Weekly update

Beautiful all week if a little cold (down to -6 over night on Monday!), this morning we heard the first curlew so it's official - spring is here.
We've been working one computer down all week, yesterday the machine was returned for us to test and we promptly crashed it, time after time. Finally it was agreed that a new machine would be built to replace the malfunctioning one. This turned up this morning and was installed, a few gremlins were worked out and now we're gradually adding all the personal settings. So fingers crosssed that it for now - although we are changing the server later this month and then upgrading the operating systems early next month prior to a complete software overhaul later in the year - what could possibly go wrong.... Please stick with us if it all goes pineapple shaped.
In the midst of it all the Weekly edition has been edited and gone to press this afternoon, it's been quiet (thank goodness) and it's nine pages containing 45 new paid posts of which 29 came direct to CJS. This week you're receiving the Training Calendar for April and also the second advance warning of subscription rate change for postal subs, digital ones remain unchanged.

Finally...

The end of the week arrives, it's been a busy week. Our misbehaving computer is getting worse and is causing all sorts of problems, it's created a rather frantic form of CJS musical chairs, or maybe that should be musical computers! TB's on holiday this week in sunny(?) spain hiking through various mountains and her editing role has been shared out across the Team, so sorry for any typo's we're not quite as proficient. Regardless, the Weekly edition is now printing and as usual the digital version is already online for digital subscribers. Multi-user subscribers should have received new access details this week, the old details will be valid for another week or two but if you've not received yours please check with your CJS co-ordinator and then they can contact us.
This week it's 8 sides, 56 new paid posts of which 48 came direct to CJS.

We have a small job available for someone who lives in Northern Ireland. Not too onerous, but not highly paid either! If you're curious please contact TheTeam@countryside-jobs.com

CJS Weekly is now online

This week has been quiet the advertisers know KH is having a holiday. Monday's edition of CJS Weekly has just about finished printing ready for dispatch. It's 8 pages this week; there are 50 jobs of which 34 came direct.
We are not looking forward to the torrential rain forcast for this weekend, hope you stay dry and warm.

End of the week

As it's now Saturday you'll realise it's been a rather long week!
HB has had a series of small disasters at home, one of our computers is still not working and is causing it's own series of problems and on Friday one of our other print jobs had to be partially re-done (not our fault I hasten to add) slowing up production of the Weekly. It was all finished, eventually - but there are still lots of small tasks to be completed / caught up with, hence the Saturday update. Anyway the Weekly is now with Royal Mail and will be with you on Monday, digital copies have been available since late yesterday.

And in the midst of it all we're playing with the beta of Office 2010 prior to a massive software upgrade later in the year. Gluttons for punishment obviously...

Weather is still white and cold filling the garden with birds. KH gets a week off next week and was intending to spend a week in the garden tidying up and finishing the winter pruning that's not been yet done; a week of hibernation seems more likely.

Weekly update

A bit later than usual, but at last time for a quick update. We've been having one of those weeks, compounded by a new computer which is short on memory and struggles with anything more than basics - ho hum. Anyway, the website has had a fair few adverts this week and Monday's edition of CJS Weekly has just about finished printing ready for dispatch. It's 13 pages this week plus March's events calendar which is another two; there are 118 jobs of which 83 came direct.

Another busy week

The website stayed put this week which helped quite a lot, however the machinery in the office decided to have a holiday! And the server is making strange noises, just a faulty fan apparently so nothing to worry about...
Weather is much warmer today and most of the snow and ice has now melted but there's still some in the hedge bottoms and folds on the moor. One piece of good news is that our siskins seem to have returned, they've been absent all winter with only the odd one or two irregular visitors but this week they've been back in, if not the same numbers as before then much higher than of recent.
The Weekly edition is now printing, 10 sides this week with 81 new paid posts of which 69 came direct AND this week's edition contains the CJS Focus on Volunteering, all 20 pages of it! Happy reading.

