Category: Missed a ThameNews story?

THE FUNERAL of Barbara Gladwin, who worked as a GP in the Thame area for many years, is to be held on Friday, June 9, at St Joseph’s Church.
Barbera died peacefully last Saturday, June 3, at Stoke Mandeville hospital, after a long illness, during which she was looked after by her husband, local poet and phylosopher, Eric Gladwin, and latterly, in a Care Home in Stone.
Barbara was born at Muswell Hill in London in 1918 and met Eric at a dance just after the war in 1945. They recently celebrated their Ruby wedding anniversary and have three sons, one of whom runs ‘Helpful Hirings’ in Towersey, founded by his father.
Eric would like to offer an open invitation to all who knew and loved Barbara to her funeral, which begins at 2pm, and the following interment at St Mary’s church, Thame.

IN the hunt for the NHS misspent millions, the media blames the management or the politicians.Yet, these professional cynics are getting things wrong again in attributing blame.
In fact even their solutions of giving power back to the nurses and doctors would make things worse for the NHS. It is simply ridiculous to suggest that the medical staff have the management skills needed to run an organisation which has an

HAS Spring finally sprung? The jury is still out.
April weather is so unpredictable. I spent last Saturday morning digging my vegetable patch and sowing onion sets in the glorious sunshine and then found myself staring at huge snowflakes the following evening!! Today is decidedly chilly and we still have the risk of frosts. This means we must remain cautious and not rush out and plant tender seedlings.

On a personal note, I am pleased to report my father is making good progress at last. I organised a live in carer for the last two weeks and he is now walking every day and can drive the car for short distances. It has been a hard six weeks, but things are now back to normal and I can concentrate on my work.

SEASONAL TIPS
This is the month to get on top of the weeds. They will be growing at quite a rate particularly if we have had warmth and rain. I can?t emphasise enough the need to mulch. This not only suppresses the weeds but it helps retain moisture in the ground, which is going to become more and more of an issue with the hose pipe ban in place.

For those of you who have evergreen grasses in the garden remove the old leaves by pulling your hands through the plant in a combing motion. This removes the old thatch and gives the plant a new lease of life. Please don?t cut them down. I went to see a client last weekend whose gardener had trimmed them. They now look like little hedgehogs and will never really recover their former glory. Other grasses such as Miscanthus and Molinia?s can be cut down. In contrast to the evergreens the stems will be looking tired and dead and it will be obvious they need cutting back. If you look carefully, you will see the new growth coming through at the bottom of the plant.

Cut back slightly frost tender plants such as lavander, hebe, santolina, rosemary and sage. Make sure you only cut into new growth and not into the old wood. This is also a good time to plant these varieties.
Continue to prune spring-flowering shrubs once the flowers have died down.

When the daffodils have finished flowering take off the heads by nipping them with a finger and thumb. I know it is messy for a few weeks, but please leave the leaves as they are. They do not need tying up or cutting off. The longer they are left the more nutrient will go back into the bulb for better displays next spring.

Plant summer flowering bulbs (see March Newsletter). Grow lilies in pots so they can be moved into the garden to fill any gaps during the coming months.

Sprinkle a general fertiliser, such as ?Growmore? around the base of the shrubs and perennials.

Start cutting the lawn if you haven?t already done so. Keep the cutting height quite high (about 2.5cm) for the first few cuts.

THE VEGETABLE PATCH
Tidy up the greenhouse and wash down with Jeyes fluid. I usually wash all my pots and trays at the same time. Sow tomatoes, aubergines, peppers, chilli and cucumber in the cool greenhouse. I actually started most of my vegetables off on the kitchen window sill and will be transferring them to the greenhouse or the ground later this month. I am being a little cautious as we still have risk of frost so my kitchen will just have to look like a budding nursery for a while longer!

Seed sowing this month can include the following :- cabbages, carrots, cauliflowers, celeriac, kale, leeks, lettuces, mange-tout, parsley, spring onions, parsnips, peas, radishes, spinach and turnips. I also have broccoli and brussels sprouts ready to plant out.

