Moments of Happiness

You have to cherish them don't you; those moments of happiness? This is truly nothing great or life changing and , to be frank, you need to be a dog owner to get this or enjoy a few daffodils and crocuses.

I have previously mentioned the village green. Well, part of my day is taken up with taking my dog for a walk. Here in England, Spring is on its way and on the 20th we are officially there as we are into the new season.

So, at around 8.30am - 9.30am ish each day I take my dog for a walk (for me) and a run (for her). We go down into Green Lane where the trees are bursting into bud and the flowering cherries are way ahead and you can see the clouds of pink clusters from afar; then we are onto the Green where my dog takes a run. As I walked on ahead, I turned to watch her: the sun was shining and bombing towards me, tail high, ears back, tongue out and happy as a dog should be, was my dog. And at that moment - you can't help but smile and feel happy.

And the daffodils and crocuses? On the way back, I pass the house called Rosegarten and to make us all feel that nature is saying Good Morning, the folk there have planted an ever growing circle of daffs around their tree in the front lawn and crocuses on the other side of the lawn. As I say, it's not much, but it is a cracking good start to the day.

Zebra Crossing Issues

Why is it that every time I use the crossing at the Wagon and Horses there is always a car that ignores the fact that i'm standing there and drives straight through - this is even after it has had ample time to stop so the excuse of being unable to brake is rubbish.  The excuse of they couldn't see me is also rubbish as i'm not waif like in appearance.  On many an occassion i've had cars drive across while i've been in the crossing!!!!!  One particular idiot actually accelerated  through while I was crossing to get over in his lane before I reached it.  It is particularly annoying when waiting there with children because heaven knows when one of them are going to be run over but these idiots.  

Hucclecote Policing

Can anyone leave us a note here letting us know if they see police officers out on the beat in Hucclecote. Or even PCSO's. Seriously. I may have to go to a meeting soon to ask about police visibility. I want to know my local force; I want my son to know who they are. I want them to know that they can chat to us and that we can chat to them. To be fair, their pressures are top down and I really don't blame them for their lack of visibility, but I really do want to see them, out and about, chatting, engaging with people, converations without a purpose. I know that such time may not have 'outcomes' but surely visibility and confidence alone are two meaures that should count for something?

If anyone who is a local officer reads this, and I hope they do, please do contact me. I am genuine in trying to get to know what drives policing in the service as it is now, what pressures you have and what you think interferes with what you believe policing should be about.

Dawn chorus

Hucclecote has been a relatively rural suburb until about the 1980's. I grew up in a house here that was built in 1963, on land that was a field. I spent my teenage years riding around the open spaces, climbing the trees and playing in the brook. Getting a bootee was a daily occurence in the summer time.

Building in Hucclecote and around the area over the last two decades in particular has seen a loss of that ruralness. A loss of that space. However, one of the remainders of that time is the amount of trees that we have here and we need to value them. One of the best times of the day, for me, is around 6.00am. I can sit my pocket hankerchief sized garden, with a cup of tea and listen to the dawn chorus around me. It starts at around 3.30am and builds. I know nothing about birds but I know when a blackbird sings and a sparrow does its thing. It's a space. Just 5 minutes or so when that more rural Hucclecote seems close again.

Our Tree and Green Lane

So, do you recognise the tree on the header? Yep, it's the oak tree from down Green Lane. I love that tree.

When I was a teenager, it had a seat underneath it. Hours I spent, hours loafing there. Green Lane was THE place to go with your mates. On your bikes when you were riding push bikes, on the back of your friends motor bikes as you got older and hanging out at the motorway bridge.
Of the many things that I am grateful for, that gang, that group of friends, new ones being added, some leaving is one of them. Some of them are dead now, motorbike accidents taking their toll. I saw two of the gang just the other day as I walked down Dinglewell. That continuity feels rare. Some I have lost touch with. Paths go different ways. That's the way it is.
But anyway - that oak tree represents so much that I have assured myself that I will take its photo each season and notice it while we can.

