust show und they were led every week-day right up to the show I could keep a runnin on but the Missus hev told me t’stop watching the programme cos she recon I’ll hev a heart attack. All I’ll say is that int the way t’treat sheep or pigs just fore the sake of’a tv programme.

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin

Well How are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

Thas a new year und a new way o’doin things. Who would hev thought when I were a’puttin pen t’peaper this time last year things were a’goin t’change so much! I don’t recon life will ever be the same as it was in 2019.
i can’t remember the last time I put any fuel inta the car und hev nearly forgotten what the inside of our local shops look like. The Missus & I do git out t’go for a walk at the Millennium Green und I still git out on my old bike most days. Apart from that we keep close t’home. We hev had our fust jabs but that han’t changed what we do , und won’t even arter we hev had our second jab. One good thing is I han’t gotta t’hev the caravan serviced this year, cos that only went out once arter bein serviced last year.

I still keep a’readin in the peaper about folk who keep a drivin inta the county from other parts o’the country. The local police are a catchin them with a bit o’kit that read their car number plates und that tell them where their car come from. Cos years ago that were easy t’tell where a car cum from cos every county hed set letters on the number plates. When I were a boy I seem t’remember my Father’s AA book hevin a page where all the county’s letters were listed. Norfolk’s registration letters were AH, NG & PW . Great Yarmouth had its own letters EX.

The old ground is still suffin wet, since I last hed a wud along with yu old Mother Nature hev bin a serving up snow, rain, frost und a bit o’sun all with plenty o’wind. The snow only lasted long enough for the youngsters to build a snow man. Do you know ,there’s water a’standin about in our garden where I hev never sin water a’standin during the last fifty years.

I’m pleased I hev got my old hins under cover cos that mean that they aren’t gettin all wet und claggy. That don’t du them any good und that mean when they lay any eggs they are kept clean. Sum on yu may hev heard that there were a local outbreak of Avion (Bird) Flu just a’fore the turn o’the year. That meant that the poultry involved in the outbreak ha’a be destroyed und other poultry keepers nearby ha’a keep their birds inside und couldn’t cart them about.
Cos years ago, afore they were vaccinated, Fowl Pest used to be a real killer for poultry keepers. Fowl Pest were what they call “A Notifiable Disease” which mean’t if your poultry got fowl pest they ha’a be destroyed und the government payed you compensation. They used to recon that there were a large poultry farmer in Norfolk, I arn’t a’goin t’tell yu who that was, who used to git fowl pest t’pay his feed bill. Cos Norfolk hev bin a rare place for big poultry farmers , as well as Turkeys, Duck, Broilers, there used t’be a lot o’layin hins kept just down the road towards Thetford at East Wretham, durin the late 1950s a farmer called Jack Eastwood started keepin layin hins in cages in great old sheds to produce eggs for the supermarkets that were gettin about. He hed his own feed mill und used the manure from the hins on the farm that grew Barley und Wheat t’be used at the feed mill. He also hed his own egg packing station sellin the eggs under the name Day Lay, sum on yu may remember it?
Durin the 1970s I were a warkin for a big Pharmaceutical company und Mr Eastwood was one o’my biggest customers. I used t’sell him products for cleaning dirty eggs, we supplied with a bit of kit to do this called a Roto-maid. We also supplied them with disinfectants und fly control products. Another big customer were Sainsburys who hed an egg packing station at Kenninghall.

I were a’goin t’tell you about one of the presents the Missus give me for Christmas, Thas one o’them things that yu can talk to und ask t’du things. She’s called Alexa, I hev rigged har up in my study und so far I hev asked har to play me sum music und find a local radio station. If I order suffin to be delivered she also tell me when thas a’cumin: I’ll tell yu suffin, she’s ever so polite und don’t give me one o’har looks, like the Missus, if I say or do suffin she don’t agree with.

