….died on Thursday evening. He had been unwell for some months but fought a mammoth battle against cancer.

Norman was a gentle man, who was a great help to me when we were both elected by our fellow Councillors to sit on the Steering Group of the Mansfield Woodhouse & Mansfield North Area Partnership.

He had a strong sense of duty towards his constituents and the wider District of Mansfield. The whole of the district will miss him enormously. He was a past Chairman of MDC and did a great job as Chairman of the Area Assembly.

Rest in Peace, Norman.

………Our ancestors wandered lost in the wilderness for 40 years because even in biblical times, men would not stop to ask for directions. (Elayne Boosler)

If you have lost your sense of direction, why not think about joining the Liberal Democrats. We know where we are going; we have an inbuilt compass that attracts us to righting the wrongs in the world.

Just click on the link to the left of this column , or simply give me a call.

…..can take many forms and make inroads into our privacy. For example, I went into a local supermarket’s pharmacy to make a purchase; this item I requested is not ‘prescription only’ but I was asked what other medications I am taking. I told the young assistant that this product was recommended by my GP and as such I should not be quizzed on my prescribed medication. I could understand if I had been asking for a controlled substance, but all I wanted was an ‘over the counter’ remedy! I told the young woman that my GP is the person in whom I put my trust, so I would take my custom elsewhere. The Pharmacist and his assistant smirked as I left the store.

I then went to my local chemist, requested the item and apart from being asked if I had used it before, she had no problem selling it to me. What is it that makes some shop assistants want to know the details of my health? Is it all about control?

My health is the concern of me and my GP and not for open discussion with a shop assistant. Next time - oh no, there won’t be a next time! They’ve lost my trade to a small local shop.

…is as busy as Heathrow. There are goldfinches, sparrows, collared doves, blackbirds (adults and juveniles) all vying for position on the various trays and seed feeders. It is costing me a small fortune to keep them all fed, but it’s a genuine delight to see them all.

A chaffinch has now joined the fray. The goldfinches have got their ‘pageboy buttons’ and gold trim on their tail feathers, but have not yet matured enough to have their red cheeks. I count myself very lucky to have such a view from my office/kitchen window, but it is quite a distraction!

……..The fact that a nursery has had to close after a female worker was arrested on suspicion of distributing indecent images of children makes a mockery of the Criminal Records Bureau’s checks on those people who have charge of children.

I am presuming that this woman was checked and cleared to work with that most precious of things - our children.

The piece of paper awarded to carers of children  is valued enormously by legitimate people who have a genuine desire to do the best for our vulnerable youngsters. I have a CRB certificate, as have all the members of Peafield Playscheme and I feel honoured to have that paper, which tells parents that I have an unblemished past and am considered a safe person with whom to leave their children.

The arrest of this woman possibly sends out a message that the CRB certificate is worthless, but I hope that she is a one-off and that the rest of us with CRB ‘passes’ will not be tarred with the same brush.

The six o’cclock news has just spoken of her being charged for sexual abuse and child pornography. So sad for the children involved and their parents.

… to all the Mansfield candidates elected to Notts County Council. The Independent Forum received the overall vote in 6 of the 9 Mansfield seats they contested, which is a terrific result for them. In Mansfield North Labour incumbents, Joyce Bosnjak and Parry Tsimbiridis held their seats, going against the general swing to the Independent Forum. In Warsop, John Allin also held the seat for Labour.

The workload will increase for them and I hope that the local council will not suffer as a consequence, but they are all conscientious and committed so I expect that they will juggle their respective roles accordingly.

I am a little concerned that the projects in motion prior to the election will now be side-lined as a result of the change in the ruling party at NCC, but only time will tell. Of course, it would have been far preferable for NCC to be in the control of the Liberal Democrats, but  this was not to be.

….caused an awful lot of controversy when it was felled by a developer allegedly in order to make alterations to the junction of Debdale Lane and Sherwood Rise. 

It is upwards of four years since the magnificent 300 year old tree was ripped from its site; this despite a high-profile campaign by locals and eco-warriors to save it from the chop. I walked with many locals on the protest march in a vain attempt to save the ancient beech, and took food to the Eco-protesters who had made tunnels in the surrounding field and tree houses  accessed by a network of flying fox wires.

