FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH – August 2025. Edition No. 128.

Hello, again. I hope you are well.

If you would like to get involved with this project in any way, please do so in a non-racist, non-sexist and non-homophobic way and contact us at: dean@fthm.org.uk.

*In this edition, we are launching our Photography Competition for 2025:

The theme is Summer.

The prizes are: £100, £50 and £25.

Up to 3 entries to be sent to: dean@fthm.org.uk

Closing date: Midnight (GMT) on Sunday 31st of August 2025.

All winning entries will appear in an edition of the magazine this year.

*Our website address is: www.fromthehorsesmouth.org.uk

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JUNE’S WORLD

Hello, everybody. I hope you are all keeping well and enjoying the summer months.

In this article, I would like to expand on my younger years. I grew up in the Potteries in Castleford. We did not have a lot of money, but that was the case of most people who lived around us. Although, there were some people who possessed money like those who owned Fryer’s grocery shop. Also, there was Miss Marshall who had what would now be called a pharmacy; it sold everything you could think of. She seemed to be a very bitter lady to us kids; we used to play ball against her wall which provoked her to run out and threaten us with a sweeping brush. I can now understand her reaction as I wouldn’t want anyone to repetitively throw a ball against my wall but, at the time, I was only about 10 and knew no better.

I loved going to the bakery which made buns and cakes. There was a little window ajar to emit steam. The buns were set out on long trays ready to have cream put in them and to be iced. A lady used to come to the window and instruct us to come back at closing time when we could take home any buns that were left, which I did. I shared them with my family. I can still vividly remember their lovely aroma. There was also another bakery, called Bateson’s, who specialised in bread and scufflers.

Another place I used to frequent as a child was Cloakie’s Pottery which made cups, saucers and plates. There was another pottery, called Hartley’s, which made things like jugs and bowls. I also benefited from these businesses as I was allowed to sort through the “rejects” which were still useable and pleased my mother.

There was a place up Three Lane Ends that I used to visit called The Rug Mill. Here, they made carpets and rugs. Again, I was allowed to take things with flaws in. I remember one rug looking quite fetching near our fireplace. I was getting very good at approaching shops and factories for defected items, but I changed as I got older. When I was about 14, I remember disliking taking clothes to the pawn shop, and I was afraid to enter until a lady accompanied me. I only had baby clothes which did not bring a lot of money. My mam thought it wasn’t much, but she was grateful for any money.

My dad liked to visit his family in Stockton. He was a scrap dealer and used to be away a lot of the time. He did not want a 9–5 job, so he collected and sold things like iron and lead. When I was older, I wondered if he had another family with him being away for so long time at a time. My mam was the one who brought us up and clothed and fed us, so I had tremendous respect for her. When I was 15, I immediately began working and, within a few weeks, my mam and I went to a furniture store and picked out a lovely green three-piece suite and a table and chairs which took over a year to pay for. I put what was left out of my wage in the bank. It was well worth it as my mam was very happy. She deserved something nice in her life.

More next month!

Love June. X

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MY DAY AT THE TEST MATCH

Written by Graham Townsend

As a big cricket fan, I have always wanted to attend a test match. After having to sell my ticket to see England vs New Zealand in 2023 due to illness, I finally made it to Headingley in Leeds to see the third day of the opening test between England and India in June of this year. After an initial delay in Halifax at the train station and large queues waiting to board the train in Leeds, I found my journey to and from the stadium fairly smooth. The staff at Headingley were friendly and helpful, and I certainly would be more than happy to return to see another match there in the future.

The weather forecast in the days leading up to the occasion was iffy to say the least. On the day, it turned out that we did get to see more or less a full day’s play. The players did go off around 6:05pm as the light drizzle that had been around for an hour or so became a little heavier. This was in contrast to earlier in the day when I had had to reapply my sunscreen due to the heat from the sun.

One of the best aspects of the day was that I got to see both sides bat. England and India are two of the best teams in the world in my opinion, along with South Africa and Australia. India is in the process of rebuilding after the retirements of Kohli, Sharma and Ashwin from test matches. Even so, they have some very promising younger players with the likes of opening batman Yashasvi Jaiswal and the fairly recently appointed captain Shubman Gill amongst their ranks. In fact, both those players had already scored a century in India’s first innings prior to my arrival for day three.