A’time I am a’writin this (30th Jan) there seem to be a rare old row a’goin on between them up at Whitehall und them over the water about the supply of the coronavirus vaccine. That look as if, for once, them up at Whitehall hed got their act together und signed contracts for the supply of vaccine afore them over the water got round to signing their contracts. You know how difficult that is t’git twenty seven folk to agree on suffin, just imagine what that must be like t’git twenty seven countries agreeing suffin. That may be one good thing to come outa us a’leaven the EEC.

Well Spring is just around the corner, the days are a’drawin out und ,despite all the wet weather, bulbs are a poking through in the garden und some shrubs are budding up und them old Aconites & Snowdrops are in flower. The garden is too dawby to be jamming about on at the moment so I am keeping orf. Thas the RSPB Big Bird Survey this week-end so I’ll be a’doing that tomorrow. Thas a’goin t’be cold tonight so there should be plenty of birds about tomorrow arter the feed I put out. I hev bin trying to photograph the Jackdaws that come inta the garden, they crafty old devils und don’t stay long on the bird table for long, even though I’m hidden away in my old shed a’lookin through some camouflage netting I hev rigged up. Still I recon if they’re hungry enough I should git a photo or two. I’ll let you know if I do.

Stay Safe all on yu und du yu keep a’troshin.

Well how are you all a’gettin on together?
Well that arrived!……. Thas t’old snow I’m on about. A time I am a’writin this (Jan 30th) there’s sum on it a’layin about. You know what they say “thas a layin there a’waitin for sum more t’join it”
They recon we arn’t a’gonin t’git another “Beast from the East” this year but we might git more than we want. That’ll du good t’git sum hard weather for a day or two. That’ll git rid o’all them colds un coughs folk seem t’be a’gettin und the arable farmers will be pleased cos that’ll help t’git rid o’all them viruses that hang about on Autumn sown crops. Mind you if any on um hev got any sugar beet in a heap the’ll ha’a make sure they hev got them covered up so the beet don’t git any frost into them, cos if they do that’ll be no good him a’carton them t’the factory cos the whole load will be chucked out.
A fare while ago I knew a farmer who he’d a load rejected. When he’d got the beet loaded onto the lorry he thought they looked a bit dirty so he give them a wash. The trouble was the loaded lorry stood in the yard overnight und that fros suffin hard. When he got the factory the next morning he went t’tip the load orf but the old beet wound’t move cos they were fros on.
I don’t know if any on yar hev bin a’watchin that programme thas been on the TV during the afternoon about farmers who getting their stock riddy for a show. Well I hev bin a watching on it und tuther week they were a’shown folk near here who were a’gettin their sheep ready for the Norfolk Show. I knew one or two on um who were filmed und thet were good t’see the Norfolk Show getting some publicity.
What about the Wayland Show then!… They recon that a’goin t’be cancelled this year und then come back next year on Sunday May 3rd. They say that’ll help the Farmers cos they wont be after the Harvest then und them in charge o’the show are a’goin t’try und attract more folk to attend by a’puttin on new events that’ll get folk involved.
Cos there’s another show what they could learn a thing or two about getting visitors involved und thas the Spring Fling at the Norfolk Show Ground. This year thas on Thursday April 11th. Tickets are on sale now. I’m a’goin t’be on the Stand thas called the Ark. Children can touch the animals we hev there und can get a chance to lead sum on um round in a little ring. The Missus is coming this year t’keep an eye on me so i’ll ha’a be on me best behaviour
Well the old BREXIT saga keep a rumblin on. That remind me of when the Missus und I used t’teake our 3 younguns out in the car. They used t’keep a’askin “Are we there yet”. Thas a bit like that w’them up a Whitehall who are supposed t’be driving while the rest on us are a’sittin in the back asking i “Are we there yet”. The trouble is them who are a driven are lost und don’t know which way they are a’goin. Tha’ll soon ha’a start a driven along the right rood cos the end a’March will soon be just round the next bend!!!!
The Village Hall her re-opened after the toilets & kitchen hev bin tricolated up. Less hope folk keep a’usin on it cos thet hev cost a bit t’get the work done. I hed a walk up Summer Lane tuther morning. My heart there were a rum lot of rubbish in the hedge rows. Thas folk a hulling it outa their cars after they hev finished eating their take-a-way. There were enough beer cans t’fill a skip. Why can’t folk take their rubbish home? I see down the Ovington Road somebody hev hulled an old fridge into the bottom o’the ditch. I know I hev said it a’for but when the Missus und I are a travelling about over the water you don’t see litter about like you do here. Perhaps that is suffin we can learn from um before we leave?
Them boys up at Carra Rood are still going strong. They play every game right till the final whistle. Thas how they win a’lot of their games. They hev still got the big one a’comin up in a week or two. Thas the one against the
Tractor Boys. They don’t seem to have got going yet despite hevin Mr Lambert in charge!
I hed better close now cos that’ll soon be time for me fourses. That’ll soon be light enough t’draw outside after I hev hed be cup o’tea. Mind you that’ll ha’a be suffin warmer than that is now.
Fare ye well t’gither und du yu keep a’troshin.

