Pannal and Burn Bridge - Their Stories

 Pannal and Burn Bridge - Their Stories is the title of my latest book. I have Written A History of Pannal, Postcards from Pannal, The Centenary History of Pannal Golf Club 1906-2006. My latest book has , today, gone to be printed. That is one milestone but the big milestone is when can I have a launch and where. I certainly cannot do anything until the lockdown is over. Would be nice to launch it at Pannal Memorial Institute or St Robert's Chapter House but that is in the near (hopefully) future. At least you all now know it is on its way. I shall let everyone know when it will be ready to buy. I am pleased to do this for Pannal and Burn Bridge and it will not be an expensive book as I want everyone to be able to buy it and know a lot about where you live. If anyone has any thoughts about where to launch it please let me know via this blog or email annesmith.pannal@yahoo.co.uk. I do hope we shall all be able to meet up before very long.

Now if you are all wondering why traffic lights again on Main Street well they - Northern Gas- are back. They started off before Christmas up the top of the street now half way down and probably they will go further down. The pipes are over 100 years old and as soon as they find where the leak is. (reported to them by a pedestrian who smelt gas) they repair it and then there is a gas leak somewhere else. Keep this up and we shall reach Station Road, Incidentally, not just one side of the road they have been on both sides. . I was in my drive when a gentleman said to me. I worked for the Gas Company and this will keep happening s the pipes are so old they need to be replaced and the only way they will be replaced is if everyone writes in and complains. If you don't all they will do is keep repairing. The pipes are down to be replaced in five years and they will keep to that unless there are complaints. So we now know what to do everyone. 

Whose getting fed up with lockdown? I for one am as I want to walk further, the Dales preferably. Will the vaccine help us I hope so it is the only lifeline we have. I just listen to the news on Radio Four about 8am and that is enough. I do not watch news on tv as it is all doom and gloom. TV programmes not much better as they seems to be about aids, murders, hospitals. I am sticking to walking ones around the UK and fingers crossed we will be able to all be out and about soon. 

Still got the black cat visiting still stealing food and now it sleeps in the utility room but flies out the cat flap when I open the kitchen door. I have always said my cats are numpties but perhaps I am misjudging them and they feel sorry for it from on high that is as they never go onto the floor whilst it is about. 

Doing our bit in Pannal

 When the bin men arrived to remove our refuse I went out and clapped them and they were chuffed. I put this on the Neighbours site and suggested we all do this. They like the NHS have worked all through the pandemic and deserve a bit of applause. I remember the days when we had the same bin men every week and we used to tip them at Christmas as we saw more of them as they came "round the back" to pick up our heavy metal bins and bring them back empty. In fact I used to see one of our lovely bin men David in Morrisons and we always had a chat. In fact one time years ago he said to me have you ever been to Malta? I said no and he said go its brilliant and go to Gozo. We went and he was right and we have been back a few times since but like Britain it is having a lot of development. One time we had a bungalow on top of a hill and we went to the shop at the bottom. Bought some water 6 enormous bottles and as we paid the lady said oh its 2 for 1 so take another 6. One of our party had to carry them all the way up the hill. Oh how we laughed. Rotten really.

Notice Mill Lane is closed once more.Not at all surprised as I said at the time it would happen again. This has occurred over the years but of course made worse by the constant rain. The chap that has the house by the mill pond said thank goodness they are putting the fencing at the bridge as last time there was a landslip last year people were climbing over the pond fence. This time they can't. 

I am still carrying on with the idea of Crimple Valley Country Park as I have had a couple of very supportive letters from Andrew Jones our MP. Pannal Parish Council know of my idea as do our local councillors. No one has said it is not a good idea so I am hopeful but we shall all have to be behind my plan as we all know what Harrogate Borough Council is like when it comes to Pannal. In all my nearly sixty years here I have heard only detrimemtal remarks when it comes to Pannal. In other words THEY DO NOT LIKE US.

My new book Pannal and Burn Bridge - Their story is waiting to be published but I cannot see my publisher. It was supposed to be out in October in time for Christmas but I could not launch it as we were all being careful because of Covid 19 so no crowds. Never fear it is ready to go when Terry and I can meet. Terry does not live in Harrogate and we are all having to stay local.  