Developer Bellway Homes claimed it needed to pull down the tree to improve the road links to its new housing development on the former Sherwood Colliery site — but there has still been no work carried out. To add insult to injury the root of the massive tree is still upturned in the field.

….bring me immeasurable joy, but why, oh why do they, as soon as I clean my windows leave me a ‘deposit’? Is it to alert other birds not to fly into the windows believing it to be an extension to my garden, or is it for the sheer joy? They do because they can? Or just to keep me busy?

It’s a year since my husband, Jim and I were feeding the starling chick that fell through the roof space in our house into the false wall in our in-built closet. I wonder how he is faring and if he is feeding babes of his own - nice to think so. 

…and still charges up and down stairs like a kitten! He is a pure white Tacklebury breed, born with a two inch tail and taller than my dog. He is a brute of an animal, but beautiful, growing grumpier as he gets older and refuses to let me groom him , but while ever he has a good quality of life, a little raggedy fur doesn’t seem to bother him.

He enjoys salmon, (red, not pink under any circumstances!) and fresh cod. I think it’s a testament to a good home that he has survived for so long andg the fact that he has been an indoors cat for some years. He went missing for 3 days and came back as black as night and very afraid. He has not ventured outside since. I don’t know how much longer he will live but he is a joy to have around and tolerates our dog, Jet, but doesn’t call him a friend!

Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday.
The reason? 
Englishmen and women who support our troops used to be called the ’silent majority’.
We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for Country and home in record breaking numbers.
We are not organized, boisterous or over-bearing. We get no liberal media coverage on TV, to reflect our message or our opinions.
Many English people, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of  Britain supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that every Briton who supports our men and women afar will wear something red.
By word of mouth, press, TV — let’s make Great Britain on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football team
If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, co-workers, friends, and family, It will not be long before Britain is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once ’silent’ majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on.
The first thing a soldier says when asked ‘What can we do to make things better for you?’ is…’We need your support and your prayers’…
Let’s get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example; and wear something red every Friday.

We may or may not agree with the deploying of forces to Iraq and Afghanistan, but we all must appreciate the difficulties faced by our boys on a regular basis.

…..optimism burns brightest in the hearts of those who have suffered grievously at the hands of fate

I think this may have something to do with the fact that having reached the bottom of the well of despair and survived all that life can throw at us, we smile more and laugh more at life. We have been to the edge and even looked into the abyss, but our indomitable spirit will not be beaten. I met my future sister-in-law on Sunday and she has suffered greatly at the hands of fate and come through it. She has a terrific sense of humour and humanity, laughing at fate, knowing that things for her are better than they have ever been.   I like and admire her and look forward to more meetings.    I feel A Gloria Gaynor moment coming on……                                 

 On a different tack, I met a survivor of the Holocaust at the Beth Shalom Centre at Laxton and her attitude was pretty much the same - when you can’t get any lower or when you are close to being beaten by life, if you can raise a smile, this may be your saviour.

….is what the sign says on any number of properties on the Peafields Estate; I gave out the door stickers as part of the ‘Safer Neighbourhoods’ initiative.

Even so, this morning there have been knocks at my door, from Jehovah’s Witnesses. All my constituents know that my door is open should they need me, but otherwise I don’t want people trying to sell me Sky or Virgin or have Jehovah’s Witnesses or British Gas trying to convert me.

Maybe I need a bigger sign! Incidentally, that’s not my door pictured above, but I have aspirations!……

….nursing my dog after major surgery. He had a perineal hernia and diverticulum, both life-threatening conditions and our Vet, Ann Killick, advised us that the prognosis wasn’t good.  Jet was referred to Scarsdale Veterinary Hospital at Derby and the surgeon was brilliant. It cost us an arm and a leg, but he’s worth every penny. Now, after 4 weeks he is almost back to his former self, notwithstanding the embarrasment of having a shorn backside!

I still managed to keep on top of complaints and requests for help from constituents, during my time nursing Jet, so I barely felt as though I had a holiday.

…….with the Independent Party, over the 2009-10 budget, as you may have read in the letters page of the Chad newspaper, after my letter praising the work of the finance team and the hard work that was put in to setting this year’s budget. Throughout the process, all elected members were kept informed and the degree of openness and transparency was unlimited.

