Pannal and the chimney

Lovely sunny warm day as it has been nearly all of May.Not today though that is why you are getting this. Yesterday I was invited up to see the chimney at Dunlopillo being demolished, Went up and had a coffee sitting outside the post office met up with John Mann our local Councillor and we went up to the road entrance into the site. A bit annoying as the screens were up and we had to view it through wire. It was a long way away and we were in no danger of being flattened. Still the proceedings were enlivened by CC Cliff Trotter who brought cups and wine. A great idea Cliff. There was a satisfying thump as it hit the ground. The chimney not Cliff, me or the wine. Andrew McDonald Parish Clerk came with his lovely dog and Sarah Carr from Bellway. Sarah is a very nice person but her job is to go round looking for sites for Bellway to build houses. Fields are not safe from Sarah.  We all had our photograph taken. When I came back down the village people were saying what was that awful noise was it a plane. They were thinking back to when a plane went through the sound barrier at 10.30 one winter evening and frightened us all to death. Windows and doors shook. I assured them it was the chimney. Alex the Ackrill said to me will the chimney be missed? I said only by Pannal Golfers as we used it to line up on the 18th tee.
In Dunlopillo's early days (1962) it was welcomed as it provided employment to a number of villagers. There were lovely Gala Days. I remember one year when the person who opened the Gala was Jimmy Savile. I was coming out of playgroup having taken my oldest daughter there when he spotted me and shouted Now then, now then and came across the road with his arms outstretched.In those days his reputation was not known. I tore off down the road with him after me and I was wearing stilletoes but he never caught me and gave up at the bridge. He was just creepy and I did not want him touching me. Fear lends wings to ones feet. Latterly the smell coming from the site and the rubbish leaking into the duck pond had to be stopped. A Environment group was set up which I was a part of and the Council eventually took Dunlopillo to Court and won. They appealed and lost that and were made to put the chimney up. Did it help not a lot only for golfers. I am only sad that in the demolition the Art Deco building was destroyed. I tried so hard to save it.
Hopefully all will be well with the new houses and Pannal as that will bring more cars. On average 2 cars per household and a through road will bring even more cars through our village.
Cannot leave on this note so I will tell you about Tigs. She whom I have always thought as the more intelligent of the two of them. I have been having breakfast in the garden these lovely mornings and Tigs has been sitting on the table. Yesterday morning she decided to lie. Rolled over and fell off with a thump. Marble looked at her then at me and honestly she shrugged her shoulders.