End of a very long week - almost

It's been a very trying week, the website disappeared and then reappeared, then emails were being held for hours but at last (say it very quietly) we think it's all fixed and we're back to full capacity. A bit of a backlog but we're getting there. CJS Weekly, the first of February already would you believe, is now rolling off the presses and is being posted online whilst outside the window someone is bursting pillows and throwing the feathers all around -no, not really, it's snowing again but it looks just like we're in the middle of a particularly destructive pillow fight. The fourth CJS Weekly edition of the year is 10 pages containing 83 new paid posts of which 68 came direct to CJS. Not many ads for volunteers this week as next week the Focus on Volunteering will be included with your copy, this one looks rather large.

Weekly update

Another week has gone by and the last weekly of January is now printing, the third edition of the year already. Being the third edition it includes the Training Calendar which for February is a page and half. The main Weekly update this week is 10 pages containing 73 new paid posts of which 58 came direct to CJS. 80%, yes, that's right, eight out of every ten posts were sent direct to us.
The digital versions are already online and paper editions should (post permitting) be with you on Monday.

Come rain or shine

or even snow we'll get your copy of CJS Weekly to you.

This week every one got involved even HB's kids who leant their sledge and helped to pull the post from the office up to the Post Office for collection - yes, this is actually one of the main roads in the village.

Snow and a Weekly.

One word. SNOW.

Need we say more?

At least it's brought lots of birds into the garden including a couple of redwings. But it's causing problems for the office staff, being in a small village on the moors the office is pretty much inaccessible to vehicles, a large 4x4 got well and truly stuck on the lane this morning and created lots of very deep ruts and skid patches whilst getting out again. For the duration the office is staffed by those of us who can walk in although other team members are doing vital work from home so as long as the power and phone lines hold we'll be fine.
We have been busy taking photos and when we have five minutes we'll upload a few.

Despite this the office opened as usual and the first copy of CJS Weekly has been sent to print. The digital version is already online, the postal one will be with you - well maybe Monday but the white stuff will have a lot say about that. The week it's 11 pages with 72 new paid posts of which 53 came direct to CJS.

The last CJS Weekly of 2009

The last edition of 2009 is now printing and for online subscribers is now available to read. The next edition will be published on Monday 11 January.

Chilly Weekly

The penultimate weekly of 2009 is nor printing and the digital version is available. This week it the third pre-Christmas warning, and we've added the the Christmas button to the website home page, linking the Christmas page with all the vital dates and deadlines.
it was clear overnight and we had a very hard frost but by morning it was thick fog which has not lifted all day. The feeders have been smothered with everything from tree sparrow to nuthatch with most things in between too.

Christmas is coming

Sorry, but it really is only just around the corner, now don't all panic at once!
The second pre-Christmas warning appears in this week's edition of CJS Weekly which is now falling off the printers and is already online. Eight pages this week, 55 new paid posts 42 of which came direct to CJS - yes, that's right over three quarters of the jobs were sent direct to CJS.
We survived the heavy rains, no flooding and after the scenes in Cumbria it seems petty to grumble about a few large puddles, serious soggy gardens and fields and very muddy dogs, so we'll mutter quietly.

CJS Weekly

Is now printing and posties permitting will be with you Monday. This week it's eight pages containing new paid posts 57 of which 25 came direct to CJS.
It's been a strange week, weatherwise, rain, more rain, warm sunshine, grey miserableness and now more rain. The garden has been full of birds and the nuthatch has been a regular visitor. So we've been quite glad to be snug in the office whilst we wade through a general IT spring clean (a few frayed tempers but much cleaner files!).

CJS Weekly - collection

At last a little red van has arrived and CJS Weekly is now being loaded up and is finally on its way out. All being well it will arrive in the next day or so. If it doesn't, or you can't wait, please contact us for the temporary details to get copies form the website.

Post

Sorry, folks, the post that was due to be collected on Saturday is still sitting waiting. That means your copy of CJS Weekly is still here. As yet, we've been unable to find out when the post will be collected. When we know more, we'll let you know too.

Post update

Well, our mail was collected as normal on Saturday so, in theory, your copy of CJS Weekly is on its way to you. If for any reason it doesn't reach you please contact us for temporary details to download this week's edition from the website.

Weekly update

The first marsh tit was seen around and about this week and the feeders have been overflowing with birds. The goldfinches squabble for space, the tits queue up patiently and wait their turn and the spuggies hoover up whatever drops and the dogs clear up anything they miss.

