JANUARY DIARY

EXCERCISE is always high on my list of priorities at the beginning of the year. With walking, cycling and swimming (Aquafit - popmobility in water,which is much more fun than swimming lengths of the pool) I managed to achieve an average of 5 times a week. This is pretty good considering I set myself a target of 3 times a week. However I have been helped by my friend Sue who is also interested in fitness. One day we couldn't decide whether to swim or walk and I foolishly suggested both,which she took me up on!

Walking

  • Along the Saltline( disused railway) at Hassall Green, across fields to Trent and Mersey Canal and back to cafe at Hassall Green - a dull, cloudy day but we needed the excercise!(photo obviously taken in summer)
  • A climb up to Congleton Edge from Mossley to Nick of the Hills, down the bridleway to the Biddulph Valley Way (disused railway)and back to The Castle Inn for lunch. Another cloudy day!
  • Lamberts Lane from Astbury Marsh, along the canal to the Biddulph Valley Way and home via town. A bright frosty start, but not enough to firm up some parts of Lamberts Lane where it was very muddy down to the new bridge over the Howty stream and I had to detour into the field! Met my daughter's mother-in-law with her dog and then Val and Alec Scaresbrook(see Water Gardener article).

    Cycling

  • New Years Day - Blackfirs, Chelford, Sandy, Wallhill, and Childs lanes returning on the footpath along the busy Newcastle road. An ethereal misty ride with the sounds of Astbury Church bells tolling along the way.
  • Newcastle road footpath, Chancehall lane, Oddrode Church, Scholar Green, lane to Kent Green, Ackers crossing, across rail line, 3 Horse Shoes pub to Astbury.
  • Marton Ride - Radnor bridge, Newsbank, Mill lane - stopping to admire the old Mill and Plumtree Farm gardens, Oak lane to A J's Cafe by the timbered church at Marton. Return via Cocksmoss Wood and the lanes to Eaton. Back on the footpath along the busy Macclesfield road and down the Clayton bypass dropping in for 'regular fries' at McDonalds(naughty but nice)!
  • High level ride! Astbury, Mossley, Reades lane, Timbersbrook, Peover lane down to traffic lights at bridge over River Dane, left to North Rode and on to Eaton. Took a detour down to Havannah village to see remains of magnificent old weir in the River - see article on Robert Hodgson in Congleton History.

    BOOKS

  • Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt - this was a Christmas present and not a book I would have normally chosen as I have never got into Irish writers (other than cyclist Dervla Murphy and Maeve Binchey) having tried Brendan Behan in my youth. However I loved the style of this book with it's ironic humour or is it humourous irony? I particularly liked the school scenes, especially the schoolmaster peeling the apple! The critics describe the film dwelling on the poverty aspects and I shall wait for it coming out on video. It will be interesting to see if his critics in Limerick take him to court over the inaccuracies in the story. Very short sighted as tourists will flock to the city. I quite fancy going myself.

    Interview

    Biography

  • The 1900 House by Mark Mccrum and Matthew Sturgis - Again the was another Christmas present which I enjoyed very much having watched the series on TV.My husband used to lodge in the same road when he was a student. I did feel Joyce was in a dilemma about her reasons for dismissing the maid, but I believe she was going to research the suffragette movement after the programme. On returning to the present century she missed the social contact with the shop keepers. This is the one thing I like about being retired as one has time to chat in small shops in Congleton.
  • Every Woman Knows a Secret by Rosie Thomas - Having read 'Moon Island' last year I knew this would be an easy read! I then realised I had seen it dramatised on TV under a different title. One advantage of getting older is not remembering how the story ends!

    LETTER WRITING

    To theCongleton Chronicle

  • Thanks for the Millennium Fireworks
  • How Green is my Compost - recycling Christmas trees
  • Trading Ideas for Lets
  • Thanks for Panto

    Sometimes I write under pseudonymns, which causes great fun keeping friends and neighbours guessing!

    Congleton Borough Council

  • Objection to Planning application for Danebridge and Providence Mills

    IT COURSES

    I finished the South Cheshire College 'Internet Technology Course' this month. It consisted of 3 modules - Searching, E-mail and Website design. The latter I found hard as the College software was more up to date than mine and I kept getting confused switching from Browser, notepad and Word applications. However with perseverance, tutor's help and a bit of luck I think I managed to pass the exams. And it was only OCR level 1 examination!

    U3A -University of the Third Age

    E-mail national.office@u3a.org.uk

    Local History - presented my research paper on Robert Hodgson and the Copper Industry. The group offered constructive ideas for further research particularly on transport of materials and the Macclesfiel Copper Industry.

    Flower Arranging - continued to enjoy this new interest. Did a spring arrangement with daffodils and twigs.

    Creative Writing - I really enjoy this lively group and feel quite comfortable, although I find writing stories for homework a bind.

    CONGLETON LETS

    After meeting members over a pint at the local hostelry, I traded my surplus organic garden produce. Unfortunately I had to trade my hard earned 'bears' with Rik's expertise to cure my computer's Millennium bug (it is stuck in a time warp of 2094) as it refused to update my webpages unless it was the correct date.

    Diary Home Page