Archive Article: 2000/08/18
WE ARE recoiling from yet another barn fire almost five years to the day after the time we lost all our hay.
To have a bad fire is really bad luck. To have a second looks careless. But well-stacked hay made in good conditions, stored in an open barn where the electricity has been cut off since the storm in December, on a farm where no-one smokes, a long way from a public road, with only private access, catching light on a Saturday afternoon – what can you call that?
The only cause we can think of is a spark flying off one of the tractors which are all parked near or in the building.
Whatever the cause, we are left with a barn storm damaged at one end (due to be fixed in September) and one-third burnt down the other – so this winter will not be easy.
And the plans we had just had drawn up to have the barn modernised and brought up to standard are definitely back to the drawing board now.
After nearly cancelling our planned weeks holiday back to Cheshire, we decided that nothing would be achieved here by staying. Anyway, morale wise it did us good to get away.
Now were home, the debris is still smouldering but life goes on.
Friends are here – as usual they have brought lots of goodies: Chinese sauces, baked beans, pickle, tea, and salad cream. I love salad cream – they know this and thought of me when they heard in the news that a certain brand was going to stop production. My friend Lyn went out and bought me a squeezy bottle of salad cream to post over (while it was still available). She wrapped it in a jiffy bag and gave it to her husband Rog to post.
At the post office, the lady behind the desk took the packet and said: "Mmm, this is heavy, whats in it?"
"Salad cream," said an unsuspecting Rog. "For our friends in France."
"Salad cream?" she said. "Cant they get mayonnaise out there?"
"Yes," said a slightly indignant Rog. "But they like salad cream – is that a problem?"
"It might be," said the lady. "Ill have to get my list."
And with that she went off to get her list of what can and cant be sent abroad. After perusing it carefully she told him, "No, that seems to be OK."
"So what cant I send?" said Rog, out of interest.
"Well, for instance, did you know you cant send felt hats to Ireland and you cant send jumping beans to India?"
Now wouldnt that list make interesting reading? I think someone should publish it.
So here we are, in marginally good weather – at least it isnt raining – sipping cider in the garden. I have salad cream to go on my lettuce and soon Ill be cooking tea, but theres one thing for sure – we wont be having a barbecue!
Youve got to smile…
But a serious barn fire has disrupted life at Vimer.