Mulch around raspberries and other fruit bushes and clean up the strawberry patch. If you have a slug problem, use straw to lift the leaves from the ground.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS AND PLACES TO VISIT

15th & 16th April 2006
Natural Driftwood Sculptures
Bournemouth (www.driftwoodsculptures.co.uk
An open weekend offering 25% off

22nd April 2006
Capel Manor College, Middlesex
Workshop: Spring pruning ? flowering shrubs
Tel: 020 8366 4442

3RD May 2006
?Adventurous Terrace Pot Planting?
Waddesdon Manor (www.waddesdon.org.uk)
Slides, demonstrations and discussion with Sue Dickinson, head gardener at Eythrope (just down the road from me)

5th May 2006
?Sculpture and Ornament in the Garden?
English Gardening School (www.englishgardeningschool.co.uk)
Choosing subjects, locating them and connecting them to their surroundings.

11th ? 14th May
Malvern Spring Gardening Show
Tel: 01684 584924 for further information

SPECIAL OFFER

Adirondack Outdoors Garden Chair
(www.adirondack.co.uk)

Offering 25% off for a limited
period (to April 21st)

If anyone is interested, please contact me
and I will place an order. These are
probably THE most comfortable chairs I
have ever sat on ? designed by Native
American Indians.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
The HTA have just issued guidelines regarding the hosepipe ban to designers and landscapers. I have picked out some of the more salient points raised in the article.

What does a hosepipe ban mean?
Temporary hosepipe restrictions are defined under section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991? this Act empowers water companies to prohibit or restrict the use of hosepipes specifically for watering private gardens and washing private vehicles.

A hosepipe ban in the areas affected would mean that landscapers working in a private garden for a client, relying on the customers? water supply, could not use a hosepipe? to water that garden. The landscaper could use a hosepipe for other purposes such as filling containers etc.

For further information such as ?Garden Watering During Hosepipe Restrictions? is available from the main website www.the-hta.org.uk

There are a couple of things that we could all do to help in the garden. One would be to mulch the flower borders and the other would be to install water butts to as many downpipes as possible.

I wish you all a very Happy Easter

MARCH is finally here. I begin to get really excited at this time of year. The bulbs are shooting up, the primroses line my path to the office and each morning I see something new pushing its way through the earth.The clocks go forward in just over a week which mean longer hours of daylight.
My apologies for sending this out somewhat later than normal, but my father has just undergone major heart surgery and I have been preoccupied with daily trips to London and organising his after care. After a shaky start and a bout of kidney failure (which resulted in dialysis for five days) I can now report he is in a care home just around the corner from me and has started to get back on his feet ? quite literally!

SEASONAL TIPS
March is one of the busiest times in the garden, but due to the cold snap we are having some jobs will have to wait a little longer. The days can be lovely and warm, but the nights can still bear some very harsh frosts.

Continue to cut down the stems of perennials and clear the borders of weeds. If you didn?t do it last month, now is a good time to sprinkle a blood, fish and bone fertiliser around the roots of all plants and hedges and top up the borders with a mushroom compost mulch. (Country Supplies 01494 562406).

Cut back, almost to the ground, any shrubs grown for their winter bark such as Cornus (dogwood) and willow. This will promote growth. Larger shrubs and roses can also be pruned back. Remove dead, weak and straggly shoots from roses and shorten the less vigorous shoots by about a half. The newer shoots should be reduced by about a third. Always cut back to a healthy OUTWARD pointing bud ? this encourages the rose to grow outwards rather than inwards and gives the bush a far better shape.

Tie in any climbing roses. I have started using Flexi-tie as it is more durable than string and doesn?t cut into the stems as wire does. www.flexi-tie.co.uk.

Begin to cut the grass regularly. Set the mower to high for the first few cuts. This is a good time to scarify the lawn using a spring-tined rake. Top dress with a general fertiliser.

