STACK NEWS ISSUE TEN December 2006
Welcome to the TENTH edition of Stack News!
#On the basis of – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – issue ten is somewhat similar to the previous nine (all of which are still available for your delectation at www.dingdong.me.uk).
We had a minor panic when we found out that the photo lab we use for our cover picture has plans to develop their site for expensive housing – but discovered that they are continuing their 40+ years in business at new premises.
So no problem - this time we’ve combined all the previous pictures – starting with Billy & Steve balancing aloft with our roof beam in 1997.
Blue, our greyhound still has that red coat – plus several others, but his most coveted possessions are his beds! He only has five (plus two more in the cars)! All of them get used during his busy day, but the favourite for his lying on back with legs in air is most definitely his large beanbag in the centre of our living room. He should have his own TV channel – he is more entertaining than much of the broadcast offerings. Now that you can buy a DVD recording of an open fire, or a tropical fish tank, perhaps there’s a market for a sleeping greyhound version – although it may be worth waiting until they can capture the delicate aroma of dog f**t for that truly special experience.
Returning to the pictures, snow remains a rare occurrence here (March 3rd this year), and badgers still have their place with Roger ‘working’ almost full time for the first three months of the year encouraging public participation in a government consultation on whether and how to cull badgers. Over 96% that took part were against killing - including over eleven thousand who expressed their opposition through Roger’s www.stopthecull.info website.
Jayne continues her many websites both personal and for her employer - Cornwall Wildlife Trust – www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk Working mainly from home sometimes makes it difficult to escape from work, so Jayne’s trip to her mum’s with a short stay at Les & Carol’s for a bit of lurcher stroking (Xena) was a welcome break, as was our first ‘proper holiday’ together since moving to Cornwall. This gave Blue the chance to savour the exotic aromas of Exmoor as well as Blue Anchor Bay where we stayed in a rented chalet. This was dangerously close to the beach – thankfully there weren’t any northerly gales during our stay and we didn’t need to deploy the steel shutter over the patio door! See www.blueanchorbeach.co.uk/ for pictures.
As the years roll by with seemingly increasing speed, we become evermore aware of the imperfect design of the human body - subject as it can be to ‘maintenance issues’ from minor inconvenience to premature catastrophic failure. In their own little attempt to delay the ageing process (who’s kidding?) the editors of Stack News have decreed that whilst remaining sympathetic to those with greater problems than their own, news of the foregoing nature will not be publishedhere.
We will therefore return to other news.
The possible conservatory mentioned in issue nine remains at the pre-planning phase (who says you slow down as you get older?) but now includes two structures – one front, one back – all subject to planning consent and finance! Other-Stack-wise, it’s mostly maintenance items including a new roof for Jayne’s hobby chalet, and fairly major surgery to a couple of our trees. Plus some extensive digging to improve our drains!
There have been the usual selection of walks/talks/seminars but for Jayne it has been the year of craft courses - including silk painting, papercraft, scrap booking, and a year-long sugarcraft course. She also managed to fit in some work-related training – not something that concerns Roger! His only course was on microscopy with other activities concerning mammals - both land and marine; local history, archaeology, and habitats; and of course for Jayne - moths.
So there we have it – another year!!
Hopefully Stack News will be back in another year – even if we have to make the type yet bigger to fill the space. Or perhaps we’ll have a busy year?
Watch your letterbox in 12 months time!
Best wishes for the festive season from:
Roger and Jayne
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