Why?

Well, over the weekend the County Times editor and his friend decided to climb the peak of Cader Idris and sleep the night on the summit in conditions of minus 15 degrees centigrade.

When he returned for work on Monday morning he showed me photographs of his adventure – the peaks were covered in snow and ice – and I have to admit I don't think all the clothes in Mrs N's wardrobe would have kept me warm up there.

Anyone who has bought the 'Haunted Tales from Mid Wales' supplement might have read the claim that the mountain is haunted and anyone who spends a night on it will return either a poet or a madman.

So far I can report that our favourite editor is not a poet, but to go up there in the first place he is most definitely a madman!

***

EVER tasted raspberry moose – no neither have I. But a press release I received this week did make me chuckle.

It was all in connection with the worthy attempts by so many people across Powys to raise funds during the Wear it Pink campaign to raise awareness of and funds to fight breast cancer.

I won't name the company because their people did a splendid job, but the press release read "Pink was most definitely the order of the day with raspberry moose and strawberry pavlova on the menu..."
Interesting flavours!

***

WELL my plea to the firework idiots has not been a total success.
I never really expected people to stop using fireworks indiscriminately, but I do think this year has been slightly better than last as far as fireworks being let off in the streets are concerned. I haven't heard quite so many.

But my poor old dog is always petrified when they go off, even during an organised display.

It's just a shame the bonfire parties can't all be held on one night.

***

WELL the nights just get darker so much quicker after the hour goes back during winter time doesn't it.

I still can't see any great sense to it all.

At a time when Powys seem intent on leaving us all out in the dark as they switch off so many of our streetlights, it's a shame it gets dark an hour earlier when British Summer Time ends.

Let's hope once the switching off has all happened, Powys will take stock of the many suggestions by town and community councils to switch at least some of them back on in more sensitive areas.

Mind you, you get the impression that they should perhaps have consulted with the people on the ground a bit more before they started switching off the lights in the first place.

***

THOSE of you who have watched the latest James Bond movie will no doubt have been impressed by the car chase in the opening scene. What you might not know is that the stunt driver for that was Trefeglwys rally ace Mark Higgins.

Amazingly, due to racing commitments, Higgins hasn't yet watched the film but confirmed his stunts were used in the opening scene where Bond chases after a bad guy, ironically played by the darling of Mid Wales motorsport.

James Bond Quantum of Solace is in the cinemas now.

***

I DON'T know about you but I'm fuming over my energy bills. Surprise, surprise Britain has seen the highest increases in Europe.

Ours rose by 30 per cent last year while the rest of Europe saw average rises of 14 per cent. Rip-off Britain is alive and thriving after the recent petrol hikes as well.

No wonder our winter allowances don't seem to go very far.
It's a disgrace.