Sue Woodcock: Change in the weather but not the pace of life

The odd night I have had at home has been a delight. I seem to get little time to myself and what I have is usually devoted to chores. Either that or someone calls and before you know it the afternoon or evening have gone. The nights are closing in and when I head out on an evening activity it is now dark or dusk when I set off. There is a distinct chill in the air and I have finally condescended to light a fire in the living room when it is cold. This is much appreciated by the dogs and cats. In the valley the leaves are turning.

My godson came up with his singers to give a concert at the church. I put three of them up one night and one the next. They didn't arrive until very late, and the next morning while he organised things I took the two ladies on a whistlestop tour of the local scenery before taking them down to the church for a rehearsal, when we discovered that the bass had got lost in Skipton so I went to fetch him. The afternoon was taken up by the film crew for The Village wanting to film me knitting with my friend, again. I am sure that people will think that I never do anything apart from sit and knit. If only they knew!

This TV programme is taking up a lot of time of many of the villagers, but those who don't want to be involved can easily avoid the crews. What saddens me is that one unpleasant person has seen fit to write an anonymous poison pen letter to the film crew. I have always considered that anyone who cannot produce a reasoned argument with their name underneath it isn't worth listening to anyway and the television company have rightly treated it with contempt.

The concert in the church was a delight, with some superb music and singing and was well-attended. I had to go from there to Street Angels in Skipton but it was a quiet night. The next morning my godson kindly played the organ for our harvest festival at church, after which he headed back down South and I took all the produce donated to the Salvation Army centre in Keighley where they were pleased to accept it. I have always admired and respected the Salvation Army and the work they do. As a police officer in the city, I saw the result of their compassion and dedication.

As a small child I once had the privilege of meeting General Booth's sister who gently explained to me how the army was formed and what it did. I remember being fascinating by her bonnet but I must have listened, because over 55 years later I remember her and what she said.

Having done my bit for the church, I then headed to the pet food shop to buy puppy food for little Boo who has grown considerably and now looks like a black labrador puppy and not a pot-bellied rat. She's put on about one and a half kilos and is eating for England and is almost house trained. She did make one mistake though. She followed the other dogs down to the rather full retting pit and fell into the water. I was all ready to dash in and save her but although she had never met deep water before she demonstrated she knew just how to swim.

I made it home in time to walk the dogs, sort the fires out and then head off to the weekly quiz at the pub. There was a crowd from Warrington in and we raised quite a sum for the Air Ambulance.

First thing in the morning the view from here when it is not raining is so beautiful.

The valleys are wreathed in a pure white mist with the higher hills looking like islands in a futuristic photograph.

The light the other evening at sunset was a lurid orange and it was quite surreal. Everything bathed in a tangerine glow and looking like another universe. It didn't last very long but it was a special time and I went out to appreciate it with the dogs. Such times are special.

CW 9/10/10