Tag: January

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

Here we are t’gether then , 2021 hev shut it’s door und 2022 hev opened it’s door for us to step through. We’ll ha’a see what this year will throw at us, I’ll tell yu suffin that ain’t a’goin t’be easy, Covid ull still be with us which won’t meake anything we want t’du easy. I’ll recon that folk ha’a gotta start thinkin about how what they do will affect other folk, every-one hev gotta ’pull t’gether in the same direction t’keep us all safe und healthy.
During the end of the year I met a’couple o’folk from separate families who aren’t a pullin in the same direction as the rest on us. I aren’t a goin t’tell yu who they are but one couple ,who between um are now a’goin t’five different clubs, don’t do any covid testin und another fella told me he han’t had any covid jabs even though his very elderly mother were a’comin t’stay for Christmas.

Durin December the Missus und I did get out und go und see them lights they had rigged up at Sandringham. My heart they were a rare sight, that were ok until we got about half way round und then Old Mother Nature pulled har chain und the heavens opened.
That were the same tuther day when I went for a walk in the Forest with my Son-in-Law t’hev a look at them Highland Cattle they hev got a’drawin about in there. That started a’rainin hard just as we were a’gettin out of the car, My Son-in Laws dog din’t even want t’git outa the car at all und ha’a be persuaded t’git out inta the rain und go for a walk und see the cattle which were,when we found them, a sheltering under sum trees un were’t a’goin t’move out for us so I ha’a photograph them where they were. I see some o’the cows were a’wearin what looked like cow bells a’hanging round their necks. Now I know they are aren’t bells but are a tag that give orf an electric signal which the farmer use to find um. I’ll tell yu suffin else I lean’t whlle out in the forest …..that my old wax coat want re-waxing cos that were lettin the water in.

If any on yu hev bin through the village arter dark durin December you’ll hev seen the old Church Tower und a Christmas tree all lit up. That were a lovely site as were the houses in the village that folk hed tricolated up with lights.

Them boys up at Carra Road still aren’t playin well, I know that injuries und covid mean that a’lot of the team aren’t fit the play but the thing is some o’the other teams in the same league hev got sum of their players unable t’play but they keep a’winnin a few games. Less hope them canaries hev made the right new years resolutions. Cos folk keep a’sayin that the club orta be a buying some new players during January, the trouble with that is that other clubs at the bottom of the same league (Newcastle) hev a bigger cheque book than Norwich.

I know that I were talkin about the door of 2022 bein open und how the year will go on for us, Cos them farmers will be wondering how thas a goin t’be once they start a’plowin a furrow across 2022. Pig farmers with them gret old herds you see when drivin about still hev plenty o’fat pigs a runnin about cos there’s still a shortage of slaughter house staff und lorry drivers. Farmers with sheep that lamb in the spring will be a wondering what the lambs will be worth later in the year when they cum t’sell them. Arable Farmers will be looking at the weather hoping that mother nature will help them with the right weather at the right time to help them sow, grow ind harvest their crops. I know a’lot on yu who read this aren’t anything to du with farming but I recon buying food grown in this country is part of “all on us a’pullin in the same direction”

At the moment thas to dauby (wet) for me git on the garden but there are still one or two jobs I want t git on with, The roof is a’leakin on one o’my shuds so I want git up the sale yard t’buy some wood so I can re-roof it with new wood und felt. Cos thas still warm out them spring bulbs are a poking their heads through, though I recon thall wish they hant cos they talk of there bein sum cold weather at the end o’the week. (I’ll ha’a check the heater in the green house ) cos thas where I keep the Missus’s tender shrubs durin the winter. If anything happen to them the Missus will only start a mobbin me und I’ll ha’a replace them later in the year.

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

How are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

I am a’written this twix Christmas und the New Year. Thas a job now we are in this here lock-down agin. Still if thas what we are a’goin t’hev t’du t’git this here coronavirus in a corner then so be it.

