Wolds Diary: Sue Woodcock

I was nominated to co-ordinate our church’s visit to St Crux in York to raise money for the church funds. I was quite truthfully worried sick about it but had some great guidance from the lady who has done it for years who I consider is a saint.

In between walking the dogs and taking my cat to the vet for a check-up (she’s doing fine) I was contacted by a group in Market Weighton which I was due to speak to next year. Their speaker was unable to attend and could I possibly do it later that day? It was about the only free afternoon I had in the whole week but I got there and was greeted by the charming Over 55 club at the community hall. They laughed in all the right places and have even invited me back!

The day before the visit to St Crux I went to the church in Pocklington to see who was taking what in which vehicle. I spent the afternoon loading cars and about half an hour before I was heading off a group off Australian cyclists from Adelaide came in and admired the church. They took photos and then I saw them all gathered round one grave stone in the churchyard taking photos there.

Intrigued I went to see what had caught their attention. They were waxing lyrical about a tortoiseshell butterfly. I explained that they aren’t uncommon but this was the high point of the group’s day.

A couple of days later I was tidying in my garden which has become a little overgrown and I noticed a huge caterpillar crawling by my washing line. I was both thrilled and delighted when I picked it up and realised it was an elephant hawk moth caterpillar. I haven’t seen one for many years. I’ve always been fond of moths and as a youngster used to admire them and especially like the huge hawk moths.

There are not many animals I don’t like and although I was really scared of spiders as a child I have now accepted them. They are just starting to come into the house as the weather gets a bit cooler.

I had been asked to speak to the WI at Poppleton. I arrived at the village rather early and went over to a pleasant pub opposite and got chatting to a group with a very friendly and large, almost white Jack Russell who took wild exception to the Shaun the Sheep rucksack I was carrying. It was with great difficulty that we stopped the dog killing my rucksack! A man called Charlie stopped with a quite charming Bedlington terrier, a breed I’ve always admired.

Once in the Methodist church where the meeting was, the hall started to fill up and included two gentlemen, one of whom was the Bedlington’s owner. They were a great audience and the tea afterwards was most welcome. Charlie approached me, thrust a bag of very good ties into my hand then confided that I was his secret guilty indulgence on a Saturday morning. He explained that he wouldn’t start a Saturday without first reading about my week’s antics! I was incredibly flattered. At my age such compliments are rare!

Then it was the day at St Crux. As if in answer to prayer the weather was glorious and there were many helpers. We sold tea, coffee, cakes and there was a bric a brac and a plant stall. The book stall did especially well. I was sent out during the day for more cucumber for sandwiches and everyone worked very hard but the end result is much needed funds for our church. It took me most of the following morning to count and record the money and do the accounts and the washing of tea towels. I even agreed to do the same task next year if no one better could be found.

Saturday was busy. I went and released my friend’s chickens first thing having put them to bed the night before and later went to a Macmillan coffee morning at a friend’s house in Pocklington. From there it was a drive up to Stamford Bridge to the open day at the vets I use to raise money for animal charities. I was fascinated to see various nasty bugs under a microscope and there were cakes and two tombola stalls. I think I can declare the week a success.