Posted by Robert Hill on 05/12/00 from 129.11.153.35 via proxy proxy1.leeds.ac.uk:
A couple of weeks ago, when I was away from my computer,
I noticed two news items which are almost relevant to this group.
I've been wondering whether to post them. As I'm feeling unusually
garrulous today, here goes.
1) Josie Russell, a little girl who was in the news a few years ago
when she survived a horrendous attack in which her mother and sister
were murdered, was in some of the papers again in happier circumstances.
She and a friend were receiving an award for their part in rescuing
three cragfast sheep in North Wales (where she and her father now live).
They had very wisely not attempted anything as dangerous as Dick did
in WH, but had informed the RSPCA. Their main achievement was to
cotton on that the sheep might be stuck when, though not showing
visible distress, they were in the same place on successive days.
2) Only a couple of weeks after our discussion of Bigland I read that
the Bigland estate is on sale for "the second time in 800 years".
It was said to cover nearly 1000 acres and to include a listed building
(presumably this is Bigland Hall and one might guess it's a good deal
less than 800 years old). The asking price was said to be
2.9 million pounds, so if anyone has any spare pocket money...