we're about to go shopping in Salisbury...
Stockbridge Primary School
Telephone: 01264 810550
Website: www.stockbridge.hants.sch.uk
Headteacher: Mrs Emma Jefferies
Email: emma.jefferies@stockbridge.hants.sch.uk
Old London Road,
Stockbridge, SO20 6EJ
Website: www.stockbridge.hants.sch.uk
Headteacher: Mrs Emma Jefferies
Email: emma.jefferies@stockbridge.hants.sch.uk
Old London Road,
Stockbridge, SO20 6EJ
Sean Cooper Sofas
Old London Road,
Stockbridge, SO20 6EJ
Telephone: 01264 811008
Website: www.seancooper.co.uk
Email: sean@seancooper.co.uk
Stockbridge, SO20 6EJ
Telephone: 01264 811008
Website: www.seancooper.co.uk
Email: sean@seancooper.co.uk
Stockbridge Cemetery
Pictured far right, the memorial cross in Stockbridge Cemetery, Winton Hill, commemorating the life of Violet Charlotte Johnson MBE.The cross, erected in 1923, was commissioned by her husband Herbert Johnson and designed by the architect Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens. Lutyens designed their manor home, Marsh Court, and the Stockbridge War Memorial.
The inscription engraved around the base of the cross, reads:
Sacred to the memory of Violet Charlotte Johnson MBE, a gracious lady of England, beloved of all who knew her for her rare qualities of heart and mind, endowed with every capacity for the enjoyment of life. She gave herself to the service of others and her solicitude during the Great War for the wounded soldiers in her hospitals at Marsh Court and Stockbridge contributed to her untimely end.
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
The inscription engraved around the base of the cross, reads:
Sacred to the memory of Violet Charlotte Johnson MBE, a gracious lady of England, beloved of all who knew her for her rare qualities of heart and mind, endowed with every capacity for the enjoyment of life. She gave herself to the service of others and her solicitude during the Great War for the wounded soldiers in her hospitals at Marsh Court and Stockbridge contributed to her untimely end.
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
Old St. Peter's Church
For more information please see www.fospstockbridge.org.uk
The Revd Jonathan Watkins
Email jonathanwatkins458@btinternet.com
The White Hart
Stockbridge, SO20 6HF
Mon - Sat: 11 am - 11 pm
Sunday: 11 am - 10.30 pm
Telephone: 01264 810663
Website: whitehartstockbridge.co.uk
Stockbridge Surgery
Stockbridge, SO20 6HG
Telephone: 01264 810524
Out of Hours: 0300 300 2012
Website: www.stockbridgesurgery.co.uk
Violet Chicken
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
We bought our bantams from Miles Boarder of Pure Poultry in Chard, Somerset, aka the chicken man. Two years on we still call him when there’s a problem we can’t solve ourselves.
We explained that Nigella is being hen pecked. He advised us to buy (violet) Septi-clense and spray it on the injured area on the back of her neck. This will keep the area disinfected and also deter the chickens from pecking at the reddened skin because they cannot read the ‘violet’ colour.
So Nigella is now fashioning a violet ruff and very regal she looks too.
19.02.2013
We bought our bantams from Miles Boarder of Pure Poultry in Chard, Somerset, aka the chicken man. Two years on we still call him when there’s a problem we can’t solve ourselves.
We explained that Nigella is being hen pecked. He advised us to buy (violet) Septi-clense and spray it on the injured area on the back of her neck. This will keep the area disinfected and also deter the chickens from pecking at the reddened skin because they cannot read the ‘violet’ colour.
So Nigella is now fashioning a violet ruff and very regal she looks too.
19.02.2013
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| I Love the M3 |
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| High Vizzers |
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| Egg and Spam |
Pruning and Pillaging
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| The view West from Stockbridge Down |
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| Gorse in flower up at Stockbridge Down |
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
There are Men At Work up at Stockbridge Down today. No doubt they are working on behalf of the National Trust which manages the 'chalk downland'. It just looks like they doing what men so love to do in the great outdoors: setting fires, chopping stuff down and generally laying waste. Pruning is the vestige of the Englishman's urge to pillage and plunder.