It must be obvious to even the least agile of minds that when two parties (either individuals or political parties) agree on a matter, this does not infer collusion, but rather a meeting of minds, the result of a liberal application of sound common sense.

…magpies are nesting in my neighbour’s garden, so I am always assured of seeing two magpies together.

I know they are not to everyone’s liking but they appear to me to be our very own parrot species, with their colourful, irridescent plumage and long tails. I am hoping for baby magpies feeding in my garden, but hoping that other birds don’t nest too close to them. Magpies are notorious egg stealers.

Mr and Mrs magpie have been choosing twigs for their nest, rather like a shopper in the market. They hop from branch to branch examining the wares, find a suitable twig which they then remove and carry to the nest. They are a delight to watch.

Guidance by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council suggests putting Bibles on the top shelf to avoid giving offence to followers of Islam.

Has the world gone mad? Are copies of the Koran also on the top shelf? Whatever happened to ‘Live and Let Live?’

Great Britain is essentially and historically a Christian country and to suggest putting The Holy Bible on the top shelf is something that I find exceptionally offensive. Where do I go to complain?

………I have been helping my son, who has severe health problems, move from Derby to Mansfield and it has been a real trial, both physically and emotionally. However, I have still been carrying out my Council duties, attending meetings and helping my constituents with problems.

Now that things are on a more even keel, I shall be back with a vengeance, telling you about what I’ve been up to. No more trips to Derby to help with crises, more just a ride down the road to town.

I am going now to gather all my news and I’ll be back (as someone said!)

……….I have been holding off with an opinion about the thinktank that has advised northerners to move south, because they in their ‘infinite wisdom’ have arrived at the conclusion that there is little or no chance of things getting any better for anyone living north of Watford.

I have taken a few deep breaths and still can’t get beyond the thought that the people who are members of these so-called thinktanks appear to know little about life beyond their own back yards. If they want to get a true grasp of life ‘up north’ they should live the life and walk the walk. There is, apparently, a great negativity about these people, that could be changed by their mixing with the wholesome people of the north. OK, so I am in the Midlands, but am neither so blinkered, nor so inexperienced in life’s hardships as to be unaware of the difficulties  that exist for people in the terraces and back streets. I have lived the life and walked the walk. I have gone from a well to do family, to living in a 1 bedroom flat, to owning a two up, two down semi and I have run the gauntlet of life through good and bad times.

To say that there is no hope is tantamount to throwing in the towel and that is NOT what we British are about. We are a proud race and those up north are perhaps the proudest, even though they may be considered by southerners to be of least importance in the scheme of things.

Success is all  relative; not everything in life hinges upon material success and prosperity. I know full well, from experience, that money helps to grease the wheels of life and to live a life in poverty is not a happy existence. 

However, by this Thinktank publishing such tosh, they are insulting some of the strongest people in this country. To survive whilst sucking on a silver spoon is a simple task; to survive without a spoon at all is a monumental task and those who do so should be admired.

……..as I said, it’s my birthday and two lads have just knocked at my door to ask if I need my car cleaning. Do I? They are still in one piece even though I almost pounced on them with gratitude! When I bought my car, I swore I would clean it every Sunday. You know the saying…the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. 

My car was in need of a good clean, so how fortuitous that these two young lads should turn up, full of enterprise and with bucket and sponges at the ready.

Cory and his mate, James, have done a terrific job and ‘Butch’ looks showroom clean. What a birthday gift, even if I did have to pay them! Well worth it!!!!!!

..getting old is a fascinating thing; the older you get, the older you want to get.

This is oh, so true. Today is my birthday and it says on so many of my cards, ‘ MANY HAPPY RETURNS’. I am hoping for many happy returns; there is still so much for me to do before I shuffle off this mortal coil!  I have a book of things to do before I’m old and boring and I have achieved quite a good number, but I am stuck on the one where I have to teach my grandparents something new ( I lost my last grandparent in ‘85) and the one where I have to learn to play a musical instrument (does a comb and paper count, do you think, or the tambourine?)

The Liberal Democrat Party is very old, having been formed as the Whigs  during the reign of Charles II (1630-1685) and after some changes over the years has evolved, to become the Liberal Democrats.

