New shop in Pannal

The Co-op open its shop at Pannal Station last week. It replaces The Harwood public house. Is this a good thing or not? The Harwood was very hit and miss. When it opened at the old Station house (railway ticket office and house built about 1848) in 1980 as Platform One it was a success then a duff landlord and it was taken over and renamed The Harwood. Was used by the village under Clive the landlord and they had a golf team and a darts team. Clive then left and it was never much good after that, so inevitably it was sold but not as another pub the co-op purchased it. Pannal now after over 100 years (Spacey Houses Hotel demolished) is publess. Burn Bridge has The Black Swan and long may that continue. We, as a family, will use the co-op as it is open from 7am to 11pm but still continue to use Steve at Crimple Fresh in the Post Office as his fruit and veg very good and he sells produce the coop does not.
Heavy vehicles still coming through Pannal. Completely ignoring the weight restrictions and probably following their satnavs. These are the ones that use us as a short cut then there are others that miss Pannal Business Park and turn at Rosedale and go up the village again.
Now it is not only the children that love school holidays we in Main Street love them as well. Gone is the school traffic, gone are the pushy parents that park across drives and when tackled say I am taking my child to school.
Hey ho Christmas is coming, Santa too. We have our lights up, lit trees at all the windows and I shall open a window on Christmas morning and send the little lad that is passing to get the biggest turkey for Tiny Tim. There will be 15 of us staying here. A tight squeeze but great fun. So I will take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2015.

Away from Pannal then bck

Now this will teach me. I was in Otley passing Lloyds Chemists and saw in their window come in and have your blood pressure checked. So in I went had it taken and dispenser said it is a bit high I should go and see your doctor. I had an appointment re the stitches out from face so mentioned it. Yep a bit high one reading ok the other. Just to make sure doctor said we shall fit you with a blood pressure monitor nurse will ring you when one is available. Nurse rings 7am to go in I said I am not up at 6am to come in so no. She said we come in at 7am. I said you are paid to do so I am not. Anyway compromise 9am. So fighting with the school traffic, and having to defrost the car, I went (still a bit early if I am honest these winter mornings). Fitted up. Home for coffee. The band on my arm tightened every ten minutes. aaaggghhh. I rang and said is this right. Told relax your arm. Did not work. Take it off at bed time. It was such a nuisance I nearly went to bed at 3.30pm. Anyway persevered took it back next morning again fighting school traffic and defrosting the car once more. Week later heard nothing, phoned and was told nurse will ring you. Nothing then comes the letter your test results have been lost or was the wording mislaid?  I am making arrangements for you to have the test over again. Now I have to go through that once (I hope) more. Told them it was a shambles. So now awaiting call from nurses or maybe a policeman for my remark. I lesson to be learnt here but perhaps it is all for the best. Also notice I have not named and shamed.

Pannal and a query on The Black Swan

Hello Richard Greatorex. This is indeed a strange cottage. The bit the two little girls are standing outside looks older than the other bit. I have a photo dated 1901 (George Dibbs was the landlord) where the roof has been taken off the building and an oast house is either built as part of it or just behind it. So I think your photo predates mine. There was an Abraham Thackray of Burn Bridge who died in 1879. In 1901 the oast house is intact in my later (by a few years) photos it is part demolished (a fire). Your photo must be the latter half of the 1800s. In 1838 the Black Swan was owned by Jane Jackson. Hope this is of some help.

