I SEE

I had some frustrating news a couple of weeks ago. Following a very minor stroke in early summer my sight no longer fulfils the standards deemed necessary by the DVLA for driving, and who can argue with measures that safeguard road safety however inconvenient they may prove to be?

Unsatisfactory or not, I was quite able to see something that a fit and healthy driver obviously couldn’t.

While walking along Sand Street towards Stone Bridge, just past the pedestrian island in the middle of the road opposite Frank Bridges Close I noticed that the traffic going into town was slowing almost to a standstill.

The reason was that some bright spark (polite term for “idiot”) had parked his or her BMW Mini almost opposite the end of the island so every vehicle was having to crawl past using as much care as they could muster.

It makes you wonder if a bloke who can’t see well enough to drive can see a great big island in the road and a legal driver can’t if a few more eye tests should be carried out!

Most people just drive slowly past and carried, muttering on their way.

One driver who definitely didn’t suffer in silence was our favourite footballing roofer who made his views clear to me while I stood near the kerb shaking my head. Meanwhile thank goodness for the bus pass!

WELCOME

Jake the spaniel thinks that with only four weeks to go until the big day the commercial trimmings of Christmas are just about acceptable now. He also thinks that the community trimmings of Christma are more than welcome now, too.

Consequently he’s happy to see the lights strewn along the main street, bringing a bit of cheer to what could otherwise be a bit drab. Not now though! Yet again Chippenham Park has come up trumps, as it has for so many years, and has once again donated a tree to their neighbours here in Soham. Jake is always grateful for Chippenham’s generosity as what dog doesn’t like to see a tree?

CREEPY

I am currently reading and thoroughly enjoying “Go Set a Watchman,” Harper Lee’s companion volume to “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Both books were written in the 1950s although “Watchman” was only published this year which makes one passage quite remarkable.

Who do you think that Miss Lee could be describing here, even though he probably wasn’t even born when she wrote it? “He was a short, square-built, cotton-headed individual with the face of an angel and the cunning of a stoat.” To me it describes one of our current national politicians to a tee!

THOUGHT THROUGH

This year’s hanging basket display on the main street through town has been excellent, brightening up an otherwise none-too-colourful area. Now we hear that ECDC will not be helping out with the cost any more. You would think that they should be able to afford it with the money they have saved on street cleaning!

We now have brand new footpaths on Brook Dam Lane complete with black posts. When they finished that job the gang moved on to Brook Street and began on the footpaths there.

Now Brook Street shouldn’t complain that it is being ignored because just after one stretch of path was surfaced and before anyone had a chance to walk over it another gang came along and dug three big holes in the brand new tarmac.

And we can’t afford a hanging basket!

PASS

Two or three years ago some of the American businesses trading in this country imported something that they use at home to try to stimulate even more spending in the run up to Christmas.

It is known as “Black Friday” and involves a bit of extra discount for one day only.

This year’s “Black Friday” is tomorrow (27th) but don’t look for too many extra bargains from Soham’s American visitor; Asda have announced that they will not be participating this year having been instrumental in importing it in the first place.

BARGAINS GALORE

Whatever colour your Friday turns out to be tomorrow we can guarantee an enjoyable experience without breaking the bank at the Tourism and Heritage organisation’s Winter Fayre in and around the church from 6 to 8.30. It is a chance to enjoy some stalls and exhibits while meeting up again with some old friends and to make some new ones. A firework opening is promised.