Endometriosis

For as long as I can recall, I suffer from endometriosis. At a rough count , I lose about 7 days each 4 weeks to this stealer of my life. What's that each year? About 91 or so days a year. 3 months each year in pain. 22% of my life to this vicious, painful, life intruding disease. Its enough time to mean that I cannot hold down a job. Who would employ someone whose health is so poor?
I am fortunate however. I have a husband who gets this and ensures that he does as much as he can to help, from the right foods and juices, to the right pills, mopping the tears, supplying what is needed to what he thinks might just help anway. My teenage son gets this and I think knows more about this light and life stealer than most teenage girls. I also have a compassionate and caring GP who supports me.
I think I have tried it all but just in case I am this month trying clary sage oil massage. My friend Jane tells me they use it for women in labour, so I am hoping it might help me. So far I can recall two lots of surgery, acupuncture, massages, huge and varied amount of pain relief, a good diet, exercise, conference attendance at the RCOG to see what new.
I sometimes feel is this a public health problem and I do wonder what we lose to our economy in lost time, in hidden costs, in pain killers. Anyhow, got to go. Time for pain killers again.

Migraine

Diary of a morning of migraine.
I often wonder how quickly I can cut my migraines short - how many hours can it intrude into my life. Today was a good day : started at 3.30am and by 12.00pm, it was in retreat.
3.30am: Wake with flashing lights on the left side of my head; get up, go downstairs pleasing the dog no end to have a friend to play with in the middle of the night, take a paracetamol plus with a mug of caffeinated coffee and eat a banana. Stand outside in the early morning with the blackbirds just beginning the dawn chorus.
6.50am: Wake. Flashing lights on the right side now. Nuts. So I take a Zomig, have a cup of tea. Return to bed for 2 hours while the family wake and move around quietly so that my head doesn't fall off. They bring me food and leave.
9.00am. The Zomig has worked its magic and the lights are in retreat and I haven't been sick. 'Result' as the teenagers say. I get into the shower and it honestly feels, as it does every time after Zomig, that all of nerve endings are been showered; they burn, the sting, they oweeee. But, and I mean this, that is all SO much better than the migraine.
11.30am: I have managed to wash and dray my hair and get dressed.
12.00pm. I head out the door with my family. Several hours late but, hey, at least I am there. Quieter, less in person that I usually am, but so much better than I was at 3.30am and 7.00am. There are residual aches and I know that I feel as if a donkey has tap danced over my body, and that I will feel like this tomorrow as well, but.. bring on the donkey if I can cut down the oncoming migraine to 9 hours or so.

Why do we not have a secondary school in Huccleote?

As I think about the links for information that people who are new to Hucclecote might look for, one that springs to mind is a secondary school. Then I realise that it is almost that time of year again with the 1st March looming. That's the date when families receive the letter that tells them which school their secondary school age child goes to. No pressure then.
Then I think about the provision that we have in the village for those children aged 11 years and older. That would none. Not at all. Back in the 1980's we had Hucclecote Secondary Modern but it was closed. You can see it still in Churchdown Lane.
So, these days, rather than our children wandering or cycling up to the local school, they get bussed out, driven in, put on a train, longer days than they need etc, because of a lack of local , and I mean local, provision.
Seems like madness but also a shame.

Cars on pavements

Ok, so dog poo is an issue - but frankly, we all seem to spend a lot of time when out walking the streets of our fair village out in the middle of the road (poo free) cos some thoughtless ejit has parked their car covering half the pavement. Now, I'm able to jump on and off pavements being young (?) and nimble, but I wish people would have a thought for the parents with buggies, young kids on bikes, older folks in wheelchairs etc. It's clearly a massive inconvenience and danger for them to have to step out in front of traffic because of someones thoughtlessness.

Dog Poo

Why is it that members of our community allow their dogs to drop and run while the rest of us dog owners collect and dispose?  It's easy folks, take some packets and pick up after your dog.  

That garage on the Hucclecote Road

You know the one: the Total garage, that had the shop called Essentials now called Bonjour and it has an entrance that you could drive a Sherman through with room to spare.
Tell me, why do those folks driving down the Hucclecote Road insist on sweeping into the garage still doing 30mph with not a care about people walking, children running, cycles? Do their brakes really not work? Nor their indicators?
Voice your worries and near death experiences (only relating to crossing that garage entrance and exit please) to our local councillor Bill Crowther on bill.crowther@gloucestershire.gov.uk