NEAR DISASTERS

Two near disasters.
Although the allotment looks in reasonable condition the truth of the matter is its getting away from us.Its just bloody hard work for what i think will be little reward, as what grows is quickly eaten by the wide array of wildlife.What we need to do is spend at least 8/10 hours a week looking after it,and we just don't have the time or inclination.What started off as quite an adventure is rapidly loosing its appeal,so maybe we will be just one year wonders.
Now the other near disaster could have been a lot worse as it could easily have been Lyns neck and not just her arm.I have always said that bell ringing has the potential to be very dangerous which was one of the reasons that I almost packed it in.Well last Thursday night Lyn and I went down for our usual practice session,and the first job you have to do is pull the bell up from the down position.Its quite a tough job and always the one that for me holds the most danger and the task I like least.Lyn on the other hand is quite happy to do it and has had no problems up until that fateful night.Normaly she would stand on a box as she is a little short and the box gives her extra height,this night she decided to do away with this aid.She started to pull the bell up but because she was lower than she normaly would have been she was less in control and wasn't in total contact with the bell,or in other words she was not feeling the weight of the bell and in a split second it got away from her and whipped the rope violently upwards just about taking her off her feet and wrapping itself round her arm.Steve our instructor was quickly on the scene and prevented a major disaster.I couldn't do anything as I was pulling my own bell up so had to watch whilst the drama unfolded.Needless to say Lyn was a bit shaken but being the true pro that she is carried on with the session.So don't anybody say that bellringing is a quaint gentle English tradition.It's highly dangerous.Golf on the other hand is not dangerous and gives me a lot more pleasure than both the allotment and bellringing put together.