Well how are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

My heart we are a havin sum rum old weather. When yu draw outa bed in the mornin und open them curtains yu can see old Jack Frorst hev bin. That caught them who du the road grittin tuther mornin. They recon they were told that the old thermometer wernt a’goin t’drop below +1c so they din’t bother t’git the gritters out. Well bor the police recon there were over 30 car accidents afor 9 0 clock next mornin. Most on um caused by cars a’skiddin on ice. I know the Council recon they hev gotta save money but I when thas only 1 degree above freezin I recon thas to cloos cos that don’t mean thas the same temp. in Yarmouth as that is in Kings Lynn or Norridge. At the place where I warked a-for I retired I were in charge o’grittin the roads und footpaths. I’ll tell yu suffin if that forecast a frorst I got the gritter a’goin cos there were over a 1000 folk on the site und if one on um slipped over und hurt themselves I knew who would git the blame.

We hev hed a rare lot o’rain und all, That hev made the gardon suffin dawby when you ha walk on it. The Missus she git suffin savige if I drag any mud inta the house. She meake me leave my garden shoes in the shud afore she’ll let me back indoors.

I see they hev trockolated up the old village sign und hoss plough what stand a’front o’the village hall. That wanted a’doin cos they were both a’gettin a bit green. The Missus und I when for a’walk on the Millennium Green tuther day und we see that they hev built a new play area for the little ones t’play on. Less hope that git used. They tell that one o’the farmers at the tuther end o’the village want t’build sum houses und put in a footpath for folk t’use t’git t’the centre of the village so they can use the shop und catch a bus. I recon if he hed a look in the centre o’the village he’ed see we hant hed a shop or bus there for several years.

They hev got the old road closed at Watton Green cos they are a’widening the junction. Thas on account of there are a’goin t’be a rare lot o’houses built und thas where them folk are a’goin t’drive out onta the Norridge road.

I stopped there tuther day while I were out on my old bike t’hev a gawp but that were all fenced orf , all I could see was that they were a’cuttin back the verges t’meake the road wider. I thought about askin one of the warkers if they were a’goin t’put in a cycle lane but I dussant. Thas goin t’teake until fust week o’March afor that’ll be finished. That’ll mean all the little roads round by Watton Church und through t’Ovington are a gettin cut where traffic try t’pass. I wonder how long that’ll be a’for somebody drive onta the verge or inta a ditch und git stuck?

Them boys up a Carra Rooad are hevin a busy time. I see um a playin Chelsea on the TV tuther night. They give a good account’ themselves although they recon they were a’goin t’be tired for the next game on the Saturday cos they would hev only 2 days t’recover. When I were a playin (with a leather football) in the Norfolk und Suffolk league on a Saturday I ha’a still go inta wark on the Sunday t’look arter the stock. That were no good me a tellin the boss I were to tired.

They only got just over 12 months t’git this here BREXIT sorted out but nobody seem t’be a doin anything. Here we are (last week January) und they don’t seem t’hev hed any meetings since Christmas. When they du meet thas only for 3 days cos they ha hev Monday und Friday t’travel there und back. They wanta wark in the real world. One o’our Son’s go t’Switzerland for meetings some times und he go there hev the meeting und cum back all in the same day. So why can’t them BREXIT folk du the same?

