Belated happy New Year

The last few days have been a bit challenging weather wise to say the least. The background to this stormy spell has been the constant wind, which when its not trying to pry away our roof tiles, makes do with chucking the garden furniture about and rearranging the bird feeders. Even Lilly the Collie has been reluctant to step outside at times. Luckily we have not had any trees down and despite the best efforts of the wind,the roof is still attached to the house. During a brief lull, while the wind died down for a bit, I took the Christmas tree, stripped of its finery and looking a bit forlorn, out and put it in the back of the car. A trip to the tip later, once I have dropped the Weasel off at work. It seemed a bit sad taking it down. Another Christmas done, another year gone, and already a week into the new one. I'm not sure about 2012 to be honest. Its a bit scary. Everyone is growing up, leaving home, and moving on. A fresh start? Or the same old? Decided not to make any resolutions again. (Is that a resolution?) They don't work for me. Well its a bit late but happy new year, I hope 2012 brings you what you want.

A bit of a catch up

With the Wiz in Ethiopia, and the Munch working hard as an apprentice chef, I was home alone with Lilly the Collie for most of the weekend. Mrs BW made a brief appearance in between shifts at Hardwick Hall, and we shared a silent pint together at the Wye Bridge on Saturday evening. We took Lilly along who livened things up by barking at a group of lads at the next table. Luckily they thought it was funny or else I might have had to place Mrs BW in between them and me. For her own protection you understand.

I amused myself by wandering around town and taking in the sun and the festival crowds. It was certainly busy. And every available space seemed to be occupied by Morris Dancers. Of course Lilly barked at them and briefly thought about rounding them up, but they kept on waving their hankies in a mildly threatening way and she decided that they were not worth the bother.

On Friday evening I went to see Ed Reardon in a writers burden. Now I am a bit of an Ed Reardon fan. Its therapeutic to come across someone more miserable than ones self. But I was a bit sceptical about it transferring from the wireless to the stage. I need not have worried. It was excellent. And I laughed. Disappointing that the theatre was only half full, but I guess that Buxton just isn't ready for this kind of show, or that they have not managed to find radio 4, let alone radio 4 extra on their wireless dials. Which leads me onto another point. Which twelve year old decided to change the name of the best listening on radio from BBC Radio 7 to BBC radio 4 extra. Pointless. As pointless as the Post Office changing to Consignia or what ever it was several years ago. No doubt it cost a lot of money and involved many wine fuelled lunches with clever consultants. Will they be ditching BBC radio six music to BBC radio one and a bit?

Well that's it for now.

I've Surprised Myself

Got back from Pembrokeshire at the end of last week, just in time to collect the Weasel from Manchester Airport. She had a fantastic time and talked non stop for hours about Oz. I fancy she will be going back there! So for me it was back to work and of course the English summer decides to make an appearance, bless her. Lovely. Sat in front of a computer or sitting in sweaty meeting rooms whilst the sun shines outside.

By way of relaxation I decided to buy the audio version of the Blair memoirs. I have never been a Blair fan but wanted to read what Teflon Tony had to say about himself and I figured it couldn't be worse than the odious little tome that Meddlesome brought out recently. I must be ill or getting old, because I am rather enjoying it. The guy has a sense of humour an a nice self deprecating touch. I'm only half way through but I can't wait for the mug of hot chocolate (Morrisons cheapest) and to get in to bed and plug the earphones in and listen to the next chapter. Mrs BW is away in Wales so its just Lilly (the border collie and me in the bed.) She doesn't like Tony. Anyway just getting to the bit about Iraq so must dash.

Owls, Curlews and Things

The fat drops of rain started to fall as we reached the midway point of the walk. So of course we were furthest from the car, and the dry. Lilly seemed unconcerned about the rain, I briefly regretted leaving my cagoule in the car, but it was not that bad really and looking up at the sky I could see the grey giving away to the white fluffy and blue, so the shower was not going to last long. The short eared owl that had appeared almost as soon as we set off, appeared again, silent, skimming the heather, hugging the contours of the hillside, seeking the slightest movement that would betray a meal for her young. Lilly barked at her and strained at the lead to give chase. I quietened her with a fishy treat, and losing interest in the owl she became absorbed in something rustling in the long grasses and snuffling and sniffing made little leaps and pounces into the vegetation. As the rain eased off, the curlews began to shadow us as we moved down into Wildmoorstone. They flew in wide circles, landing twenty metres away to call and cry, before taking off again and swooping down towards us landed on the other side. They kept this up for five minutes. They were protecting their young of course. Last summer I watched them escort a buzzard from the area, and they will mob a heron if it gets to close. Once they were sure that Lilly and I posed no threat, they left us, gliding further down the valley to feed in the marshy ground near the stream. As we headed up the steep path that leads back onto the disused railway track, the sun came out. I stopped briefly to stand and stare at the view, and felt happy and briefly at peace.

A Walk in the Woods

Lilly snuffles around the leaf mulch, flicking the decaying vegetation into the air, and then scrabbling amongst the soil, digging a little hole. Distracted by a sound, maybe a bird flitting through the low branches of the trees, she turns away and sits on the path to wait patiently for the sluggardly people that make up her pack. As they get nearer she jumps up and bounds towards them, they shower her with praise and pat and stroke her, giving her little bits of biscuit. Then she is off, racing up the path only to stop suddenly as some new scent attracts her.

"Look at her racing about, she is a very happy puppy." I nod my agreement to Mrs BW, my thoughts temporarily distracted away from the turmoil of yesterday. "Yes she's very happy. It will be good when we can let her off the lead though."

As if on queue the lead tugs her to a halt and I am pulled forward slightly. Lilly sits down again on the path to wait. Mrs BW calls her and she comes, ears flapping, legs scrabbling to get a purchase on the soil. She arrives a bundle of tail wagging tongue lolling joy,to lick the hands that stroke her and to be smoothed and reassured as to what a good puppy she is.

I smile. Yesterday can wait.