Pannal in isolation

Don't usually start my blog with a rant. Now I know I have had rants before somewhere in the column but this one has made me mad. The Crimple Valley is on my doorstep and I have been walking it. It is big enough to avoid people and it is lovely all of it right up to Fulwith Mill or Follifoot Road but the part behind St Robert's Church so many people are using it that I have never seen before. They are coming down Main Street with maps in their hands and most of them have dogs. A couple of evenings ago after a long day in the garden I went for a short walk behind the school and up towards Sandy Bank Quarry and in the distance I wondered who had planted the daffodils. When I got closer I saw no not daffodils yellow bags of dog poo. A change from the usual black bags that are to be seen. Now the fields have been ploughed to plant wheat and coming back along the footpath I stepped in by the remains of the old tree that blew down a couple of years ago as there was a well built young man coming along and his dog had a poo in the ploughed field and he just kicked soil over it. I was on my own he was a big lad. I did not say hello as I normally do but I was so annoyed. People are coming into Pannal who do not live here (hence the maps) and it is so annoying. I wrote about this on Neighbours site and other people have said yes the Pinewoods, the cricket ground, Hookstone Woods are in the same state. What is the matter with the idiots. Why go to a beauty spot and then desecrate it? Some people have been threatened when they have tackled these idiots and others have been afraid of the dogs. What does one do? Just hope this is soon over and they will stop coming to Pannal. Ok rant over but I am still annoyed.
Walking down Church Lane last week I had to step out onto the road as there were two lads on bikes on the pavement. Think this is the wrong way round but nowadays cannot be sure.
The footpath from Mill Lane to Malthouse Lane has been closed off as there has been a landslip at the Malthouse end and it will not re- open until August.
I know of some people in Pannal and Burn Bridge who have had the virus and recovered. So bad news and good news.I am in two minds about the Conference Centre/Nightingale Hospital.HAS BEEN STATED VICTIMS OF THE VIRUS ARE TO BE OR BEING BROUGHT THERE FROM ALL OVER NORTH YORKSHIRE. (did not mean this to be in capitals but cannot be bothered deleting and typing again) Wonder if we would have needed that if we still had the General Hospital.(there was the General and the District) Always thought that was a mistake demolishing it.
Last night out again clapping. Last Thursday I went out and stood in the middle of the road - no cars (one benefit) and started clapping. All on my own for a minute and feeling like a numpty. Then everyone came out. This Thursday we clapped and shouted see you next Thursday.
I have done so much gardening a weed dare not show its head. Bins not collected, mine is very full. When it is collected I have an enormous pile of branches etc to fill it up again.
My lovely daughter before all this (virus) started brought me some cat food but unfortunately she brought wrong type of biscuits and I never noticed. So when I put them out I noticed then so did the cats. They took one look at them looked at me said "and this is - I'm going out". Well they have had to eat them - nothing else - so have got used to them. I have two lovely young neighbours and they are getting me some shopping. I am ok freezer wise as I have always kept a well stocked freezer when there was six of us to feed. Still do for unexpected visitors or even expected ones.
Enjoy Easter as best we can and Stay Safe.

Pannal Pandemic or Panic

Has Pannal gone through something like this before. Answer yes The Black Death when the Vicar of Pannal died but for us this is unheard of. Pandemic they (the powers that be) say we have not reached that yet. Very scary. Panic well beginning of last week before we were all told to self isolate car after car after car coming off the A61 and into the Coop. I saw them as I was walking around then thought I could do with some milk so went in. No milk, no bread, no fruit, toilet paper do not understand that one. Now of course we are all self isolating. Good job we all have freezers and had been keeping them stocked - in case the family come unexpected and need to be fed - not hoarding. What is wrong with people? Good job the weather is lovely and we can get out in the garden and our once a day walk.
Having listened, as we all have over the years, to Churchill's speeches Boris is no Churchill. I just hope he knows what he is doing.
The Golf Course is closed Club House and Course. We have all paid a very large sum of money to be members and play the course so it looks like that is all wasted money. There are many worse off than being a member of a golf course but I am writing about Pannal.
Now a couple of weeks ago the kids were here and they left a bowl of raisins and nuts that they did not eat. It was in the kitchen and what possessed me to shove a nut in my face I do not know when I do not even like nuts but I broke a bottom tooth. I was due this week to have it repaired (it can be saved but how) when I received the phone call appointment cancelled. Aaagghh. Good job self isolation in some ways.
We are allowed one daily walk so I have been going to quiet places (I know a lot) Crimple Valley one of them. There might be dog walkers there but it is big enough for everyone to avoid contact. The footpath straight across is fine. Bits still wet and a need to deviate but ok. I did notice that the fence alongside the River Crimple was broken in some places and it is a designated footpath and at one end completely impassable because bushes have been allowed to grow (large and thorny ones). When this virus is over and it will be shall have to get in touch with relevant people. If you would like to also report it John Mann our local councillor and HBC and probably NYCC are the ones in charge.
Main objective is everyone stay safe and we will beat this.
Now if I had dogs they would be saying oh how lovely you being with us we love you so. Cats why are you at home all day? 

