Wolds Diary: Talked out but church youths just cannot be reasoned with

As usual on the Monday evening I went to the rehearsal for the Pocklington Singers. As I arrived at the church and went round to the community room, there was a group of youths who had left their bikes abandoned on the ground. As we prepared to start the rehearsal they kept banging on the door, flinging it open, and yelling at us and then running off just to repeat the childish behaviour a few moments later. Even if we locked the door they kept disturbing us. They had earlier been frightening the Brownie group.

One of our number went out to try and reason with them but in the end the police had to attend. This did stop the nuisance. The other singers wouldn’t let me out to deal with them. I was all for throwing their bikes in the nearby stream.

We had similar problems last year with silly kids who obviously had nothing better to do and no respect for others. Then they caused damage to the church which cost a lot of money to repair.

On Tuesday afternoon I went to speak to the Over 60’s club at Poppleton. I was greeted by a charming ex-Royal Navy chap and we had a good chat about Portsmouth. I helped him get the room ready and soon a wonderful lady, Vida, who will be 103 this summer, came in and was absolutely fascinating to talk to. If I am half as sprightly and with it when I reach 80 I will be well satisfied. Soon the group assembled and they were a most receptive audience and laughed a lot.

After a very welcome cup of tea I drove home and then later that evening headed out for a second visit to the Yorkshire Countrywomen’s Association at East Cottingwith. There were a few ladies there and as some of them had already heard me speak I switched to an alternative series of stories and they laughed at them too. When I finally got home that evening I was well talked out.

The next afternoon I went to sit with my friend’s poorly husband again while she went to an important meeting and also to do a bit of shopping in the little time she has to herself these days. I managed to knit almost half as sock while I was there.

All week I have been tending my friend’s chickens and feeding her cats, and each morning and evening I have either opened or closed the chicken sheds and checked on the birds. Her two cats have quite individual characters. One is very friendly and likes a fuss. The other, a very handsome black girl with white paws, regarded me with great suspicion but by the end of the week accepted I was possibly friendly, but I was not permitted to take liberties, however.

On a fine morning I took the dogs for a walk I have not visited in a little while. It is between Water and North Dalton. It starts off on a bridleway and the track is well poached up with the imprints of hooves. It actually makes it a challenge as you have to watch where you are walking.

The bridleway is transversed by a couple of very pleasant footpaths and after a mile or two I headed down one of these. So apparently had the horses as they were almost as bad as the footpaths.

I have to keep my Staffie on the lead for much of the walk as I do not want her disturbing livestock but there are a couple of places where she can and does run, but I always keep her in sight.

On the way back to the car I used the road where there is a very wide verge and all the dogs were on the leads, but the ground is easier to walk on for me.

On the Saturday another friend had asked for help with dealing with a huge cypress tree that had been felled as it was a danger to their house.

She had acquired a chainsaw but wasn’t sure how to use one. I have some experience with such things and had a great couple of hours trimming or cutting logs and branches. They have a solid fuel stove so all firewood is welcome and I cut a lot of logs.