Wolds Diary: Atmospheric setting for songs that leave me feeling at peace

Whilst most of those stashed winter woolies no longer fitted me, I did find a good dog jacket for my Doberman Sharpie cross who has a very short coat. It took her about five minutes to get out of it. The Staffie doesn’t want to know a coat either but the little terrier, Brillo, really fancies herself in a jacket - event though she has a thick covering of hair.

On the Sunday of the celebration weekend of church we sang evensong, a real treat for me. As a teenager I went to evensong almost every week and it always settled my mind and gave me an overwhelming feeling of placidity and peace for the following week.

This week’s service was no exception to that rule, the echoes of a lovely setting of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimitis seemed to seep from the lit church as I emerged into the night at the end of the service.

All Saints Church is beautiful and I understand that a lovely couple form Grimsby came to visit Pocklington, and the church, because I had written about it. Thank you, I felt very flattered when the church warden told me he’d met you.

On the Monday it was the Pocklington Singers rehearsal as the big build up to our performance of The Messiah on December 5. We sang one of my favourite pieces this week, ‘We, Like Sheep’ but maybe my years as a shepherd make me a little prejudiced.

Then Tuesday arrived. My handyman, a great bloke called Damien, was round to fix the cabinets and room dividers in my living room.

My front room is starting to look very good and at last I have room to store all (well most of) my craft work and materials without making a mess. He did a brilliant job and then in the evening it was off to give a talk at East Ayton Village Hall, near Scarborough.

It was very foggy and visibility was diabolical. The most direct route was closed by road works and getting there was a tedious business, but once I arrived I was made most welcome by the WI.

I came back on the A64, much longer but a great deal safer. I was amazed at how brilliant some drivers’ sights are, as vehicles were overtaking me at speed and I could barely see 100 metres at times. I expected to come across a serious crash at any moment.

As I approached York there were emergency vehicles with blue lights and two tone horns rushing around but I never saw the cause.

The next morning one of my friends had a hospital appointment and needed someone to stay with her husband who has dementia, and I had a pleasant morning at their house. I managed to knit quite a bit of a sock. At lunchtime I dashed off to another friends’ and we popped down to Market Weighton to shop at the superstore there.

On Thursday I had been told of a Jumble sale in aid of the RNLI at Driffield. I like jumble sales and believe this to be a good cause. After a quick bit of shopping in the high street I joined the queue at the town hall and got chatting with a very interesting lady, and then the doors opened and the crush began.

I’d been warned to keep my purse safe, and headed towards the gents’ clothes and the few men’s ties which I purchased. Once home I went off to the final rehearsal of the Sorcerer, this time at the beautiful and rather small church at Nunburnholme.

I spent Friday afternoon in Bridlington helping out at a premises there and stopped off at a supermarket in Driffield on the way back but it was filling time really before it was time to give my vocal chords another work out.

The next day I was off to the final performance at Nunburnholme. It went ever so well and one kind parishioner let me and some of my fellow performers avail ourselves of his toilet facilities at his home during the intervals.

The next morning it was the Remembrance Day service, which always makes me stop and think, as we all should.