A good hard Winter kills all the bugs and toughens the birds up. When I was a lad that is what the fanciers of the day used to say. Well, if they were right we should be in for a good year because the kind of Winter we are experiencing is quite rare - thank goodness. Our boiler decided to go 'pear shaped' two days before Christmas so we were reminded of what life was like in our earlier years! No central heating systems to cosset us, thick ice on the inside of windows, having to get up and make a coal fire (after cleaning the grate out from yesterday's fire). Have you got the violins out yet?
The weather this time has badly affected travel and has meant that some shows have suffered because some people couldn't get there. We didn't make it to Pickering and others from our area were similarly affected. Subsequent reports have indicated that conditions were not as bad as had been reported with main roads okay but it was getting to them which was our problem as we couldn't get the car out of the avenue for a week or so. It was unfortunate that the AGM of the NPA had to be postponed but in the circumstances this was a sensible decision. The meeting has now been rescheduled for February and I just hope that when balloting results are known we can all abide by the decisions reached and get on with things in accordance with the declared views of the members. I read comments that the rules need changing, they are out of date and so on and so on.
I am especially perturbed when these comments come from individuals who are actually National Committee members! If these people who are steering the ship are not happy with its direction then redraft the rules and get them changed and approved. It is no use constantly carping about alleged inadequacies and rules being broken. Get them changed. Put in the work to redraft them and even more work to consider the implications of change. Bring them to what you think they should be, but do it in the proper way. Maybe it is just easier to whinge and blame everything else and everyone else. Getting things through Committees is not easy, but nor is it impossible. The Committee has to serve all the Fancy in every regard, the boring things have to be looked after as well as the more 'glamorous' aspects. One thing is for sure - if you want to be all things to all men you will make matters worse. National Committees have to make decisions some of which may not be popular and if you find that approach unpalatable perhaps you should ask yourself why you do it.
continues in the February 2011 issue of Featherd World
