Wolds Diary: Autumn is uplifting

I love autumn. I very seldom feel the cold and find the cool weather a little more comfortable. The weather has been rather varied and even quite windy at times. On a couple of evenings the sunsets have been very spectacular and an almost apricot hue against a darker background. It is a colourful time of year and I glory in it.

I was invited to speak to another group of the Yorkshire Countrywomen’s Association. This time at the rather fine village of Middleton on the Wolds. It has a post office but no village shop.

As usual I arrived early and went to the pub where I was made very welcome and was soon chatting to some of the locals, mainly about farming. I noticed that they have a small but useful stock of essentials for sale, a much needed source of everyday items. I went into the Reading Room where my hostesses made me very welcome and I was asked to judge a small competition which was very hard as all the entrants were so good.

I began my talk and about 10 minutes into it a young man came in and stood around and then sat in a vacant chair. After a few minutes he started asking rather asinine questions. I wasn’t sure if he was drunk but after he had tried to disrupt things for a while I decided he must be and soldiered on regardless. At the end of my talk which I think went well he seemed convinced that I was a vicar (which was very flattering but totally wrong) and the group was “a bible bashing” group. It was explained to me that he was quite harmless. Everyone was very tolerant of him and very kind to him. After a welcome coffee I headed home.

My staffie Brock has had to be gently walked on the lead this week. I took all the dogs up to Millington Woods and when I got there the place seemed deserted. At the far end there was a family so I turned round. Just before I got back to the car park three people came towards me with two dogs, neither of which were on leads. Four of my dogs went up to say hello and I held Brock back off the path. One of the women glared at me so I called that my dogs were friendly but she had such a sour look on her face I called my dogs back. She did not however put her dogs on the lead as I did mine. Her dogs had a sour disposition as she did. The whole group did not deign to speak and I was glad to get back to the car.

I have found that usually fellow dog owners are friendly and I have met some lovely folk and their dogs when out walking. A couple of days later I took all the dogs up to Allerthorpe where this was demonstrated. Brock by this time was feeling so much better she almost dragged me round. She happily pulled me into a fairly deep pool so a change of clothes was appropriate when I got home.

I have been attempting to master the wonders of my new computer. I’m not at all good at this and enlisted the assistance of a friend who is also an IT specialist. In no time at all he had done what was needed and showed me all sorts of things I had no idea were even on the computer. We got to talking about the possibility of myself pushing some of the books I have written. He agreed to help me with the technical side of it.

About once a month some of the Pocklington Singers sing at a service at All Saints Church. This week a sizeable choir sang one of my favourite pieces Panis Angelicus and another I had not previously known but which is equally beautiful. It did sound really good and the congregation appreciated it.

On the Saturday morning I went to a Fizz and Coffee and Cake morning hosted by some friends of mine and most of the choir were there. Bang went my diet again. The food was quite delicious and it was a very happy hour or so. On my return home my kind neighbours had come back from holiday with gifts. I met another neighbour in the supermarket the other day and she told me a lot about a local that was most helpful and explained a lot about things.