One slight disappointment was knowing that local hero Joe Root had been dismissed just before close of play the previous evening. However, Harry Brook, the pretender to Root’s crown in my opinion, had survived being out to a no ball to be at the crease with Ollie Pope, a centurion himself, when he walked out to resume his innings at 11am. Pope only managed to add another 6 runs to his overnight tally before being caught behind. Brook scored a superb 99. Frustratingly for him, he was caught on the boundary playing a shot that he usually pulls off with aplomb. He hit it somewhat flatter that he normally does, and this proved to be his undoing. I was hoping to see another epic innings from skipper Ben Stokes. However, he never really looked comfortable, and after scrapping his way to 20, he was also caught behind. Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith played an enterprising innings of 40. He hit one brilliant 6, but after being given out leg before wicket, a decision that was overturned on review, he tried to play the big shot again. However, he fell into the trap set by India and was caught on the boundary. Chris Woakes came in and contributed a useful 38 runs. He played some shots which exhibited his batting ability and held things together nicely for a while after Brook had departed. Brydon Carse played his part with a belligerent 22, riding his luck on a couple of occasions, and Josh Tongue managed 2 boundaries before being the last man out with the score on 465. This left England 6 in arrears of India’s first innings total and meant that the match was finely balanced as India came out to start their second innings after the tea break.

Jaiswal could not repeat his success of first time around, and after hitting a single boundary, he was soon on his way back to the pavilion for just four runs. KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan, who were on a pair, steadied the ship before the latter was removed by Stokes, courtesy of a catch by Zak Crawley with the total on 82. Shortly afterwards the drizzle intervened, and India ended the day on 90–2 with a lead of 96. However, England went on to win the match by five wickets after being set a target of 371 to take a 1–0 lead in the five-match series.

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THE BEST BIRTHDAY

Written by S. Bee

“There’s no need to worry about anything, Kate. Clare’s arranged everything for the party. The venue, the food, the music, the entertainment…” My sister Sue began.

I’d popped round to Sue’s for a coffee. The name Clare rang a bell. I turned to her. “Please don’t tell me you’ve got pally with Clare Archer?”

Sue avoided my gaze. “Yes. She’s a good friend of mine now.”

I bristled. “Oh, I see.”

Sue’s forthcoming 40th birthday was being held at the village hall and included a top-notch buffet, a free bar and a big, fancy cake. A local male magician had been booked, which I was really looking forward to seeing and there’d be speeches, karaoke and a disco with a DJ. That would finish the evening off nicely. Taking a week off from my hectic work schedule, I’d made sure that Sue’s birthday was a high priority. I’d be able to see my parents and enjoy a good catch-up with all the family at the same time.

This news about Sue and Clare… Well, Clare hadn’t exactly been supportive towards me at secondary school and Sue knew it. My mind flew back. I was fourteen when I’d first become interested in magic tricks. At Christmas and birthdays, I’d requested (and received) props, costumes, boxes of tricks, packs of cards and instruction books. At school, my little hobby somehow got spread around the class. As it was a male dominated passion, the girls were especially interested. Well, I reasoned, I guess it was something different from mooching over pop stars, flicking through teen magazines and obsessing about make-up and fashion.

One day at lunch time, Clare approached me. My heart lurched. Ever since I was picked for the hockey team and she was dropped, we had never got on. Then, there was the spilled squash incident in the dining hall; she blamed me for bumping into her and tipping the contents of her glass, claiming that I’d done it on purpose out of spite – but I hadn’t! When the hockey team hooh hah had kicked off, my friends and I avoided her.

“Come on. Show us a trick, Kate!” she urged, as she and her crew grouped around me. I quickly carried out a simple coin ruse and hoped that, once she’d been entertained, she’d quickly move on.

“Huh. Is that it?” she mocked.

I wished I was skilful enough to make her disappear into thin air!

“That’s all I’ve got at the moment. Sorry,” I said.

“You think you’re such a clever, cool cat, Kate Sullivan!” She spat. I shrugged. Then, someone called Clare away – I think it was a boy she fancied – and she and her group shuffled off.

“Take no notice,” my folks soothed.

“She’s just jealous,” Sue added. Maybe she was.

Thankfully, Clare didn’t bother me again after that. I took my folk’s advice and didn’t dwell on the incident. Instead, I practised my magic tricks until I was perfect. That year, Clare was taken aback when I was selected to perform at the school Christmas concert. Not bad, eh? I thought as the ringing applause flooded over me on stage.

When I left school, I started small with local bookings, then I gradually branched out. Later, an agent signed me up and I performed professionally in venues nationwide. TV beckoned, too.

On the evening of Sue’s birthday, the village hall looked amazing, all decked out in colourful balloons, ribbons and banners. I recognised so many faces, and everyone stopped to chat and congratulate me on my career success… yet my attention was caught by a familiar voice – Clare’s. She actually looked fabulous. She had a new, sleek haircut and a red velvet dress flattered her slender figure. When everyone was seated, Clare took to the stage area and scooped up a microphone.

“Ladies, gentleman and children, thank you all for coming along to help celebrate Sue’s fortieth birthday. Now, to start the evening, it’s time for some magic! Please everyone, give a warm welcome to Mr Paul Mason!” When he appeared on stage, my heart hammered.