Stake herbaceous perennials. At the moment there will only be the slightest growth at the bottom of the plant, but by staking at this time it saves a lot of trouble later when the plant will grow quite vigorously in a very short space of time. There are plenty of attractive stakes available in garden centres. It would be worth investing in some. If anyone needs any advice on this subject, please do contact me and I can come out and show you what you need to do.

This is a good time of year to split perennials. Gently fork around the root and lift the entire clump. Using two spades, back to back, cut through the roots and divide into smaller clumps. Discard any old bits from the centre and tease out any persistent weed roots, such as couch grass. Decide on where you want to re-position them and re-plant. If you have no space, pot them up and save them for the next village fete, or school function. Plant stalls are always very popular.

Plant summer flowering bulbs, such as Alliums, Lillies, Agapanthus, Nerines, gladioli, Camassia, Freesia, Galtonia, Crinum, Leucojum, Zantedeschia and Ixia.

Prune summer flowering shrubs.

This is a time when it is not just the plants that are putting on growth, there will always be the weeds. If you have any persistent problems, with bind weed for instance, one of the best remedies is to buy a systemic weedkiller and a paint brush. Although laborious, if you go out every time you see a new leaf coming through and paint it with the liquid, it should kill not just the weed, but also the root system.

With spring on its way there are other predators coming to life, just waiting to chomp their way through any new leaf growth – slugs and snails in a nutshell. I am against using pellets which can be damaging to pets, birds and children. My son had to have his stomach pumped at the tender age of two having decided the blue things were ?very tasty Mummy?. There is an alternative. If you visit www.organiccatalogue.com they offer an advanced slug killer at

SITTING at a shaded pavement cafe sipping Valencia Water (a dangerously drinkable cocktail of freshly squeezed orange juice, cava and Vodka) you could be forgiven for believing yourself on the other side of the planet from the tourist trampled beach resorts of Benidorm, Alicante and Torrevieja.
Yet it is resorts such as these that draw over 4.5 million tourists (many of them Brits) to the Comunidad Valenciana each year, making it Spain?s most visited region. The vast majority of these visitors cling to the coast like limpets unaware of the gems that this beautiful and diverse region has to offer.
Founded in 138 AD by a group of weary Roman legionaries who were granted prime land beside the Rio Turia to build a retirement community, Valencia now has a population of over 750,000 making it Spain’s third largest city. Like most European cities it consists of a hotchpotch of buildings that have grown up over the centuries many of which, including the cathedral and the neoclassical post office, are ornate and exquisitely beautiful. The cathedral?s 230ft bell tower is well worth the climb – especially in the evening when the city is bathed in rich golden sunlight, but Valencians are relaxed about opening hours to say the least so it?s best to do your homework beforehand. My friend and I finally made it to the top on our third attempt.
Valencia?s attractions are too numerous to list, but the biggest crowd puller is the Ciudad De Las Artes Y De Las Ciencias (The city of arts and sciences) which occupies a huge swathe of the old Turia riverbed south east of the city centre. Looking rather like a cross between an armadillo and Darth Vader?s hat, the daring 21st century museum, designed by home town boy Santiago Calatrava, covers 3,770,000 sq ft, making it Europe?s largest urban complex. Still under construction, Valencia?s showpiece also boasts an IMAX cinema and a laser show, and is worth a visit if only to ogle the distinctive architecture of Senor Calatrava, who rose from an undistinguished Valencian suburb to become one of the world?s leading cutting edge architects. Currently on his drawing board are the Milwaukee Art Museum on the shores of Lake Michigan and the Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland, California.
If the glare from the gleaming white buildings becomes too much, the city?s slightly bohemian Barrio del Carmen district is well worth a stroll, as is El Mercat where our backpackers Home Lonja is located. Cosy, cheap, fun, friendly and extremely orange – I cannot recommend this place enough.
Oranges of course are very big business in the Valencia region. If you bite into an orange anywhere in western Europe there is a fair chance it was grown here. As soon as you leave the city, which I recommend everybody does at least once, you will not be able to miss the groves which produce 70% of the country?s oranges, most of which are exported. The abundant freshly squeezed orange juice is unreal. Perhaps the city?s biggest claim to fame however, is that it is the home of paella, and anyone wanting to sample this Spanish speciality is spoilt for choice. Paella is traditionally made with chicken and rabbit (usually on the bone) and snails or seafood, but I was relieved to find a veggie option laid on for the more discerning (squeamish) traveller.
Outside the city the forested mountains give way to ancient towns and villages just begging to be explored. We took a train through the beautiful rust coloured winelands to Requina, a bustling commercial centre from which rises a walled city that was established by the Moors in the eighth century. The city?s ancient allyways, which shoot off in every direction, hiding medieval churches with exquisitely carved doorways are an explorer?s dream. What makes the place all the more enchanting is that although not untouched by tourism, these streets are inhabited by ordinary people who gossip in doorways whilst their washing flutters in the warm breeze.
Finally to take in the good, the bad and the ugly, we took a trip to Benidorm. I went with an open mind. No I did. But in spite of the pretty mountains that line the Costa Blanca, this British family favourite (think Clapham Junction on sea with more concrete towerblocks) never failed to shock and appal. When we missed the first bus out of the neon nightmare I was actually quite scared.
There is no denying that the Comunidad Valenciana?s hours of scorching sunshine make it a beach lovers paradise. But stray from the coast and I can assure you will not be disappointed.