I'm sure their big red digger and various bonfires and unearthing of warrens and flattening of hillocks and razing to the ground of thickets and briars, what the National Trust refers to as 'scrub', is all jolly good for the landscape and will make us all better people able to rejoice in the fact that the chalk downland now looks, well, like nothing more interesting or particular than a regular chalk downland.
But I happen to like the rabbity paths and I will miss the hidden ways when they are gone and all that's left is a big exposed tract of bald featureless green, dull and bland as any suburban common.
17.02.2013
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| Because the Woods Are Scary |
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| But, I Am Not A Mote |
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| Fantasy Pub Landlady |
Hen-Pecked
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
Nigella our big breasted, glossy black bantam is being hen-pecked by A.N. Other member of our flock.
Nigella is a Scots Dumpy and as the biggest and most extrovert of our little gang of four, she's always been the natural leader. But I think Floyd, a white Silkie, has designs on Nigella's empire.
We call Floyd 'he' though he's really a 'she'. Floyd is the most diminutive of our birds but, what with his top-knot pom-pom, black flesh and jewel-blue wattles he's a bit special and he knows it.
He has plenty enough punk rock attitude for a take-over bid and the fact that he's broody to boot right now is making him ultra bolshy.
17.02.2013
Nigella our big breasted, glossy black bantam is being hen-pecked by A.N. Other member of our flock.
Nigella is a Scots Dumpy and as the biggest and most extrovert of our little gang of four, she's always been the natural leader. But I think Floyd, a white Silkie, has designs on Nigella's empire.
We call Floyd 'he' though he's really a 'she'. Floyd is the most diminutive of our birds but, what with his top-knot pom-pom, black flesh and jewel-blue wattles he's a bit special and he knows it.
He has plenty enough punk rock attitude for a take-over bid and the fact that he's broody to boot right now is making him ultra bolshy.
17.02.2013
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| Time Please! |
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| Dear Councillor Gibson |
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| Dog Fox, Lady Boxer |
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| Blowing My Trumpet |
Good-bye to All That
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
Not having been to Salisbury shopping for a while, it was sad to be there this afternoon and note how many shops are boarded up or in the throes of closing down.
Even the long established women's clothes shop, 'Jabot' next to Fisherton Mill, in the Maltings, which has been there for 27 years, has finally closed its doors.
Local radio station Spire FM reported that Irma Gruenenfelder, the independent owner of the boutique blamed the high parking costs in the cathedral city.
16.02.2013
Not having been to Salisbury shopping for a while, it was sad to be there this afternoon and note how many shops are boarded up or in the throes of closing down.
Even the long established women's clothes shop, 'Jabot' next to Fisherton Mill, in the Maltings, which has been there for 27 years, has finally closed its doors.
Local radio station Spire FM reported that Irma Gruenenfelder, the independent owner of the boutique blamed the high parking costs in the cathedral city.
16.02.2013
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But She Can't Dance Like Pudsey
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
We had my sister's dog, a German short haired pointer for the day today.
She – the dog not my sister - has numerous skills and is entirely self-taught. She cannot dance like Pudsey or use ATM machines but her other skills include the vertical climbing of furniture, catching rabbits, escaping Houdini-style from closed dog-cages, opening drop handle doors and speed-eating.
Speed eating is a little bit like speed-dating except that here the female forces the potential object of her desire into submission not by talking at him loudly, without interruption and at speed, but by consuming him in a single mouthful.
Happily the dog does not fancy people. She prefers entire chocolate gateaux, whole cheeses and a Sunday roast for six complete with all the trimmings.
Well, we forgot about the door opening business and the dog let herself out into the garden.
Fortunately for them, us and familial relations in general, the chickens made sufficiently shrill and clamorous MAYDAY! noises while the dog was chasing them around the garden that Shedley was alerted to their plight and saved them all.
