philmayfield

Playing polo I think.

Are you sure he’s not been stitched up?

He’s pulling the wool over our eyes.

.......... wishing he had mohair.

No, he’s in Argyle.

I’m just trying to keep one jumper ahead.

I bet he gave them the needle which made them crotchety.

He was probably woolly minded.

You should have put on your twin set and cast off in the direction of Jersey.

Nowt wrong wi Aldi, my staff shop there.

I don't think you're getting the point of this BK. The guests will be elegant people, the men in dinner jackets, the ladies in cocktail dresses, sipping the finest wines and eating canapés and cheese portions from a silver tray proffered by the butler. It's not a spit and sawdust do with beer and slices of Dairylea!

This is an elegant wine tasting soirée, not a childrens' party!

I feel a ‘cheese and wine party’ coming on. My wife doesn’t drink so, under current guidelines, there will just be me. I shall keep two metres away from the cheese of course and wear a mask with a mouth hole cut in. You’re all invited but sadly you can’t come.

Black belt origami.

Not all the milk for the cheese comes from the Vale. There’s a dairy nearby at Halloughton that supplies some of it. I think there’s only around six Stilton cheese makers now. One is in Hartington in Derbyshire, which is well away from the Vale but still falls into the Notts, Leics, Derby’s area where the cheese can be made and named Stilton. There are plenty of other blue cheeses made around the country which are, dare I say, as good as Stilton! Even the French make some good blue cheese!

Get a drone PP. You will get some interesting photographs and videos of the area. My son, who lives near the Forest of Bowland films some amazing features. I would get one myself but I live within the zone of an airfield and it would not function.

It's just what I was told by a resident of Belvoir, but that would be over 30 years ago. They may have developed a way of keeping it captive by now! I must investigate further.

It's still there. I never remember it being a restaurant. It's now a luxury home. I think it was recently sold. Ian Moore of IH Moore the electrical contractors used to live there. He owned the care home at Hazleford which was the Star and Garter pub but that's been sold on recently. We used to have some good times down there when it was a pub run by Terry Wanless the landlord.

The old country characters are a dying breed. We used to have lots here, generally from farming backgrounds. We have about three now and they won't be replaced. People in the village are now townie 'incomers', hoping that their kids will get a better education at the village school and the countryside will give a better way of life. Even the teachers commute from the city. The headmaster doesn't drive and he comes in by train from Nottingham. I suppose I'm an incomer, not having been born here, even though I've lived here for 58 years. At least my wife is from recent country stock, Kinoulton

I went to a local home made wine tasting many years ago organised by an old lady who would collect your empty wine bottles.This was before the days of bottle banks. I think elderflower was her speciality. She must have increased the alcohol content by adding extra sugar. Whatever she did I’ve never seen such a collection of paralytic villagers, many of whom were pillars of the church and would not normally let their hair down. A most enjoyable evening was had by all, followed by some embarrassment in the ensuing weeks!

I’ve not tried the Beauvale but I will do now. The local farm shop has an extensive cheese counter. Cropwell produces a good Stilton. It’s close to Colston Basset so the same mould spores must be in the air. Someone I knew who lived in the Vale of Belvoir said you had to be careful about leaving bread out as it rapidly went mouldy. The only Stilton I don’t especially like is Long Clawson which has a characteristic bitter flavour.

Our local farm shop at Gonalston has a Budgeons store. Just down the road at Harrison's garage, Lowdham, a Spar shop has been incorporated and in the next village, Fiskerton, the village shop and P.O is a Mace store. Our village shop closed some years ago so there's nothing within walking distance. There's also an M&S at the filling station in Southwell and a largish Co. Op. plus a couple of other late opening stores.

I love Stilton cheese, especially the Coston Basset variety - they do differ. I also enjoy a fine port but could never pour port into a hollowed out Stilton. Some years ago, when I was in Sweden, I discovered that they drank white port. That's the only time I've ever tasted it.

Not me. I've only had my banjo for three years. I sit in my rocking chair on the veranda and play.

Yes, there's nothing like a few beers to make you start talking gibberish. I'd love a pint of beer but since my gout's under control with medication I won't even look at it. Back in the days when you could go into a pub it was always soft drinks for me.