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District Diary March 2007

Despite the warnings, graphic weather maps featured on all the news broadcasts and dark cloud the previous evening, I was still amazed to see the thick layer of snow that had fallen through the night. I dressed quickly, rushed to the front door and shouted for the dog. She came running as is normal, but took one look at the wintry scene and promptly turned around and went back to her warm basket. So I went for a walk on my own. For a short time, there�s something magical about the snow, even if you�re an adult. The pure white covering masks every surface, and there�s a hush, a quiet, no birdsong no traffic noise, not a sound. The hills look inviting and it�s easy to conjure images of days gone by when you would pull your sledge to the top, and then whoosh on down to land in a heap at the bottom, only to get up and do it over and over again. I thought I would have been the first one out that morning, but there were tiny telltale tracks, probably rabbits or squirrels who had beaten me to it.
Later that day the reality of the situation kicked in. Schools were closed, traffic became gridlocked, and shops large and small were besieged by desperate shoppers. Then it rained, and the lovely white morning snow turned quickly to dirty filthy slush. I was really glad to see the back of it.
There�s not much you can do this weather except peruse the holiday brochures, and judging by the number of passport applications we�ve checked and sent through our Post Office last month, this is just what you�ve been doing. Sitting in a comfy chair, in a nice warm room, with all the brochures around, it�s easy to become transported to some exotic location; a white sandy beach maybe, where the sun beats down every day. You�re lying on a cushioned lounger underneath a big brolly, with a long cool cocktail by you�re right hand. Later when the heat gets too much you can cool down with a dip in the sea, or the Hotel swimming pool.
The hassles of booking your holiday, choosing the right dates, fuel surcharges, possible strikes by airport staff, cramped charter flight seating, and long delays at immigration and customs desks, have still to be negotiated, but for a few moments, you can forget the rain beating down, the temperatures hovering around freezing, and lose yourself in your dream destination. It�s one of my favourite pastimes.
Back in the real world, and Mother�s Day (18th March) is the next event on the calendar. There�s a huge range of cards to choose from with messages and verses for all situations. The shops are displaying big boxes chocolates (so those diets might be forgotten for a few glorious moments), and lots of gift ideas. Nearer the day big bouquets of flowers will be on sale. I note restaurants advertising special Mother�s Day meals and suspect that bookings will need to be made early to avoid disappointment. Sons, daughters, and fathers, forget this day at your peril! Just after Mother�s Day comes Easter, and we�ll be busy supplying fluffy chicks and crepe paper, card and glue, as creative people fit Easter bonnet production into their busy schedules. And all those lucky people planning an Easter holiday will be visiting us for their currency. It�s going to be a hectic time, but the prospect of a few days off makes it all worthwhile.

PHIL THE POST

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