Pannal and books

A few years ago my friend and I asked the GPO if we could adopt keep clean and tidy and put books in the telephone box outside the Hairdressers on Station Road in the village and how do we go about this. Answer was we offer obsolete boxes (which this one is) for one pound and villagers can use them for books but do you have a Parish Council. Yes. We can only give it to them. So we asked the Parish Council and their answer was no. We thought it would be a good idea as we do not have a bus that comes in to the village and older people, without cars, find it a drag up a steep hill to catch the number 36 Bus. We were rather sad that we were turned down but now I see someone is putting books in said box. Good on you. I tidied it up this morning as with the winds some books had fallen on the floor. Shall put some books in too. A brilliant idea and well done you.

Having another two book signings for our book A Souvenir Guide to the Valley Gardens price five pounds. First one Saturday 28th March from 10-12.30 in Waterstones and second one in WH Smiths Saturday 4th April from 10 to 12.30. Come and say hello.We are doing another re-run. All the money we raise from selling the books is going into this. Have sold 1000 so nearly there. I am also getting on with Pannal and Burn Bridge Book. I asked my children what did they think I should call it and I should not have bothered as names suggested were Carry on Pannal. Lost in Pannal.  Pannal and the Tardis, Harry Potter comes to Pannal. Too many to mention but you get the idea and they were quite put out when I said no I don't think so.  I might have been better asking the cats.

Pannal and my life

Just thought I would tell you that at long last HBC will put a bollard near the patio garden (by St Robert's Church) and I shall not be killed by cars. I cannot tell you how many times I have been doing the garden and clearing up and a car has driven onto the pavement to avoid the speed bump. One time in particular a very near miss and two people who were coming out of the church service (Thursday morning) shouted. I was able to stand up and get out of the way. Too fast to get the number plate also the wall obscured the rear plate.  I did say to HBC that either a bollard or a plaque in memory of me. It is not there yet but I am in hope. The bollard not the plaque.
Also whilst I am having a rant two traffic incidents to be aware of. First one I was waiting outside Pannal Golf Club near the yellow hatching (that one is not allowed to be in) when this 4x4 overtook our long line of cars and went into the yellow hatching then through the traffic lights. Dunfounded we all were. Same day I was on Leadhall Lane first in the queue of cars waiting for the lights to change when another 4x4 came alongside me. I assumed he was turning right but no he turned left with me. What a shock at least my last words on this earth would have been a prayer and not a swear word. I will leave it to you to decide is Christ a prayer or a swear word?
I have started on Pannal and Burn Bridge book and the plan is to have it ready by Christmas. Publishers are Terry from Smith Settle whom have been brilliant on my books.I am on to my seventh. Not all on Pannal. Gosh I have lived here so long and seen so many changes. I know so many people and the ones that I know are lovely but I must say that fifty odd years ago everyone spoke. People coming towards you or people passing you. Now it is entirely different. Ones coming towards you very often avert their eyes.The other day a man overtook me passing Pannal Green. We were the only two on the pavement. As he passed me I said Good Morning and he nearly fell over but did answer. So all of us smile or say something. It would be so much nicer.
Ah ha I think I have had three rants so will go now and get on with what I am supposed to be doing.
Cats are snuggled up together as they say they are frozen. I said they are not the heating is on but they both just gave me a long lingering look that said Really.

Pannal and Burn Bridge

I should have said I am writing a book about Pannal and Burn Bridge Past and Present not just Pannal. Hope to have it out by Christmas, Reason I am doing this is because I am being told (by new residents) when I do talks. You know so much you should write a book. Answer I have written two. A History of Pannal and Postcards from Pannal both out of print but sometimes pop up on Amazon. My other book A Centenary History of Pannal Golf Club 1906 to 2006 is also sometimes there. All more expensive than they were originally. This will be my seventh book as I have written others not connected with this area. Keeps me out of mischief and also at the moment no golf, no gardening and out walking being blown stupid by the wind. Compared to other places we are lucky. Knaresborough when we went, it being half term last week, was flooded in places and Marigold's on Waterside closed. We managed on Tuesday to walk through the park at Otley but the next day we could not have as the river had burst its banks. York was a no no. Not  many people walking around at the moment. All in cars. The snow was a surprise on Monday morning and my grandchildren were all so annoyed as they all live down south and very rarely see snow and they missed it here by one day. Cats not so chuffed either. They are sharing a bed as they say they are cold. They are not but they insist they are.Today is dry and sunny. I have had washing out and it dried but can't see that weather lasting.
Hey how about emailing me annesmith.pannal@yahoo.co.uk with news. Be interested in what you have to say. When I wrote for the Harrogate Advertiser I was inundated with emails and telephone calls. I trained as a journalist and it is always very gratifying to hear people saying I am a nice  one as I write lovely stories about them. I still receive emails and in the summer I have people looking for relatives that used to live here or are buried in St Robert's churchyard. I have records of whose buried there and at Beckwithshaw so it is easy for me to look people up. I have many many photographs and information on Pannal and Burn Bridge. Photographs that are not in my other two books but will be in this third one.

