Editorial

A country in crisis, the return of the summer birds and a new editorial team

Older readers will remember a BBC TV satirical programme called That Was The Week That Was! Well as far as April goes, That Was The Month That Was. The funeral of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother; the by now infamous Gordon Brown Budget; our Royal Marines sent to Afghanistan to fight the battles the Americans didn't want to fight; David Beckham hurt his foot; England lost the Rugby Grand Slam but won a football match and we even had some good weather!

It really does seem that this dear old country of ours is staggering from one crisis to another, mostly of its own making. Our leaders believe they know better than acknowledged experts, make decisions with no apparent regard to the consequences and generally behave like immature teenagers. It really is beginning to seem that if you make a donation to the Labour Party you get life membership to a very exclusive club, which provides tremendous benefits in commerce, and automatically places you on a priority list for that illusive Knighthood or even a Peerage. With this type of management Great Britain UK is in grave danger of being placed in Receivership!

But to more pleasant matters. In my piece last month I mentioned the early return of the Sand Martins to the banks of Relief Channel. We have had tremendous pleasure this month watching them wheel and dart over the water chasing their dinners. We have also been delighted with the birds that have dined at our bird tables despite the presence of 6 moggies. This year we have had a tremendous range of visitors; two mistle thrushes that insist in pulling up the plants in my rockery, chaffinches and Bluetits by the dozen and the inevitable Robin insisting in a very high pitched voice that this is his territory. We also have a flock of Sparrows who insist on clinging to the garden wall to prize off something that I can't see with the naked eye - bugs or grit I wonder? We also seem to have been adopted by a Bumble Bee that insists on accompanying us on our walks.

You will find all your old favourites in this month's edition and some new. I am delighted to say that I now have help on the publishing side. Monika Goetz and Brian Harrison, both from Stoke Ferry, have been a tremendous help in tidying up advertisements and taking on the typing donkeywork. So at last we really do have an editorial team.

Don't forget, if you find you have a new neighbour, let Graham Forster know on 01366 501536. He will then make the necessary arrangements to provide them with an appropriate welcome.

Ray Thompson