Across NE47 yesterday, the electoral register forms dropped through letterboxes, seemingly informally addressed to The Householder, and yet bearing a warning that legally the recipient(s) must reply. The electoral roll is an important compilation, used by a variety of governmental…
Category: Services
Rural loneliness; an easy trap to find oneself in
We were out an evening or so ago, just for a drink with friends, but Sylvia Milburn made the evening for me when she offered an opinion about how easy it is to become a virtual recluse. Because she’s absolutely…
Polling Stations, Number 3
I had to think quite hard to remember what the first elections of this year were about. I remembered the second — those were for MEPs, of course, but what were the first ones about? Oh yes, the erstwhile North…
Little signs of the times . . .
It’s almost, but not quite, like those iconic BurmaShave advertisements that once graced Highway 66 across America’s great southwest, since there’s really no overt punchline: Except that the real punchline in the Recreation Ground’s lovely little signs is that contemporary…
Coming soon, twice!
“Absolutely barmy,” someone said, but somebody else noted that the Co-op is open in the early evenings after the Post Office is shut, while the MarketPlace shop is open on Sunday mornings when of course the Co-op is closed, thereby…
The Salt Store at the Council Depot
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,…
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…
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….
Mains water and sewage . . .
The diary entry today owes its provenance to several comments and notes: i. Our own challenges with our private water supply and sewage system; ii. Peter Armstrong’s comment about dealing with the waste after the Sparty Lea Poetry Festival; iii….
The compulsion to fix things
I saw, maybe a month or so ago, news in Allendale area notices of a repair clinic over at Nenthead, where folks were encouraged to bring their domestic items that had stopped working, for a bit of attention from other…