The Missus und I did git out a bit afore Christmas, we met one o’our Sons und his family at Thursford t’hev a look at the light show they were a puttin on cos they ha’a cancel their Christmas concerts. That were a rare good du, fust of all you went inta the sheds they hed tricolated up with traction engines in Christmas scenes, arter that yu went outside into a four acre field where there were life size animals dotted about all lit up, they recon these hed cum from China, there were a fun fair un all. The bit our Grand Daughter enjoyed the most were inside where they hed disco lights shining onto the floor with music coming out of sum speakers und that mist they can git that creep about just orf the floor. Har Father had a master job t’git har outa there.

Arter we hed bin there the Missus und I driv down to coast t’see if we could see the Santa Special Steam Train that were a runnin twix Sheringham und Holt. When we fust see the train that were a’sittin in the station with folk getting ready to git on board so we drew down the road a bit und were able t’see it when that were a’goin along all lit up. We then had a drive round t’see if we could see it agin und we ended a’drivin up a farm track und parkin on the edge of a field. When we were a’sittin there in the dark awaiting for the train I say the Missus “we han’t sat in the dark in a car like this since afore we were married”…..although that were suffin dark I could tell she were given me one o’har looks. Arter we hed seen the train agin on its way back t’Sheringham I ha’a back down the farm track t’the road cos I dussent try und tun round in the field. I recon thas a good job we hev a car with a reversing camera on, then we driv further along the coast t’hev a look at the Christmas tree at Wells made outa crap pots, arter that we driv home.

Well them up at Whitehall hev done a BREXIT deal with them over the water.
Most on um seem happy with it although I recon there’ll be suffin that’ll crawl outa the 1500 page agreement that’ll upset folk. I recon we are a’goin t’see how that’ll wark once folk start a’goin across the water arter January 1st. I don’t recon the Missus und I will be a goin over there next year as our days of caravanning over the water hev finished. I recon you hev gotta know when t’stop und I recon we hev got there – still there’s plenty for us t’see this side o’the water with our caravan for a few more years yet.

These’s bin a rare lot o’rain durin the last ten days, on top o’everything else this year sum folk were tunned outa their houses cos they hed bin flooded. Theres water a’standin about on fields in the village where I hev never sin water a’standin afore. There were a mighty lot on it a’goin under the bridge on the Ovington Road when I drawed down t’hev a look und thas a bit dawby when I crowd my old bike along the footpath twix Caudle Springs & the main road. Thas bin a job und a half for farmers t’git their old sugar beet orf und away to the factory. Still most o’their machines run on these h gret old tyres now that don’t damage the soil to much. That’ll ha’a dry out afore they can travel on it agin in the Spring

Them boys up at Carra Rood are a’playin well at the moment, although they did lose tuther night when they played agin Watford. Still they can’t win every game und they are still top o’the division. As I hev told you afore I can watch most o’the games now on my TV. The trouble is I think I am in the crowd at the ground und when I start a hollering und shouting the Missus git a bit worried cos she recon I might hev a heart attack. That remind me of when I were a watching a rugby match on the TV when our children were small. – I think that were England playing Scotland at Murreyfield. When I started a’shoutin one on um asked their Mother if they could hear me at the ground.

Well I recon that by the time yu read this we’ll hev started drawin a new furrow across 2021. Less hope the furrow stay straight with-out to many kinks in it. But what with the coronavirus und BREXIT I won’t bet against there being a few bends on our furrow. I hope that they can git these vaccines out so that’ll giv us a bit o’protection. Sum folk recon that when we hev hed the vaccination things will return to normal. I recon that the new normal aint a’goin to be like the old normal. If this here virus hev taught us anything thas taught us to value things differently, Health und happiness is more important than the size of your house und car or how many holidays abroad you take in a year.

Stay safe all on ya,

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

How are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

Well here we are at the start of a new decade, I don’t suppose that’ll meake a lot o’difference t’what’ll happen but there will allus be folk who recon that du.

