16. Leyburn
CC Site
13th-15^th April

     Nice site in an old quarry, complete with lime kilns. This is going to be a short issue, because (a) I'm knackered and (b) it's a bit quiet here for me. Leyburn is very small; it's very much a hub for visitors to Wensleydale, especially walkers. You can tell locals from visitors because the latter all have leather skin, wear quasi-military clothes and carry ski-poles. It does, however, have a preserved railway, one, in fact, that I knew nothing about until a train went by yesterday afternoon about fifty yards from me, but HAULED BY A DIESEL LOCOMOTIVE. Oh, calamity.

I walked into town on Monday, about a mile and a half and very boring, although the view to the south across the dale was soothing. The station was closed, which was disappointing. The railway operates only at weekends at this time of year. I spent about thirty minutes in town then came back. The only excitement was buying a Cadbury's Cream Egg in the Co-Op. On the way back I stopped and studied a field full of sheep and their lambs and rescued a bumble bee I found on the pavement. I was so emotionally drained by the entertainment that I had an afternoon nap for two hours.

I must try to find something to write about tomorrow. Sorry!

    Went for a bike ride through Leyburn and on towards Askrigg further up the dale. I was nearly cleaned-out by a flying fire engine hurrying to an emergency and then by an old lady at some traffic lights. I gave up and came back having done only eight miles. (The real reason was that it was so hilly).

I sat in the warm sun reading until 4:00 and watched a crazy blackbird. These really are the loopiest birds and my favourite. It started with a thrush feeding on the grass verge opposite the van. Along came a hen blackbird and tried to drive it away. The thrush moved a couple of feet and carried on serenely feeding, quartering a small area systematically. The blackbird flew off to the base of a tree where it started to hurl lumps of moss around in an apparent huff. It was completely frantic, but seemed to find nothing to eat at all. Now and then it would charge the thrush again, the thrush just, as before, moving a couple of yards and carrying on regardless. I watched for fifteen minutes while the thrush fed steadily and the blackbird made a mess and went without. Eventually the cock blackbird came along and they flew off together. I imagined the cock said to her “Why are you being such a daft bat?” Come on, now, let's go home”.           

   

     This is quite a short page, so it leaves me room for a rant. Now, what about, for example, “Myself and John” or “Myself and the Manager”? It just won't do. “John and I” or “The Manager and I” is what is needed. I think the trouble is that the correct form sounds posh or affected, possibly because the Queen was always supposed to have said “My husband and I”. It's another case of “Prolier than Thou” then. Please don't do it. Besides, it's rude to put yourself first.