Wow! What a cutey…Paul’s act held an extra twist – he was funny, and in-between tricks, he told daft jokes that would appeal to a family friendly audience. After the magic, we helped ourselves to the buffet and bar, then a lavish three-tiered cake was wheeled out. Everyone sang ‘Happy birthday’ and as I hugged Sue, I wiped away a tear. It was so good to be back home again!

After the cake, it was the karaoke and disco. I was wrapped in a wonderful warm glow as everyone ended the night singing and dancing. Then, it was over, and people began to drift home.

There was just one thing left to do. I steeled myself, yet I then spotted Paul approaching me.

“Hey, I loved your act,” I said. “So off beat and unique.”

“Thanks. Perhaps we could swap notes sometime over dinner?” he asked shyly.

I smiled. “I’d like that. I’m staying here a while, anyway.”

Was I? I’d surprised myself. I could buy a place here, couldn’t I? It would be nice to be near family and reconnect with old friends. I gave Paul my business card, and he promised to ring me. Finally, it was time. I felt nervous about approaching Clare, but it had to be done. I ambled over to where she was helping to clear the buffet.

“Hello, Kate. It’s good to see you again. There’s some quiche left over here -”

I cut in. “I want to thank you for organising such a lovely birthday party for Sue.”

She waved a hand. “Oh, it was no problem.”

“Look, about -”

“I’m -”

We’d both spoken at the same time.

I smiled. “You first.”

“I’m so sorry about the past. Our schooldays… I had no right to trample over your dreams. I guess I was jealous of you.”

I nodded. “That’s what my parents said. Look, I’m going to move back home. Perhaps we could meet up after I’ve settled?”

“That would be good, but on one condition: you take some of this quiche away,” she grinned.

I beamed. “It’s a deal!”

I had a lovely new future ahead!

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ALICE’S THING OF THE MONTH

Written by Alice Kaur

Hello and welcome back to Alice’s Thing of the Month. This month we are going to be talking about the TV series The Studio.

The Studio is a 2025 comedy/drama series created by Seth Rogen and his longtime creative partner Evan Goldberg. The show aired weekly from March 26th to May 21st. I waited until all the episodes were released before diving in and it was worth the wait.

I’ve been a fan of Seth and Evan’s work for a long time. You may know some of their other projects such as Superbad, The Interview and The Night Before. They are also co-executive producers of the critically acclaimed show The Boys.

The plot of The Studio is as follows: Seth Rogen plays Matt Remick, a cinephile who is thrown into the role of head of Continental Studios which is a dream come true for him. He finds himself trapped between wanting to make meaningful art and dealing with Griffin Mill, portrayed by Bryan Cranston, the domineering boardroom voice whose word is final. Griffin is pushing for a movie about the Kool Aid Man which completely goes against what Matt wants creatively. However, as this is his dream job, Matt agrees to do it to keep his position. This is just the first episode, and the series only gets more intense from there.

The Studio has 10 episodes, each ranging from 30 to 50 minutes. They are standalone episodes, but the story connects throughout. The main cast includes Ike Barinholtz, Catherine O’Hara, Chase Sui Wonders and Kathryn Hahn. There are also some huge guest stars, including Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard.

I absolutely loved this series. Despite it being so intense, it also has a lot of comedy and insight into the Hollywood world and what’s at stake when you’re part of a studio. As a big fan of film, I found Matt’s character somewhat relatable. I also feel like the creators based him on people they’ve met in real life. Matt is desperate to fit into the Hollywood world and wants to be liked by celebrities. A lot of people just want to be noticed, and I think the show really taps into that. Despite all of Matt’s mistakes throughout the series, he somehow pulls it off, and the finale ends on a really high note. I was happy to see it got renewed for a second season, especially since it ends on a cliffhanger.

If you’re a fan of film, curious about how the industry works, or just love Seth Rogen, then this show is for you. It’s available to stream on Apple TV.

Thanks for reading.

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REMEMBERING BLACKPOOL

Written by Andrew Wilkinson

As children during the war, we only went to the coast (usually Scarborough or Bridlington) when the working men’s club organised the annual day trip that had been paid for weekly over the previous year. There was much excitement over this very macho affair, particularly over the crates of beer being loaded onto the bus.

The journey of about 63 miles seemed to take forever and included a stop at the half-way house; this must have been a hangover from the days of the horse and trap. On arrival at the seaside mothers and children drifted towards the sands, and the men, well-oiled from drinking on the bus, slowly disappeared, heading for more beer at the pubs, claiming it got the coal dust out of their throats and lungs.

The war finally ended, and people slowly became more confident and slightly better off financially. The “keeping up with the Joneses” game was in its infancy, and we found ourselves seaside-bound not by bus, but by train. (That train station is now long gone.) Climbing on board a train was much more exciting, and it was free from the boozing and back-slapping performance of the club trips. This time, we were heading west, not to California but somewhere equally foreign to us: Blackpool.