Them old evening are a drawing out und I’ll soon be able t’du a bit on the garden (when that dry out) arter tea. In the mean time:

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin.

Well how are yu all a’goin on t’gether. A’time yu get t’read this that’ll be February Fill Dyke though I don’t think we’ll be a’wantin any more rain for a’while. Thas bin a rum winter so far , all that rain that keep a’cummin down, thas as though somebody up above have left the tap a’runnin . Still we’re better orf than sum folk in tuther parts o’the country who hev hev bin flooded out more than once this winter although I can remember, a few year ago, when there were sum houses flooded at the bottom o’Mill Lane und the water used t’gather acroos the road just past the church,near the Old Crown House Pub, that were s’deep that you could’nt drive through it.

Cos them Politions up in London recon they’r a’goin t’spend a lot o’money t’stop houses a’gettin flooded. The trouble is, as soon as they meake the riverbanks higher in one place the water will cum over somewhere else. I know folk hev gotta live some where but why did they let them developers build on flood planes? Din’t they think there were suffin in the name?. Another thing, I know thas bad when folks houses und shops get flooded but what about the farmers who hev their crops flooded over und hev livestock swept away un drowned, nobody ant a’sayin much about that .

As as well as all that rain we keep a’havin thas bin s’mild up t’now (10th Jan) though they du say we could get sum colder weather soon. All the Missus tender plants I put away in the green house are still a’growin and sum o’our roses are still a’flowin, these here plants hev gotta stop a’growin sum time du they’ll not last through the summer w’out a rest.

Last time I hed as wurd along with’ya I were a sayin how I hed seen sum cows a’grazin on a field twixt Shipdham & Dereham, Well now I see there’s sum sheep a’grazin on a field tuther side o’the bridge a’goin t’wards Ovington. They look as if they are a’grazin sum stubble turnips. The Missus keep askin me it I am a’goin t’count them every day…..I told har not t’be s’sorft cos how can I ride my old bike in straight line und count sheep in the field same time. Still thas good t’see um, that remind you of how farming were several year ago when there were sheep everywhere in Norfolk, the Golden Hoof they used t’call them.

Afor Christmas the Missus und I went on a trip t’London t’go to a carol concert at the Royal Albert Hall. We han’t bin there a’for. My heart thas a gret old place, we hed seats right near the top. Them seats were set suffin steep, when we stood up t’sing a carol the Missus she grabbed hold o’me cos she recon she were a’goin t’pitch forud onta the row o’seats in front of us. That were a good job we only ha’a stand up twice cos my arm would hev bin black un blue from where the Missus kept a’grabbib me.

The next day we went to a Christmas Fair/Market in Hyde Park. There were a lot o’stalls a’sellin stuff. There were a big old wheel a’goin round w’little cabins on that yu could sit in. Now I ha’a say that I don’t like a’goin on anything that take yu orf the ground. The fust time I flew in a plane nobody told me that arter you teake orf the pilot throttle the engines back a bit, I thought he’ed turned the engines orf. How-sum-ever we went on the wheel in Hyde Park twice. The fust time we went on it that started t’rain und that old wind started a blowin the cabin which meade it rock a bit. I din’t like that und cos that were a’rainin yu could’t see far. Leater on the sun come out so we hed another go. I were alright this time a teakin photos until the Missus wanted t’sit on tuther side. Well boy when she started a movin about the cabin a started a rockin about, I hollered at har t’sit still cos I were coming over all funny. When we come orf the wheel we went inta an ice house t’see sum ice sculptures, That were suffin cold in there(-8c) When we come out they give us some little things t’warm yar feet up. I recon we should hed them a’for we went it. Still that were a good couple o’days even though the coach driver din’t know his way round London very well. I think we driv round the Olympic Station 3 times afor he found the M11

Well them boys up atCarra Rood seem to be gettin on a bit better than they were afor Christmas, less hope they can keep it a’goin until May.

