NITHERED TO THE BONES

A word of explanation may be needed for Gary, who may never have been nithered. The daily temperatures for the last month have been varying between zero and 12 degrees C and when the wind decides to blow, childhood memories come flooding back - nithered being one of them. Extreme nithering happened when we went sledging -meaning tobogganing, not cricketing. We were clad in an old gabardine rain coat, welly boots with knitted socks, gloves and a balaclava. The last three were knitted by my mum.

How she knew to do all those things before television, is a mystery. A whole television industry has grown up in the UK on the correct way to dress, eat or to blow your nose etc. This is needed to balance the TV dramas which aim to demonstrate how to shout at people and behave badly. Jilly Cooper first coined the phrase, -- "the tele-ocracy" , and this bunch of the British work-force certainly has far more influence and status than say, the aristocracy.

Back to sledging. The cruel part arose because we wore short trousers -- summer and winter. (I guess the girls had dresses so had the same problem). When you fell off the sledge, which happened regularly, the top of the welly boots scooped up loads of snow, which had then to be levered out of the boots. The trudge home after a day's sledging was sheer agony. Soaking knitted socks, badly chapped knees, and a balaclava that kept your ears warm, but presented the mouth with a band of frozen saliva (slaver). Don't mention a runny nose! -- I won't.

The photographs show some scenes in and around Harrogate in winter. The first is near Grassington, on our way to pick up a famous Pately Bridge meat pie. The second catches Kerry hoping for a lucky LOTTO ticket.

The last one is included hoping to catch the attention of Helen Rolls. Helen has a lead role in the Panto Dick Whittington in Solihull this Christmas and we believe the production is still short of a horse. Kerry and I have been busy making up a short-eared donkey outfit. So far we have made the front and back, (shown modelled in the photograph), but have yet to make the middle bit. Helen, please note, we expect to -- "Neh", we will-- be ready in time for the Panto. I think that should guarantee me the front half.