Good morning Mick and all who follow from the glorious Durham. I’ve been up since stupid o’clock to finish emptying out two rooms for the decorator due this morning. I still have a horrendous summer cold, despite testing negative, but it is taking me twice as long to do anything and I’m exhausted afterwards. As soon as the decorator gets here, I plan to make myself scarce. Today is Miners Gala or the big meeting in Durham. In it’s hayday, all the local Collieries would converge with their brass bands to parade their banners through the city streets having them blessed in the cathedral en route. Miners, their wives and families would follow their own banner, often dancing to the band. Banners draped in black, accompanied by a silent band would indicate an accident at the pit with fatalities. It used to be so huge an event that shops would have to board up the windows for fear of the crowds being pushed into them as people stood 10 deep to watch the banners pass by. Nowadays, it’s still a colourful spectacle and whilst some banners are still paraded, a lot of other organizations now take part.
I shall come back and read this read later but hold that gM and MD are coping.