Now I must tell you of the rose bush in our garden. I am a very keen gardener and was weeding and stood up. Forgetting the rose one of many that we have had for 40 odd years was there and it caught me across my face. I wiped the blood off and carried on. Then a few weeks later I noticed I had an ulcer thing on my face. I was visiting the doctor for my vertigo just as I was leaving I said what is this on my face. Next thing I knew a letter to go down to HDH. I arrived handed in my letter sat waiting for what seemed like a fortnight. Everyone called in before me. I said to one of the nurses excuse me where am I on the waiting list. He said you are not on it, did you hand in a letter. Yes. Who to. I don't know. Ok wait there. I waited got fed up went to find someone when senior nurse came down said are you Anne Smith. Yes. Well your appointment has been cancelled. You should have received a letter but I know for a fact it was not sent out. Me stood there gobsmacked. Ok I said I am here now I am not leaving. Eventually seen. Told yes we will just take the top off and to come back next week. Did so, doctor looked at it said of no we shall have to go deeper. One hour later having asked the nurse to let my husband know I was going to be longer and I was going to appear with a face dressed for Halloween. My lots of stiches come out on Friday. I have gone up in my grandson's estimations as he said will I have a scar like Action Man? Cool. Another comment from the family was I could audition for Phantom of the Opera. I have been in hiding, no golf but had to have a quick visit to the super market today. Dark glasses etc. as I have a lovely black eye to accompany the stitches. So beware of rose thorns they can be lethal.

Our cats Marble and Tigs two docile little souls have a cat flap and so come in and out. Hell of a racked in the middle of last night fighting, spitting meowing I got up and the utility room was in a mess. Two cats had shot through the cat flap knocked over their beds and were cowering with big fat tails. What had attacked them? Hope it was not a fox.  

Not half term and quiet in Pannal

What has happened this weekend. Not many cars going up and down Main Street. We have been working in the front garden and for once peace. No cars going zoom zoom up and down. As I sit here now nothing either. Wonder if it is the windy weather that has discouraged people from going out. Still not complaining as it is lovely to have it quiet.
On the proposal for a Parish Council leaflet that was delivered to us all there is a figure on the front and guess what it is Bas. Quite unbelievable. Bas eyesight is really bad (after the mugging and op - I am driver etc) so I post all the letters as he has difficulty with pavements. Anyway this particular day he went down to the post box on his own and on the way back was "caught on camera".
What will be my next job when the wind dies down to clear all the leaves that our garden attracts from Rosedale. I watch them blowing down the road and into our garden. After that go down and clear the patio bit by the church car park. I look after that as no one else will and I have put a little garden there which Pannal Village Society kindly gave me some money to do.
Hoping to golf next week but I am in one of my visitations from vertigo. I have had it 22 years and it comes back, without warning, every so often and I can tell you it plays havoc with my putting.
Can I have a moan about the traffic lights on Leeds Road/Hookstone Road junction. The arrows on the road from Hookstone Road across to Leadhall Lane used to be (quite sensibly) on the left. It was turn left and straight ahead. Now some numpty in their wisdom has changed it to left only and straight ahead and right. I and dozens of others have been stuck waiting for the cars in front of us to turn right towards Harrogate only to find that we are stuck as the traffic on the A61 has started moving towards town. Help. The other day I was on the right going across to Leadhall Lane when this car on my left came with me just missing the side of my car. Apparently both these problems are happening as I spoke to the traffic warden who was there. I have reported it to NYCC and HBC only to be told there is nothing they can do and they will look at it in the new year. How kind!!