Well December were a rare busy time for us. We seemed t’be a scraping about t’git things done. At the start o’the month we und a few other folk went on a coach trip to see the Christmas lights at Audley End. For them that don’t know thas just inta Es-sex where the M11 & the A11 yoke up t’gether. Du yu know that took us ni on three hours t’git there. When we hed got tuther side o’Thetford there were two accidents for we got the that great old round-a-bout at Barton Mills und there were another one just afore they put us down at Audley End. The lights in the park were alright but the Missus und I recon that Blickling Park put on a better show.

I might ha told yu afore that one o’are Sons run these here untra marathons. Well just a’fore Christmas he und one o’ his friends organised one on um. That were 84 miles along the coastal path twin Snettisham und Great Yarmouth und just to meake it in-teresting they ha’a run it during the night. Them that only wanted t’run the half dis-tance started at Cley. Well he asked me if I’d go along und help und take a few pho-tos for him. I told hin I din’t mind what I did as long as I din’t ha’a stay up all night. So I went the Snettisham und then drawed along t’Cley t’help check the runners in afore they started. Well they started orf at Snettisham at sun set und that were dry with some wind behind them. But hold you hard when we got t’Cley und they half Ultra competitors started at about half arter Ten my heart that were suffin wet und the old wind hed got up. That wern’t to easy a’takin photos outside when thas like that. Arter Cley I cum home but they recon that were a success so the y are a’goin to run another one next June tuther way round. They are a’goin t’start at Great Yarmouth at 4.15 am (Sun Rise) und finish at Snettisham. I’ll let yu know how I git on with that one when that happen.

Another thing we hed afore Christmas were the elections. I don’t care how yu voted all I can say is Thank the Lord thas all over und now, hopefully, things ull draw along a bit quicker than they hev bin. I recon them up a Whitehall want t’be a’lookin at oth-er thing as well as the EU like the NHS. The Norridge hospital seem t’be running flat out und we han’t even hed any hard weather yet. They recon yu will ha’a wait over four hours t’be seen und thas arter yu hev found some where t’park y’car.

Them boys up at Carra Rood hev left them selves a’lot o’wark t’du is they want to be playing w’the big boys next season. They don’t seem as if they can play well for the whole ninety minutes. Thas int as as they don’t know how t’play t’gether cos they du that all week when they are a trainin.
Thas as if the man in charge hev got an old engine who play up sometimes but he don’t now how t’fix it. I recon he want t’be putting a stick in the governors so they rev a bit harder. Still thas a long way till the end of the season. My Brother(who supports Ipswich) int a;sayin a lot at the moment cos his team hev slowed down a lot. I’m pleased t’say that our two Grandsons are Norwich Supporters, They both a foot-ball strip for Christmas, one hed the home strip und tuther one hed the away strip. They costed suffin so we mead sure that the strips were big enough so they could grow inta them. That NDR or what ever they call it don’t seem t’be warkin right. That seem t’be looking at things that ent spos t’be looking at und not looking at things that is spos t’be looking at. Why don’t they try a’lookin over the fence at other games like cricket und rugby where that work with-out all this squit.

The turn o’the year is a quiet time on most farms, unless yu keep livestock who ha’a be looked after every day o’the week. Thas nice t’see some livestock in the village, in case any on yar han’t noticed these a nice flock o’lambs a grazing sum stubble tur-nips aside o’Drury Lane. I drawed down und cast my eyes over them. They seem t’be a rare mix o’breeds but they were a’windin them old stubble turnips inta them-selves und seemed happy. Thas when they start t’run outa food that they start t’git unhappy und start a’lookin over or through the fence t’see if there’s any better feed on tuther side. In years gone by there used be thousands o’sheep a’grazin in fields all over Norfolk on turnips, swedes & sugar beet tops. They were called the golden hoof because their feet pulled small weeds out as they grazed and their droppings returned nutrients to the soil.

I wonder what 2020 will bring t’us all? As we start a’ploughin a new furrow across the year I recon that’ll tun up somethings we are a’goin t’like und some things we recon should hev stayed buried.

