Diary Summary Week Ending 19 February 2023

[Viktoria]

Wild day here ,washing in twisted knots on the line !
Hopefully will be dry soon.

Furious is not the word, a nice couple across the side lane have had some hardcore put down to replace flagstones which were not up to taking the weight of their camper van .
Pretty big machinery involved,well with so much rain the natural surface of the lane is a quagmire .
Excess hardcore spread  all over the place ,covering the wild flowers I have encouraged .
A huge hole now full of water across more than half the lane ,small children going to the nearby school will have filthy shoes . The people who own the
camper van are very pleasant .had them both at the two schools where I worked .
I am pretty sure they will get it sorted but what a cheek to mess things up like that ,especially as the stones now cover a small lift up iron lid covering a water main and another a gas supply pipe .
Honestly. to leave something like that ,I wish I had taken their number from the heavy equipment but probably  that was  hired .
Not spoken to the owners yet,they are reasonable so I must give them a chance to sort it ,it inconveniences them too so perhaps I had better take a big step back!
On a happier note ,Kyra’s little pram  is here ,so I can make a mattress and pillow and some sheets and blankets etc whee hee, what fun!
See, it pays off to keep scraps of material!
I feel so lucky I can see well enough to do these things ,it has been three years ,of operations and drops but so lucky it was at the same time as lockdown etc ,wouldn’t have been going out anyway.

Well must check my washing is not in the muddy lane with double pegs it ought not to be.
Status Quo belting out Margarita Time,now The Wanderer I ‘m The Type of Guy — Chicken
Run — he has just torn off his shirt!
Cheerio, I am dancing to the washing ,going round and round and round  .
Viktoria.

[River Tyne Lass]

It was alright by lunch time after all.  Just a little bit windy but nothing of concern and buses running okay.
Weather seemed a bit milder tonight until it started to rain.

[River Tyne Lass]

When I was on way to work yesterday afternoon and almost there, I saw a public notice on a lamp post.  I don't know why I stopped to look at it as I don't usually read these things.  It was a notice about someone wanting to have a local house demolished and a tree cut down and a new one rebuilt.  The house was just over the road.  I went to look at the house and felt dismayed when I saw it.  I think it looks like a very old Victorian building which is full of character.  I feel very saddened that someone would want to knock such a beautiful old house down and replace it with a new one.  I think of it having survived two world wars and housed some people's ancestors.  Oh, it feels very sad to think that this is likely to be demolished.  Perhaps I should take a photo and send it to the local studies for posterity.

The bus station was so busy last night as a football match had been on.  I heard we lost.
There was so many people in the bus queue I wasn't sure if I would get on but I did.

It's bright outside with a bit of sunshine but it continues to feel very cold.  I might have another cup of tea before heading off to Church.

[candleflame]

RTLi it seems to be the way these days - knock down what's there and build something bigger and more modern in its place. They do the same on some of the industrial sites too saying that it's cheaper to build new units on brownfield sites than upgrade the existing buildings. There's a road that leads into Darlington on the A167 that used to be all individual bungalows on big plots. Now many of them have been wrapped around or demolished and they are huge houses now. I feel quite sorry for the few little bungalows left as they now look so tiny!

[River Tyne Lass]

I agree this seems the way of things, Candleflame.  I happen to work in quite a well to do area.  Quite a few years back someone near us had another Victorian house of character knocked down and another large one rebuilt.  The new one has money written all over it and it is reputed to have a swimming pool I have heard but it is totally lacking the character of the old one.
It's just my opinion but I wish if people wanted a new house they would go and buy one elsewhere without having a historic, character filled house demolished into the bargain.  Surely, there must be lots of new buildings people could choose from?
I mentioned this to a colleague and I said that I would object but they would probably be of the opinion of what's it to you, you don't live in the area.  But it does feel like desecration and it is quite sad to think of this house being knocked down.

[Caw1]

I agree with you RTL… you’ve only got to look in London at some of the heritage buildings being knocked down to make way for glass soulless replacements.

I read online a blog called Spitalfields Life written by the Gentle Author and he’s constantly campaigning against big business that wants to do this… Whitechapel Bell Foundry for one that’s been there for hundreds of years now wanting to be redeveloped into a modern monstrosity…. I know that’s a far cry from oldVictorian houses being knocked down but it’s still the loss of heritage buildings.
One should embrace progress I suppose and some is wonderful but please let’s keep some of the older buildings!

Where I live one of the local towns, when we moved here in 1973 had some quite nice buildings giving it that country town look… not long after we arrived the whole of one area was demolished to be replaced with a modern ghastly shopping centre that to this day makes me weep when I look at it…

Well that’s my moan for today! It’s a bright sunny one here and the garden is calling..have a good day all.

Caroline

[Viktoria]

The things that are being sacrificed to this High Speed Train  malarkey !
It has destroyed swathes of virgin land ,with sites of historic importance and in the end will I believe only reduce the journey by 30 minutes!
Thousands of years for thirty minutes.
I know historic sites have also been uncovered, but trees etc that we need so much given the speed of global warming- gone.

Energy conservation was not Victorian builders’fierce ’ priority but if we can get to the moon and back it should not be so hard to sort out economical energy that does not add to global warming.

I am fed up with “progress “ —— many towns have no banks thus forcing people to bank online- how do you do that if you have no computer or modern mobile phone, ?
If you do ,your old arthritic fingers touching the wrong buttons etc .
It was so easy by our estimation ,not so long ago.

The featureless modern buildings have little artistic merit ,one near Victoria Station Manchester looks like a collapsing barrage balloon!
Another sagging liner!
The Emperor’s New Clothes!
Who will tell the truth and say they are monstrosities!

There is also it seems a strong possibility the High Speed Train has well over run the budget and it might never be completed— leaving a swathe of destruction, very expensive destruction too, in  cost and what has been lost forever.
When will they ever learn!
Viktoria.

[Caw1]

Well said Victoria! I couldn’t agree with you more..

Our local bank has also closed down now so we’d have to drive 10+ miles to go to an actual bank!

On another point about ‘change’ … the Sunday Times has an article about Roald Dahls books being altered to fit in with the ‘politically correct’ world we live in so as not to upset those children who might be weight sensitive, not quite attractive enough etc… I’m gobsmacked that Puffin the publishers can actually get away with it…

Caroline

[River Tyne Lass]

I must look out for that blog Caroline, it sounds interesting.
The street I often walk down (after my two buses) to get to work is a treat for the eyes!  Each house has distinct character.  It is a great pleasure for someone like me, who loves history, to walk down this street and admire it all. 
I think some modern buildings seem soulless.  I think people need buildings that are a joy to look at and inhabit.
I will also mention that there is a large farmer's field near me which has been sold for housing.  Oh, I know people have to have places to live but I will miss seeing that field through the seasons.  I suppose that might be called progress by some. 
But the Victorian house .. I think this would be desecration and not progress.  It's a Mrs * who has made the application - in my opinion I think she might have more money than sense.
Talking of banks - one of my local ones shut down altogether during lock down.  I don't know why - it was a very busy bank.  However, I can now use the post office in Shields like the bank and I like it there as the staff are so nice and cheery.  So the situation actually feels better than before.