We see change as a necessity for survival and we are hoping soon to see a change in the Labour Party, from being the party that rules, to the party that sits in opposition and to see the Liberal Democrats change from being a party in opposition to the party that rules!

If you would like to join us and help us become the ‘Party that Rules’ there are many ways to become a member and these are clearly shown around this site, both to the left and right of this column. Hope to hear from you soon.

….Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.

Today, I had a constructive meeting with Kathey Bailey, a personal development trainer, courtesy of MDC, to discuss my Personal Development Plan, designed to empower me in my role as Councillor. I received advice on how to make the most of my strengths and how to lessen my weaknesses. (Modesty forbids me to boast about my lack of weaknesses!! - Could my ‘modesty’ be a weakness?)

It was a chance to take stock and evaluate just how far I have progressed since my election and  an opportunity to plan the harnessing of my abilities to make the most of myself. It was an enjoyable journey of nostalgia through the past 14 months and a look forward to the next 3 years.

…….The darkest places in Hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality during times of moral crisis.

I recently had a  moral crisis, when against my better judgment I ‘went with the flow’, but I have now ’seen the light’ with the help of Dante’s Divina Commedia. In future I shall always go with my conscience.

One of the reasons that I joined the Lib Dems was because I am allowed more opportunity to use my own judgment in decision-making. If you want to make a difference, join the LD Party. Details are left of screen.

……….to be asked to help in presenting the awards at The Greenwood Awards Ceremony to be held at Rufford Abbey on 19th June. This annual ceremony acknowledges the hard work put in, during all weathers, by the Friends of Greenwood Groups.

These groups toil to keep Nottinghamshire’s parks and nature reserves in tip top condition and plant wildflowers, hawthorns and an unending variety of other plants. They also have regular litter picks and endeavour to involve local schools in park life and are always hoping for new recruits.

Nesting boxes, works of art, paths, seating and willow sculptures have all been built by the various groups, without whom a lot of our beautiful open spaces would disappear. I have been fortunate enough to visit a number of the sites and they are all a credit to the dedication of the Friends.

I am glad I only have to present the awards; to decide on the recipients would be a hard task indeed.

……..a heady combination. I have passed the starling chick I have been raising to the owners of the Cedar Bird Rescue Centre at Kirkby-in-Ashfield. I felt a pang of sadness as he left my hands to fly up to the top of the branches in the aviary. Funny how after only 10 days he had found a place in my heart, but I was so happy that he would not have to live his life in a cage.

He was ready for flight; in fact he had his maiden flight, purely by accident, in my bedroom and he was a sight to behold.  Whilst I was feeding him he got out of his cage and flew around the room. It was obvious that my term of care had come to an end and he needed more than I was able to give. He needed to socialise with other birds and have the chance of life in the wild, which was always my hope for him. I was very impressed by the setup at Cedar. Wendy and Phil are committed to releasing birds and I have every confidence that ‘Joey’ will leave the aviary when he is equipped with the social and survival skills he needs.

Cedar Bird Rescue Centre are having an open day on Sunday, 8th June and I shall go back to visit and see how much he has grown. It took a couple of days to adjust to not having to feed him every 45 minutes, but it is good not to have to get up at dawn for the first feed of the day!  

…….currently working in the park, clearing the ‘wetland patch’ ready for planting wildflowers. The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers are worth their weight in gold; they laid the pathway from the rear of Peafield School through to the Whinney Hill Woods, including steps down and up  (or up and down, from the opposite direction!) through the small dip alongside the Flood Dykes fencing.They are a very committed group who give their time and efforts freely and are always pleased to have extra helpers, so why not go and have alook at what they’re doing and maybe give a hand. When I went today they were busy clearing all the existing plants, consisting mainly of nettles and docks!

Unfortunately I couldn’t stay, because I am rearing a starling chick which fell from my loft into the cavity wall in my bedroom.  it was lucky to survive as there were 5 dead birds in there. I have to feed it every 45 minutes at the moment, but thankfully only during daylight hours. It has survived now for 9 days in my care - thank Heavens for the internet; I have been able to garner lots of infromation about rearing and releasing into the wild. That’s the little chap (or chapess) at the head of this post. Wish me luck!

