SEPTEMBER 2012

Hello everyone, Jimmy suggested I sent my piece from France, starting off "as I recline in a hammock, under the dappled sunlight with a glass of wine to hand.......", which I hope will be the case in about 10 days time, but I am not there yet and when I get to Condom-------(Yes that is correct, look on a map or Google it and you will find the place south of Bordeaux not so far from the Pyrenees) I intend to be so relaxed I will not be thinking about The Crier concentrating fully on nothing.

What an extraordinary summer we are having, grass and weeds growing furiously, other plants, flowers and vegetables having problems, certainly testing the skills of all our gardeners

A Fortnight Later.

I have mentioned before that I very rarely write my article at one sitting so here I am now, sitting under a clear blue sky, temperature around 30 degrees.......just as Jimmy suggested, but not in a hammock as it is very difficult to write in a hammock.....but all the rest applies! The scene is quite bucolic, vineyards straight ahead, fields of sunflowers to the side and behind and over the hedge about 30 Blonde Aquitane cows contentedly grazing . I hope I have given you the picture and that you are not too envious!

Of course by the time you read this my stay in France will just be a memory joining all our other memories of this particular summer and I am hoping we may have some stories and reports of the various events enjoyed by both the village and individuals .

Many of us could only take part in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations through TV but it was all quite spectacular, colourful and a very happy event. Such an occasion many of us are unlikely to witness again. Some of you possibly saw the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh when they visited Perth.

It was good to see Perth Road, Back Dykes and Newburgh Road lined with young and old to cheer the Olympic Flame on its journey on Tuesday 12th June . I guess we were all relieved and thankful that the sun shone that day. Many photographs were taken and I hope that copies have been sent to the Crier for publication. Again this was a once in a lifetime event and I just wonder if the 7 of us here are going to be the only people in the world not to see this spectacular show as there is no TV!!

I was delighted and honoured to be invited to open the Williamson Hall Fete. Again luck was on our side and after a damp start to the day the sun came out, rain stayed away and a great family day was enjoyed once again in Abernethy

Unfortunately, due to the weather the Walking Treasure Hunt and BBQ at the Museum had to be cancelled but hopefully the Treasure Hunt will take place on 12th August along with the Guided Walk and Strawberry Tea. Fingers crossed it will be "The Glorious Twelfth".

There should be a report on the meeting held by the Tay Landscape Partnership project. Personally I found this meeting very interesting and look forward to keeping up to date with the progress.

I hope many of our younger readers have taken part in the Young Journalist Competition. It was good to see we had more contributions in the junior section of the last issue. We are always delighted to hear from anyone.

On this note I draw to a close. It is too hot to think any more. (I am still in France)

Au revoir from your Foreign Correspondent

Hilda Clow

EDITOR’S VIEW

A good few years ago the gates of the Kirk yard were being locked in the evenings to try to stop the kids using the grave yard as an adventure playground. Grave stones were being damaged and a worn path was forming between the main gate and the Cree’s Inn gate.

It’s happening again, but so far the stones are untouched, but that path is appearing between the two gates.

There are 1064 lairs in the grave yard, so no matter where you walk you are walking over someone.

I believe parents and children are using this route to School in the morning, not much of an example being given by the parents, respect for the dead and all that. If the kids see the adults doing it they will assume it as being acceptable and it might start being used as that adventure playground again.

There is a whole lot of Abernethy history in that yard, it shouldn’t be closed up, it should be open for all to use legitimately.

Come on parents show a bit of guidance and respect.

There are a few people in the village that go the extra mile when it comes to doing their bit, one of those is George Brown, Hatton Road. That area of grass at the end of Manse Road/Hatton road should be maintained by our local Council but it is cut by George. Many thanks George for keeping this area of Abernethy very tidy.

Happy Autumn

The Ed