Last date for submissions

As I write we are still in the "Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness" and only on some days "Close-bosom friend of the maturing sun" What a strange and interesting climate we have. By the time you receive your copy of "The Crier" we will be into winter and what it brings and on the count-down to Christmas and New Year so it will not be out of place to wish all our readers A Happy Christmas and Every Good Wish For 2011.

Time flies ------ The Crier has reached its Second Birthday and I think has got over most of its "teething troubles". In stating that we are always learning and willing to learn more.

Now this year seems to have produced an amazing harvest of fruit -------- plums, apples, pears, red and black currants gooseberries etc. What to do with them all? What about sending in some recipes? This could become a feature, not just in the fruit season. I am sure you all have your favourites; soups, starters, main courses, desserts, puddings baking etc so why not share those special treats.

Thinking of regular features, I would like to see the younger people of Abernethy and District contributing to "The Crier" perhaps creating a regular column or page depending on the number of articles. .Your views and thoughts are very important to this Community and I know lots of you are doing such interesting things we would all like to read about. Now, if this idea appeals we would like to hear from you, because it would ultimately lead to the appointment of a Junior Editor and a Junior Reporter. We don't want The Crier to become an old "fuddy-duddy" newspaper. You are the ones who have to carry it forward!.

Reverting to events in general in Abernethy, all the autumn and winter activities are well under way, reports from which I hope have been sent to the editor. An extra this autumn was the Concert and Ceilidh organised by the committee of the Burns Club; a great evening! I hope someone has written in about it in detail.

I have acquired a cat, a ginger tom. Does he belong to anyone? “He came, he saw and he conquered” me so maybe I should call him Caesar! It is said a cat will find a home rather than one offering a home to a cat. This is true as this is cat number 4 to come to Struan House. From whence any of them came remains a mystery.

As I write today, 28th October, it is the start of the Poppy Day Appeal 2010 and by the time you read this "Armistice Day" will have been and gone. At this time we must remember Mrs Pat Cartwright who organised the local collection for many, many years and sadly died on 6th October. As Pat would have wished, the collection continues, organised by Ian and our thoughts are with Ian and all the family.

With these few words I will leave you now to turn over the pages and I hope you all enjoy a good read.

Hilda Clow.

THE EDITOR'S VIEW

We all know there are going to be cut backs of all kinds through all sectors of our society, we may not like them but we are just going to have to get on with them.

Winter is upon us again and ice and snow, if not already here, will meet us at the door one of these mornings. So instead of moaning about the snow not being cleared from our pavements by the Council, let’s try and do a bit more to help ourselves.

If we all clear our own wee bit in front of our houses and maybe the neighbours, if they are elderly and can’t manage, it will go some way to assisting our local Council keep the highways and bye ways clear so we can go about our business safely this winter.

The elderly are more vulnerable during the winter months and sometimes need assistance of one kind or another. Look in on your neighbour occasionally, making sure he or she is ok, do they need some messages, do they need a letter posted, things like that.

Let’s make this a safe and happy winter/Christmas for all in our community, young and old

A very merry Christmas and a prosperous New year to you all.

The Ed