A relatively quiet week so far as meetings are concerned……

Monday, Friends of Peafield Park, mainly discussing plans for Green Flag judging, which is expected to take place in July.

Tuesday, a.m  Activity at Peafield School - helped with a class of 30 children on a nature walk in the park and in Whinney Hill Woods, taking photos of plants and flowers and trees, for the children to produce artwork for the Mansfield in Bloom Painting Competition.

Tuesday, p.m Group meeting at Civic Centre and afterward popped in to see the ladies at Navi Saheli.

Wednesday & Thursday, I spent reading the amendments to the Constitution, which are to be discussed and voted upon at the next meeting of Council.

Friday, I took a day off, but worked at home.

…since the election that brought me to my current position as Councillor for Leeming Ward and the Mansfield portion of the Ashfield & Mansfield Liberal Democrats met to discuss our roles for the coming year. We all chose to remain on our present committees, roughly speaking, with the odd small change to accommodate changes in personal circumstances.

I am still on Planning Committee, Health & Safety Committee and Select Commission 1. I am also taking the role of Leader of our LD group for the next year, so that will be a few more meetings to attend.  I hope to retain my seat on the board of Greenwood Community Forest, when the vote is taken next week. During this past year I have attended working groups and training sessions which in number were far beyond what I expected when I was elected, but the whole experience has so far been one that I feel very fortunate to have had. I look forward to the next 3 years.

We at the Liberal Democrats are always looking for people to join the party and if you feel the need to be a part of local politics and have your voice heard, then look to the left of this column to find out how you can join us.

…neglected and are crying out for some attention, so I must away and give them some of my time, before God makes a special appearance and uses the dust on my shelves to create an even more perfect Adam!

I must say that being a Councillor is so enjoyable and rewarding that dusting has taken a back seat in my life…….but my house is ‘clean enough to be healthy, but dirty enough to be a home’. Whoever coined that phrase has my blessing!

…took place   at the Sodexho Suite last night with the Chairman’s chosen charities benefitting from the generosity of those who attended, which included me and my husband. It was a wonderful evening, the food was well worth the money and the entertainment was provided by The Union Gap, of 60s fame.

I danced the night away and enjoyed it enormously, even without any alcohol intake.   The atmosphere was ‘electric’ and it was fun to get together with some of my fellow councillors at a social event. I am afraid to say that even without alcohol, I found it difficult to keep my feet during the energetic dancing and I went ’base over apex’ (aren’t I polite?) and cracked my head on the edge of the loudspeaker support. I blame the slippery floor …… but I have decided that if I attend future events, I shall have a drink, because then if I fall, I shan’t feel it!!! Putting aside that little mishap, I must say that the whole evening was a very worthwhile occasion and I say’ Well Done, to the Chairman of Mansfield District Council’

I picked up this piece of information and thought it worth sharing with you…

LIB DEMS TABLE 10p RATE AMENDMENT; CLEGG TARGETS LABOUR MPs

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg has today written to Labour MPs urging them not to be bribed by the Government’s ‘last minute smoke and mirror promises’ and instead vote for the Liberal Democrat amendment against the plan to double the 10p rate of tax. The unspecified measures announced yesterday by the Government won’t come into effect until November at the earliest, and will not help all of the millions of people affected by the original change. The Lib Dem amendment comes after Labour MP Frank Field withdrew his. [BBC]

“I strongly hope that, for the benefit of many thousands of your constituents, you will join us in a cross-party effort to defeat this punitive tax change. There has still been no commitment to ensure that all people made worse off by this tax rise will be fully compensated. Regardless of whether the Treasury back-dates any future compensation payment, this will still mean low paid workers will be out of pocket for at least the next seven months. Parliament should send a clear message that we do not believe that the poor should be targeted to pay for tax cuts for the better off.” (Extract from Clegg letter to Labour MPs)

I’ve had! It’s not my usual post, but it may explain why I haven’t been updating. My PC was invaded by a Trojan virus, resulting in a loss of passwords and other vital statistics, so I couldn’t get in to my own site. At last that’s all remedied. I have also been grounded with an almighty head cold (not the head that was almighty, but the cold) and laryngitis, so I couldn’t speak (which pleased some people more than it should have!)

Anyway, I’m back now, so follow me to the next post, as soon as I’ve caught up on my emails and reports.