Pannal in the news

We have been in the news recently with the Dunlopillo site and The Harwood. I do find the "change of mind" annoying. At the Public Enquiry the Inspector said no housing but as Harrogate had so many firms crying out for space it would make sense for it to be a Business Park on the lines of Hornbeam Park. I had no problem with that but HBC changed its mind or the Ward Bros changed HBC mind and we now have housing. Mark you if we do not have housing there you can bet your bottom dollar we would have it somewhere as Pannal Councillors have a tough time defending Pannal. Unfortunately we are not liked by other Councillors or the local paper. This has gone on for years and I used to be involved in these matters. The late Fred Willis said he had "quite a time" defending Pannal. Bryan and Liz Bowden from Spacey View I hope will succeed in maintaining the right to the piece of land that is theirs and is being disputed by the owners of the Dunlopillo site. Mr and Mrs Bowden have proof their piece of land is registered to them in the Land Register.
Now, not only am I locked in the toilet on the Stray but on a recent visit to the Lakes I dropped my mobile phone down the toilet. I had only had it a year. Utterly destroyed so had to buy a new one. Costly mistake that was.
We have lost Dr Richard Hall from our lives. He has retired to garden and paint. He was an old fashioned doctor who listened to you. Had time for you and did not have his finger on the button for the next patient or his pen on a prescription form. We shall miss him.
The Harwood will be listed which will help maintain its looks and not let the Co-op destroy it. I am also in the process of having the Memorial Library on the site of the Police Training College which used to be Pannal Ash College and before that in 1840 Southern College. I am lucky to have all papers, books, sketches, photographs, magazines, cups and even blazer and caps from the boys of the old Pannal Ash College. The Memorial Library is dedicated to the boys of that college who gave their lives in the First World War. Lord Harewood opened it in 1920.
The Dennistoun Conservation Society of Glasgow are looking at a copy of my book with a view to telling their members about it. Which will be very nice.
Ok rain has stopped there is a bit of sun so I shall go and do a bit more gardening that is if my vertigo lets me. I have had it 22 years and every so often it lays me low and lasts for weeks. Not at all nice.

A great summer in Pannal but sadness too

The weather is still great and I am still in shorts or a skirt. Have not worn trousers since March.  Golf has been good ( I have won a few things) apart from today where I was complete rubbish. Now the sad part. My lovely friend Rita Corbridge from Burn Bridge died in June. She taught at Pannal Primary School both the old school and the new one. She taught only one of our four children. Michael and he still kept in touch every Christmas. Rita was always the same kind and would do anything for anyone. We went to her 90th Birthday Party and it was lovely and she was surrounded by all her many friends. I had a chat with Derek her husband today about the First World War and I shall pop round and see him to hear more.
The second sad occasion is our next door neighbour Mary suffered the tragic loss of her son-in-law through drowning. David and Jane live in Sheffield but they have a cottage on a little and I mean little island called Hestan in Dumfries and Galloway. It is joined to the mainland by a causeway. What happened was David saw a log floating in the sea and obviously decided that it would do for his cottage so swum out to it and unfortunately got caught in the current and got into difficulties. Jane called the coastguard who reached David and pulled him onto his boat. Tried CPR and it did not work so summonsed an ambulance which met them at Kippford. Tried again in the ambulance then took him to hospital where he sadly died. He was a nice cheerful man and everytime he came to see Mary (my neighbour) he would call for a chat. Where he drowned was the Solway Firth and we know that area very well having spent a few holidays there. I went swimming the last time we were there and got into difficulties and very nearly drowned. I had swum into an enormous patch of seaweed which very nearly did for me but my Guardian Angel was on duty and I survived. Had a very nasty scare and have now decided my swimming in the sea days are over.

A walk from Pannal round all of The Stray plus

Glorious weather ok lets go a walk from Pannal all round the Stray. Got to the bottom of Tewit Well Road walked towards the hospital crossed the road towards Skipton Road. I said there is a coffee shop in Devonshire Place. Bas said he wanted to go to the loo on The Stray just down from the coffee shop. I said I may as well go to. Only one toilet I shut the door and got locked in. Catch thing on the door clicked. I could not open the door. It was stuck. I shouted Bas Bas. No answer. I was there for ages slightly panicking still shouting. Bas who is deaf did not hear me and walked up to the coffee shop thinking where the hell is she? Not knowing this I am thinking surely he will come to see if I am ok as I have been in here for what felt like a fortnight. On the point of phoning police, fire brigade as I had my phone, not ambulance you will notice. Hesitating thinking God I am going to look a fool what will Bas think when police/fire engine drives up? Still bellowing Bas Bas. Eventually I heard him say "where are you" "I'm locked in". He had to kick the door to get me out. Honestly my legs were shaking. Blow the coffee where is the nearest pub. Found one sat outside and it was lovely. Continued the walk down to the Valley Gardens. Had an ice cream then walked the rest of The Stray back to Tewit Well Road.