Wolds Diary: To the rescue in a week when hounds are abound

It was a committee meeting of Pocklington Cricket Club the following day and I was mainly there to take minutes. We are lucky enough as a club to have received grants and a new club house is now under construction, but a hot topic for discussion was how to get more players and members.

The next day I went with a friend to Market Weighton. Before my friend picked me up in her car a charming dog rushed across the road towards me, thankfully avoiding the traffic, and I managed to grab hold of its collar. A motorist who had braked to avoid it shouted at me to keep it on a lead until I explained it was not mine. Soon a young man from a nearby house came rushing out to find it and thanked me - it had escaped from the house.

It’s been a quieter week, and so I’ve had more time to devote to the dogs and going for walks. I took them down to one of my favourite woodland walks, where I have yet to meet anyone else, and although it was disgustingly muddy the dogs had a great time.

The woods are just beautiful at the moment, with a carpet of yellow, gold, orange and copper coloured leaves which tumble in an ever-present shower, spiralling around you as they float gently to the ground. Of course, this also has a drawback. With a thick carpet covering the ground, the long brambles shoots are hidden. I managed to trip over one such hazard and fell sprawling into the mud, but luckily without suffering an injury. I was really quite impressed with my dogs who all rushed back to me to see if I was all right, and having discovered that, kindly washed my face as I staggered to my feet. I picked myself up and made a note to be a little more careful.

When we got home I changed and washed all the mud out of my clothes, my hair and my wellies. I washed the dogs too. Then I washed the bath, the towels and the dog leads.

On another day, I headed into York to collect some more ties that had been collected for me. I usually visit the market and treat myself to a dressed crab from the friendly fishmonger there.

I visited a church that is now used as a café and had a cup of coffee. The cakes there are so tempting! On this occasion, I fell for a scone.

On the way home in the Park & Ride bus, I dropped something from my overflowing bag of ties and a lady pointed out to me the receipt I’d dropped. We got chatting and I explained what I do with the ties. She helps at a charity shop in Dunnington, and asked me to call in there. She rang me later when I got home to say she too had put some aside for me.

I needed to go to deliver something in Nafferton. Before setting off to do this I took the dogs for one of their favourite walks up at Millington Woods. There are some fascinating fungi there and the dogs love it.

Then I drove over to Nafferton and on from there to the other Dunnington, near Beeford, to drop off a gift for another friend. On the way, I saw a small dog standing in the middle of the road looking frightened and lost. Fortunately, all the other traffic stopped and several folk got out of their cars and shooed the poor creature back towards its owner who was ambling down the road. I gave her a spare dog lead I had with me and we finally got the creature to safety. It would seem it was my week for saving dogs.

Having delivered my gift and admired the peacocks in the garden there I drove back, and as the dogs were still singing enthusiastically in the car with excitement we stopped off for a walk on the Hudson Way, by which time it had started raining and was quite cold. That didn’t stop them enjoying it. At least they slept for the rest of the day when we finally got home.

I went to the Dunnington near York the next morning to collect the promised ties and got talking to some felters at the village hall, who were setting up. The world is full of talented people.