Once in Blackpool, we were met by lots of boys on the platform with all manner of contraptions made from pram wheels and wooden planks to carry people’s cases to guest houses, hotels, or wherever. Our guest house was past the top of Hornby Road, on Clinton Avenue. It was a large terrace house hosted by a Mrs Price: a tall, thin, bespectacled woman who looked at us as if inspecting an invasion of killer insects. The poor lad, who had so eagerly pushed for our custom at the station, was now looking crestfallen because of the distance he had to pull our cases and the distance he would have to trail back for his next fare. It was indeed a marathon from both the station and the beach. As we had booked “full board”, we had to trail down back and forth three times a day. A special treat from Mrs Price was the teatime display of fancy cream buns, a sight we were unused to as food rationing was still in operation. It all seemed a bit alien to me – these mahogany tables clothed with green and maroon velvet and Aspidistras – and there was a sense of excitement in the air.

At breakfast next morning, everything was laid out precisely, shining and silver, in a neat, orderly fashion. Compared to our chaotic meals at home, I remember feeling like royalty. After a couple of days, we got into a routine: deck chairs on the sands, swimming in the sea, using Madame Tussauds as a marker in case we wandered too far, eating ice cream every day and walking along to Central Pier where all manner of stalls grabbed our attention. We had our silhouettes cut out of black, sticky paper and mounted on card, making my two sisters and I feel important. There were bicycles with no pedals that were propelled by lifting your bottom up and down, fortune tellers, and a woman guessing your weight – it all went on along the pier. At the exit, you were met by crowds of people and the loud rumble of trams. It was all so different.

We eventually made it to Pleasure Beach, an amazing funfair with unbelievable rides of that time. We had never seen a rollercoaster before. The Big Dipper consisted of two carriages racing each other around the circuit under their own steam – what an unbelievable thrill! There was also a double big wheel, it was truly an endless park full of new and different rides. We finished off in an enormous, circular bar where they served cold drinks and food. Unfortunately, we could only afford to go to the Pleasure Beach once.

Our next bit of Blackpool magic was the eponymous Blackpool Tower, a magnificent building which we went right to the top of. Then we visited the zoo where there were rows of cages containing wild animals padding back and forth. We didn’t realise that the animals were in great distress being caged for so long with no space; animal welfare didn’t seem to exist. I don’t know if the animals were the ones performing in the tower circus, but in our blissful ignorance, we thoroughly enjoyed the show.

The circus was at the base of the tower between its four legs which were heavily encased in ornate plaster work, such that not many people recognised its position. At the end of the performance, which could easily have competed with any of today’s talent shows, the lights dimmed and the rink filled with water from large, coloured fountains, and sequined-covered couples did a kind of ballet on small platforms raised above the water. The thrills never seemed to stop coming.

Leaving the circus, we were led through a corridor into an enormous aquarium, and then to the massive, wide-carpeted staircases leading up to the tower ballroom. It was an overwhelming first-time experience, showcasing opulence never seen before. The famous dance floor slowly filled with people with “BID ME DISCOURSE I WILL ENCHANT THINE EAR” written above the stage. Then, up through the floor came Reginald Dixon sitting at the mighty Wurlitzer organ playing his theme tune “I Do Like to Be Beside the Seaside”. After our trip back to the guest house, we were all tired out and slept well.

Towards the end of the week, we went to see a show at the Derby Baths up past the North Pier. Johnny Weismiller, who famously played Tarzan in the films, was over from America and did exhibition swimming, diving and even challenged a clown to a race along the Olympic-sized swimming pool. He got halfway and then the clown zoomed past him with some sort of motor strapped to his bottom! Then, Tarzan did his jungle call to complete his turn, and a group of swans came floating on. They were very lifelike, and we wondered how they had been trained, but it was a group of sequence swimmers with their heads inside the swans doing lots of complicated moves to Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake.

These were some of the things that stood out in my mind, and I will always remember them. Thank you, Blackpool!

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GRAHAM TOWNSEND’S MONTHLY QUIZ

Questions:

(1) Which company is the UK’s largest pension insurer?

(2) Who became only the second wicketkeeper-batsman to score a century in each innings of a test match at Headingley in June 2025?

(3) Who plays Stoick the Vast in the 2025 film How to Train Your Dragon?

(4) Who wrote the 1942 novella The Stranger?

(5) What is the state capital of Ohio?

(6) From 1919–1933, the Weimar Republic was the government of which country?

(7) The capital of Greece is named after which ancient deity?

(8) Who is Donald Duck’s girlfriend?

(9) Which molecule plays a crucial role in all living cells, acting as a messenger carrying instructions from DNA for protein synthesis?

(10) Which Canadian jazz pianist won 8 Grammy awards and released more than 200 recordings?

