Wednesday 28 January 2015

Pannal Co-op and commuters

At the weekend I went down to the Peak District where our daughter Susan lives. Bas did not feel like coming so I went on my own. Had a great weekend. It was Alex 11th birthday. We visited parks and museums. They still had a lot of snow there which made walking difficult as the pavements and paths were very icy. I came back on the Sheffield to Glasgow train on the 25th which is Burns Night and the guard on the train said the train was going to be packed as everyone would be getting on at Leeds go to Glasgow to celebrate. Fortunately I got off at Leeds but the train to York was packed. I know how far Pannal is from Weeton so I could judge it but it was pitch dark and the stations were not announced. All who got off the train with me got into cars that had been parked outside the new co-op. So that explained it. I had taken the car to shop there (getting a heavy shopping) but there was nowhere to park so I and another woman (in the same predicament as me) had to shop elsewhere. I saw the assistant manager at the co-op and asked if they owned the parking area outside their shop he said yes I explained what was happening and he said we have had lots of complaints from customers and we are putting up signs on the wall to say parking for customers only. Now whether that will stop the commuters I do not know but hope it does. Mr Selfridge is back so that is pleasing Marble. Who now lies on the carpet in front of the fire watching. She watched Call the Midwife then wandered off as she is not keen on Last Tango in Halifax. Notice we have a Questionnaire in re the village from the Pannal Village Society. I think we are still a village at the moment but when the houses are built at the old Dunlopillo site I wonder what we will be. There was a bit about my Dad receiving his Arctic Medal and Star in Howard West's column. A reporter from the Advertiser wanted to follow it up but wants a photo of me holding the medals which I am not keen to do. Alex is going skiing at half term so he won't be around to take my place and other grandchildren live too far away. So stalemate at the moment.

Wednesday 14 January 2015

Bits about Pannal and nearby

I am fed up with the Hookstone/Leadhall Lane/Leeds Road Junction. I have written to all our councillors and asked for it to be put back as it was. Coming out of Hookstone Road and trying to go across to Leadhall Lane can be a nightmare one is either held up by the traffic turning right towards Harrogate or else one has a car alongside one on the left going to Leadhall Lane. As it was arrow pointing left and straight on and adjoining lane arrow pointing right. Simple. All that is needed is a lick of paint.  On the A61 traffic going to wards Leeds or turning right to Leadhall Lane can be backed all the way to the Prince of Wales roundabout at any time of the day. I would like that returned as it was. Can NYCC do anything right. M&S has made no difference why NYCC thought it would I cannot imagine.
We have been for lunch to day with friends to the restaurant at the old Leeds Road/Brookside Garden Centre now grandly names Crimple Hall. It was very busy and is popular. The staff are friendly and it is a nice set up except when one is alongside the door and the constant coming and going freezes one. We know this so we had a lovely round table for six at the back where it was warm. Food good too.
Have told Marble Call the Midwife and Mr Selfridge returning. She can take up her position in front of the tv. Last Tango in Halifax does not do a lot for her which is surprising. A cold day and our two cats Marble and Tigs curled up together which is unheard of. We have had them five years. Rescued individually. Marble first when she was about three. Tigs a couple of months later when she was about six months and a bossy little madam even at that age, and a thug as she is bigger than Marble and poor Marble has never stood a chance. But and I say but perhaps things are changing and they are not only tolerating each other but dare I say like. We have had cats before and they have never done what these two do. The have a path down the garden which they have made on the grass and follow it exclusively. One behind the other. Large indents we have and funny thing the ginger stray cat that we feed follows the same path. What is going on?
At last an appointment for a vertigo clinic in York. Can they sort me out? I hope so. Sixteen years I have had this and sometimes it is really bad. Vertigo suffers will understand.
Our oldest grandson is 11 tomorrow so secondary school beckons but he is still at that age where he likes us all and does not sit in his room. Long may that continue.

Thursday 8 January 2015

Pannal and 2015

A Happy New Year to you all. Apart from the Christmas lights on a number of houses which were lovely Pannal has been quiet. A very nice Carol Concert. It was mild and a number of villagers turned up. To enjoy the carols and the mince pies and punch in St Roberts Chapter House afterwards. We had a fairly quiet Christmas then everyone arrived a couple of days after. All fourteen of us. One missing as she thought we were all getting together for Christmas, but no it was for New Year and she had booked to go to Glastonbury to do a witchy, wizard, druid thing. Anyway a lot of beer was drunk and a lot of food was eaten. I did all the meals and there was a good variety and I was very pleased with myself. Four grandchildren amongst the party and Leonie got chicken pox as a New Years present but apart from the spots seemed ok .Santa never came here at Christmas as we had a letter down the chimney saying he was running out of time and he knew the children were not in Pannal so he would call in on his way back to the North Pole when they would be there which he did. Everyone stayed for a week. Im still cooking. Now everyone has gone, on Sunday they departed,  I am doing all the washing. The windy weather is helping. House is very tidy and quiet now. I miss the action. Our cats don't Marble did not get watching tv. She is fond of Call the Midwife and Downton. Tigs took herself off chasing things in the quarry.
Visited the co-op yesterday and it is well stocked apart from Stork margarine. Few people complaining. It was not crowded but it will be useful to many Pannal people. The news is we are to get another Marks and Spencer Simply food at the BP garage. At one time Pannal had thirteen shops and in the 1960s it had a grocers and bakery at number 3 Station Road, then the post office and general store. Further down  Walkers the butcher and fruit and veg. which had been a wet fish shop (Ken Walker I keep in touch with and he is fine) Then the newsagents and on the bridge a grocery shop. In front of the church an ironmongers now demolished. Opposite the Black Swan there was a grocer and sweet shop.
As I am writing this a knock at the door and it was a special delivery addressed to me. On opening it was the Arctic Medal awarded to my father and I was sent it as his next of kin. Dad CPO AD Grant DSM Royal Navy was a distinguished war hero and the medal was for the Arctic convoys to Murmansk and Archangel. Very hazardous journeys as the ships were always attacked. Wave after wave of planes would attack from their bass in Stavanger and other airfields. In the winter it was 23 hours of darkness and one hour daylight ands in the summer it was 23 hours of daylight and one hour of darkness and that was when most ships were sunk by the enemy. My parents lived in Hookstone and when dad died he had a military funeral in Harrogate.