I am not sure if we have seen the worst of Winter or not. At the very least it has stopped raining; I think it started in April 2011 and seems to have been constant ever since. Our fields became impassable and the cattle and sheep began to grow webbed feet.

Well, to celebrate a week of almost dry weather I thought it a good time to start clearing out one of our old stone barns. The barns are in a pretty bad state and in need of repair but with Spring in the air ,or perhaps just in my mind, the task was started. Before you all email in, yes!, I know we usually have snow at Easter. Well this year I am being optimistic and daffodils mean Spring to me.

Although we have now lived here for two years, the first floor barn has never really had much of our attention as it was too difficult to carry things up the small stone staircase. I vaguely remember three pieces of white card pinned to one of the oak roof beams.

As part of the general tidy up we got steps and took the three cards down. Imagine our complete surprise when on the side facing the beam, having remained hidden for possibly over 60 years, we found three invitations for the South Herefordshire Lawn Tennis Club Dance numbered 195, 197 and 199. It was to be held at the Royal Hotel Ross and cost 15 shillings including Buffet, which I imagine just after the war was quite expensive.

Still, attendees would be serenaded by Den Wheeler and the Malvern Winter Garden Dance Orchestra, probably playing hits like Its Magic by Doris Day, Nat King Cole’s Nature Boy or that romantic young American woman called Ella Fitzgerald with My Happiness all of which were hits at this time.

Our big surprise was to see the date of the Dance which was December 2nd 1948. Now, as our company trades as 1948 Original Equipment, to find these tickets dated 1948 we take as a great omen for the year ahead. We were clearly destined to be based here in Herefordshire!

I can’t guarantee sunshine for the year ahead or an economic revival but you have to believe!