The Puckering Gazette

Saturday May 1 , 1999             50p.

Next Edition

In response to a recent report by the Department of Education urging teachers to include reading materials more suited to the tastes of boys, Col. N. Bratherton spoke out recently on the subject of suitable stories for boys in school.  "Boys need to read good, stirring yarns of adventure," stated the Puckering author of My Life in India.  "My book is full of real men and good morals, where people know their place. I’ve got kidnappings, Big Game hunting, and some great battle scenes. It’s no good expecting boys to read all that stuff about love and romance, they’re just not interested." 

The government report issued last month concluded that boys should not be required to read works by authors such as Jane Austen, whose writing they characterized as "girlish."--Nigel Twicks

Puckering has a new young entrepreneur in Wendy Smith, owner of  Pet Love. For a fixed fee, Miss Smith will come to your house and look after your beloved Rover, Rabby or Ratty when you are away. "I’ll feed them, clean litter, take them for a walk, but I’ll also give them some love and attention  to ease their loneliness." Before starting Pet Love, Wendy had done some babysitting but noted, "There are some really horrible kids out there, and I find that animals are much nicer."

Miss Smith currently operates Pet Love from her home in Lower Puckering, but hopes that business will allow her to expand into a facility for boarding pets.   "Some people don't feel comfortable opening their homes to outsiders.  In the future, I hope Pet Love will be an option for all the dogs, cats and other creatures in the village."--Nigel Twicks

Stoney Grove owners Simon Tinsley and Ann Simmons have recently hired a student, Emma Knytleigh, to undertake further research on the estate.  Miss Knytleigh will live in the house with the un-married couple.   "We want to know how the house has been changed over the years, what the rooms were originally used for and why they were decorated as they were," said Miss Simmons, when asked why further study was necessary. The Gazette was unable review other research by the young student.  --Nigel Twicks

Puckering Profiles

Editor’s note: The Gazette is proud to introduce a new series (see above). Over the next several weeks, Nigel Twicks will interview a cross-section of residents in Upper and Lower Puckering, giving you, our readers, an in-depth look at the diversity of our community.