I must close now und get outside t’clean my old hins out so their eggs keep nice und clean. Cos the old grounds s’wet und dawby the Missus meake me keep my old boots in the shud near the back door cos she don’t me t’drag any mud indoors. I say t’her “I wish my old hins could have boots they could keep outside the hut, cos that would mean that I wont ha’a clean them out s’often”……………She din’t say anything,she just gimi one o’har looks.

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin.

A’time yu are a readin this we’ll be a drawing into the second month o’the new year.

I must tell yu about suffin the Missus und I did afor christmas. We went t’London t’see Andrea Rue und his Orchestra at that there Wembley Arena. We did it properly und stayed in a hotel arter we hed seen the show. The hotel were near Heathrow , that were suffin close t’the runway. When we fust arrived und were a gettin our cases outa the car there were one o’them Jumbo Jets a commin inta land… for a moment I thought he were agoin t’land onta rood aside the car park. The hotel were a gret old place that were open 24 hours a day, that hed a rum lot o bedrooms. I say t’ the Missus that remind me of when we used t’keep hins in battery cages, we were in cage two thousand und suffin. Our room hed two huge old beds in it… the Missus recon they were Queen size, what every that mean. I say t’the Missus I recon I know why they hev got these here beds. “Thas cos if one o’them Arab men come w’all his wives they can all sleep in the same room”……………The Missus din’t say anything…. she just gi’me one o’har looks.

We hed never bin t’Wembley Arena afor, thas a big old place und all. Arter we hed found our seats, I think we were higher up than sum o’them planes I hed seen a’landin at Heathrow. I say the Missus that they could keep a rum lot o’cattle or pigs in a place like this. She told me t’hold my row cos folks who were a sittin near us were a’steerin at me.
Still we hed a good view o’the stage und that were a good show.

I ha bin a hearin about how them at County Hall want t’stop the school buses from them houses on the Norridge Road und meake the children und they parents walk t’school cos thas only 2 miles. They recon they are a goin t’spend forty or fifty Thousand pounds a’doin up the footpath from the Airolite Garage t Caudle Springs. I crowd my old bike along that footpath nearly every day und I recon that ull take all o’that und a bit more t’do it up. Arter that they hev gotta keep it maintained. I wonder whose a goin t’pay for that?. Another thing is that in winter that ul be dark afor they get home. Another thing they recon is that they are a goin t’make steppin orf places along Drury Lane. They’ll ha a meake a rum lot on um cos these’s a rear lot o’cars a’goin to und from the school at the same time as the’ll be a walkin there. I recon thas a lot different a walkin two miles where these’s pavements und street lightin all the way than that is a walkin along narrow country lanes und footpaths.

They ha got a new man in charge up at Carra Rood. They recon the last man could’t get the players motivated. I say t’the Missus if they hed an old sheep dog a runnin behind them a nippin them on the ankles that ud get them a motivated. Still we’ll ha’a give him a bit o’time t get settled in. As long as they finish higher up than the Tractor Boys cos that’ull keep m’Brother quiet. He give me a skull ache last time we got t’gether.

The old garden could du with a few more frorsts t’slow things up. I hev (early January) got shubs wi’leaves on und the old hins are still a layin as if thas in the middle o’summer. As daylight hours git less und that get colder hins normally stop a layin. Thas why farmers who hev hins keep um in a shud w’no windows so they can control the light und keep them a laying.

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin

Well we’r started agin…..thas another New Year. There’s sum on um who han’t hed a good start. There’s them who lorst their homes when that tempist und sea come onta the land around the coast afor Christmas and there’s them who hev had their homes flooded since the tun o’the year.

Corse all this rain ha made that a job a’gettin about on the land. Most farmers ha got them old beet out of the ground, but instead of worrying about them old beet gettin frorsted afor they get carted to the factory, this year, acors thas so mild their a’worrying about them old beet a heatin up und rotting away. When a lot of farmers were a keepin cattle yu ha’a get inta the land to cart beet tops orf t’feed them. That were a job when the old ground were dawby, I remember once a gettin stuck with a tractor und trailer load o’beet tops, that took another two tractors yoked up t’gether t’pull me out.

