Farewell to 2001 and 'Good riddance' many will say. We could do with a lot less war and pestilence in 2002. But then, I suspect, that's the most common New Year wish every December 31st.
The pestilence certainly knocked us about a bit. We lost a few bookings through it but compared with most businesses based in the countryside we got off lightly. We were going to follow up our trip down the River Stour with 'Along the River Frome' and did, indeed, manage to do a little filming but the jolly old foot and mouth soon put paid to any more. This, therefore, will be a spare-time activity for 2002. The film will be in two parts again. The first from the source at Evershot down to, and including Dorchester and the second from there to the sea in Poole Harbour. Oh Dear! More picnics in the sunshine in the Dorset countryside. It's a hard life!
I must say it's a delight to be able to get back on the footpaths and bridle ways again. The weather over the holiday period was mostly cold and dry, just right for walking and cycling and keeping the Christmas waistline expansion to a minimum. Dorset County Council says there are 3000 miles of marked footpaths and bridle ways in Dorset. We still have one or two miles to cover yet but we are working on it. You do know, of course, that the whole of the Dorset coastline has now been made a World Heritage Sight. That puts in on a par with The Grand Canyon etc.!!!!!
Special Offer Tapes
Most people these days have CD players but some still like tapes, especially to play in their cars and we have a special offer for you. Grasmere Music have not produced our new recording 'Rolling Home To England' on tape and will not be making any more. They still have in stock though some 'Wild Mountain Thyme', 'Folk Music of England' and Singalong Party and have offered them to us at a discount. We have a good supply of our own tapes, 'Dorset My Dorset', 'In Praise of Dorset', 'Musical Allsorts', 'Folk 'N Brass', 'Looking for the Sunshine' and Bonny's solo album 'A Load of Old Bales'. Prices from now on will be £6 each including post and packing or 4 for £20 including post and packing.
More Progress
Before so very long, I suppose, it will be out with videos and in with DVDs. A chap in California, who distributes some of our CDs in The States, told me the other day that there are more DVD players in America now than computers although I find that hard to believe. However, there is definitely a trend towards them and there is no question that you get better quality from the finished product because you do not lose any definition during the manufacturing process. What the camera sees is what you get. You can also get much more information on a DVD. More out takes, interviews with the stars (in the case of films), etc. etc. You could get both 'Stour' videos on one disc plus me falling in the river or being chased by a herd of cows and all that sort of nonsense. But you don't want all that? Do you?
Old Recordings on LP
My wheeling and dealing in old Yetties LPs has taken off but demand far outstrips supply so if you have any you don't want or cannot play and would like them to go a worthy cause please bring them along to a concert or pass them on to me somehow. I sell them for £5 each in aid of Halsway Manor Folk Centre. It's a wonderful house, as anyone who has been to our weekends there will tell you, and it does need a lot of refurbishment starting with the roof and working down. Every £5 is useful. All I have in stock at the moment are 5 Yetties of Yetminster, 3 Our Friends, 1 Keep A Runnin and 1 All At Sea. This, however, changes rapidly. Best give me ring [contact details removed] if you are interested. You can also get me on the Yetties e mail address. I've still not got in the habit of looking at it every day but I'm getting there.
The Queens Jubilee Celebrations
We have decided to run a Ceilidh in Sherborne at The Digby Hall to mark this event on Saturday 1st of June. Tickets will be £7 each and will be available from the usual sources The Sweeterie, Middle Street, Yeovil; The Abbey Pharmacie, Cheap Street, Sherborne and from our PO Box. You can also [contact details removed] These will be on sale from about the 1st of April.
Yetminster Fair
This wonderful day out is on Saturday, July 6th. If you want information, camping, tickets for the concert etc. please get in touch with Mike Foster, [contact details removed] (evenings & weekends).
Northampton Christmas Singalong
Sorry we didn't make it in 2001 after a run of about 27 years but hopefully we will crop up in your area at some time or other. Thanks to those who wrote to the press protesting about the lack of a Yetties appearance, you certainly stirred up a bit of a hornet's nest. Various newspaper clippings came our way from different sources and it's good to see that the papers are doing their bit for social services by employing out of work novelists.
Bonny