GARDEN designer, Jane Follis,will be publishing her news letter for gardeners, once a month on ThameNews.Net. With gardeners beginning to look forward to Spring, here is the first which includes gardening tips and places to visit. Happy gardening!
I can?t remember when it last felt this cold and my poor garden still looks neglected and badly in need of a tidy up. Due to an injury last September I have not been able to do anything, but now that I am fit again it is doubly frustrating not to be able to get out there. There is, however, still plenty to do in February (see Seasonal tips). My seed order has now been sent off and as usual I am not quite sure where I am going to put all the goodies I have ordered but where there?s a will?

I came across The Herb Society the other day and think I might join. There is a quarterly magazine free to members or

COULD it be that we are all desperately seeking are own vision of Europe? To the British, Brussels has become a figure of hate, for the Germans, a place to redeem themselves. However, for the French, a chance to relieve its Napoleonic dreams, while for the new member states, an opportunity to grow up.

Brussels
Whatever your dream or nightmare, Brussels has always been a place for Europe?s powers to determine the future. Unlike in the past, confrontations between nations took place on the battlefields that surround Brussels, but we are more civilised today? The battles take place in the committee rooms of Brussels European Quarter. Unlike other capitals of major powers, the architecture tends to be understated and business like, giving little inkling of the major decisions being made in these modest buildings.

Recently, I was one of the delegates, at a conference, intent on mapping out this undiscovered country that is Europe, with fellow delegates from member states, representing business, media, politics and pressure groups. Our euro sceptic loves to depict Brussels as place for sumptuous dining, which is both right and wrong. Unlike, London or Paris you can eat well in family friendly restaurants, which do not have the pretensions or prices back home. Instead, you feel you have been invited to someone?s home for dinner. In fact, we did our best work between our seminars breakfasting, lunching, drinking tea and supper-ing discussing the issues raised. However, to the annoyance of the French Government no doubt, our lingua franca was English, with occasional dips into German, to clarify some points. In fact, I was told a new dialect of English has developed in Belgium called ?Brussels English?. It is not surprising when both French and German use the same words as English for ?safety? and ?security?.

It was interesting to discover each other?s views and the spin portrayed by each country?s media. At one dinner, we decided over pink champagne and rack of lamb to tackle the issue of immigration. Our discussions revealed there are many insights to the issue.

Immigration
Take immigration; Greece is a gateway for immigrants crossing the Aegean from Turkey on their way to Western Europe. It is causing problems throughout society, noted Onassis, himself an immigrant from India and major Greek property developer. Even the Greek mafia is complaining that Kurdish and Albanian gangs are leaving no room for an honest Greek crook to make a dishonest living.

