Housemaids wanted

 

Doris, our faithful old housemaid, has had to be let go, on account of her great age and infirmity. (She could possibly still perform light duties of an upright nature, and we’re happy to provide references for the dear old lady.) There being a distressing shortage of housemaids, your own correspondent has been down on his knees blacking the stove, licking the floor clean, and so on. This has led to a painful condition of one knee, specifically the right one (the wrong one is fine), and the medical people have decided it is something known colloquially as ‘Housemaid’s Knee’. This nomenclature doesn’t seem acceptable in these modern times, but who is your usual correspondent to argue with the representatives of the NHS? However, it does provide a doctor’s note to explain my absence from the latest working party on the Common, so, as so often before, we are grateful for Team Leader Julie’s report of that event.

“We had 14 volunteers working today on what turned out to be quite a pleasant morning - we were actually getting a little warm when the sun emerged.

We were two team leaders down today and had been advised that a few regulars would also be missing. So we set up just two sheets initially…

but we were soon unfolding the other two as more arrived and set to work.

Noel was instructing Andrew on the winch and they made a good team for the session. So thanks go to Andrew for offering to join our winch team …. not an easy job at all. (But what's his singing like? Ed)

It was very boggy approaching the winch site so volunteers stood aghast as a load that they had painstakingly raked onto a sheet was tipped back off again to be spread across the ground near the winch site.

I only wish I had a picture of Margaret and Sheila rolling the tipped reed and grass to help spread it! It was impressive! It did make life much easier for those guiding the sheets though.

We don't often get good footage of what life is like at the winch end of the rope. Here we see the team steering the sheet to one side, and then tipping it out, which is quite a physical task.

The frogs were out in force today - here are two caught on camera - one trying to hide and the other escaping over the boardwalk.

Inevitably, people seemed to be glad when coffee time approached. Margaret was working away when dulcet tones shouted “it is 2 minutes to 11 you know”!!

Here she is still looking astounded!!

We were visited again by John - a very welcome sight - we promised not to load him on a sheet when we restarted after the break!

Everyone has their own technique for getting the cut material onto the sheets, raking it in rolls or pitch forking it on. Here Margaret is being assessed by the undisputed expert.

This picture reminded me of a very similar one we had of John at work many years ago (possibly even before colour photography was a thing) … the techniques remain the same decades on!!

Anyway, however people did it we cleared most of the area….

Just leaving a couple of sheets loaded and ready to be winched in two weeks’ time…

Along with a corner of the area still to be loaded on to sheets…

We will return in two weeks with the ambitious plan to complete this area and to clear the Bradfield Road spur ready for the snowdrops to bloom ….”

Here is Team Leader Margaret’s message of thanks:

It's that time on a Sunday when you receive the heartfelt thank you. Particularly to the thirteen volunteers who turned out this morning. An excellent morning for working. Not too hot or too cold and you all functioned like a well-oiled machine. So good that Noel was able to don his tutor’s mantle and teach Andrew the wonders of the winch. Thankfully after last time’s troubles with the Grillo (NWT took away the broken one and we have another on loan), John and Kevin were able to finish cutting before the end of September. Thank you chaps.  We still have material in the central area to clear in two weeks’ time, when we will also be cutting the Bradfield Road spur ready for the snowdrop display.

Please watch out for a separate email from us regarding the Pit. George has a potential plan, but it will very much rest on how much time any of you will feel able to commit to eradicating the dreaded crassula. So watch this space.

Thank you again and we wish you all a restful afternoon - you have earned it.

Margaret (for the team leaders)