First I need to explain "Sam" who was mentioned last month, I do not sleep with "Sam" I have no child called "Sam" every reference to "Sam" should have read three o'clock in the morning ie 3. am! Cleo wakes us at 3. am.
  That hopefully clears that little problem up and my friends of that name can stop worrying what they and I will do in the wee small hours! Cleo had another Toy Boy, Oscar who came to visit with some of our relations recently but she took little notice of him probably saving herself for Gerald on her next trip to Mewith for her Pamper Day. She celebrates her 14th b'day this month hopefully we will mark the event in some way, at a recent visit to the vet for a vaccination and a check-up I shared the problems she is having and his verdict is that she is senile. Now folks please get this the right way around, I am eccentric Cleo is senile!
  Bruce, my brother, has now been living with us for over a month, a big period of adjustment for all of us and certainly for him, not only is he coping with Cancer and Kidney failure but he has moved miles from all things familiar inc his job, his home, his friends, his favourite walks and is now part of the busy bustling family that we are. He has been visited by a range of Health Professionals and we all feel well supported, just looking for some Carers to help out especially during the day.
  Elder daughter has been visiting Wedding Fairs all over the place and they have been planning their weekends around them, just one weekend recently she found "the dress" and mum was requested to "put her foot down" and get herself to Kendal to see it, this I did, and texted younger daughter once I got to town to say I was on my way on foot, to be told to "walk faster", being the ever obedient lady I am, I did, with near disastrous results! By the time I reached the shop and then went upstairs I was struggling to get any sort of decent breath let alone express the wonder and joy at the beautiful sight before me! Then we walked to another shop and would use the Escalator in the shopping centre, however, as is its wont, it was not moving and by the time I got to the top I was again in trouble and as daughters anxiously sought my re-assurance that I was alright, I had to stop and do some very controlled breathing.
  But, at last all was well but it gave me a warning to make certain I have my Inhalers with me at all times.
  We live in exciting times but they can be fraught as well so equal measures of tact and understanding are required by everyone and some folk have those in short supply, I really can live without being "accosted" in the village and "told off because I have left some organisations to be able to support and enjoy my family and to try to make sure I stay healthy! In fact night time walking Cleo around the village is a good idea, few folk are out and about and if I take a torch, I can read all the notices to keep up-to-date with events, for some reason some posters never make it to the boards inside the bus shelter, where they are kept dry. Surely I am free to decide what I "belong" to?! If not, then if people just stop and think "Why?" they should then understand.
  All the talk about the possibility of the loss of our village "store" reminds me of my days behind the shop counter and the book I am working on! Now where has that "free" time gone? Enjoy time for yourself and don't get but of breath!

Swifts
  How swift is a swift? People make all kinds of guesses. The only certain answer is that they are very very swift. As they go screaming round the housetops on a long summer evening you can only gasp in wonder. These are the real masters of the air, always in a hurry to get here in the early summer; the last of the summer migrants; in too much of a hurry to make a proper nest, just content with a small scrape under the eaves of a tall building, the Bull or White Hart, or Lupton House; in a hurry to lay their one white egg; in a hurry to get back to their beloved Africa.
  Meanwhile, on a hot summer's day you will be just as likely to find them on top of Calf circling round and round catching all kinds of high flying insects; so restless that they have no time to land anywhere except to feed their young. In any case their legs are so short that it is difficult for them to take off from the ground., believe it or not, off they go again. The young will spend the next twelve months on the wing, sleeping, courting and even mating in the air.
  How lucky we are to have swifts nesting in both Sedbergh and Dent, but how many are there? I fancy that there were more in my school-boy days, but I may be wrong. It would be interesting to find out by carrying out a survey which would then give us a database that would tell us whether swifts are increasing or decreasing locally. That should not be difficult because there are not many three storey buildings in either Sedbergh or Dent. All that is needed is to stand on the pavement, say in Back Lane, for an hour or so in mid-July and to count the number of swifts flying up to the eaves. If you would be interested in joining such a survey, please telephone me (25476) or Susan Garnett (21138) but please remember, when swift-counting, only stand on the pavement, and look out for the traffic!                                                                                                                                     Ingram Cleasby

