Henbane, Nightshade & Co
Issuers of Writs to the Gentry
Receivers in Bankruptcy by Appointment etc
Offices in all the principal hamlets of the County.
E-mail: sunbeam@newbury.net
Web: www.newbury.net/sunbeam
14th December 1999
WITHOUT PREJUDICE
The Honourable Editor in Chief of the Most Venerable Blissford Echo at his Most Esteemed Residence Somewhere Vaguely South of Where Thy Humble Petitioner Lives Honourable, Faithful and Trusty [...]

Mea Culpa! Excellent parry and thrust or confession and avoidance as we say in the legal trade! I hope we get some credit for deliberately throwing the hounds off the scent and protecting the innocent by the cunning guise of giving the possibly guiltless, a false name! A device used I see, by the above [...]

This week sees the publication of the last BV this century and of Volume 1. With the publication of two special editions to span the festive season, readers our promised a new century, a new BV Volume 2, and a fantastic new look. Watch this space!

Sunday saw the start of the Christmas season, with what has now become an annual event, namely the Brook Farm Canadian egg nogg knees-up! Everyone gathered for delicious things to eat and drink, before the Cochand’s leave for foreign parts. This year the Blissford Vale Wassailers, a merry band of “musicians”, assembled to accompany the [...]

Our illustrious editor has announced his intention to begin a new millennium by taking up the trombone. Apparently it has been something he has been considering for a good while, but it was only upon hearing the BVW wassailing at his Christmas bash that he firmly took the decision. A spokesperson for the BVW commented [...]

The Colonel has departed his blown hideaway, in the Western Slopes of the Blue Mountains for a short sojourn with friends at Samford, about 50ks. NW of Brisbane. Return to the blown hideaway is expected late Monday. Peace negotiations are believed to be in hand for the following week, and avenue is being arranged by [...]

A pot-luck party has also been planned for N.Y.E! The venue is Watersplash Cottage ( thanks to Ian and Clare) from 9.00 pm. It would be much appreciated if everyone could bring a starter, main-course, a salad, a dessert or cheese, (but only one of these, not all of them)! Let Debbie know what you [...]

One of our dearest friends has been scaring the local Fordingbridgeons in Abbotswell car park. Those beautiful new wooden barriers serve as excellent cross country material…and tally ho she was off racing with one across the fences … through the water and to an abrupt standstill as an unfortunately morning walker grabbed the dog crying [...]

Blissfordians luxuriated in the sound of the Blissford Wassail group in their world premiere outing. Led by Maestro (looks like Herbert von Karajan) Shepherd FRS, ESW., they played a selection of Christmas carols at Brook Farm backed by the massed choir of locals including Alice the Blissford Baby (who waved her carol sheet in time). [...]

Any doubters out there who think that they can escape games at the New Year festivities down on the Watersplash, up on the hill and around the village are sadly mistaken. Stringent measures will ensure compliance. You have been warned! Games promised include such gems as ‘How Many?’, the perennial ‘Scissors’, the ‘Train Game’ (but [...]