The latest news from our girl about town
Angel was merrily driving to Whaplode the other day when a vehicle in front of her tipped the interactive speed sign into displaying 31mph inside the 30mph limit. It wasn’t a Ferrari ... it was a tractor. Perhaps they don’t hold us up quite as much as we think.
* Watching the news in recent weeks, with widespread flooding devastating thousands of people’s lives, Angel is glad to be living in what has to be the safest area of the country in terms of risk of flooding because our dykes, channels and rivers are so closely controlled.
* Angel spotted barriers in the River Welland last week: this week it was shopping trolleys. Why would anyone do that?
* Angel is happy to note that a lonely Muscovy duck that has been sitting on a rock near High Bridge for weeks has suddenly found a mate. Let’s hope ducklings will follow...
* Angel witnessed one of those moments that restores your faith in humanity just before the start of the weekend.
As she was accompanying a Guardian reporter to work, an elderly man emerged from his house and had the common courtesy to say good morning.
More importantly, the reporter concerned wasn’t so deep in concentration about what awaited them at the office that they couldn’t say “good morning” back.
Just seconds later, as the reporter walked round the corner of the road they live on, the elderly man pulled up in his car and offered the reporter a lift to work. It’s safe to say that there was no discernible danger in a middle-aged reporter accepting a ride from an elderly Yorkshireman.
So it proved when after being dropped off outside a well-known Spalding foodstore, the reporter and driver exchanged pleasantires before going their separate ways. Such moments remind Angel of the timeless saying “Happy are the kind in heart.”
* Angel always chuckles in Spring to see postmen wearing shorts when most of us are still out in our winter woollies. It’s become a bit of a competition to be first to spot a postman with his legs out. So she was surprised to see someone in Spalding in his summer whites on a particularly cold Tuesday night. No prizes for postmen spotters this year!
* Angel has been enjoying the crime thriller Long Way Home by Eva Dolan, which is set in Peterborough and Spalding.
Although Angel accepts a book about murders isn’t going to be a bundle of laughs, she does take exception to the main characters in the book not having supper in Spalding “because there’s nowhere nice to eat”.
One thing the town has got going for it is a wonderful and diverse selection of eateries – many of them patronised by Angel herself!