(11) Which author and garden designer created her “White Garden” at Sissinghurst Castle?

(12) What is the English equivalent of the French Christian name Etienne?

(13) In which year did the Suez crisis happen?

(14) Tim Cook replace whom as CEO of Apple in 2011?

(15) What was the old British silver coin, worth four pennies, called?

(16) What nationality is Formula 1 racing driver Oscar Piastri?

(17) Who painted The Ballet Class (1874) and Place de la Concorde (1876)?

(18) Which English city do the band Human League originate from?

(19) What breed of dog is Snoopy?

(20) Who wrote the novel Ethan Frome?

Answers:

(1) Rothesay (2) Rishabh Pant (3) Gerard Butler (4) Albert Camus (5) Columbus (6) Germany (7) Athena (8) Daisy Duck (9) RNA – Ribonucleic Acid (10) Oscar Peterson (11) Vita Sackville-West (12) Stephen/Steven (13) 1956 (14) Steve Jobs (15) Groat (16) Australian (17) Edgar Degas (18) Sheffield (19) Beagle (20) Edith Wharton

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ADVENTURES OF A MAN SITTING DOWN 32

Written by Krishna Francis

There’s a poem I really love; it’s called The Second Coming and is about the horrors of the first world war as seen from the perspective of the poet W. B. Yeats. He sees an impossibility of progress from the point that humanity has reached. Thus, he invokes the second coming; a new divine intervention, and that is what the poem is about.

I first learned of the poem from a book that my mum gave me when I was sixteen called Things Fall Apart. This was written by a Nigerian named Chinua Achebe. It is about a man, Okonkwo, who is well respected in his village, Umuofia, in spite of having had a drunk for a father. It tells the story of how he gets along in village life and the trials that he undergoes. However, about three quarters of the way through, the story changes and becomes about the effects of colonialism on the tribal way of life.

It is a very clever book. Instead of starting out examining what it ends up being about, it explores the way life works before the arrival of the system that we are more familiar with.

Let’s face it, most of us know what a bicycle is but we probably don’t know what palm wine is. Both of these appear in the book. It’s cleverly told so you experience what it was like to go from one set of beliefs that you knew were distinct, because they were different to what was practiced two days walk away, to a whole new set of beliefs that you didn’t even know existed.

The appearance of the technical marvel of a bicycle heralds the change. It belongs to a priest. As the villagers discover, you may be able to kill the priests who are spreading the word of this new religion. However if you do this, the government that has enabled them to be in your country will retaliate. From being a big man in his world, Okonkwo discovers that there is a far bigger world out there and his existence isn’t even important enough to warrant a footnote in a book being written by one of the local overseers.

As Nigeria is now a predominantly Christian country, it seems the power of force won. As the first three lines of the poem assert:

Turning and turning in the widening gyre

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

The small certainties of life are cast adrift in the thrill of living. The meaning of small acts of calm control get confused as the rush of wind past the falcon’s ears makes it difficult to comprehend the instructions. I guess we are the falcon and God is the falconer.

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere

The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst

Are full of passionate intensity.

These last four lines of the first verse are about the problems of industrialisation for humanity. Machinery tends to eliminate the quiet. Even quiet machinery like computers disrupt the peace of a moment. I’m sure we’ve all tried to watch something on YouTube and had an ad pop up and interrupt our fun. (I’m not talking to you people with your adblockers. You are just snobs, like the factory owners who didn’t have to go into the factories.)

In 1919, when the poem was written, the whole structure of a nation had been cast into turmoil by the mechanised slaughter of the recent war, and it remains relevant. It’s sometimes difficult to hear the truth over the noise of the various alerts we get from a range of technological sources: Tik Tok, Instagram and My Space etc. My advice to you is to avoid intensity and try and have some conviction.

That is, if you’ve managed to read until the end of this article.

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FOUR RECIPES FROM JUNE CHARLTON FOR MEAT LOVERS

Potato Moussaka

Ingredients:

1 ½ lb of potatoes, thinly sliced
12 oz of fresh mince
4 oz of onion
8 oz of canned tomatoes
2 oz of butter
Parsley
Salt and pepper

White Sauce:

1 oz of butter
1 oz of flour
½ pint of milk
1 oz of grated cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
Salt and pepper

Method:

Fry the meat, onions and tomatoes in the butter. Cover the base of a greased casserole dish with overlapping potato slices and season. Cover with a large layer of meat mixture.

Repeat until all the ingredients are used, finishing with a large layer of potato. Then, pour the white sauce into the casserole dish. Bake at 375°F/gas mark 5 for approximately 1 hour. To serve, sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Lamb Chop Crunch

Ingredients:

1 lb of potatoes
¼ pint of stock or water
1 tablespoon of oatmeal
1 medium onion
4 loin chops
A little oil
Salt and pepper

Method:

Peel and slice the potatoes and chop the onions finely. Sprinkle the onion and seasoning among layers of potato slices. Pour over the stock. Dry the chops in the oatmeal and brown on both sides in hot oil. Remove them from the pan and place on top of the potatoes. Bake at 375°F/gas mark 5 for 1-1½ hours.