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

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

A’time yu are a’readin this that’ll all be over. Thas Christmas und the New Year I’m a’talkin about. When we recon it all up we will hev spent to much money und ate to much food

Afore Christmas the Missus und I went on a couple o’trips. Fust of all we went to London t’see the lights in Key Gardens. We din’t go on our own cos thas a rum a’drivin about London anytime so the Missus she got sum tickets orf a coach company that were a goin there. Cos we were a’goin t’see the lights they picked us up at Thetford a little arter midday. We und another group o’Mawthers were the last t’git on. I like a riddin on a coach cos you can gawp about while somebody else du the drivin. We stopped near Baldock so we could git a bite t’eat und the they driv us t’Windsor so we could hev a look round there afore we went onto Key. When we were a comin orf the M25 onta the M4 the driver meade a mistake. I say t’the Missus that we were a goin t’Heathrow not Windsor. She told me t’hold me row cos the driver knew what he were a’doin. That tunned out I were right cos we got nearly up t’the runway when he ha’a tun the old bus around. The Driver recon he were sorry und that he’ed soon hev us back on the right road.

When we got out o’the coach at Windsor, My heart that din’t harf rain und the old wind got up un all. That tunned the Missus’s umbrella inside out twice, I hed on o’them great old golf umbrellas: I ha’a hang onta that with both hand du I recon I would hev taken orf und ended up back at Heathrow.

Arter that we got t’Key Grardens on time und hed a walk round t’look at the lights and laser displays. They hed meade a rare job on it und that were worth the trip. I’ll tell yu suffin, when we got inta our car at Thetford t’drive home that din’t half snow. By the time we got home that were a’layin but that hed all gone by the mornin.

The tuther outin we hed were nearer home, we drawed along t’Thursford t’see the show there. We ha bin there several times durin the last 40 odd years und they allus put on a good do. I recon that thas a rummin that yu are a’watchin suffin like that a’sittin in an old cattle shed in the middle o’Norfolk. That must be good cos There were folk there from all over the Country.

There were a couple of Christmas does in the village un all. There were the Bazar in the Village hall und Church und then there were a evenin in the Church where a couple entertained us wi folk songs und Carols. There were both good does but thas a pity there wernt a few more village folk there supporting all the hard work others hed put in.

I he bin t’see Norwich City agin, that were when they played Brentford the Friday afore Christmas. That wern’t as bad as when they played Barnsley but they still lorst. I know they recon that they hed one or two o’there players out cos they were injured. I git suffin savige when I see them players a’rollin about when they fall over arter a tackle: At least , at the Brentford game, the ref could see they were acting und he booked a couple on um. I wonder how they would carry on if they hed got knicked by an old cow or had an old Ram butt inta them. I seem t’remember when it happened t’me I just cussed a bit und got on with what ever I were a doin. My Boss would hev recconned that he hed employed the wrong man if I were t’start a rollin about like some o’them footballers du.

There aint much to do in the old garden at the moment. I am just keepin an eye on the tender plants in the Green House t’meake sure old Jack Frorst don’t git in there. They recon them old nights will start a’drawin out agin but I recon that’ll be a day or two afore I can git out there arter m’tea. In the mean time the Missus ha got a list o’little jobs she want me t’du so I had better stop this und git started cos if I don’t I’ll still be a doing har little jobs when I want t’be a’gettin outside.

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

Well how are yu all agettin on t’gether?

I am a writtin this but I don’t know how you will be a’readin on it. That might be in the New Penny News or that might be “On Line” what ever that mean.

Well Christmas und the New Year are behind us now. I recon we are all a’wonderin was a’goin t’happen in 2017. Still as my old father used t’say “The’ll Allus be a seed time und harvest no matter what old mother nature hull at us”. I recon the’ll be a lot o’folk who’ll be a wonderin what Mr Trump will be a hullin about once he get his old feet under the teable in the oval office. Closer t’home I suppose that’ll be all about them there BREXIT talks with them over the water.