I ha got one o’them new tablet computas, that seem a rum name t’call a computa. I know their small but t’me a tablet is suffin you swalla with a drop o’water. The Missus ha given me a thing that look like a pen, only that aint, thas got a rubber end und she tell me, cors I ha got big hands, that I ha gotta use it t’touch the screen t’get it a’goin, that seem t’wark. I told the Missus, I were a goin t’try it on my old bike t’see if that’ll it a’goin any quicker…she din’d say anything….. she just gi me one o’her looks.

Them boys up at Carra Rood will ha’a get goin a bit if they are t’stay up with the big boys. At least them in charge han’t dun like a lot of other clubs and got rid of the manager. Sum of them owners want instant results. That remind me of a man who thought that if he bought up all the best Sheep of a certain breed he’d win all the classes when he showed them at the summer shows. That dint wark cos he dint hev time t’get t’know the sheep afor he took them inta the ring t’show um…. they hant become a team.

Cos thas bin s’mild so far this winter(early January) sum o’my old roses hev still got buds on und m’old hins are still a’layin. Still there still be time for the weather t’turn cold. A lot o’plants hev got to go through a dormant stage a’for they start a’goin agin in the Spring. They sorta hibinate, I wish I could du that sum times when the Missus keep a findin jobs for me t’du.

I agoin t’close now cus the Editor recon he h’a got a lot t’crowd in this month.

Fair ye well t’gether und du yu keep a troshin

Well we ha’a started a ploughin a furra acroos 2013, less hope we dont get t’meny bends in it and can keep a straight furra until t’end o the year .

I recon that 2012 were a good year for the village cos there were plenty a goin on, first we hed the Jubilee day & the village fete und arter harvest we hed the heritage week-end and finished wi the Spirit of Christmas, thas good t’see a lot of new folks in the village a helpin at these does cos sum of us olduns want t’be a pullin a light harrow now. That were good t’see them folks from the Norridge road houses a drawin down t’the village and ajoining in.

The Missus & I drawed down the the Spirit of Christmas , there were all them bits o ice t’see a dotted round the millennium green, that must ha’bin a job a holden them things in the ice steady while the water frooz, we bought sum draw ticket & I wum a car cleaning kit, the Missus recon that if I use that on my old bike that’l fall t’bits cos thas only mud a holdin it t’gether.

They recon last year were one o’the wettest on record, I ha got a rain measure in my garden und I ha totted up that we hed a fare few inches, thas arter they were a lellin us last spring that were a’goin t’hev a drought. Thas still to dawby on the garden t’go a jammin about on it. If you go a jammin about on it while thas wet when that du dry out that’ul go down as hard as contrete und you’ll never be able t’knock it down t’get a seed bed. I say t’the Missus that want I want is a pair of boots like them big floatin tyres they hev on tractors so I dont du any harm if I go on the garden while thas a bit dawby…..she din’t say anything…she just gi’me one of her looks. I sowed my Sweet Pea seeds a’for Christmas, they hev all chitted und are growin nicely, that should please the Missus cos she like a cuttin the flowers for indoors.

I ha got an old mole a warkin in the garden, he ha bin a rifflin under the lawn, I can’t catch the old begger, I’ll ha’a do what my old father used t’do, if he knew an old mole were a warkin he’d go & get his old 12 bore und stand still near where that were a warkin und when that used t’start a pushin the soil up he would shoot inta the mole hill…I don’t think he ever shot one und one day he shot all the soil onto Mother’s washin that were a hangin on the linin line, cor she were suffin savige with him……….if I try that trick I’ll ha’a make sure the MIssus han’t got any washin out.

Well I am a’goin t’close now cos the lady Editor don’t want to much this month cos she ha’a got t’get two months inta one.

Fare ye well t’gether and du yu keep a’troshin. The Boy Tom

Missing Month