Pannal no snow now

 In all my many years here I do no remember snow lasting as long. In the past we have had heavy snow but it has gone in a few days. This time our cars were well and truly "snowed in". Now we are free.

One very sad happening . We found out Ken Walker had died. H died in August and no one in Pannal was informed. We only found out When we sent Christmas cards. I heard from Shirley Wilson. Shirley was one of the ladies Jo Hayward was the other lady who started Pannal's very first Play Group. Shirley and I and obviously a number of other villager had kept in touch with Ken. Ken was the owner of Walkers the butcher and veg shop where the hairdressers now is. I knew Ken before that as when we lived at Kirkby Overblow he used to come round with his van that we bought met and veg from. When Ken was going to retire Shirley rang me to tell me and said "what can we do to mark the occasion" I said "lets have a party". St Robert's Church Hall was booked and we told the village but it was a secret from Ken. Come the big day Peter and Shirley Wilson and Bas and I and all the villagers who had baked and got wine and drinks set all this out. Don't know where Ken thought he was going for lunch but it was not to the Church Hall. We were all there and greeted him rapturously. He was quite overcome and shed a tear. All his staff old and new were there. That was so lovely. It was a never to be forgotten event. I was only just thinking of this today as I was walking round a very quiet village as in those far off days Saturday was not a quiet day as we all "went to the butchers" to collect our orders. RIP Ken you were a lovely man. 

This year the lights on Pannal Green were amazing and I emailed the Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council to tell them so. Another change for my mind to go back to the time when I was on the committee of the Pannal and Burn Bridge Village Society and at our Annual Members Meeting I raised the question could we put up some fairy lights on Pannal Green at Christmas?  I was telephoned by two wonderful villagers one who said I can provide the trees and the other said I can provide the lights but please do not mention our names we want to do this anonymously. Wonderful. More lights were later added blue and white ones in memory of the three boys from Pannal Green who were tragically killed along with another poor gentleman who was on his way home. Three benches were also placed on Pannal Green and this was with money collected by the customers of the boys who had a paper round That was a number of years ago and they have all been replaced now. To great effect and the lights for 2025 will be stupendous I have been told. 

Tigs loved the snow. I loved the snow from inside the house as I was battling flu which has not quite gone as I cannot shake off the lingering cough but hopefully I will.