Last night I went to a follow-up public meeting regarding proposed coastal defence works between Poll a Chara and Ludag. Council’s drawings revised – but still not good. They just don’t seem to have the sensitivity or even the will, and I doubt also the skills, to come up with a design of the quality that we should we be able to expect in this day and age, not least in an area designated of natural beauty, ecological importance and socio-economic vulnerability. The council officers present – one very senior – showed themselves to be arrogant and ignorant, giving out … Continue reading →

Jonathan: Parked at Morrison’s supermarket car park in Welwyn Garden City.  There’s something calming and reassuring about being settled amongst the comings and goings of so many people.  After a walk around the pleasant leafy suburbs of Panhanger, I settled down to read some short stories (Katherine Mansfield – The Dolls House; Susan Glaspell – A Jury of Her Peers),  drank a glass, of wine with some cheese and biscuits, and a little nap. It’s turned decidedly cold and blustry.  To save money I’m ‘camping wild’ for a couple of nights – hereabouts that means car parks of 24/7 supermarkets … Continue reading →

Denise: I don’t know that it actually takes (as in needs), but in any event there certainly are all sorts! Working in the garden today, a dog suddenly came woffling up to me – but it wasn’t Tilly.  A couple had come into the garden – my garden! our garden! – not only with their dog, and without asking, but without having it under any control.  They didn’t seem at all concerned when I pointed out that my own labrador was about in the garden, and was on heat.   I’d have felt less annoyed if they had apologized and got … Continue reading →

Denise: The couple staying at Carrick called round this evening, complaining of an unpleasant ‘drains’ smell in the house.  Was it coming from the utility? No.  So not the trap of the floor drain dried out again (simple remedy – pour in some water).   Smell generally everywhere – seems to be coming from the ventilation.   Oh dear! This was reported by another guest back in spring, but only briefly. This couple seem a bit more put out by it. The problem seems to occur only when the weather is very still, and the when the temperature is falling, so that … Continue reading →

Jonathan: Becky – our eldest daughter – is 3[-] today.  She’s a lovely girl. A highlight of her birthday, she tells me, was the annual Aberystwyth Food and Drink Festival (sounds good to me!) on the streets of her home town.  She told me of a young woman selling ‘food from the wild’, such as samphire cakes, crab apple jelly and the such-like. I can’t tell you how proud I feel to know that Becky values – is excited by – such things.: for not only does it say something powerful about her values, it also it says these values … Continue reading →

Jonathan: Today has been sparklingly fresh and sunny, and so just as I last week said that I would, I cycled to St Alban’s for the day. National Cycle Route 61 passes very close to the campsite here in Welwyn Garden City: from the A1000 on the south side of WGC it crosses the A414 and then follows the line of a former railway through Hatfield and then  west for about 7 miles to St Alban’s, ending near the Abbey Station.  The quality of the route – in terms of surface, width, junctions and signing – was highly variable and … Continue reading →