Cats are like bees they can pass messages on telling each other where there is a source of food.  For months we have had a ginger cat come through the cat flap and scoff my cats food. They were frightened of it. He has now been joined by a black cat. Tigs and Marble cats are also scared of it..I cannot think of a solution. My neighbour near the top of the road sent me a photo of Tigs lying in his arbour on a sunny morning. On his chair too. I think in the summer he has to race my cat for his chair. 

Pannal in the snow

 Now then the snow was a surprise to me and it came down all day and I was quite happy as I love snow. I also love what happens in the snow, drivers that take a short cut through Pannal get stuck coming in and going out we have two steep hills. This provides endless fun for those of us who live in Main Street as they got stuck at the top of Main Street and had to back down causing a jam with cars coming up. This was happening then the snow plough/gritter came and cleared the road. Boo we were all shouting well I was anyway. What a thing to admit but with this lock down we have to take our pleasures in different ways. 

I have heard of a couple of virus cases in the village and I have also heard of a couple of burglaries, So as they say everyone stay safe from both. 

I now have new neighbours. Sophie and Munib left and Patricia and Brian moved in and both managed to get out and in safely with their furniture removals the day before it snowed. Ah the snow I build a snowman in the front garden and a polar bear in the back garden and I loved doing them even although my neighbours probably think I am not all there. I shall not ask them what they thought. 

This morning we lost our Broadband as the workmen at the end of Rosedale cut through the cable. So we lost the computer, the telephone and the tv. Came back on this afternoon. Amazing how we all missed them.

Now one thing I have put on Neighbours site is a black cat that I have been feeding since about March. Well I am not feeding it by choice but it has taken to coming through the cat flap and helping itself and one morning it was in one of my cats beds and they were huddled together in the other bed. It flew out the cat flap and someone replied to my query " does anyone have a black cat" and said could you take a photo of it and put it on this site. Answer no as all I ever see of it is its bum as it flies out through the cat flap. I am tempted to get one of those that only open with a micro chip. Both my cats are micro shipped but I havn't as I have the worry that one time it may not work and they were not able to get in. My two numpties are afraid of it and are no help what so ever.

The snow has now gone and we are back to rain but a bit warmer but all the powers that be are doing is giving us miseable news as they are saying oh its going to get much colder again. Can anyone give us a bit of good news as every bit of good news they impart is always followed but something saying well its not really good news because.....

This is why a write this column and try to be humorous. Is it working do you feel a little happier.?  

Happy New Year Pannal

 2020 gone and at the moment 2021 not a lot better but we have hope. I had a lovely Christmas with part of my family. There are so many of us that it was only part but it was great.Met the new puppy. James kids have been going on for a couple of years about having a dog so at last they have. Little spaniel called Skye who like all baby animals is a sweetie. Well probably not all babies, spiders for example. We have some snow here and my Bristol grandchildren are watching out of the window for snow but in vain. Other grandchildren have more snow than we have and they are amazingly happy building snowmen and sledging. Mum's and Dad's too.

Not a lot has been going on here but I have had many people saying my idea of Crimple Valley as a Country Park is a winner. There has not been one unfavourable voice. Now all we need is the powers that be to agree also. Back in the old days there were philanthropists who gave land for all sorts of reasons but mainly to preserve it for future generations. Unfortunately I cannot do the same but Harrogate Borough Council could and what a worthy cause. The people of Pannal are being hemmed in with all the development we need the open space we have left. 

Now what do we do do we take all the lights down on Twelfth Night or do we leave them up as they do in Iceland as the evenings are so dark and they bring cheer and with this virus we all need cheer. The media do are not doing much to cheer us up just portraying doom and gloom. 

The cats are in and why do cats always pinch the chair you normally sit on. There are chairs all round but no they must have yours and are very indignant when they are, for the tenth time, unceremoniously shoved off. 

Well Happy New Year and let's all do what little kids do stand still with their eyes all screwed up and really really wish for something. Our wish is to be back to normality. Did it work I sincerely hope so.