Devilled Pork Hotpot

Ingredients:

1 lb of peeled potatoes
4 pork chops
1 large cooking apple, peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
A few drops of tabasco sauce
1 large onion, sliced
½ pint of white wine
1 oz of butter
1 teaspoon of mustard

Method:

Melt the butter in a frying pan and brown the chops on both sides. Cover a greased casserole dish with half the potatoes, sprinkle with lemon juice, and place chops with a layer of apples.

Mix together the Worcestershire sauce, tabasco, white wine and mustard, chutney and seasoning and pour over the chops. Then, cover the dish with the remaining potatoes and onions. Brush with melted butter. Cover and cook at 375°F/gas mark 5 for approximately 1½ hours. The lid can be removed after 1 hour to allow the potatoes to brown.

Baked Gammon Potatoes

Ingredients:

8-12oz of gammon (or bacon), cooked and diced
6 large potatoes
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons of French mustard
3 oz of butter
Cream/top off milk
Cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper
1 egg

Method:

Scrub the potatoes, dry them and prick the skins in several places. Rub a little butter into the skins. Place on a baking sheet and cook until soft in the oven at 425F/gas mark 7. Fry the onions in a little butter until cooked, add the gammon and stir well together. Slice the potatoes in half and scoop out the centres into a bowl. Mash with remaining butter and add the mustard, seasoning, and gammon and onion mixture. Mix in a little cream. Add the egg and beat in well while the mixture is still hot. Pile the filling into the potato jackets and sprinkle with grated cheese. Reheat in hot oven at 425°F/gas mark 7 for 10 minutes.

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BRENDA’S WILDLIFE CORNER

Dragonfly

The dragonfly is an interesting air-born insect which lives mainly in tropical areas of the world; although, some species exist in more temperate climates. In fact, there are at least 3,000 species found everywhere except Antarctica. Interestingly, a dragonfly exists as a nymph for up to 5 years, depending on the species, but only lasts for a matter of days once it has emerged as an adult.

There are three distinct segments to an adult dragonfly: the head, the thorax and the abdomen. The head is large and has a short antenna and is dominated by two compound eyes. These, provide the insect with excellent eyesight. The thorax has two pairs of wings and three pairs of legs which are rarely used for walking but for catching prey, climbing plants and perching. The females have broader and shorter wings. The abdomen is long and thin and composed of ten segments each with a different role. For example, sperm is produced in the 9th segment of an adult, male dragonfly.

The reproductive cycle of a dragonfly includes indirect insemination, delayed fertilization and sperm competition. It essential that a male dragonfly has his own territory to attract a female, otherwise mating will not occur. After mating, the female then lays a clutch of around 1,500 eggs in plants or near water. The eggs take a week to hatch into aquatic nymphs, or naiads, and the majority of their life is spent beneath the water’s surface. The coloration of a nymph is understandably dull to provide camouflage, whilst adult dragonflies possess striking iridescent or metallic colouring. When a dragonfly emerges from its nymph exoskeleton, it pumps out its body with air and puts haemolymph into its wings.

A dragonfly is a predatory insect in both its aquatic nymphal and adult stages with nymphs feasting on freshwater invertebrates, tadpoles and small fish; adults feast on small midges, butterflies, moths, damselflies and even smaller dragonflies. An adult dragonfly manages to catch these insects in the air because of their great vision and outstanding coordination. They catch up to 95% of prey they pursue. Of course, the adult dragonfly has its own predators including birds like the American kestrel, night hawks and swifts, whereas nymphs are often eaten by herons, ducks, newts, frogs, fish and water spiders.

Like many of things in nature, the existence of some dragonflies is threatened by man through the destruction of the rainforest, draining of low-lying land and the damning of rivers for hydroelectric schemes. We must work hard to conserve these wonderful insects before we are just left bearing artefacts with their image.

* Ref. Wikipedia

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ALBUM REVIEW – LANGUAGE BARRIER BY CATLEA

Written by Graham Townsend

As a result of seeing Catlea (pronounced cat-lear) supporting Betty Boo at a recent gig, I decided to download her new album because I had been very impressed with what I had seen and heard from her on the aforementioned occasion.

To give a little bit of background on Catlea, they are based in London, but come from incinnati, Ohio and have been around since 2019 when they released their first single.

I would normally prefer to buy a physical CD album however, at this stage there has been no official CD release leaving me with the only option of downloading what is actually their first album.

I can’t remember the last time I bought an album based on such minimal listening to the featured tracks; I have to say though that I feel very much as though I made the correct decision as I have already fallen in love with at least three of the songs on there.

