Today’s title is inspired by tonight’s exercise walk in the rain-I didn’t see anyone for a long time. We have been spoilt with the weather in lock down so don’t mind today’s rain (all day)-it is good for the garden! however, I needed to get out! Didn’t see too much got a fleeting glimpse of a Great White Egret (there were also some Little Egrets as well) and a dust up between two Grey Herons! The one thing on days like this it does mean you get some writing done! I have been working on my story Pig the Legend and the direction of the story is getting clearer. I hope to have completed the first draft soon-however, much work to undertake afterwards!
A short bit from my St Helena adventure today. I thought I would do a bit on the communications of that time-it was 22 years ago. In a previous blog I mentioned the importance of the fax to communicate with home and on occasions with my school. I am sure the internet has made a significant difference for the island since my visit. Then you could get cable T.V. from South Africa so you could watch Premier League football matches and films. Radio St Helena was probably the most important communication for information-it did do world news but it quite rightly took a secondary role to the island’s news. My favourite moment was when I was lying in the bath having a good soak when the news came on the radio and it nearly caused me to drown! (The whole world was then obsessed by Bill Clinton’s extra martial activities at that time but that was only the second item on the news that day- the first was about the record lemon grown in Lemon Valley on the island!) I did find it difficult to get football results from the football league-so you would often find me on a Saturday afternoon with a radio I various contorted positions trying to get BBC World Service signal so I could find out how the Hatters had fared through a static crackle.
I did tell stories on my school visits to the children so you can see I was already developing my Story Telling (I had no idea that in the future I would be doing it in so many diverse places and different audiences.) I was asked to read a story for the radio so I read “Bill’s New Frock” by Anne Fine-those of you who know me well won’t be surprised by my choice ! It was once my choice of apparel at one World Book Day at school – we were also interviewing for a new teacher that day as well and Sue my deputy was alarmed I would be meeting candidates dressed as Bill-I argued that whoever was appointed would then know what to expect! Bill’s New Frock was one of many children’s books we had brought out especially for the island education service. Many years later I heard the recording was still being played from time to time.
Yesterday’s Quiz answers on woodland
a) The native British coniferous trees are Yew, Scots Pine and Juniper b) The oak leaves and acorn is the symbol of the National Trust c) Northumberland has the largest forest in England d) The 100 “Aker” Wood is in Winnie the Pooh e) The Sycamore Tree is under where the Tolpuddle Martyrs met.
Today’s Quiz has to be about fruit have mentioned the lemon!
a) Which fruit is also known as the Love Apple? b) By what name is the Chinese Gooseberry better known? c) The Flower of Kent is associated with which famous historical figure? d) What was the name of the record company set up by the Beatles in 1968? e) Fleegle, Bingo, Drooper, and Snork were known collectively as the……?