Sheldon Jottings for February 2014

After our joyous Christmas festivities things may now seem a bit dull. However, we must look forward to Spring, with the days getting longer and the snowdrops even showing some white as they push through the waterlogged ground.

The balloons were out at Top Farm when Harold celebrated his 85th birthday at the beginning of January. He is still helping on the farm and when asked how he was, he replied in his forthright way ‘I’m feeling great – when I’m sitting down!!’ Belated Happy Birthday Harold.

Ken’s Bluefaced Leicester sheep were scanned the other day to ascertain how many lambs each was carrying. One ewe was carrying at least 4 – can she really deliver so many? The man who comes to do this job for the farmers is Gus Dermody of ‘One Man and His Dog‘ TV fame, where he does the commentary. His van with its vital equipment, says on its side ‘Don’t guess, get Gus’…!!!

Rosemary and Sam’s grandson, Matthew who is 12, has gained his First Dan Junior Black Belt in karate. He is the youngest ever junior to gain the Black Belt and he started the sport at the tender age of 7. Congratulations to him. His grandparents, and Mum and Dad, Sally and Martin are so rightly proud.

Welcome to Rhodri who has come to live next to Rosemary and Sam in the Old End of Yew Tree House. He has taken the job of River Keeper on the stretch of the River Wye between Ashford and Buxton. We are sure he will love the Peak District.

The village and Kirk Dale were gritted in the late afternoon of Saturday 11th January, presumably because frost was forecast for that night. We know that ice or snow make our exit from and entry to the village down to the A6 rather hellish. So we give credit here where it is due, to the powers that be for taking this preventive measure.  If they could only see the state of the beautiful new wall down Kirk Dale that was rebuilt a few weeks before Christmas. It is now down in 4 places (at least 4 accidents) and looks a sad and tragic mess. Cars have slid off the bend on the descent and collided with it, causing untold damage to the occupants and the vehicles and a cyclist also had some nasty injuries – all because this ‘rat run’ for commuters and our high altitude village have fallen off the list of the Council’s gritting routes. If we had spent weeks in appalling wet and cold weather creating this wonderful wall, only for it to be brutally assaulted by heavy metal we would be feeling so frustrated and deeply unhappy, wouldn’t you?

Remember there are no community recycling bins in the pub car park now.

Dates for the Diary

Vicar’s Coffee Morning – Tues 4th February
History Group Meeting – Weds 19th February

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