The Missus und I got about a bit afore Christmas. We went t’Norwich Cathedral one Saturday night t’hear them Military Wives choirs a’singin. My heart they sounded lovely. Another arternoon we drawed down t’Cromer und went to the Christmas show what they were a’holdin at the end o’the pair. They recon thas the only end o’pair show a’runnin in the World. That were a good do: We were a sittin up stairs right in the font row, that were a bit of a’job cos you ha’a sit up straight t’see the stage over the low wall a’front of’our seats. The Missus she sit on har coat so she could see und as I’m a big old unit I could see alright un all. When that were half time I went t’git us an ice cream. They wernt a sellin any upstairs so I ha’a climb down the stairs und go and find a Mawther who were selling on um. By the time I found har I recon I hed walked to the end o’the pair und back. Arter the show were over we hed a word a’long o’the main man in the show cos he und I have done a’bit o’work t’gether at the Norfolk Show, arter that we went und hed a fish un chip tea und then hed a walk round Cromer t’look at their Christmas lights.

Another place we went were t’a carol service by candle light in Norwich. That were a job ,when we went in they give us a candle each that were stuck through a bit o’card board. A’for the service stated they cum round und lit the candles und then they tunned out all the lights in the church. Well that were alright for the fust hymn or two but by as time drawed on my old candle were a burnin down. Come the last verse o’the last hymn (O’cum all ye faithful) my candle sort’a set fire the the cardboard disc. Well bor I din’t know what t’du so I dropped it on the wooden floor und the Missus helped me t’put the fire out by stampin on it. There was a bit o’smoke und a few sparks but I don’t think a lot o’folk noticed apart from a couple o’mawthers standin behind us.

Talkin o’Churches und light did any on yar see the light on the tower o’our village church. That were a’showin the cross of St John. I drawed down one night und took a photo on it.
The Missus recon I would get arrested cos I were dressed all in black und were carrying a gret old torch so I could light up the church tower when I were a takin my photo. I din’t git arrested und I got a photo or two.

Well them boys up at Carra Rood he got plenty t’du. They hev won their last match (3-1) less hope that mean they hev tunned the corner. They say these a’goin t’be some cummins und goins durin January’s transfer window.

The farmers seem to hev got them old sugar beet out und away t’the factory. I driv past that there beet factory at Whissey on Christmas day. That were a going with clouds o’steam und you could smell that old beet pulp a dryin. What they ha’a do is make sure they get the farmers t’cart enough beet in t’keep a’goin over Christmas until they open the weigh bridges agin. That seem a’long while ago (the 1960s) when I were a’cartin beet inta the Bury factory with a little old 8 tonne Bedford lorry. I used t’teake 2 load a day, and the beet were all hulled on by hand.

Some Farmers will already hev sheep that are a lambin. But they ha’a be kept inside und till the weather warm up und the grass start a’growin.

That’ll be better when the old weather warm up so I can draw out inta the garden. At the moment all I ha’a do is feed my old hins und keep and eye out for any vermin (rats) that may start a working in my old compost heaps. They like a’gettin in there cos thas warm.

At least I only ha’a worry about rats: one o’our Sons he’s in America at the moment und he ha sent me a photo of a sign he see when he were out a runnin the tuther mornin. That were a tellin him t’be careful cos there were Snakes und Alligators in the area.

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

Missing Month

Missing Month

A’time yu read this we’ll a’started another year. We’ll ha’a see whot old father time ha got in store for us this time round. We know we got a’celebrate her Majesteys Golden Jubilee, yu can say what yu like but I recon she ha done a good job, I know there are them whot are all for a’gettin rid of the royal family but I say du yu hold hard, that int the power she have… thas the power she stop others a’havin, we better of with har than sum president or dictator.

I recon sum on um are now a countin the cost o’Christmas, that seem that these days if the youguns keep a crazin their parents for suffin they get it.
When I were a’youngun my old dad used t’say t’me “what yu want and what yu get are two different things” .

I see thar a’gettin them selves in a muddle over the water with their money, thas all acors their ha bin a spendin money whot they hant got and they hant a’bin puttin anything in the mattriss for a rainy day.

