The new salt store has gone up in the Council Depot behind the Suez Waste Disposal Centre, off Shilburn Road. Unless your view is directly affected, it’s surprisingly hard to spot. But this vantage point, from beside the Fire Tower,…
Year: 2019
Getting ready for holidays
I don’t think we’re alone in spending a significant amount of time both thinking about, and then getting ready for a holiday. There’s always so much to do to prepare! But we’re starting a bit early this year, because we’re…
Half-way through the year!
In the normal 365 day year, which this is, not being a Leap Year or anything, today, day 183, is the fulcrum point in the middle, at 182 days gone and 182 to go. So in fact, when you look…
Monday morning electric blues . . . transformed!
We think the water challenges up here in Sparty Lea are finally grinding us down. Either that or we’re getting older faster. But the sudden failure of the renovated system yesterday didn’t help our mood, though we managed to eke…
The Crown crashes out in Catton
With a short notice on the Crown in Catton facebook page, the Crown has announced its closing by the end of play today: “The Crown will close at 6pm on Sunday 30th June. We will be open as usual from…
The Walk to the Chimneys
Images of the Allendale Chimneys and flue courses courtesy of Doc Phil Brown’s amazing collection, in particular his depiction of a walk around Allendale. Today’s entry is the third in our Saturday series of free things to do with the…
Domestic ‘Sewage Treatment Plant’ replaces ‘Septic Tank’ — who knew?
I’m indebted to the clear exposition of a popular ‘domestic sewage treatment plant’ served at CrystalTanks, for much of the information in today’s entry, which was inspired by a chance overhearing of a friend’s woes during their new building project….
Getting ready for the family’s return . . .
It’s one of the recurring themes of this diary: the diaspora of our young people out from this rural idyll to the greater metropolitan centres of the world, and then, when we’re lucky, the return for a family visit. We’re…
Shaftoe Young Farmers Club
A few days ago I had a lovely chat with James Little, the Chairman of Shaftoe Young Farmers club, which sounds like a group that enjoys itself and its activities very much indeed. I began by asking about the name:…
Sidelights, or less, in the f-f-f-fog?!
Stuttering with impotent rage over the fecklessness of some country drivers yesterday morning on our way in to the ‘toon for a hospital appointment, as we peered through the near-impenetrable fog to make out, just, a grey vehicle in front…