It's been interesting with the threatened and now happening postal strikes, a huge heap of mail on Tuesday then very little and of course today nothing. There are reported delays to 40% of mail according to Royal Mail. CJS Weekly is printing and will be dispatched from here as usual, collection is due tomorrow (and should happen) but it's bound to get stuck in the back log. So don't forget if your copy is one of the many stuck in a heap somewhere you can contact us to obtain an electronic one. This week there are 74 new paid posts, 45 direct to CJS over 11 pages.

3000

That's the number of jobs advertised in CJS Weekly so far this year.
That's new, not previously published paid countryside jobs all in the UK.

This week's edition is currently printing and is already online. In addition to the usual jobs there's the training calendar for November.
Also a reminder to complete your subscribers surveys if you've not already done so. You'll also find more details about the forthcoming postal strikes and details of what you can do to obtain your copy of CJS Weekly.

The fascinating feature article this week is about a request for you to photograph ladybirds, apparently now's the time they're all coming in to hibernate and CEH would like you to photograph any you see and send them your photos.

And finally as if that lot is not enough for one posting, earlier this week we had the first reports of snow buntings, KH saw three on Saturday and AW's father-in-law reported 2 at Greenend, yesterday a small flock of redwing was seen heading into the field in front of the CJS office. Snow shoes at the ready then, usually three weeks after the first buntings...

Weekly update

Sorry, it's a bit late but we did publish CJS Weekly as usual this weekend (a bit busy on Friday and didn't quite get round to the blog!) This week it's nine pages with 54 new paid posts.
http://bit.ly/2rXthB Who burns off when a gale is predicted? Apparently land owners on the NYM! The Egton blaze was visible from the village on Saturday and the smoke drifted across the valley for several miles.

The bird feeders have been taken out of storage and filled, vast clouds of various finches promptly descended and the feeders were very quickly in need of refilling!

Weekly rolls round again

Somehow it's Friday, where has the week gone?? if you find it please send it back...
So it being Friday we're busy printing this week's edition, nine sides this time with 56 new paid post of which 29 came direct to CJS.

On Wednesday the winners of the BWPA were announced at the official opening of the exhibition in London. Have a look at the stunning images on the website. Click Here

Another edition

Should now be with subscribers - Royal Mail permitting, threats of more strike action of the weekend and a ballot on national strike action is looking likely. We'll keep you up to date with how any action affects CJS.
The seasons have definitely turned - on last Thursday morning the wire on the top of the field fence was lined with 60-70 swallows, the final muster of the summer, sure enough by tea time they'd all gone and now there are just the odd one or two martins. Over the weekend the first geese skeins have been sighted, and yesterday Maia picked up the first conker of the season, I managed to make her drop it before she crunched it up and ate it - next will be the fly agaric, she's a very strange dog (even more so after the fungi...!).

4 & 20 blackbirds

No, not baked in a pie but all over the garden. Just been to make afternoon coffee (a little late in the day but hey it's Friday and in the CJS office that means furrowed brows and smoking keyboards) and looking out of the kitchen window the lawn is covered in blackbirds somewhere between 12 and 18 at a quick count. One brood have a very distinctive paler head, almost fawn on some of the females; another lot appear to be wearing collars. There's no difference in the food available, still nuts and a sunflower mix plus the off windfall plum although not too many because the Labradors hoover them up (and in Hebe's case pick them from the tree). Any ideas for the sudden flock?
Earlier this week the nuthatch put in it's first appearance for quite a while.
Brows are not quite so furrowed as CJS Weekly has now gone to print, a small seven sides, not bad after the Bank Holiday (and IT problems) there are 57 new paid posts, 39 direct to CJS.

Argh...

On Friday the blog wouldn't work so we couldn't update to let you know the current edition was printing as usual.
Then yesterday, yes I know it was Bank Holiday but we usually ignore those, the server decided it wanted the day off and refused to let anyone sign in. So that's no email, website, internet, database, word processor - fundamentally no computers so we got the day off anyway. This morning whilst it was being fixed we were running on laptops on dial up with only partial data.
Anyway, new a powerpack, some bits of wire, a few smart thumps and the machinery is once again working and we're forging ahead catching up.

