Local news

Interesting how blogging and the clockwork-powered web may survive or develop in the future - much interesting discussion among Birmingham contributors to twitter about topics related to this.

And that's where I picked up another worthwhile link - a site which is trying to establish a co-operative way of living without the need for money. If it's the sort of thing that excites you, also try this. We're members, and it's very local and worthwhile, and as green as you can get without pumping chlorophyll through your veins.

Also fascinating to see from Charlie Brooker what still yanks people's chains on the web. The whole post-print journalism thing is intriguing (which is why I want to be involved). But we mustn't forget lessons from the past, a particularly important thing for children. That's why I was fascinated by a project initiated via our local Heritage Centre, which devised and staged a play about the evacuation of children and families during the second world war.

We strolled the few yards over the road to our Methodist Chapel on Saturday evening to see the final results - a community play with kids from local schools acting out the stories of London youngsters billeted in the town during the war. There were a couple of elderly women who had been through it as well and there was a great PowerPoint presentation showing 'now and then' pictures and it was quite jaw-dropping to realise the numbers involved and to hear first hand accounts at seeing the horizon blazing as Coventry was blitzed.

I had to hang my theatre critic's hat by the door as I went in to the filled-to-the-rafters hall, because, in truth, it was a shambles of a performance. Our usually reliable nine-year-old forgot one of her two lines and the whole evening felt about as long as the Second World War itself.

But the great thing is that it involved children and pensioners together and made us all aware of how our town and society has changed. Our old Co-op shop is now a great Indian restaurant where we went to celebrate nanny's birthday last week, but my grandchildren still go to the same school (albeit much expanded) that the evacuees went to.

My wife's birthday was also the excuse for yesterday's outing - to sample the simple delights of Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The new schools feature has opened since our last visit. It's great, although our girls were disappointed that the water feature wasn't working and their gardening mother was scathing about the waste of crops like red chard and cabbages seemingly planted by kids and now left unharvested.

I was equally scathing about the paper mugs we were given for our afternoon tea - they'd run out of china cups, I was told. We sat sipping and listening to the Newmount Brass. I love the above picture of them taken in their Derbyshire home Methodist Chapel to celebrate their anniversary this year. As local as you can get.

They're not Grimethorpe, but pleasant enough to listen to as kids roll down the hills of the natural grass amphitheatre and see how close to the fountain they dare go as the wind blows the plumes towards them.

Two features get my unreserved applause. I've mentioned before the superb Sunday carvery - terrific value for money when you consider you get into the gardens free when you book and the food and service are truly excellent: creamed and mashed parsnip to die for with brilliant vegetarian alternatives to the roasts on offer. An absolute bargain, terrific surroundings and you actually get elbow room on your table.

I haven't mentioned before Polly and Jenny, two of the parrots at the far end of the Loudon Terrace who are quite happy to share their language skills with passers-by.

I was a bit disappointed to see that the really high slide on the playground was absent. It's a bit of a throwback in these health and safety risk assessment days, but one of the best we know. I hope it returns in an un-neutered form - and please keep the very long chain swings as well, another endangered species in the playground when all things Wicksteed, like witches' hats, are being consigned to the dustbin of history.

The band playing in the gardens this upcoming Sunday is the Rolls Royce outfit from Derby, by the way, but we'll be watching Welsh dolphins instead.

About which, consider how small the world is. One of our Becky's friends from her class is also going to Cardigan Bay this week, and when I cancelled piano lessons next week and explained why, Kate, the teacher (also a freecycle member) said she was going there the following week and told us the best places to go and spot dolphins.

The internet is wonderful, but local is best.