I think I may have evidence that there are parallel worlds out there which, through some flaw, touch upon each other from time to time. Listen to these eerie stories:

1

You may have noticed that on St George's Day for the last few years there has been a Mummers Play - the Pace Egging Play. It is my lot to organise the rehearsals for this. Apparently I agreed to do this one night a couple of years ago. Now I don't remember agreeing to that at all but (and here is the weird bit) all of the others, Bill, Nick, Dave, Shirley, Ron etc remember quite distinctly that I did agree and would be prepared to swear to that on oath. I am sure they have no idea that this is clear evidence of their foray into a parallel world. The organisation involves a lot of telephone calls, leaving of messages, follow up calls, reorganising dates, coping with failure to show up and generally a lot of pressure. I am sure they would not want to dump all these responsibilities on to me. How can I explain the truth to them?

2

Apparently last year, fairly late one evening in the Kings Arms, when I was explaining the meaning of life to anyone who would listen - and pretty coherently if I say so myself - it is alleged that I challenged Dave Denford to a drinking match. Now I do not remember doing any such thing - indeed Dave knows perfectly well that I could drink him under the table and that I wouldn't wish to embarrass him. And yet Jeremy has publicly and positively asserted that he was there when I issued the challenge and even set a date for the match! Obviously a parallel world! Dave, no doubt to save face, made out that he was pretty keen on the idea too but in order to spare his blushes I felt it right not to turn up on the day. In fact I haven't been to the Kings Arms since.

But still, it makes you think doesn't it?

 

April 2005

Twenty-three events are noted in The Beacon diary for April. How many did I go to? Three. Does that mean I do not pull my weight in the village? Probably!

9 April 2005 . A trip to Honiton.

There is one project that I have been keen to get going for several years - I had a stab at it about 4 years ago but it came to nothing.

I wanted to get a cider press into the village. It has struck me for some time that every year a huge number of apples go to waste. People can only eat so many and then find it impossible to give them away. What we needed was a village press. In October we could invite everyone in the parish to bring their apples along and help press them into juice for immediate consumption and cider for later in the year.

Well, now we have it, thanks to Giles who found the press in Honiton and Dave and Paul who trundled over to get it and who will, I hope, put I back together again before we actually have to use it.

I do have a slight concern at the back of my mind. Year 1 pressing will be fine. In year 2 pressing, there will be the previous year's brew to dispose of.

Food for thought (as it were) I think.

The South Tawton Parish AGM Monday 18 April 2005

The view tends to be that if no one comes then they are probably fairly happy with what we are (or are not) doing. I had hoped more people would come because we were showing a 15 minute video (produced by Pete) of the Parish Day held in June last year. In the end 4 people (other than councillors) turned up: one my wife; Tony who was giving a governor's report anyway; and a couple from South Tawton . I suppose the film was not advertised widely!

I find it hard to imagine a world in which Bill will not be chairman of the Parish Council. Is it 33 years? I am sorry that there were not more people to hear what he had to say about his tenure in office at the meeting. In my experience he always had the well-being of the community first in his heart when making decisions. As Bill might say, you might or not agree with him, but you cannot doubt his good faith.

I am quite keen to promote the idea that we have a Trafalgar Day party in the Parish. 1805 - 2005. Just a tiny problem is that our connection to the sea is a bit tenuous on the northern edge of Dartmoor . Could it be that a beacon was lit in 1805 on Cosdon? Did Nelson's body rest here? Or did he ever pass through?

There is a point to Parish Parties. It reminds people that this is our parish and that we owe duties to our neighbours. We make the parish what it is. If it is an open and friendly place then that says something. If it isn't, then that says even more.

Here's to a quiet May