All ready for some sunshine!

All ready for a new season

I popped up to the allotment this morning to sort out the water barrels before the forecasted rain arrives. Our water tap doesn't get turned on at the mains until May so we are totally dependent on captured rainwater. We have a water butt collecting rain water off the shed roof and the overflow then feeds four 50 gallons butts inside the polytunnel by underground pipe. This system usuallly enables us to be almost self sufficient on rain alone for most of the year.

Ooccasionally, however, the system stops working so I have to check downspouts, taps and pipework to make sure we don't miss a drop. It only took a few minutes to sort out the problem. And then I was able to do what you should always do on an alotment - sit down and think!

Today the allotment looked great. Jan does almost all the work - she loves it! She spends hours up there. The raised beds have all been prepared and are ready for the season ahead. The onions and garlic are in and the broad beans are up. The apple and plum trees are in blossom. We are almost self sufficient in the fruit and veg area. We are still using fresh cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and leeks. And we have three freezers at home which guarantee that we always have tomatoes, peas, beans and soft fruit.

Oh yes, life is good! Bring on the summer!

A set back!

I regret to report that my slimming campaign has suffered a slight set back! I blame the wife. It was she who smelt Cornish pasties in a cafe when we visited Derbyshire last week; then she took me shopping - no Low C beer but bottles of real ale on a '2 for £3' offer; then she wanted to eat out instead of cooking a meal in the van; and on our return we had to be sociable at a house warming party when pork pies were offered around! I don't suppose the fish and chips with friends at the end of the evening helped either. Oh, and I forgot the single malt!

Then of course, it's been Easter weekend with visits from several members of the family. Two cooked meals on Monday! And a few  pints of HPA in the Pheasant with the son-in-law to finish off the festivities!

So that's it! Back to the regime and I hope to have more positive news to report soon!

That's it till after October!

It's great fun and really satisfying  being involved in helping to organise the Stone Food and Drink Festival. But it does have one major drawback. Most of the hard work has to be done between now and October. So the prospect of Jan and I getting any time away during the summer is virtually nil.



"Looks like Spring has arrived"

So that is why, over the last few months, we've hardly been at home. And I suspect that our caravan break at Chatsworth last week was probably the last time we'll take time out until the Festival is over.



"Oops! Spoke too soon!"

We had a lovely time in Derbyshire - made even more memorable by the snow that fell last Wednesday. On Tuesday we toured the house and gardens at Chatsworth House in Spring-like weather and then we woke up to snow on Wednesday morning! What's happening to our weather?

But we're back home now. The caravan has been cleaned and is back under its cover. And you'll probably see a bit more of me around town as we now start to put the show back on again.

Well said, Sir!

In common with thousands of Stone residents, I eagerly await the Stone Gazette dropping through my letter box each month.

There was a time when the Evening Sentinel had three editions each day and on a Friday you could get the Weekly Sentinel.  They sent reporters to funerals to record who attended. They had staff photographers to snap the happy couple on their wedding day. They reported the opening of a bank's new branch office or the installation of a new President of the local golf club.  There wasn't much they missed. Well, those days are well and truly over. Indeed, I ask myself each week why I bother to buy the local weekly paper for the amount of Stone news in it.

That's why we are so lucky to have the Gazette. All right, I know most of the articles are a 'cut and paste' job from press releases issued by the promoters of the stories. But there's alot of interesting stuff in there. And we do get some really good original articles from Christine Conlin plus some real gems in Philip Leason's history columns.

But the reason I most enjoy the Gazette is for the monthly editorial! Paul Mitchell's 'grumpy old man' approach to life reflects my feelings on most issues - and especially this month.

Everything he says about a career in journalism could apply with equal force to the legal profession. I must be asked at least once a week if I can help someones son, daughter, nephew etc to find a training contract with a firm of solicitors.  And, like Paul, I have to explain that they haven't got a cat in hells chance of getting one.

Schools and the career services have been doing their pupils a grave disservice for years by building expectations of a career in the law. Going to University to get a law degree is the easy bit. After all, with a pass rate of 98.5% at A levels and a target of 50% of school leavers going on to university, you'd have to be a bit dim not to be able to do it! But after you've got your law degree, getting a training contract with a solicitor or pupillage with a barristers' chambers is well nigh impossible. And without one or the other, the graduate will never qualify as a solicitor or a barrister. The legal profession has been shrinking for years. Legal aid has been slashed, divorce can be obtained by filling in forms, conveyancing vanished with the housing slump, wills can now be written by anyone and accident claims are now handled by 'no win - no fee' conglomerates. There are simply no jobs. So forget it.

Mrs. Worthington was exhorted not to put her daughter on the stage. These days a career 'on the boards' is probably the safer bet!

Totally Locally

I've just come across this whilst checking a few friends Facebook sites. What fantastic sentiments and advice! We should all make a copy and read it every day!

I heard the other day that someone was trying to set up a Totally Locally meeting here in Stone but I can't remember who told me. And I haven't seen anything about it since.

Does anyone out there know any more? It sounds like a campaign we should all support. The future of towns like ours depends upon us all practicising the ethos behind the Totally Locally campaign.

Exciting times ahead!

I love meeting people with a passion for Staffordshire and who, like me, believe that small is beautiful! Today I met such a person - Emily Whitehead who is the inspiration behind an amazing website, Simply Staffordshire. Emily wants to get Simply Staffordshire members involved in the Uttoxeter Food and Drink Festival (and, I hope, the Stone Festival in October) so we met up at the Racecourse this morning to discuss various ideas with her.

Most of her members are small producers and businesses who have been handpicked by her to ensure high standards. As she spoke, I could almost hear echos of Brian Blundell in my ears! Like Brian, she believes that it will be the small local businesses that will do most for the local economy. She, too, believes that we should be proud of our food and drink heritage.

Emily clearly has some very useful PR and marketing skills and I have no doubt that Simply Staffordshire is going to become a business to watch. It's going to be good working with her.

That's the way to do it!

On Monday evening, I chaired the AGM of the Bonfire and Firework committee and it was all done and dusted in under an hour!

All our hard work goes up in flames!

I've said it many times but I'll say it again - this is a great committee to be involved with. Everyone is there to make sure that we have a brilliant show and they all do their own specific jobs. No arguments or back stabbings. No personal agendas. Its a pleasure to work with them.

The bullet points from the meeting were that we approved the accounts for last year (another record payout of £11,00 to the local groups who organise the event - see below); confirmed the date of this years event (Saturday 3rd November); agreed to hold the entry prices at last year's level (no change for three years) and confirmed a similar budget as last year for the fireworks.

It was also decided that we must be more positive in explaining that the event is wholly organised by volunteers from various groups in the town including Scout and Guide groups, Army Cadets and a PTA. Many people are under the mistaken impression that the show is put on by 'the council'! Oh no it isn't!

And we shall be stressing that the profit is split amongst the local good causes who are either involved in organising the show or who are nominated by volunteers. Last year, we distributed £11,000 amongst Stone Outward Guides, Stone Army Cadet Force, 1st Stone Scout Group, Aston & Little Stoke Scout Group, St Michael's PTA, Stone District Scout Council, N. Staffs Basics Accident Doctors, 2nd Stone Scout Group, Stone Stroke Club, Katherine House Hospice, Stone Alzheimer's Drop-In Club, St Michael's Church Bell Fund, British Red Cross and Douglas Macmillan Hospice.

And that makes it all worth while.