My immediate favourite song is called “Lying”. The other two songs, my enjoyment of which being elevated to a similar to level since initially hearing them, are “Why Them?” and “Selfish”. I should also mention “Like Me” which was the first song from the album to be released as a single. “Lying” has since followed in its footsteps.

So, why do I like the tracks I have mentioned so far? Probably because they are up-tempo pop/indie songs with a hint of EDM about them. Most of the album is actually up-tempo but there are some slower numbers, which I will come to in a moment.

Other tracks that have grown on me include “Crumbling” and the lovely “Dime” (Pronounced dee-may) which is sung partly in English and partly in Spanish; this seems quite appropriate as some of her music has been recorded in Madrid. “Dime” is a nice song to listen to in a quieter moment, perhaps.

Are there any weaker tracks on the album? I wouldn’t say there are any that I would call poor. The title track is interesting in that it is a blend of samples from some of the other songs on the album, but it is still passable.

I think you can see how the artist views this album, as the opening track is called “Welcome to the Show”. I estimate this must partly be a way of trying to impose upon fans that this is not just a load of songs that have been thrown together. This may also be a way of conveying that the songs on the album can be seamlessly reproduced as part of their live performances.

Overall, this is a fabulous debut album. I hope there will be more to come in the future, and I would give it a rating of four out of five stars.

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THE WRONG ADDRESS

Written by S. Bee

“So, Mr Frazer, just to confirm the appointment to view the property at number 31 Meadow Lane tomorrow at two o’clock,” Gina stated to her potential new client over the phone.

“See you there,” Mr Frazer said.

“Bye for now!” Gina ended the call, then she glanced at the clock. It was noon, and the small team at the estate agency were starting to unpack their lunch boxes.

Everyone ate at their desks, but Gina liked a bit of fresh air.

She turned to her colleague Ben. “I’ll be going out for lunch.”

“That’s fine, but before you go, have you entered the appointment you’ve just arranged in the digital diary?”

She gulped. No, she hadn’t. Being a rusty returner, Gina was grateful for his support, especially with their battle-axe line manager, Elaine, keeping a close eye on proceedings from her office at the back. She was still logged in on the computer. Gina found the diary, put ‘Mr Frazer,’ and added the time, date and address. Then she grabbed her jacket and headed out. As Gina tucked into her sandwich in the park, she reflected on the past. Originally, she’d been a homemaker and had taken on the childcare while her hubby brought home the bacon. However, with both children at the comprehensive, and her parents keeping an eye on the kids after school, Gina had decided to re-enter the workplace.

Gina fretted. It was two o’clock the next day, and she was here at 31 Meadow Lane, but where on earth was Mr Frazer? Despite its charming name, the property was a rundown terrace located near an industrial estate. When she unlocked the door, Gina shuddered at the cloying smell of damp. The peeling wallpaper and bare floorboards will also make this a hard sell, she mused. This “low demand” property had probably been on their books for ages. It was what Ben would call a “doer-upper”.

Gina rang Mr Frazer’s mobile, but it went to voicemail. She left a cheery, polite message and waited twenty minutes. When he didn’t call back or arrive, she tramped back to the estate agents. Ben was there on his own. Staff were all out on views.

“How did it go?” Ben asked. He was busy typing up the details of new properties. Elaine had left a big stack for her to type on her desk, too.

“He didn’t turn up,” she answered.

Ben sympathised. “No shows are a pain.”

“Yep.” No shows meant no sales and no commission too, she thought glumly.

“I’ve called the client and left a message. Where’s Elaine?”

“Out on a late lunch with her husband,” he replied.

“At least the atmosphere’s lighter when she’s not around,” she said.

Ben grinned. “Hey, seeing as it’s quiet, we could put the radio on. Find a golden oldies station and have a sing along.”

She nodded. “Let’s make a coffee. We could raid the biscuit tin too!”

He smiled. “Sounds good.”

On Monday morning at 9 am, Gina was summoned to Elaine’s office. She quaked. What had she done wrong?

“Take a seat please Gina.” Gina followed Elaine’s instruction.

“I believe you made an appointment to meet Mr Frazer last Friday?” she began.

“Yes. He didn’t turn up. I rang him, but it went voice mail. I left a message.”

“He was waiting at 31 Meadow Park for you,” Elaine went on.

Gina instantly launched into defence mode. “I was there, honestly!”

Elaine rubbed her forehead. “No, you weren’t, Gina. You must have gone to 31 Meadow Lane. There’s quite a big difference between these properties. 31 Meadow Lane is two-up, two-down terrace. 31 Meadow Park is a luxury five-bedroomed, detached house complete with its own cinema, gym, indoor swimming pool and jacuzzi.”

Gina felt sick and cold. Then, she rallied.