Because Britain opened its borders to workers from the new member states, we have had scare stories, about Polish Plumbers overrunning England. Yet, we don?t hear the other side, Loki, an Estonian economist pointed out there are whole districts in his country where only children and pensioners can be seen, every one else has dashed to earn money in the West. This has made the new member states worried about the impact such depopulation is having on this part of Europe?s potential future prosperity.

In Germany, the problems they are more concerned with their Turkish workers who are increasingly failing to integrate with the rest of German society. Angela, a tall blond snappily dressed German lobbyist observed that so-called German-Turks, now live, work, play and pray in Turkish ghettos of many German cities without speaking or hearing a word of German. Many Germans fear that as in Britain they will become a minority in their own towns, particularly since immigrants tend to have larger families than Germans. Even the Turkish government has expressed concern that these ghettos are creating extremism that is causing trouble back in the home country.

For Brussels, immigration has added to the tasks that our leaders have had placed on them. A new series of European agencies have been set to aid states in their tasks. One of them is Eurodac an EU agency that collects and provides fingerprint data on everyone fingerprinted in Europe. It has helped immigration services to speed up the checking of illegal aliens and asylum seekers as they make their way across Europe. Already, the system has been used to cut down on multiple applications by migrants as they shop around for a country to settle in, and it has helped member states to detect 39,550 illegal immigrants in 2004 alone, noted Kurt a Commission civil servant. The success of Eurodac has been much to the annoyance of Britain?s euro sceptical press.

Enlargement
At lunch the following day, in a beautiful art nouveau restaurant we discussed further European enlargement, and this brought up, inevitably, the issues of Turkey, the Balkans and the big question of when will Russia make its application to join. As for Turkey joining, the debate over red wine and duck a la orange got very heated. Both the Germans and French, at the lunch, were strongly opposed to the idea. Francois, representing French farmers, feared that French farmers would be undercut by cheap Turkish food imports, and that CAP payments to farmers in France would have to be slashed, forcing more farmers to leave the land.

Angela pointed out that most German people were disappointed with enlargement for it had made the task of rebuilding eastern Germany more difficult and had taken jobs away from many towns as investors went shopping for the best tax breaks and most lax labour laws. The last thing that both the Finns and the Baltic States journalists wanted was Russia joining at any price. However, we all thought the prospect of Russia joining was more likely to take place sooner than Turkey?s accession, because under Putin Russia has progressed faster in a few years than had Turkey.

Balkans
As for the prospect of letting in more Balkan states was viewed by all with trepidation, to say the least. Onassis greeted such a prospect with some fear, but from the Greek point of view, it was too dangerous for Europe for this potential powder keg to be ignored. Europe?s future stability in this region was under threat, if Brussels failed to intervene. Kurt pointed out the last thing Europe needed was the further breakup of old Yugoslavia, for apart from the smuggling of people, cigarette and drugs, there was little going for the failing economies of Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro. Brussels is holding out the carrot of future accession to the EU to these banana republics, but only if they agree to cooperate and put their past behind them, Kurt revealed.

Turkey
During the coffee, we got on to discussing Turkey, following on at a seminar earlier that day, when we had questioned various experts on the topic. This included a very slick Turkish lobbyist, who would not look out of place as a dodgy second hand car salesman. Despite this handicap, Osman laid it out bluntly, yes, Turkey desperately needs to join the EU if it is going to continue to develop and not stagnate like its neighbours to the east. Europe needs Turkey, yes for all the usual political and economic reasons. Also in these times of rising fuel prices, it is important that Russia does not have total control of the pipelines that supply the European Union with the oil and gas fields to the east like Azerbaijan and the Gulf. Turkey provides such an alternative secure transit route. Onassis, pointed out, though he agrees with these geo-political concerns, there is still much Turkey has to do to win significant European public support for these issues including the treatment of minorities and women before Ankara will realise its ambition of full membership of the EU.

