Welcome to our village

It's like this - you arrive in rural Northumberland to start a year's contract working at the local hotel; you walk through the village in the morning to acquire your bearings; you buy a few things in the village shop and the locals seem quite friendly. THEN, one of them insists on taking offers to take your photograph...... Is this a local custom you wonder?!

I had just popped to the shop for a few sausages. (We are partial to the pork and leek variety made by the local butcher.) I just happened to have my camera with me - as every good blipper does. The photo is taken outside the shop door with the welcoming Union Jacks in the background.

I hope that F enjoys life in our village. Most of the regular activities are on holiday for the summer, but there will be badminton and table tennis in the village hall again from September. He also walks, so I'll be letting him know about the Haltwhistle Walking Festival too. He'll probably have to work long hours. He is a graduate but could find no work in Spain.

Did I mention that we unveiled the 22nd Haltwhistle Walking Festival programme this morning? So far the site seems relatively glitch free (thanks to my small band of testers who spotted the odd problem). I think I should just mention that you go to Haltwhistle Walking Festival.

We are off to 2 more concerts in Corbridge tonight - lucky people.