Show Time!

Saturday is the 70th Goathland Flower and Vegetable Show, as Chairman, Secretary, General Factotum and all round dogsbody HB has had the week off to prepare. Today she will be up to her ears in flour making just about everything in the baking section, that's 16 entries ranging from savoury muffins to chocolate cake, last year she won the cup for most points in the baking section and has her 'title' to defend. For HB and family this is a very special show, it's the first year without Grandad Arnold who was responsible for re-establishing the show after a break of several years.  My dad was on committee and talked about how Arnold ruled over everyone firmly but kindly, Dad got into 'bother' at his first show for using the wrong drawing pins to tack the wallpaper onto the tables, why wrong ones? because they didn't fit the holes in the paper!  Too many holes means you can't re-use the paper for as many years as you can if you re-use the holes - makes perfect sense to a canny Yorkshireman.  In memory of Grandad the family commissioned a special piece of pottery as a new trophy to be awarded to the exhibitor gaining the highest number of points throughout the entire show.  As HB says, "The family decided to do this as a reward for the person who has worked hard to produce their exhibits. Their commitment and dedication should be rewarded just as Grandad would have wanted."

Although no amount of dedication or commitment can make up for the disastrous weather we've had this year and we're all wondering how well filled the produce tent will be.  I might just manage a pot of four herbs, I could probably produce two calendula flowers but not the required three, the stems on my sweet peas are short and twisted not good for showing, lilies are still in tight bud and the vegetables? Not even a tomato (well maybe one but not three and certainly not a matched trio) or cucumber will pass muster.  I read today that it's not just locally or even the UK that is suffering but, horror of horrors, this year's champagne harvest is under threat becasue of the awful conditions earlier this year; (in my spare time I'm a fizzicist with an unquenchable thirst for the bubbly, as long as it's the right one...), read the report here - I'd better lay in a few more bottles before the price skyrockets.

We'll let you know how we, and our families, fair in the show, AW's elder daughter has a cup to defend and Mr W has one too.

Next Wednesday is the Egton Show, our local agricultural show, and as usual the office will be closed to allow the Team to take part, gawp at goats, pat the ponies, howl at or with the hounds, shush for the showjumping and empty the wallet before coming home stuffed with bacon butties and too much ice cream not to mention laden down with new buckets, tack and that new must have gadget which will lurk for years at the back of the cupboard.

But before all that there's  the latest edition of CJS Weekly which has now gone to press 43 new paid posts of which 27 came direct to CJS plus a further eight adverts for volunteers.

And this week includes the October calendar of professional courses and events making it the largest edition for a while at 19 pages.

And finally: our swifts left last week, they've not been seen or heard since last Saturday morning.