[Jayne Osborn]

Bank ''Holly'' Day euphoria!

Today is a UK Bank Holiday, and my husband and I have spent it felling a 20ft+ holly tree. Chainsaw, harness, ladder, ropes... damned hard work in very hot temperatures!

The tree has been a bone of contention for many years, as it was on the border of our property but belonged to our neighbours. It has been ailing for a long time, depositing much detritus on both sides of the fence. It needed to go!!!!!

The previous neighbours, who ignored the problem, have recently moved Down Under (I would have actually preferred them to buy a house on The Moon, but New Zealand will suffice!) and the new owners are lovely, reasonable people who were amenable to the tree's removal; they were also getting all the detritus from it.

I've waited a long time for this. I love trees, and we have many, but a sick tree causes a lot of problems. I can now see a whole new patch of blue sky from my kitchen window -- and I've celebrated today's [absolutely exhausting] activity with a bottle of fizz. Cheers!!!

We still have to log all the wood, and deal with the removal of all the foliage, but once it's seasoned we shall enjoy many lovely fires in winters to come!

Happy Bank HOLLY day indeed!

Jayne

[Allen Tice]

Tell us heathen why it is a Bank Holiday. What is the reason? History or whatever, please.

[Julie Steiner]

Congrats, Jayne! There's nothing so satisfying as seeing a large problem undeniably dealt with. (Even if your muscles are also feeling it for a while afterwards.)

My good news: my delightful nieces will be coming to town, in just a few weeks.

[Brian Allgar]

Originally Posted by Allen Tice

Tell us heathen why it is a Bank Holiday. What is the reason? History or whatever, please.

Allen, Bank Holidays in the U.K. are awarded by bankers to themselves whenever they have made a particularly egregious cock-up involving the loss of billions of their customers' money. It's not so much a question of rewarding themselves, although of course they are always happy to so whatever the circumstances, as of making sure they can't be found by vengeful customers anywhere near their banks at least for one day.

Actually, their more thoughtful customers also welcome Bank Holidays, since the bankers won't be able to do any further damage during those twenty-four hours.

[Jayne Osborn]

Oh, you cynic, Brian!

Allen, here's a link about our Bank Holidays for this year.

Jayne

[Allen Tice]

Thank you, Jayne. I apologize for being so abrupt. I should have shared in your joy over the fixing of the tree, and I didn't. But I did want to know the historical reason for the BH. Your link helped, and further digging suggests that this BH is the Early May BH that seems to me to derive from a premature chronological Scots relative of Whit Monday, the day following Whitsunday, i.e, Pentecost, but I'm not sure about that precisely. I could refine this and clear away my own underbrush, but might not. Others, if any, who are interested in this are encouraged to do so. Thanks again.

[Jayne Osborn]

No problem, Allen.

More good news from me! After my exhausting tree-felling yesterday, I did a reading tonight at Clipston Women's Institute's Centenary celebration (they spelled my name wrongly on their website) but it was a super gig. I now do a mixture of my humorous poems and magic tricks, which go down well together.

I enjoyed a lovely buffet there, made the ladies laugh (and wonder how I did the magic ), sold a book and came home with a cheque.

Oh,... and our Brian's book "The Ayterzedd" arrived today. He's the one I just called a cynic, but Brian is witty and very funny, just in case you weren't aware

Jayne

[Michael Cantor]

Julie - I can't decide whether your nieces are talented and gorgeous, or gorgeous and talented - but the combination (and their list of appearances and credits around the globe) is awesome.

[Catherine Chandler]

Julie - Totally What Michael Said!

[John Isbell]

Yes, that is a true statement.

John