Beyond Silvertonia.

Having now got a decent internet connection once more, I am considering launching a new blog beforeEaster with the provisional working title PIER 9. Obviously as I am not now resident in Silverton it will contain a broader range of comment but will still contain any Silverton news and information that comes my way.

I can now be contacted at jtc48@btinternet.com

UPDATE. Pier 9 will launch 14/02/10.

Coming Shortly.

It is very possible that, once I get settled in Scotland, there will be a new blog. Provisional title Beyond Silvertonia.

Watch this space.

Postscript: Moving On.

In early to mid september I shall be moving out of Silverton and returning to Ayr in the west of scotland where I have aquired a lease on a pleasant harbourside flat. It had become apparent to me even before the recent events that led to the termination of the blog that after twenty one years of living in a town, village life was no longer for me. When you dont drive the strain and hassle of getting to local amenities by a less than adequate public transport system becomes an ever present pain and the Silverton of 2009 is not the closely knit community that I spent the first thirty seven years of my life in. There are many people I shall miss when I leave and a few that I definately will not but thats always the way. I dont doubt that I shall still visit the village regularly as long as I have a family connection here and it will always be good to meet old friends. I dont doubt that when I am sitting on my riverside patio in the evening looking out from Ayr harbour to the Isle of Arran and the Ailsa Craig Silverton will not be far from my thoughts and any readers od Silvertonia who pass that way will always be welcome.

It may well be that I shall, in the fullness of time return to blogging. If so the blog address will appear here.

The End Of The Road.

In all probability this will be the final post on Silvertonia. It has become more and more difficult to find new material to sustain the blog and I feel that I have written everything I can think of relating to the Silverton that I grew up in and in which I spent most of the formative years of my life.

More importantly the central dynamic that has kept the blog afloat these past fourteen months, the friendship between myself and Carolyn Frost has changed. Carolyn remains one of my dearest friends but the circumstances that enabled us to create material for the blog have now altered to the extent that we cannot remain as a working partnership. Although I could continue to write alone as far as this blog is concerned, Carroll without Frost would be like Morecombe without Wise or McCartney without Lennon. It could continue but would never be the same. Without the input of my quirky, individual, perceptive friend who has lit up my life for the past two years the blog is not viable.

I would like to thank all those who have contributed to the blog in the past 14 months particularly Babyblox, Tanseylegs, Foxy and Alan Haydon in all his guises. The blog will not be deleted but will remain as part of a history of Silverton at a particular time in its existance and as a record of a special friendship. I am considering the possibilty of starting another blog but that would of necessity be a different project to what we have here. If another blog is launched a web address will be published here witghin the next few weeks.

From Silvertonia, Goodbye.

40 years.

According to the news this morning the new head of the army foresees British involvement in Afghanistan lasting up to another 40 years.

Given the constant rate of attrition against British forces and given that the idea of what is supposed to be being achieved there constantly changes, you wonder if the British population and indeed the peoples of the other nations involved in tghis mess will stand for it for another 40 months, particularly as it is clear to everyone except Gordon Brown and the rest of the political class that the main organising centre for terrorist attacks is not Afghanistan but Pakistan and the main idealogical and financial base for islamic fundamentalism remains, as it always has been Saudi Arabia.

20 years.

I understand that 2010 will mark the 20th anniversary of Street Market and to mark the event there may be a return of the major open air gigs that used to round off the event. One of the major problems with these events was that it was never clear until the event was ubder way whether there would be enough money available to cover necessities such as lighting and stage erection. This problem was a major cause of stress to the organisers and one of the solutions that has been put to me is that refundable subscriptions of something like ten pounds could be sold in advance to cover running costs.

Perhaps its an idea worth thinking about.

New Blood.

word has it that a number of those who have been active in running and organising the Street Market over the past few years will be taking a step backwards from the running of the event next year. Hopefully, some younger people with new ideas and fresh energy can be found who can contribute to what is Silverton's premier event of the year.

Maybe its time to shift the focus of Street Market away from the main street and the stalls to one of becoming a wider community festival.

New York, New York.

Congratulations to Alan Issac at The Lamb Inn for winning a three day trip to New York curtesy of The Wickwar Brewery in Gloustershire. It appears that the trip was won for the substantial sales of their excellebt ale 'Bankers Draught' in 'the Lamb' last month..

I also hope that Alan and Jane will enjoy their forthcoming trip to Ireland. A good chance to relax after the rigours of Street Market.

Street Market.

The annual street market came and went yesterday. Most of the day was cloudy and overcast with some rain and drizzle but the overall attendence seemed to be good despite the weather. There seemed to be quiye a wide range of stalls including produce, pies and bread and the usual range of bric a brac, jewellry and leather. The community band played, the drama groiup did their perfprmances and of course we had the tug of war with the real Lamb team emerging victorious and on the female side Thorverton defeating Silverton. The addition of Foxy's Karaoke/Disco at the 'the Tuns' seems to have been a sucess but as I called it a day early last evening I domt know how the other music based evening events went.

Unfortunately, although I took a number of photographs of yesterdays proceedings some technical difficulties mean that I cant add them to the blog immediately. Hopefully, we shall have them here soon.

Serious Issues.

There will be no blog entry today beyond this one. Serious issues have come to the boil and I do not feel in a position to post anything else today. Hopefully I shall be able to do some street market coverage tomorrow.

What Music Are You Listening Today ?.

So, what music are you listening today on your MP3, CD or maybe even good old fashioned audiotape or vinyl if you have such things. I have been listening to a couple of albums by the late, lamented, Warren Zevon over the last couple of days. First his classic late seventies album 'Excitable Boy' and today the album he made a few years ago when he already knew that he was dying of lung cancer, aptly titled 'Life I'll Kill Ya'.

Tomorrow, reggae from The Jolly Brothers.