Pannal - what's going on

I went up to Pannal Memorial Hall yesterday as they were holding an Open Day for everyone to see the plans they have for the building and what plans.It is going to look so good and be a credit to the village with a new entrance bypassing the main hall leading to other rooms. A far cry from when we used to go and have our babies weighed there and then there was the Women's League of Health and Beauty where we used to to exercises to music by Peta on the piano and Eileen teaching us. Then we would go across the road to the bakery and cafe and have a lovely cake. Well we deserved it!! Bakery and cafe and shop no longer there. They were situated just up from the Post Office. Still in this area the road is now through from Pannal to Leeds Road A61 and already being well used. We were told that this road was going to be a lot smaller in width but no two cars can easily pass each other on it.A worry for locals as the post office is used by many elderly residents and also school children who will now have to cross the "new"road.  Also the old ghastly Dunlopillo building, a planning application has gone in to make it even taller and also built another 29 houses behind it on the land that was going to be light industry. We in Pannal fear that the application will be passed as it seems the Ward Bros get what they want. This land went to Public Inspection and it was ruled that it would be light industry. The Ward Bros (Forward) had already purchased it and would you believe it the Planning Inspectors judgement of light industry was ignored and housing was approved. Now how did that happen? Wonder if the parking area in front of the ghastly old Dunlopillo building has been purchased from the firm in Halifax that own it? How Harrogate Borough Council think they are going to solve the traffic problem here and in Harrogate I do not know with the number of houses they are allowing to be built and have they worked out that the residents will all have cars. We all have cars nowadays.
The police were in attendance yesterday as well as representatives from all the groups that use the hall, The Parish Council want to resurrect the Neighbourhood Watch Schemes and I said we in Main Street are covered and have been for many years. When the Scheme first started we had Ken Hall then Geoff Holberry now Trevor Hughes. Who are the others in other areas? If you know can you please let me or the Parish Council know.
The road works plus building works are driving us all nuts, Apart from the fact that one morning I could not see to get my car out as VANS were parked all down the road and I could not see round them. I was sitting in the car wondering what to do. Should I ask one of my neighbours to see me out when I heard a tap on the back window and a lady who was coming up Main Street came and said I see you are having problems can I see you out. THEY hopefully have found the gas leak and taken down part of my neighbours wall and dug up part of their garden. We are hoping they will put everything to rights and then go and taking all their stuff with them. What is happening on Church Lane I do not know but it does seem to have coincided with the building of houses.The point of all the traffic lights is making drivers who do not live here go so much faster when they see a green light. I was turning into my drive and I always stop and see if there is anyone behind me when this car shot through and tried to overtake me on the inside. We are all suffering these problems and thinking of getting notices printed and displayed in the car saying "We live here".
Cats are speaking to me now but I think I am on my last warning.

Happy New Year Pannal

I had and I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year. All the family came here and I fed 15 of us for a week. Favourites like the Desperate Dan pie, large roast ham, potato scones and of course the turkey with turkey soup etc. I make a large Christmas cake, Christmas pud also large, 5 scone loaves,Ginormus trifle and of course the Clootie Dumpling. I believe I am conned into all this as the family say Oh but Mum you do it so well.
My bedroom is the biggest so I had in my room the two youngest grandchildren Bethany aged 7 and Daniel age 4. The first morning I woke up with two faces (very near my face) staring at me. Fortunately that did not continue every morning. Just after Christmas I went down to Cheltenham and then onto Bristol to stay with Richard and family and James and family., My other two children Susan and family in the Peak District and Michael and family in the Lake District. Really great for us all to be together. We have a family holiday every year - brilliant get together.

The workmen have descended on Pannal. Church Lane traffic lights and road dug up for a long way. Now is it a gas leak top of Main Street? More traffic lights. Now have a number of vans with flashing light a large spotlight and a large digger. This has been going on since yesterday afternoon.

Cyclists are now asking for a route through the Crimple Valley from behind St Robert's Church to Almsford Bank and they would like street lights to light their way. Why they cannot make a cycle path on the A61 up to Almsford Bank is beyond me. The pavement is very little used by pedestrians so that would be ideal.

A friend of mine who used to live on Crimple Meadows son came to visit Pannal after many years away and reported back to his Mum the traffic was awful cars parked everywhere.He is right. A couple of weeks ago I could not see to come out of my drive as there were large vans and cars parked all the way up and also on the other side of the road from me. I really did not know what to do as I could not see round them. Then I lady came over and said I can see you are having trouble I will guide you out. That was so kind.

Our book A Souvenir Guide to the Valley Gardens is doing very well and we have sold 1000 since October so we are going to have another run. Talking of books I have hundreds of slides of Pannal - Turn of the 20th century photos right through to now which I could use in another book. As I said my first two are out of print so I think another one is called for. Looks like Pannal Golf Course will not see me for a little while. I am doing a talk with slides Wednesday 15th January in St Robert's Church for Pannal Wives. This one is on Pannal but I have another talk in March of the Valley Gardens. I only do talks from October until end of March as golf and my gardens calls and of course walking.

Because I was away in Cheltenham and Bristol the cats Marble and Tigs are not speaking to me. They have taken (can't spell umbrage - ha -so let say they are very annoyed with me)