EU Budget
The following day, we watched Merkel make her first overseas visit as Chancellor to Europe?s Capital. Onassis noted that as soon as an EU leader is elected, he or she, dashes off to Brussels to pay homage. Certainly, the German Chancellors points made about the Budget and the CAP made for heated debate, at supper later that night. One thing, we concluded from her speech that it could be ?spring time for Germany? after the recent years of economic depression. Afterwards we dashed through the snow to a nearby restaurant to have a delicious Flemish meat pie washed down with beer. Oddly enough, despite Tony Blair?s retirement plans, all agreed that despite the opposition, he had won his case about the need of reform of the Budget and Common Agricultural Policy, if Europe was going to prove more relevant and effective in meeting its citizen?s needs. In fact, the people at the table regarded the vote against the European Treaty in France and Holland as a non-event. Most viewed it as a personal defeat for the deeply unpopular President Chirac, and an end to French dreams of European leadership. This was because the political map of Europe had changed and Paris could no longer blackmail Berlin over its past, noted Loki.

Common Agricultural Policy
During the sweet course, our discussion turned to agriculture. Francis a slim French regional politician was all full of how important it was to keep the status quo, in order to protect French food and wine interest and the need to protect Europe?s poor defenseless farmers. However, Kurt revealed that the original purpose of common agriculture policy was to help the poor peasant farmer after the war; the trouble was it no longer was doing this. In 2003, the richest 6.5 per cent of European farmers claimed 55 per cent of total CAP subsidies. Amongst, those getting cheques from the Europe?s exploited taxpayers are some of Europe?s richest people and firms, including a whole bunch of European aristocrats, cabinet members, wealthy businessmen who have little to do with farming from all over Europe. No, wonder the authorities have shown little interest in the reform of the budget and the CAP, which despite its claims it is doing little to help the poor peasant farms that continue to disappear each year at an alarming rate.

As for claims about how vital the CAP was in protecting the quality of French food and wine, much of French agriculture, like market gardening, does not receive subsidies. As for the French wine industry, despite the massive subsidies, it has continued to produce every year tankers full of undrinkable wine that even the French decline to drink; and even Francis had to agree with the rest of our group.

No, the CAP, apart from been a European social security system for the rich, plays another vital role for France, as a rebate on its contributions to the budget. To many French politicians it is also seen a form of reparations paid by Germany for the Second World War, even Germany thinks it is time for this to end, as it is not only unfair on Berlin but also on the rest of Europe, that is funding France?s nice little earner.

Reform
For the new member states, the budget is vital in providing the investment needed to transform their economies from basket cases to prosperous ones, like Ireland and Spain. It is not surprising that many EU members were worried about any potential threats to their economic future. For Britain, the cuts agreed on, were cuts in projected growth of the rebate to Britain. Not, as Britain?s euro sceptical media kept insisting on real cuts in the existing budget. Nor the other red herring about the EU accounts not being ?signed off? again. What they forgot to say there is little the EU can do about it when member states governments? spend 85% of its budget. As Loki pointed out Tony Blair put Poland?s coalition government in a dilemma, for to stay in power they depend on a sizeable peasant party for support.

It is not in the interests of Poland?s peasant party for the CAP to be reformed, as their supporters, as farmers, would suffer. Yet it is in the interests of the rest of the Polish economy if the CAP share of the EU budget is reduced, so there is more European investment available to transform the rest of the Polish economy. So that Poles, in future, would not need to seek jobs abroad. As for Germany, Angela observed, reform is vital for Europe, but especially for the German economy, if the new German Chancellor is going to succeed in getting more people back into work.

Conclusion
At the end of the conference, this group of new friends had learnt a lot about Europe and each other?s perspectives on the issues. I myself, despite a very bad cold, had enjoyed the food and learnt what a poor job much of Britain?s media had done on reporting Europe. I had also discovered that we shared many of the same dreams and problems and also agreed many of the issues facing Europe. The problems and the solutions that we face, means that member states have to work together in Brussels to tackle them. We agreed Europe, had despite French efforts, moved on. I expect much to many euro sceptics? disgust, that we had feared to tread where they fear and to explore, in case such an experience will cause their tower of disappearing an nostalgic arguments cards to collapse.