Jumping commas and tall sunflowers

HB survived the show last weekend , it was great to see so much home grown produce. Two doors down from the CJS office, one of the children grew the tallest sunflower at 2.94m, which caused uproar in HB's house as they got to 2.91m!!!

But brains are a little mangled and after a complete mental block we've coined a new phrase, jumping comma - any ideas? Think about it.

CJS Weekly has been published as usual, 10 sides, this week with details of 54 new paid posts this week of which 33 were sent direct to CJS. Digital copies already online and post permitting paper copies due on Monday.

Front Page news

in the local paper.

Well it got your attention. On Saturday evening there was a very large yellow Sea King RAF Search & Rescue helicopter flying round for quite a while. Turns out that some fool had been tombstoning down one of the many waterfalls, and damaged their back. This particular waterfall is notorious in the village and the footpath has only just been reopened this summer. For more see the Whitby Gazette. And much as we love to see the Sea Kings (lovely piece of machinery if a little noisy) please don't do anything so silly.

Juno (one of the office dogs) had a couple of lumps removed yesterday so she's a bit sore and grumbly today and is wearing a very fetching tee-shirt and one sock with a lampshade collar in reserve.

Tomorrow is the village Flower & Veg show, HB is the secretary so has taken today off to try to get organised (and bake enough cakes to feed the five thousand).

CJS Monthly went out as usual on Tuesday and should have reached everyone by now, CJS Weekly with September's training calendar is currently printing and will soon be on it's way to postal readers, digital copies already available. You're also getting the CJS Focus with this edition - more of which next week.

And for now that's it.

Friday at last

It's been a rather uneventful week which has made it seem very long.
On the wildlife watch we've had a pair of adult tree sparrows feeding a brood of three fledglings, one of the adults has even been coming to the nut feeder hanging outside the office window. We're hoping they're still here as yesterday a rather large female sparrowhawk came whizzing past the window into the hawthorn hedge and then bounced out into an ash tree. Perhaps she also scared a visiting yellowhammer which has not been seen since.
CJS Weekly is now printing, this week it's eight pages with 66 new paid posts of which 40 came direct to CJS.
Today is also Amy's last day before she goes on maternity leave. During her absence Helen is stepping up to cover Amy's main roles.
We wish Amy, Nev and their 'Bean' all the very best and look forward to her return next year.

Friday, Friday

We celebrated CJS's birthday yesterday. With Birthday Cake and yes, balloons! Fifteen years and still going strong, here's to the next fifteen.
And so saying this week's Weekly is now printing and is already online. it has a last call for entries to the British Wildlife Photography Awards, competition closes next Friday 31 July. For more click here
There are also details of a wonderful opportunity to be a Village champion as part of the Village SOS project run by BBC, Mark Your Mark and the Big Lottery Fund.

CJS Weekly - left Goathland

Well, our post was collected as usual on Saturday. Now it's all up to what happens on route to you. If you don't receive your copy today then please contact us quoting your CJS number and we'll let you know how to get hold of a copy.

CJS Weekly

Another edition is now rolling off the presses and Royal mail permitting will be with you on Monday. Our post arrived as normal this morning so fingers crossed it will be collected and deliver as normal.

It has rained non-stop since last night so every thing is very soggy and the local paper reports that one of the main thoroughfares in Whitby is flooded. To read more click here.

Royal Mail - delays possible.

It's the summer silly season and Royal Mail workers are threatening strike action. Some parts of London have already been affected and nationwide action is forecast for later this week starting on Friday. This of course will affect CJS, some publications on subscription will not reach us on time and the outbound post including your copy of CJS Weekly may be delayed. The late receipt of publications should not cause too many problems however if our post collection is late we will make alternative arrangements for postal subscribers.
As ever we will keep you up to date online via the blog and news releases.
If you are in an area affected and don't receive your CJS Weekly then please contact us quoting your CJS number (preferably by email) and we will let you know how to access a copy online.

CJS Weekly 13 July

The Weekly has been printed, it's 10 pages containing 73 new paid posts of which 36 came direct to CJS. As usual it's already online and paper copies are due on Monday. We hope this week's issue contains your perfect job.

