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Sue Woodcock: Looking on the bright side after work's unexpected bombshell
THE week began with a minor disaster. I was on my way back from work on a split shift, stopped off to see a friend and when I got back in the car, nothing. It would not start, and despite my entreaties, profanities and some basic mechanical checking, still nothing. My friend looked at it. So did his neighbour, and in the end I called the RAC.
God must have listened to my prayers, because not only did the patrolman turn up quickly, he was an expert on Land Rovers, and in no time had fixed the car. I made it back to work only 15 minutes late, slightly grubby, but much relieved.
My friend who had come to stay has a delightful collie, who is passionately in love with my bitch Froyle, who is a real flirt but does not return his affection. My other bitch, Fair, is in turn much enamoured of my friend's dog. Froyle is fixated on
the old dog, Bentley, so the result is that my friend's dog eventually grabbed Froyle by the tail to get her attention, Fair grabbed his tail, and they circled backwards in the field round Bentley who ignored the whole thing. Even us laughing at them makes no difference. It happens several times a day. To anyone who does not know their game it must look rather strange.
After I got back from work one day in my now working car, my friend wanted to go for a walk. I took him and four of our five dogs up to Conistone to show him the Dib and Conistone Pie. With three collies and Brillo we walked up in beautiful weather and there was hardly a soul around. The initial walk comes to a small dry gorge in limestone where
the dogs scrabbled up the slippery steps and were keen to explore. Then you come out into a beautiful valley set between impressive crags on one side and a hill on the other, with piles of scree.
We had fun getting the dogs up the Dib itself and emerged onto the Dales Way to meet a group of walkers. My dogs love people and rushed enthusiastically to greet them. They were, fortunately, dog lovers and welcomed the friendly greetings. As we climbed there was a subtle change in the vegetation. Everywhere there was wild thyme in bloom and the walk was scented with the scent of this delightful little herb. There was mallow, speedwell, lady's bed slipper, buttercups, bugle, clover and countless other small flowers to adorn our way. I mentioned that we were taking a walk on the wild thyme side!
We walked up to the Pie and then sat with a drink and a biscuit in the lee of the Pie and looked out across the hills. There were lapwings calling overhead and curlews circling above is. It was difficult distinguishing the white rocks on the hillside from the sheep browsing on the grass. We sat, putting the world to rights, while the dogs gathered round us, and went to sleep. After a while of blissful tranquillity we packed up our empty cans and strode off down the hill.
On the way down we passed a herd of cattle, one cow had a fairly new calf. Fair was fascinated but changed her mind rapidly when the cow objected. Brillo noticeably avoided them. Then we passed a couple of horses and Fair decided they should be avoided as well. We called into the churchyard on our way back to the car. My friend is a caver and wanted to see the memorial to the
six drowned cavers from Mossdale Caverns.
The dogs were pleasantly tired when we got home and so was I, but it was singers' night so I drove back up the Dale and our rehearsal was at the Old School House in Buckden which I had not previously visited. It is a lovely old building where the acoustics were very good. Our summer concert is next month, and we are getting better. During one song our leader had to stop us as she was laughing so much she couldn't concentrate. She hastily explained that all of
us on the back row were swaying in unison and it was hilarious to watch us. We had done it quite unconsciously, but the song had a terrific swing to it, singing with
the Buckden Singers is always enjoyable.
I really enjoy my job and like the people I work with. I have made friends there in the short time I have been there. I looked forward to spending some time there, even until I get my old age pension. Then the bombshell dropped. We are all being made redundant. The place is closing, I don't know exactly why, but by the end of July we are all out of a job.
It is bad news for me, but worse for the many who
lived there as part of the community and had made their home there. Some of them have no real family, and little or no money. Kettlewell will be the poorer without Scargill House. It has been a place of refuge, worship and tranquillity for 50 years. I understand the buildings and 90-plus acres is to be sold. I am fortunate that I have somewhere to live, and I can turn my hand to all sorts of things, and will probably find work. At least I have my animals to concentrate on, and it might give me more time to write, and even submit a couple more books to my publisher.
I always wanted to earn
my living by writing anyway. I will also have more time for my spinning and creating garments from the wool
of my rare breed sheep, not to mention restoring the house. I just need to earn the funds to do it.
I try to look for the positive side of things when they go wrong. It seems it is time for a re-think. This is just another crossroads in my
life, when I have to make the best of it.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North west
