Dear Friends

One of my favourite films ever is The Great Escape. It is a while since I watched it but my memories of the film are that it is tense, exciting and hugely enjoyable. Although it is somewhat worrying that what is essentially a sad story from the 2nd WW can be turned into an ‘enjoyable’ film.

Dear Friends

It’s been a bumper harvest in the Nether House garden this summer. I continue to harvest more fruit and vegetables than I really know what to do with. The kids are fed up with ‘gifts’ of courgettes, rhubarb, broccoli, strawberries and apples; the freezer is stocked and still there is more. My brother in law tells me his harvest of wheat and barley is the best he has ever known. Last week a farmer in Lincolnshire registered a world record yield of wheat. All this because we have had what we might term a Goldilocks growing season, not too wet, not too dry, not too cold, not too hot, but just right. There has been enough moisture for crops to fulfil their potential and enough sunshine to ripen them and allow harvesting to be completed.

Dear Friends

As I write this we are 2 matches into the new season. It isn’t going too well for Steve McLaren’s Black and White Army, but it’s early days and there is something of a crisis at the Stadium of Light which makes Newcastle fans realise that matters could be worse. As a new football season begins it quickly becomes apparent which clubs have progressed and which clubs are no better or even worse than last season. Yesterday’s heroes are rapidly overtaken if they dare to rest on their laurels.

Dear Friends

The school I attended for 7 years, Barnard Castle School, has over the years turned out some exceptional Rugby Union Players. Rob Andrew, Rory and Tony Underwood and Matthew Tait have all played for their national team, England, with great distinction. Tait’s brother Alex has been one of Newcastle Falcon’s most consistent players over several seasons. However it is in another sport that one of my contemporaries at school has distinguished himself. Stephen Brenkley is the cricket correspondent of The Independent, a role he has filled now for many years.

Dear Friends

Tesla is an American company that is known for the development and manufacture of cars powered by electricity. Last month in a blizzard of publicity the company announced the release of Powerwall. Powerwall may well be a breakthrough product. It is a battery for use in the home that will store electricity generated by solar power and allow the electricity stored to be used when the sun is not shining. We may soon all have solar panels on our roofs.

Dear Friends

I suddenly realised, this is my Anniversary season. 40 years of false hope and bitter disappointment. 40 years since I first stood on the terraces of St James’ Park. 40 years since I was overwhelmed at the ridiculous enthusiasm that greeted a Supermac equaliser. I knew at that moment I was hooked. Watching 4th Division football at Darlington was never going to be the same after that.

Dear Friends

Our first family holiday abroad was to Salou in Spain. As a treat we promised the kids a full day at the nearby Port Aventura theme park. There were many rides, one of which was the Dragon Khan. I was persuaded by my offspring to take a ride on the Dragon Khan. I will never forget the feeling, standing at the top of the steps waiting to get on the ride, knowing that to go back would be to both lose face and disappoint my children. So, against my better judgement I climbed aboard and endured several minutes of blind terror and the scary feeling that for this short period of time I had no control whatsoever over my life.

Dear Friends

Welcome to the EastEnders 30th Anniversary edition of Wesley News! I know, I don’t watch it either, but even EastEndersphobes such as you and I have had great difficulty escaping  the unmasking of the perpetrator who murdered Lucy Beale…cue dramatic drums!

Dear Friends

I was taking a funeral the other day at Saltwell Crematorium. As we were waiting for the cortege to arrive I was chatting to the funeral attendant. It was a busy day at the Crem. After the Christmas closures the early days of January are usually fully booked. “You’ve done well today”, Ian said, “You’ve whupped the humanists 7-1!” I looked up at the board and he was right, the list of officiants for that day showed seven clergy and one humanist. But that was only one day. Humanist funeral celebrants are something of a growth trend in the employment statistics. 

Dear Friends

There is no more evocative time of year than Christmas. All our senses are stimulated, creating impressions that remain with us and are awakened from dormancy each succeeding Christmas time. My favourite, best present ever was the Meccano set No 6 that I got when I was 9. I can still vividly remember the thrill of opening it and starting to play with it. From another stage in my life I have strong memories of carol singing around Teesdale villages on cold, wet December evenings, feeling so alive and enjoying the company of my fellow carollers as we sang Sweet Chiming Christmas Bells for the umpteenth time!