  You may nitice we have not put "church" or "chapel" on this article, that is because there are two in the dale and all our news does apply to both.  On March 5th the Dentdale Society which is the combined (old) Deepdale and Dent congregations celebrate their Anniversary and there is a service at 2pm at Dentdale chapel and the preacher is Mr David Crome, possibly best known as our "Chemist", following the service all are invited to tea at "Rhumes".
  On Thursday March 2nd the first combined Lent Group will meet in the Schoolroom at 8pm and then every Thursday evening in Lent, all are welcome.
  Pray and Share meets fortnightly on a Thursday at 1.45pm, March 2nd and 16th, in the Schoolroom, entry through the Chapel if the door locked!
  We are having a coffee morning on Wednesday 12th April at the URC rooms, Sedbergh and an Antique Valuation Day later in the year.
  Prayer requests can be left on the special board in the Dent chapel or rung through to the stewards, a warm welcome to everything is extended to all.  Please note there will be no service on Mothering Sunday.                                                                                                                             J & SE Woof

  At the recent North West awards for excellence in meat products, at the Deepdale Stadium at Preston, Ryan Moffat, from Steadman's Butchers of Sedbergh, claimed 1 gold and 2 silver awards out of three entries. Pork Venison and Cranberry sausage was judged by a panel of experts to be worthy of a gold award. The  two silver awards were for Traditional Pork  and  Westmorland Sausage.
  Garth said It is good to see young people taking part in these competitions  I have to give full credit to Ryan who produced these sausage to such a high standard.

  It has apparently been the driest January on record in many parts of the country. Here it was certainly drier than an average January with only 2.84 inches. Most of this fell in the second week, 0.83 inches on the 9^th/10^th, with a near official drought for the last 12 days. We shall have to see what next month brings here. There has been much talk about droughts, lower than average reservoir levels etc. Here there was more than enough to keep the mud going. It wasn't many years ago that these small islands of ours were dug up from one end to the other laying North Sea gas pipes. Wouldn't it have been simple to lay a water pipe at the same time and then everywhere could share in the bounty? Temperatures were more seasonal, though the maximum reached 50.9F; minima were generally in the 30sF with a minimum on two nights of 20.1F. Pressure was fairly steady throughout the month with only one day dropping out of the 29 inches of mercury and two into the 30 inches. Wind was variable in both strength and direction with maxima from 0mph to 22.4mph and the direction, for once, only came from the north-westerly direction on half the days in the month.
  The winter jasmine has had another flush of flowers, it has been in flower since October. Some mini daffs have flowered, snowdrops have pushed up and by the end of the month a few had flowered in sheltered spots. Hazel catkins have lengthened further. It is always interesting to look for the tiny female catkins with their red styles soon. Owls continue to hoot to mark their territories, blackbirds, thrushes and great tits are all singing to mark theirs. I trust you all sent in your garden bird survey to the RSPB for the last weekend of the month.

  The other week some nice person borrowed a pair of jeans I had left on my washing line as they were not quite dry.
  Now, fair enough, I should have brought them in and pegged out again, but I thought no, they're not doing any harm.  But, some Very Kind Person took MY JEANS, walked up the road and then changed their mind and left them on the railings.
If you ever want to borrow any of my clothes PLEASE JUST ASK or telephone 00000.  Many thanks.  Sandra

  Our Jolly went very well, something for everyone, games, poems, quiz, music, and lots of fun.
  A visit has been arranged on 11th March to the Buddhist monastery near Ulverston, all welcome, and also a Ribblehead conducted tour on 27th May. Other future events include boon-days in the Quaker Meeting House and garden ( hard work polishing etc. but fun ), a young people's music workshop, Breakfast meetings, sailing, and a Smardale walk.
  Never a dull moment!

Valerie Finch