Community Spirit

As I had to be at the new house early to accept a delivery of coal, I had to be up at four in the morning, as the only way to get there from nine in the morning, was to catch the first transport from my village at quarter past five. It is actually ironic as the hamlet that I am moving to is in fact less than twenty miles away by the most direct route, but there is no direct public transport. Therefore, I had four buses to catch.

I was in fact really lucky as I was able arrive with plenty of time to spare with each connection and I made it to the house well ahead of the delivery. In fact I had to wait for a while until the delivery arrived. I had brought a camping stove and other items so I could at least make a cup of tea. Also having taken a can of soup too, I was able to stay refreshed.

On the two previous visits, it has been overcast and raining, but today for the morning at least it was bright with a good sustained period of sunshine. This meant that when I had to walk into the main village or small town where the shops and facilities are, I got to appreciate the landscape and view.

It occurred to me while travelling down on the buses this morning that had the place I been moving to been as popular as the North Yorkshire Moors or the Lake District it would better accessible and I would not have been able to afford to live here either.

Had I not had other things to bring and I not been feeling in such a “I really wanted to stay in bed” frame of mind this morning, I would have remembered to bring the camera. Well it will give me something to do when I do move.

As the property I am moving to has a prepayment meter fitted, I had to walk into town to get the key charged. In my old place I have a credit meter and pay by direct debit. When I asked about getting this changed in the new place, I was told it would cost me over fifty pounds to have this done. An extra cost that I can not afford to pay at the moment. Therefore, I will have to pay more for my electricity for now. It is an aspect of the way that the power and utilities companies operate that I find annoying and unfair. As the people who have the least money, the poorest in society have to pay the most for Heating, Lighting and Power. With the current Con Dem (my name for the coalition government), cutting resources for the poor, well I am not happy about such unfairness. However, as this has been a day of good things, I don't want to go there at the moment.

On the day that I had signed the lease, I had visited Tow Law and stopped for a drink and a bite to eat in a café there. It was rather nice that they remembered me when I went in today. I was also able to get the numbers for a couple of folks supplying logs too.

As I was standing at the bus stop waiting to leave my new village, this elderly chap pulls up and asks if I want a lift. As I needed to go further than he was going and I already had my ticket, I did not accept the offer, but it was very heart warming to have received the offer. I get the impression that there is a real community spirit in the village. I just hope that I can offer at least as much as I will receive living there.