 accommodation for their employees. When the council earmarked it for demolition to make way for new development, NZ Post relocated to a new subdivision. However, with the council’s focus on other land, the units stayed vacant and, with no better option, I accepted the lease on two dark concrete garages on the ground floor.
I had only one month to set about creating the shop of my dreams. I was delighted when I realised that two small garages combined, provide a decent 36m² floor space. Once the garage doors were replaced by glass sliding doors, my north facing store filled with light. After lining and painting the concrete walls and adding a wooden floor I was ready to fill my new bookshelves with books. I didn't quite have a master plan. I love new and shiny books and I randomly selected from my own favourite authors, my husband’s naturalist interest, bestseller lists and award winners. A librarian friend gave me a list of the most popular books borrowed at the local library but I quickly learned the lesson that the books borrowed from the library are no indication about what locals like to buy.
My location gets very little foot traffic. No amount of signage can drag the overseas tourists away from the main shopping area. Until the infrastructure improves, my focus is the wider local community. I angst about my selection because I want to appear intelligent and up to date. I often run a couple of weeks late before I cotton on to new popular publications and prizewinning authors. Thankfully my customers are kind, and express their delight about the selection of books that I do have. As long as I keep it interesting, they forgive me for not always being current or comprehensive.
It's fun to have a bookshop in a community where I've lived in for nearly 30 years and know well. There's a big table in the middle of the shop that ostensibly is used for displaying books but more often than not it holds a couple of mugs of tea and half a packet of biscuits. On book group nights, the tea is replaced by wine. In school holidays the children come and colour in and listen to story time. Gavin Bishop sat at it talking to the local children. Owen Marshall read from his work. I have art by local artists on my walls and I named the store Petronella’s Gallery and Bookstore. My first names are Wilhelmina Petronella Maria, after my grandmother, but the locals call me Wilma.Williams, 21, was one of several players Jason Ainsley brought in during the summer of 2018. The young and versatile defender was signed from Newcastle where he featured heavily for their Under 23 squad under the guidance of Peter Beardsley. The right back, who can also play centrally, had two separate loan spells at National League side Gateshead. He was once included in an article where he was touted as the next generation on Tyneside, and after the exit of long serving right-back Kallum Griffiths, he follows in the footsteps of a Spennymoor legend.Come join us for an evening of classy but sassy entertainment as we, the Paramount Dancers of the PARAMOUNT GRAND THEATRE, perform our new show, “Anything Goes,” just for you on three consecutive Saturdays... August 8th, 15th and 22nd at 7pm slt!!!
We take this month to show you what we personally want to show you!!! What does that mean you ask? That means we get to show off some NEW acts we are proud and excited for you to see!!!
Come for the entertainment, come for the skin, come for the dancing… come for YOUR enjoyment!!!on another blue sky morning in Lydd, 32 teams of 3 competed in a team relay event where each member takes on a 300m swim, 14k bike and 3k run, a short, sharp distance, then hands over to the next one. Top team on the day was Scott Wiseman, Toby Yemm and Morgan West, scorching round in a total of 2.03.45., that’s just over 41 mins each! Everyone had great fun, the support was loud and the post-race BBQ just about right.Its coming back next year when we should see a 50 team limit reached easily!
hopefully the crap weather week-end has now passed and we can look forward to a fantastic mornings racing in brilliant sunshine and clear blue skies, the lake may be a little chilly but your not going to be spending that much time in there ……. out on to the bike for another 30 mins and back for the run, full-on racing and no time to get cold!
leading out of the swim, back first on the bike and crossing the line in 39.30 on a fairly benign evening, 15 year old Toby Yemm took second and consistent podium finisher Dan Weale completed the mens top 3, the ladies were lead home by Sarah Lesting (another win ) in 49.08, Samantha Pyrah was 2nd and Beth Reeves 3rd.
on bank holiday Monday 27th August at Lydd – registration opens at 4pm and the race starts at 5.30 pm, usual format, 300m swim / 14k bike / 3k run – entries on the day only, the last 5 have all had perfect weather, can we make it 6 in a row? Great fun for all abilities!
300m swim / 14k bike and 3k run, leading throughout was BRT ‘s Dan Marshman who came across the line in 40.09, ladies were lead by Weald tri’s Nicola Stenning in 45.30, both winners having their 2nd success of the 5 race series. The weather was yet again just about perfect with just a slight headwind going out on the bike and nearly all swimmers opting out of wearing a wetsuit.
is this Weds evening, the distance will be 300m swim/ 14k bike / 3k run, if everyone is ready we will start at 6.45pm as the evenings are really drawing in fast now, hopefully the skies will be clear as if its cloudy that light really will go sharpish.Loads of SPOT PRIZES on this one!
saw wins for 15 year old JOE TURNBULL (weald tri ) who lead from the swim, first back on the bike and crossed the line nearly a minute clear of the 2nd man. The huge ladies contingent (17!!!) was lead home by AMY MOORE (1066 tri), who was 4th overall as well. LUKE DRAPER came home in 50.44 at only 9 years old! At the other end BOB SHARP (70+) completed the swim / bike combination to give his relay partner MAX TURNBULL just the run to take the relay win.Out of the 46 athletes who entered the water (26 o ) only one wore a wetsuit ( no idea who that was? ) but we do have pictures …. perfect evenings racing – last one in the series is WEDS AUGUST 8th – same distance – 300m/14k/3k – loads of spot prizes for this one!
its a 300m swim, 14k bike and 3k run, a real red-liner! Reg opens at 5.30pm and race starts at 7pm, car parking will be in the compound and NOT up the road – park sensibly please!
despite other attractions a good field took part in round 3 of the Sprint race series at Lydd, only one lady took part individually, Sarah Lesting taking the win. BRT’s Dan Marshman moved into the lead on the bike and kept it on the run to finish in 61.02, Weald Tri’s Team Jones took 2nd courtesy of Will Knights 19.02 run while Ed Crockett was 2nd individual with 66.54. 3rd spot was Adalta’s Dan Weale in 67.20.The weather was the best so far this year with a light breeze and sunshine, needless to say the roads were almost traffic-free!
Next event will be Weds July 25th when the Super-Sprint (300mswim/14k bike/3k run ) takes place at 7pm, on August 8th we do the same again.
quite a few of you have asked if we are still going ahead with the evening sprint tri at Lydd, the 3rd in our series. The answer is YES, we will be there, I know we may lose a few but these light evenings wont last forever and neither will this glorious weather, this time last year we were postponing races due to thunderstorms! Come on down!
A fantastic mornings racing was had by the small yet select field who took on the 5th edition of the Maidstone Sprint Tri on Sunday. With quite a few first-timers and seasoned regulars taking part the results were mixed but it was Weald Tri’s new signing Nathan Chapman who kept clear crossing the line in 49.09. The ladies were lead home by one of the large Maidstone Harriers contingent, Hayley Breathwick who recorded 56.33.
by just 4 secs in the 2nd round of the Lydd Evening Tri series, crossing the finish line in a stunning 56.54 for the 500m/20k/5.25km course. Second place was Keith Russell, moving up from 6th last time, with a 62.37. 3rd man was Alastair Nicklin in 63.02. Ladies were lead home by Dawn Bartell in 72.20, Francesca Gardner took 2nd in 73.48 and Frances Burnham 3rd in 75.53.Top relay team was Weald Tri’s Luke Draper /Jeremy Towner