CJS Weekly 6 July

The Weekly has been printed, it's 9 pages containing 72 new paid posts of which 34 came direct to CJS. As usual it's already online and paper copies are due on Monday.
It's been a very hot week in the office but we have had a downpour this afternoon which seems to have cooled the situation. Here's to a beautiful weekend.

Busy birding.

There's something in the air.
Thunder and hail yesterday and today the dogs are behaving most oddly; Hebe is usually as mad as a box of frogs and this morning was even more crackers than usual, even Cara (the large hound) is acting strangely. All except Juno who's a little subdued she has injured her paw and had to visit here favourite veterinarian on Monday and is now on antibiotics.
We hadn't heard the cuckoo for several days but yesterday evening it was calling again. Lots of the garden birds were yelling too because the owl was sitting on the telephone wires again, looking thoroughly miserable and more than slightly soggy. And today it's been the turn of the swifts to be screaming around, our very own Springwatch right outside the window.
This week the Monthly has gone out and Monday's Weekly contains the July Training Calendar added to which we launched our facebook pages too.
We have two pages, one all about CJS at www.facebook.com/pages/Countryside-Jobs-Service/20284044858 but if you're not interested in our news (then why are you reading the blog?!?) and want to get straight to the action then become a fan of the CJS Jobs page at www.facebook.com/pages/CJS-Jobs/73274275980 So it's been a busy week all in all. The Weekly is currently printing, it's 11 pages plus five for the training calendar containing 60 new paid posts of which 29 came direct to CJS. As usual it's already online and paper copies are due on Monday.

Birthdays, butterflies, dolphins, rain and jobs...!

After a beautiful weekend and start to the week the weather broke and it's cold, grey, wet and miserable today. The swifts and house martins are conspicuous by their absence, they've gone to hunt in brighter skies although the nest building is coming on well. The big event this week was most junior office dog Hebe had her birthday, she's now two years old and officially no longer a puppy - will someone tell her that please, apologies to any callers who heard strange squeakings, it was just the birthday ball.
Our article in Monday's edition of CJS Weekly is about the incredible migration of the painted lady butterflies, one has been reported in Goathland so they've reached us too. But even more amazing is that bottlenose dolphins have been reported off Whitby, see our local paper, The Whitby Gazette, for more details.
Oh, yes and CJS Weekly is now printing, 10 pages this week with 91 new paid posts of which 27 came direct to CJS.

Excursions and Weekly.

What a strange week, bank holiday Monday was unsurprisingly very quiet but also lovely weather. then it went wet and miserable but today the sun's back. The cuckoos (yes, we have odd one or seven, red list or not) were yelling their heads off this morning, the swifts have been screaming (we have a fair size squadron of those too, lucky us) and it was too hot at lunch time to eat outside. the forecast for the weekend is quite good too so fingers crossed for a good few days. Although not too hot in Edinburgh please, ST our Scottish stringer is watching family, with typical British pale skin, run the marathon, but not too dreech either as more family is off on DoE expeditions - so we wish them all well and hope whatever the weather it suits their various activities. At the other end of the country in the English capital AW is treating some of her family to a weekend of culture with trips to Tate Modern, Kew and seats to watch A Little Night Music. Some of us are stuck in the office producing your Weekly edition which is now falling off the printer. it's a smallish one this week with just eight pages but 55 new paid posts of which 21 came direct to CJS; there are a few re-ads too.

Bank Holiday Weekly

Is now on route, almost.
Printers are rattling away and envelopes being stuffed. Royal Mail permitting it will be with you on Tuesday. Digital copies are already online. This week, with today being International Day for Biological diversity, we're highlighting the Pink Peril in the Lake District - that's Himalayan Balsam to you and me, which is clogging up large areas of the Rothay Valley, near Windermere and causing a huge amount of damage.
On the jobs front there are twelve pages of 85 new paid posts, 34 of which came direct to CJS.
The weather forecast for the weekend is good (well reasonable) so we're off to enjoy the sunshine. have a good bank holiday whether you're working or playing.

Sunny Friday

But just don't mention the windows....
What is it about new windows? When Niall had his replaced it led to the "Everest saga" (see www.grovesdyke.co.uk and click on Windows) The replacement windows for the two big bay windows are the wrong size - no it's not that they won't fit the hole, just that the glass is too small and the timber casements too big more than double the ones they are replacing. A major summit of all interested parties was called yesterday and after much discussion new plans are being drawn up and it looks like eight more new windows. Watch this space.

