Pannal Fell Silent

I was on my own do I watch the Queen's funeral or not. I watched some of it but it made me very sad. Not helped by the fact I had a Covid inj and I had no ill effects with any of them but this one felled me. I was so cold could not stop shivering and felt sick and that lasted for three days. 

I was thinking of our lovely Queen and I met her as Chairman of Friends of the Valley Gardens when the Sun Pavilion in the Valley Gardens was re-oped by her Majesty. Could curtsy them but probably fall over now if I had to curtsy. Also met (as he was then) Price Charles at the Pateley Bridge Show. He came over to speak to me and as he was speaking a person ran between us and grabbed his sleeve. Fortunately it was a Down's Syndrome boy who meant no harm but if it had been an assailant his security personnel were not quick enough to intervene. 

My Dad who was a Chief Petty Officer went to Buckingham Palace to receive his Distinguished Medal from King George V1. Dad joined the navy as a boy sailor and was in before and long after the Second World War. I have written a book about my Dad as he was a war hero and when he died he had a military funeral in Harrogate. He won his DSM as he was on duty on his ship the famous HMS Cossack and he noticed a mine had come loose on the deck and he ran to it and tied himself onto it and the rails of the ship. His watch was from 2am to 6am and at 6am he had to wake another sailor but because he was tied to the mine he could not and so the sailor slept on and it was not until ships company mustered at 8am that Dad was found. He had been holding the mine from 2am to 8am. I said to him much much later when he had left the navy that was a very brave thing to do and he said it was spur of the moment and when I realised I could not let go I felt sick. He said very often brave deeds are spur of the moment. He was involved in the Altmark (German ship) who had a number of British sailors held captive in the hold and denied it. HMS Cossack drew alongside and boarded her and Dad was on the searchlight and he was shot at and if it had not been for his cigarette case in his breast pocket which the bullet hit he would have been killed. My Mum who was a staunch Catholic had put a medal inside it and she said it was the medal that saved him. The sailors were saved and taken aboard HMS Cossack and taken from Norway back to Leith in Scotland.

 I was a child at school when King George V1 died and whatever I had been doing I do not remember but the teacher Miss King was shaking me. She had me by the shoulders and my head was all over the place and I was saved from it falling off by the school secretary who came bursting into the classroom shouting The King is dead God Save the Queen. 

For the Queen's funeral day Pannal was silent no people and no cars. Except when she was taken to Windsor I went out to stretch my legs and met a few people doing as I was doing or walking their dogs. 

What a day. We will all miss her. Charles will be a good King and Camilla will be a tremendous help and support to him but it will be difficult to sing God Save our Gracious King instead of Queen as we have been singing the latter for as long as we can remember. 

Our beloved Queen

 I felt so terribly sad yesterday and could feel tears welling up in my eyes as I expect we all did. A tragic surprise as we did not expect it. I only hope Harry (who was not going to see his Grandmother on this visit) thinks long and hard over his behaviour. Him, Prince Andrew and Liz Truss who wanted the monarchy abolished I feel they all hastened her end. 

All I have to say. God Save the King. Wonder when we sing the National Anthem we will remember to say King as it has been Queen in all our memories. All our children have known only a Queen a wonderful gracious lady who gave her whole life to serving the people. 

Summer in Pannal

 As I wrote before I had an accident and was deaf in one ear. Still am but an excellent lip reader I am becoming. Hope Covid and masks do not return as I shall be stuffed if it does. I am answering queries re Pannal and relatives that have lived here in the past which is quite fun and I have met some lovely people. One lady had relatives in Pannal but she could not trace them and came to me. When she said the name of the house I knew where it was but it was not in Pannal village but on the outskirts and I had seen it on my walks. So one happy lady. I am also given photos and asked where it is their relatives are standing in front of. Doing well as I have been able to find the answers but I won't get to cocky as pride comes before a fall as my Mum told me. So I must have been an insufferable child. Now read this with an accompaniment of the music from Jaws....I am the only historian left Harrogate, Knaresborough, Bilton, Starbeck, Ripon all gone.

Hasn't summer being marvellous in Pannal. We are lucky as friends in Scotland have not had it so good and there has been rain and the occasional thunderstorm around in places but not here. Who needs to go to the Bahamas come to sunny warm Pannal. One thing though our arms will be a lot longer as we are carrying watering cans around to save our plants but oh joy not having to cut the lawns. School is back and so is the traffic and heaven help us when all the new houses are built up near the Squinting Cat as it is Pannal the cars will come through. One night I was woken up by a car coming down Church Lane and through Pannal at about three hundred miles an hour. I slightly exaggerate I think but only slightly. 

Good wishes go to Peter Allison of Main Street who fell off his garage roof and sustained broken ribs and other injuries and has been in Leeds Hospital for two weeks. Get well soon Peter and you will be so pleased when you are able to come home as there is no place like home as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz says.

You know I have lived in this house for over fifty years my Mum and Dad lived in Harrogate and my husband all our four children. the dogs and cats that we have had and have all Yorkshire only me born in Scotland but I think I am accepted here now. Living in Pannal I have had and still have lovely neighbours not just the people living alongside me but across the road, In fact the whole of Main Street and beyond. We lived in Kirkby Overblow when we were first married then bought a house in Pannal and have never regretted it. Never wanted to move, Bas turned down various moves through work as we felt nowhere matched here. We have everything. Lovely towns Harrogate, Knaresbvorough, Ripon, Otley, Ilkley and great walking country a lot of it on our doorstep. Who has not enjoyed the great walk to Alscliffe Crag or the walk to the pub at Kirkby Overblow. Oh I could go on but you get the just we are lucky to live here. 

Poor little Marble is nearly blind and follows me around now and I have to be so careful I do not fall over her. The Vet says nothing can be done and having lived here nearly 17 years she knows her way around. Tigs to me is a lovely cuddly cat but she sneaks up on Marble when she is eating and tries to steal her food so there I stand every morning waiting until she is finished eating.

Incidently I have a reader of my Blog who lives in Scotland and told me he knew my Mum and Dad.