15.02.2013
We had my sister's dog, a German short haired pointer for the day today.
She – the dog not my sister - has numerous skills and is entirely self-taught. She cannot dance like Pudsey or use ATM machines but her other skills include the vertical climbing of furniture, catching rabbits, escaping Houdini-style from closed dog-cages, opening drop handle doors and speed-eating.
Speed eating is a little bit like speed-dating except that here the female forces the potential object of her desire into submission not by talking at him loudly, without interruption and at speed, but by consuming him in a single mouthful.
Happily the dog does not fancy people. She prefers entire chocolate gateaux, whole cheeses and a Sunday roast for six complete with all the trimmings.
Well, we forgot about the door opening business and the dog let herself out into the garden.
Fortunately for them, us and familial relations in general, the chickens made sufficiently shrill and clamorous MAYDAY! noises while the dog was chasing them around the garden that Shedley was alerted to their plight and saved them all.
15.02.2013
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| My Sister's Dog |
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| She has numerous skills - all self-taught |
Hmm. Valentines
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
Suffering slow death by D.V.T. - Dirgy Voice Tendency thanks to poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy who has single-handedly turned Radio 4 into Radio Bore this week, droning on about love poetry in a voice that makes my vacuum cleaner sound melodic and engaging.
Come to think of it, I would rather listen to my vacuum cleaner on Radio 4 for 15 minutes a day. I'm a fan of Love and Romance. I like many of Duffy's poems. But Duffy and microphones should be kept apart.
P.S. Got heart-shaped chocolates which Shedley then ate.
14.02.2013
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Suffering slow death by D.V.T. - Dirgy Voice Tendency thanks to poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy who has single-handedly turned Radio 4 into Radio Bore this week, droning on about love poetry in a voice that makes my vacuum cleaner sound melodic and engaging.
Come to think of it, I would rather listen to my vacuum cleaner on Radio 4 for 15 minutes a day. I'm a fan of Love and Romance. I like many of Duffy's poems. But Duffy and microphones should be kept apart.
P.S. Got heart-shaped chocolates which Shedley then ate.
14.02.2013
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Still Pondering
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
While sorting out my study this afternoon I found, at the bottom of my in-tray, a letter which I’d received in January and put aside to think about later: an invitation to a school reunion in May of this year. Hmm. Should I Stay or Should I Go?
13.02.2014
While sorting out my study this afternoon I found, at the bottom of my in-tray, a letter which I’d received in January and put aside to think about later: an invitation to a school reunion in May of this year. Hmm. Should I Stay or Should I Go?
13.02.2014
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Still At the Races
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
The Greyhound on Stockbridge High Street is under new management and currently getting the statutory facelift and makeover such events require. It always seems to be changing hands despite which it has a managed to remain a respected restaurant - we've eaten delicious food there in the venue’s various incarnations - and the handful of rooms are popular for short breaks.
But it would be great if it became the sort of place you could just go for an atmospheric drink and maybe a snack without having to take out a small mortgage to eat as well.
The new manager is applying for a license to sell alcohol on a retail basis as well so that smacks of something a bit frisky and different blowing our way.
12.02.2013
The Greyhound on Stockbridge High Street is under new management and currently getting the statutory facelift and makeover such events require. It always seems to be changing hands despite which it has a managed to remain a respected restaurant - we've eaten delicious food there in the venue’s various incarnations - and the handful of rooms are popular for short breaks.
But it would be great if it became the sort of place you could just go for an atmospheric drink and maybe a snack without having to take out a small mortgage to eat as well.
The new manager is applying for a license to sell alcohol on a retail basis as well so that smacks of something a bit frisky and different blowing our way.
12.02.2013
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The Day After The Day Before
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
Shedley’s actual Birthday is today which also happens to be the Day After The Day Before – so a slow day of final clearing up, ritualised eating and polishing-off of left-overs and generalised collapsing onto sofas.
11.02.2013
Shedley’s actual Birthday is today which also happens to be the Day After The Day Before – so a slow day of final clearing up, ritualised eating and polishing-off of left-overs and generalised collapsing onto sofas.
