Spring has sprung - for now

It's a gloriously sunny day, bright blue sky with large white fluffy clouds being swept across it by the bitter cold wind. Well we can't have it all can we?

Midge is looking much better after her last trip to the vet, the antibiotics are kicking in and the swelling on her muzzle has gone right down so I think she feels much more comfortable now. She has to have it checked on Tuesday when she goes for her 3rd arthritis injection, and depending on how it is, she may have to have the tooth removed.

She certainly looks and acts a lot brighter, thank goodness.

My brother visited yesterday, with his little dog Gizmo. So Bonnie the Westie and Gizmo spent most of the day wrestling and chasing each other. My brother stayed overnight instead of driving all the way back, so while he watched the footy on tv I managed to get online. I can't go all day without my dose of internetitis.

I don't have any plans for today other than housework, I should really bring the bookcase downstairs and put in the kitchen so I can unpack the dozens of cookbooks and others that are still in boxes under the stairs, but yet again I can't seem to get motivated to do it.

Our village newsletter was delivered today, both Gizmo and Bonnie were like rabid beasts trying to grab it as the poor woman tried to push it through the letter box. It seems we have an official opening of our multi-million pound village hall at the end of this month. It's about the size of the Olympic Stadium, or seems to be. God knows why they wanted one quite so big.

For the opening there will be a parade from the village green, led by the Holsworthy Majorettes. Deep Joy! I can't stand majorettes at the best of times, but to have them twirling their batons outside my house to the rather out of tune band will be worse than japanese water torture believe me. Then they'll wobble off down the village green, past the church and into the new village hall, where someone famous in these parts who I've never heard of, will cut the tape. Then there's some boring speeches by more people I've never heard of and in the evening a hog roast with dessert and drinks at the bar. Why the village hall needs a bar is beyond me as there's a lovely village pub on the green, not 500yds away. There's a live band, well a dead one wouldnt be much use would it? The whole shebang finishes at midnight, so we'll all be kept awake by people not used to alcohol trying to get their keys in their cars and shunting and reversing them out of the village. So a late night that night.

We also have a kids easter egg hunt on the village green this month. Can't remember if it's before the village hall ceremony or after. It's for the little ankle biters up to 6yrs of age. Well that won't last long, there's nowhere to hide the Easter eggs on the green as it's just a flat area of grass, unless they're going to import some trees and boxes for the occasion, which would sort of give the game away. So another day of torment, listening to excited shrieks and painful screams all day.

The newsletter also mentions the village Agricultural Society are holding a meeting in the new hall next month, and also includes a photographic section, and all are welcome, members or otherwise. Hang on! Is it for gardeners or hobby photographers? I'm confused. I like both, but don't particularly want to combine the two. To sit and look at someone elses photo's of their potted petunias or prize winning leeks would just about send me over the edge. I'm halfway there already.

All we need now is for the W.I to have a best decorated matchbox competition and best marmalade or chutney competition and that would just about make my year. Not!

Talking of the W.I they seem to have vanished into the ether. I never hear of them these days, not that I want to enroll. I'd be bored to tears. At one time thats all you got in a rural community. Young Farmers and the W.I. Both now seem to be on the decline. Perhaps the Young Farmers are too busy to hold events because they're showing the old biddies in the W.I how to grow marijuana in their Blue Peter designed greenhouses and conservatories?

Yes it all happens in this village. All sorts of events to ruin your rural idyll.

And I mustn't forget the Hunt. Banned it maybe, but I don't think our Hunt is aware of the ban, as they meet regularly, again on the village green, with their red jacketed riders and bay mares or geldings dropping huge piles of steaming horse manure all over the pavement and green, and lets not forget the huge hounds who are about as obedient as a jack russell after a cornered rat. They run all over the green and people's gardens, cocking their legs up your car and wheely bins and crapping on anything that doesnt move for more than 30 seconds. No-one clears up after them, and the next day the village kids are out on the green rolling around and playing in it all.

Once the Hunt begins, or preferably well before, I have to make sure my cats are safely locked indoors or else they'd be fair game for the hounds. Then we, the pets and myself, sit indoors with the radio full volume so we don't hear the sound of the baying hounds and the hunt horn, which sends chills down your back with visions of a poor moth eaten old fox being chased for all it's worth across the adjoining fields and gardens.

And finally a little note on the end of the newsletter asking if anyone has any spare land they could let the Church have, as the cemetary is now full. Hmmm.. I thought it had to be hallowed land? One of my neighbours has a large field and lives near the Church, I'm hoping they don't read the newsletter and bin it like I normally do. I don't fancy having funerals and burials at the bottom of the garden. And with the shortage of land around these days you'd think everyone would opt for cremation these days. I'm sure they could cram a few more in the Church Yard if they had vertical burials.

Oh well no good sitting here rambling on is it. I have work to do. I'll get the Dyson out and give it a burn up through the downstairs and call it a day I think. Then sit and listen to the birds singing while I can still hear them. It won't be long before everyone in the village starts up their mowers and strimmers on days like this. You're lucky if you can hear yourself think then.

The joys of rural life eh? You can't beat it.