“Why didn’t Mr Frazer ring me back?” she cried.

“Alexander Frazer is an extremely important businessman. He hasn’t time to waste on careless, lazy people who can’t be bothered to check the details,” Elaine snapped.

Gina’s mind flew back to the phone call last Thursday lunchtime. She felt terrible. She’d been utterly stupid and, to make matters worse, had lost the estate agency a lot of money plus her commission.

“I’m so sorry!” she wailed.

Elaine sighed. “I’ve apologised to him myself but, unfortunately, he’s decided to take his business elsewhere. By the way, have you typed those property details up yet?”

Gina hung her head. “No.”

“I suggest you get on with it then.”

Blinking back tears, Gina returned to her workstation. The staff were pretending to be busy; she knew they’d probably been gossiping about her. Ben looked concerned; thankfully, he didn’t pry.

At home time, Gina offered to lock up and set the alarm. She wanted to prove she could be trusted with this task. When everyone had gone, Gina sat at her desk, brooding. Then, she saw Ben outside.

“I hoped there’d be someone still here. I forgot my mobile!” he gasped.

“I’m just mulling things over. Am I really suited to this job, Ben?” she asked.

He scooped up his mobile and took a seat. “Of course you are!”

“I made a bad mistake. People are talking about me and -”

“I admit, we did talk about you when you were in the office with Elaine, but in a sympathetic, supportive way. We’ve all experienced the problems of working in an estate agency.”

She nodded. Gina realised that dashing off to the park at lunchtimes had hardly given the impression of a strong team player. I could have offered to buy everyone a cake from the bakers, she thought.

“Look, everyone here has made mistakes. Including me.”

She looked up. “Really?”

“Yes. A client claimed that I’d lied to him. I’d told him the property had central heating when it hadn’t. I’d simply got my houses mixed up. The client complained about me, but Elaine smoothed it over. She’s not as bad as you think. Come on, let’s set the alarm and get going.”

The next morning, Gina was in good spirits at work, yet her heart lurched again when Elaine called out.

“Could I have a word please, Gina?”

Elaine looked on edge. Her mouth ran dry as Gina took a seat in her office.

“Look, I owe you an apology,” Elaine began. “I’ve just found out from Mr Frazer that it was him who went to the wrong address, not you. Apparently, he was interested in renovating the terrace as a Buy to Let.”

Relief flooded. Gina knew all along that she’d gone to the right address! “I see.”

“Mr Frazer’s affluent, but I shouldn’t have made assumptions about the kind of property he’d want.” Elaine’s tone was graceful and apologetic.

Gina struggled to find a suitable response but finally managed. “No, I guess not.”

“I’m sorry I blamed you for the mishap, Gina. I can see that you’ve done an excellent job of typing those details up.”

Gina smiled. “Thanks.”

“It’s my birthday soon, and I’ve decided to reward everyone for their hard work. I’m going to book a meal for the team. Fancy it?”

Gina grinned. “Count me in!”

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ANOTHER FUN QUIZ FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH

Questions:

(1) Who invented the trampoline?

(2) What is the French word for safety belt?

(3) How old was Liberace when he died?

(4) Who played Ted Bovis in the hit series Hi-De-HI?

(5) What are the capitals of the Channel Islands?

(6) What is nectar?

(7) What is the currency of Palestine?

(8) What is the German word for aeroplane?

(9) What was the Beatles’ last studio album called?

(10) What is twenty to eleven on the 24-hour clock?

(11) How old is President Trump?

(12) When was the first McDonald’s restaurant opened in the UK?

(13) Who introduce potatoes to the UK?

(14) Who was the last man to walk on the moon?

(15) Who was Debbie Reynolds’ daughter?

(16) What year did musician Frank Zappa die?

(17) Who first consumed coffee as a drink?

(18) Who won the 2024-2025 Europa League?

(19) Who won the 2025 Grand National?

(20) Who played Annie Walker in Coronation Street?

Answers:

(1) George Nissen (2) Ceinture de Securite (3) 67 (4) Paul Shane (5) Saint Helier: Jersey, St Peter Port: Guernsey, St Anne: Alderney (6) A sweet, sugary liquid produced by plants, typically in flowers, to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies (7) Israeli shekels, US dollars, Jordanian dinars (8) Flugzeug (9) Let It Be (10) 22:40 (11) 79 (12) 1974 (13) Botanist Sir Thomas Harriot (14) Eugene Cernan (15) Carrie Fisher (16) 1993 (17) Thought to be a goat herder called Kaldi in the ninth century (18) Tottenham Hotspur (19) Nick Rockett (20) Doris Speed

Editor’s Final Word: Thank you so much for taking the time and trouble to look at this e-magazine. I hope you got something out of the experience and feel inspired to get involved with this project. Best wishes, Dean, Brenda, Graham, Willow and Hari.