Editor Oxfordprospect.co.uk

TEA drinking in many households is an obsession, and getting a good cup sets people up for the rest of the day. Everyone drinks tea from Wallace and Gromit to the Prime Minister. The trouble is the art of making a good cup of tea is sadly being lost, as the number of American coffee bars has increased.
This is a pity for those of us leading stressful lives, since sitting down in a comfortable chair with a fine cup of tea, a good book and biscuits is an excellent way to relax, as Poirot would say, ?it helps those little grey cells.?

You cannot get much more particular than the English can, when it comes to making a good cup of tea. The Japanese are fine at the ceremony, but despite the song and dance routine – their tea still tastes like dishwater. Everyone has his or her own formula, but increasingly many restaurants serving tea, seem to have forgotten, how to make a good cup of tea. Most seem to think you can treat making tea the same way you make a cup of coffee. They forget, there is an art to it, you cannot just plonk the tea in, pour some hot water, milk and sugar to taste, and expect a good result.

For those in search of a good cup of tea, here are a few tips. Firstly, use freshly drawn water, let the water run for a few seconds before you fill up your kettle. Always ensure that you have decaled your kettle regularly and that your teapot is clean. You might want to use filtered water if you live in an area of hard water, or even change your brand of tea to suit the water. It is also advisable to replace your kettle regularly, if you want to ensure you have a kettle that gets the water to the right temperature to make that perfect cup of tea.

Secondly, it is essential that you warm your teapot with some boiling hot water first, which you then pour away. Also always, use a traditional teapot, these metal ones always seem to fail to keep the water warm and add a metallic taste to your cuppa.

Thirdly, add as much tea as you desire, usually one teaspoon or bag per person, plus one more for luck into the teapot. When your kettle has boiled, pour in the boiling water and stir the water for a few seconds, and then cover the pot in a tea cosy and leave to brew, for at least five minutes.

Lastly, then there is the old age question of whether to pour the milk before the tea for some contend that putting the milk before the tea is a good way to ruin your cuppa. Always pour your tea from the pot in first, then stir in your sugar and finally add milk to taste. Get your partner or in Wallace?s case, his dog Gromit to make the tea; it always seems to taste better when made by someone else. Nevertheless, the best cup of tea I ever had was from a mess tin heated over a wood fire in the jungle with my mates on a trip across Borneo. Obviously, it depends upon the people and the circumstances.

As to my favourite brand, it is the difficult to get Gold Crown Foods ?Brooke Bond Choicest Blend Tea?, but if you would prefer locally grown tea, you could try Tregothnan Estates ?English Tea.?

THE Ice Hotel at Jukkusjarvi, near Kiruna, is both a work of art and a stunning wonder of architectural imagination, built completely of ice, in which I was fortunate enough to spend one, incredible night last weekend.
At this time of the year, when we are celebrating new birth and new beginnings, above the Artic Circle in Northern Sweden there is an awe-inspiring building that stands for just a few short months and then slowly melts into the river to be re-born every year.

But this crystal wonder is not just a novelty for the adventure-seeking yuppy, though there were quite a few of them, but a place that inspires a spiritual awareness of the transience of things, both material (it?s easy for the Krona in your wallet to flow away in the ‘Absolut’ Ice Bar on warming vodka-based cocktails) and of nature itself.
For the harvesting of ice from the T

A CORRESPONDENT to ThameNews.Net, researching his family tree, would be interested to hear from any members of the Howland family, living in the Thame area or anyone else who may have any relevant information.
Here are the details Mr Andrew Leitch has sent us:

Harry Howland, Royal Garrison Artillery, 47th Seige Battery.
Gunner, enlistment number 111402
Died 4/10/1917 at Ypres.

Mr Leitch writes: “Whilst I believe that he came from Thame, I’ve been unable to definitely identify any relatives of his yet. As indicated, and this remains a long shot for now, I may be distantly related to him and am interested in any information that locals may have regarding Harry.
I’ve visited his grave. It’s near Ypres, is well kept and in a beautiful location. Regretfully from a military point of view, his opponents seem to have held the higher ground.