Posted: 15^th August 2002

Not seeing stars!

Why is it, when I look forward to this time of year and catching the wonderful spectacle of the Perseid Shower, that the skies conspire to stay clear all day and cloud over at night? Not only that, but Holland appears to have the worst 'light pollution' of all Europe, so vision at night is difficult and permanently tinged orange! My best ever sightings were experienced lying on the top of a canal boat in the middle of nowhere - although somewhere near Shugborough Hall, the home of The Earl of Lichfield - wrapped in a blanket, clutching a warm beer and accompanied by the sound of ducks and moorhens scrabbling about in the dark. I have come to the conclusion that you need a great deal of luck to be in the right place at the right time with the right weather to ever really catch this annual event successfully.

Talking of Holland, I have finally been caught by that most common of crimes perpetrated here. My bicycle was stolen - out of our shed. They say that you never really appreciate something until you don't have it anymore. Ironically I was thinking, only the night before, how great it was to have my two wheels and be able to hop in the saddle and pedal wherever the fancy took me - and had vowed to exercise more and actually go on those bike rides for which I had bought route guides back at the start of summer. It looks as if I'll be taking them in the colder months of Autumn or Winter now.

The final Bank Holiday of the British summer (not including Scotland!) is rapidly approaching and The Post Team have decided that they will take a short break. Oh - and maybe the fact that Shazz has a birthday around that time and thinks she may be celebrating long and hard has something to do with it! So, there WILL be an issue next week on the 22^nd, but NOT on the 29^th August.

ShazzPRME

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