The weather still cant makeup it’s mind what that want t’du, as I am a’writin this in early December thas got mild agin but they recon we a’goin t’get sum rare winds t’night and then thas a’goin t’tun cold agin.
The fust year I started wark we had a rare winter. That started t’get cold and we had sum sharp frosts up until Christmas and then on New Year’s Eve that started a snowin and by new year’s day that were a driftin. We dint get a bank holiday then so I ha’a travel t’work on my little old mota-bike and that were eight miles from where I were a livin to the farm, there were snow drifts every where but I got though where cars were a gettin stuck. They recon I looked a job when I got to work cos my old army great coat were a’covered in snow and sum snow had frose on m’ eyebrows. I recon the wust weather we had that winter wus freezin rain. The tractors we were drivin had canvas cabs on with a glass windscreen, well the rain frose on the screen and yu count see where yu were a goin so yu ha’a open the door and stick yar head out, yu count do that for long cos the rain holy stung yar face, still that were worsa for one of the other tractor drivers I were a warkin with, he were a wearin glasses so when he stuck his head outa the cab door t’see where he were a goin the rain frose on his glasses.

Cos if you had livestock t’look arter in the winter frost & snow made the job harder. Stock allus ha’a have fresh water so if the water troughs were frozen yu ha’a get the old blow torch t’thaw the pipes, if that dint wark yu ha’a cart water to the stock in milk churns Gettin food to um were hard wark, cuttin marrowstem kale was the wust, that grew t’over six foot tall and when yu bent down t’cut it orf at the base the snow on the leaves fell onta yar head and shoulders., yu ha’a be careful yu dint cut yar self when yu were a’doin this cos yar hands got s’cold yu wont ha felt it. If the weather were moderate that were good t’be in a loose box or barn with cattle as they made the place warm. When yu cleared the muck outa the bullock yard during the winter y’always left a foot or two of muck in the bottom of the yard so the cattle still had a warm bed t’lay on for the rest of the winter. The old cows warmed the cowshed up when yu got them in t’be milked although that wernt s’good if they slapped yu about the head with their cold mucky tails when yu got down to put the milking machines on.

There ent a lot yu can do in the garden this time o’year, just a bit o’tidying up and I ha’a make sure the missus’s tender plants in the greenhouse are alright. I ha’a keep an eye out for vermin cos moderate weather is when they draw inta buildings, they recon yar never more than six foot from a rat, the trouble is they arnt frightened on us and they recon these more o’them in the world than us.

While I carn’t get on outside the missus ha got a list o’things she want me t’du indoors………….. the trouble is as fast as I keep a knockin the jobs orf the top o’the list she keep a’adden others on the bottom……….I hope spring int to long a’comin so I can draw back inta the garden.

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

Well we have started a ploughin a furra across 2011. Durrin the year the old plough will tun up some things what we are pleased to see & there will things we will wish had stayed buried.

I had suffin tun up the other day what I din’t want, an old Rat got inta my green house. My hart that made a mess in there afor I got it out. I was allus told that God put every creature on this here earth for a purpus. When I get to meet the Almighty I am goin to have a wud with him about why he give us Rats, if I can I’ll let you know what he say.

Nearly every day I walk along the footpath twixt Caulde Springs & the Norridge Rood to get my peaper. One morning a’for Christmas I met a couple of Mawthers who had come out from Norridge and were a followin a footpath walk what had been printed in the EDP. I stopped & had a mardle along with um & they say t’me what a lovely village Carbrooke is, so quiet & peacefull & how good that is to see the footpath a’bein used. The Council trimmed it back last year but I wonder who will be a’doin it this year cos them at County Hall & Breckland recon they are short o’ money. If they arn’t a goin to keep the footpaths trimmed back is this suffin our Parish Council can take on?. I have read in this here New Penny News that they have got a shillin or two sittin in the bank.

Well I have finished my fourses now so I had better find suffin to do a’for the Missus see I am still a sttin here.

Fare ye well t’gether and do you keep a troshin.

The Boy Tom