11.02.2013
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Without An Inkling
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
Finally today it arrived: the day of a surprise birthday party I have been covertly organising for Shedley Mode since early December. Managed to invite, plan, shop, cook for, feed and water 60 people without Shedley having even the slightest inkling until he walked through the door of Thruxton's lovely village hall and found himself surrounded on all sides by friends and family gathered for the sole purpose of wishing him Happy Birthday.
The late nights and subterfuge, the occasional nag of worry, they were all worth it for the blissful look of utter astonishment on the Shedley visage followed by a single huge smile which I don't think will ever quite go away.
P.S. And there was no snow. Thank you weather god.
11.02.2013
Finally today it arrived: the day of a surprise birthday party I have been covertly organising for Shedley Mode since early December. Managed to invite, plan, shop, cook for, feed and water 60 people without Shedley having even the slightest inkling until he walked through the door of Thruxton's lovely village hall and found himself surrounded on all sides by friends and family gathered for the sole purpose of wishing him Happy Birthday.
The late nights and subterfuge, the occasional nag of worry, they were all worth it for the blissful look of utter astonishment on the Shedley visage followed by a single huge smile which I don't think will ever quite go away.
P.S. And there was no snow. Thank you weather god.
11.02.2013
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But The Show Must Go On
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
Am instantly conscious on waking that I have 60 people to feed tomorrow: canapés, sit-down starter, main course, pudding, coffee, cake.
To my horror the slightest smidgeon of slushy sleet sees an almost instant email from one couple announcing that they will not be coming to the Surprise Party tomorrow due to a forecast of 3 inches of snow.
I feel the icy fingers of panic clutch at my throat.
All that planning. All that investment of time and energy. What if everyone begins to bail-out and cry off...
What happened to stiff upper lip and spirit of the blitz?
But I can’t think like that. I drive to Waitrose to collect the wine and champagne glasses which Waitrose so kindly loans free of charge.
At Waitrose the very nice deputy manager tells me he is terribly sorry but his colleague has failed to process my order for puddings.
I feel like a rabbit trapped in the head lamps unable momentarily to think or act.
I want to weep and wail and tear at my clothes but I don’t have time.
Instead, like some demented contestant in a supermarket sweep competition and railing loudly all the while about 'Incompetence', I run at speed to the pudding section and begin wildly to scoop chocolate puddings from the shelves.
I’ve no trolley or basket so I must scoop them into my arms while simultaneously counting and throwing furious looks at other customers who might dare snaffle them ahead of me.
Waitrose gives me the puddings.
3 a.m. Haven’t gone to bed yet. Too much to do.
No other wimps have wimped out out.
I get down on my knees and pray to the Weather God for No Snow.
09.02.2013
Am instantly conscious on waking that I have 60 people to feed tomorrow: canapés, sit-down starter, main course, pudding, coffee, cake.
To my horror the slightest smidgeon of slushy sleet sees an almost instant email from one couple announcing that they will not be coming to the Surprise Party tomorrow due to a forecast of 3 inches of snow.
I feel the icy fingers of panic clutch at my throat.
All that planning. All that investment of time and energy. What if everyone begins to bail-out and cry off...
What happened to stiff upper lip and spirit of the blitz?
But I can’t think like that. I drive to Waitrose to collect the wine and champagne glasses which Waitrose so kindly loans free of charge.
At Waitrose the very nice deputy manager tells me he is terribly sorry but his colleague has failed to process my order for puddings.
I feel like a rabbit trapped in the head lamps unable momentarily to think or act.
I want to weep and wail and tear at my clothes but I don’t have time.
Instead, like some demented contestant in a supermarket sweep competition and railing loudly all the while about 'Incompetence', I run at speed to the pudding section and begin wildly to scoop chocolate puddings from the shelves.
I’ve no trolley or basket so I must scoop them into my arms while simultaneously counting and throwing furious looks at other customers who might dare snaffle them ahead of me.
Waitrose gives me the puddings.
***
3 a.m. Haven’t gone to bed yet. Too much to do.
No other wimps have wimped out out.
I get down on my knees and pray to the Weather God for No Snow.
09.02.2013
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Thieves At Work
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
The lead thieves are back. This time they've stolen £2,500 worth of the grey stuff from the roof of the lovely St. Andrews Church in the nearby village of Nether Wallop – causing untold damage on top of the lead itself leading to damp and flooding.
08.02.2013
The lead thieves are back. This time they've stolen £2,500 worth of the grey stuff from the roof of the lovely St. Andrews Church in the nearby village of Nether Wallop – causing untold damage on top of the lead itself leading to damp and flooding.
08.02.2013
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Men At Work
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
Men of the infamous green and red branded Clancy Docwra have arrived on the large roundabout outside our house and erected traffic lights on all exits off the roundabouts.
Infamous because I more or less lived with them and spent a great deal of time on the phone to them, for an entire year in London, 2005, when they were encamped outside my garden flat for months at a time, digging and drilling and pile driving and banging and routinely accidentally cutting off the electricity and the water then pock-marking the road with little pouches of Tarmac only to return a month later and start a diggin' and a drillin' all over again.
Nowadays they have important signs which beg the public's leave to bear with them while they repair the water main.
Actually the traffic lights, while inducing cars to speed up the road at even fast rates, do have the side effects of making the traffic quieter and helping us to cross the road a little bit more safely.
07.02.2013
Men of the infamous green and red branded Clancy Docwra have arrived on the large roundabout outside our house and erected traffic lights on all exits off the roundabouts.
Infamous because I more or less lived with them and spent a great deal of time on the phone to them, for an entire year in London, 2005, when they were encamped outside my garden flat for months at a time, digging and drilling and pile driving and banging and routinely accidentally cutting off the electricity and the water then pock-marking the road with little pouches of Tarmac only to return a month later and start a diggin' and a drillin' all over again.
Nowadays they have important signs which beg the public's leave to bear with them while they repair the water main.
Actually the traffic lights, while inducing cars to speed up the road at even fast rates, do have the side effects of making the traffic quieter and helping us to cross the road a little bit more safely.
07.02.2013
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Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
While sorting out my study this afternoon I found a letter which I had received and put aside to think about later: an invitation to a school reunion in May of this year. Still thinking...
While sorting out my study this afternoon I found a letter which I had received and put aside to think about later: an invitation to a school reunion in May of this year. Still thinking...
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RIP Reg
Posted by Deborah Courtnell
Sad news today of the death of Andover's one and only star and pop legend Reg Presley, front man of The Troggs. I had interviewed him about his keen interest in crop circles in the 1980's while I was a cub reporter on The Andover Advertiser more latterly for a piece I wrote for The Financial Times on film scores.
On the second occasion, which was about ten years ago we talked over a glass or two of wine in his garden and he enlarged on his more quixotic interests outside of music, the aforementioned crop circles and the like.
Reg Presley's boat had really rocked in all over again when the band Wet, Wet, Wet covered his song 'Love Is All Around' and their version was then used for the soundtrack of Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994).
On both occasions I found him to be a delightful man, entertaining, unaffected and completely at ease with himself. RIP Reg.
04.02.2013
Sad news today of the death of Andover's one and only star and pop legend Reg Presley, front man of The Troggs. I had interviewed him about his keen interest in crop circles in the 1980's while I was a cub reporter on The Andover Advertiser more latterly for a piece I wrote for The Financial Times on film scores.
On the second occasion, which was about ten years ago we talked over a glass or two of wine in his garden and he enlarged on his more quixotic interests outside of music, the aforementioned crop circles and the like.
Reg Presley's boat had really rocked in all over again when the band Wet, Wet, Wet covered his song 'Love Is All Around' and their version was then used for the soundtrack of Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994).
On both occasions I found him to be a delightful man, entertaining, unaffected and completely at ease with himself. RIP Reg.
04.02.2013
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