Well at the back of the building, bathes in glorious sunshine we carry on and have been doubly busy this week, subscribers are getting CJS Weekly (10 pages 68 jobs, 36 direct) and CJS Focus on Training, 14 pages of articles and adverts. Non-subscribers get their copy online on Monday. Details will follow next week.

Summer is officially here, the swifts arrived on Thursday morning, three screaming around the eaves. We think (hope) that they're last years ones returned and will nest again.

windows, Weekly and hedgehogs.

It's been a bit of a mad week (but then when is it not?). Monday and Tuesday the weather was absolutely awful, wet, miserable and even wetter and we were several very large windows missing. Monday was so awful we relit the wood stove. However, wonderful new double glazed windows in FSC hard wood frames are now installed and the last bits of painting are being finished in glorious sunshine.
The latest weekly edition is currently being printed and the digital version are available already. If you get yours by post then because of the Bank holiday on Monday it will be a day late. This week there are eleven pages congaing 65 new paid posts of 29 came direct to CJS, there are also lots of voluntary vacancies this week and our fascinating feature article is from SNH with news of Mrs Tiggywinkle and family's eviction from the Uists, all waders can now breathe a sigh of relief. Any hogs that fancy a trip south would be most welcome here to munch our slugs, although the resident toads do a pretty good job.

British Tigers

And no we're not talking rugby (although we will if you want, how do you think Tigers will fare against Bristol tomorrow then? and what about the Lions selections?)
This is a countryside site so we're actually talking about the Scottish wildcat which is the focus of our fascinating feature article this week. With the horrifying thought that there could be as few as 400 pure bred wildcats left making them rare than the bengal tiger. Click on the logo to visit the site and find out more.
CJS Weekly is now printing and post allowing will be with you on Monday, the digital copies are already online so log on to check the latest vacancies of which there are 87, 53 of which came direct to CJS. this edition is 12 pages long.
The windows are progressing well, scaffold down on Monday and then the downstairs ones go in. The dogs are still on tenter paws and watching every move, it's good job they've not learnt to climb ladders, although it won't be long before Hebe figures them out!
Enjoy the sunshine whilst it lasts.

End of another week

It's been really quite quiet this week, only to be expected after the Bank Holiday but somehow not being busy makes it feel like a long week. Well, thank Crunchie it's Friday and the presses are now rolling with CJS Weekly, a quiet week leads to a short edition, only nine pages this week with 60 new paid posts. This edition also includes the May Training Calendar which is four pages of professional events and courses. There's also news from Durrell (home of CJ). Our latest new recruit is settling in well and is already picking up the CJS peculiarities.

Good heavens

It's Easter (or Eostre if you prefer) already. Where is the year going? Well Easter or not we're still here bashing out your copies of CJS. The big printer is still not mended, "we've not seen that before", they said! The engineers are talking to their next up who's talking to the manufacturers. Someone will contact us early next week to let us know the next step - I think it's new machinery time but that why we lease and don't buy so it's their problem and not ours (except for not being to print colour properly so we have to use the other smaller printers and it takes for ever).
In the mean time this week's edition is (fortunately) all in black and white and is even now falling off the printers, it's 12 pages this week containing 88 new paid posts, 57 of which came direct to CJS. The digital version will shortly be online and the paper editions will be collected by Royal Mail tomorrow for delivery on Tuesday (Monday being a Bank Holiday).
First swallow in the village has been sighted by AW's father-in-law this morning. The field in front of the office has had ewes for a few days, this morning the first lambs were born, spring is here and summer is just around the corner (yes, we know one swallow does not a summer make).
Have a good Easter, we'll be here on Monday and there are a few jobs booked for the website.

Photography

Any budding photographers out there?
If you've any photos of British wildlife you might like to enter them into a new competition, you could win up to £5,000 and see your work exhibited around the country. We're sponsoring the Habitat category of the British Wildlife Photography Awards, other categories are sponsored by organisations such as WWF and Natural England. The Wildlife Trusts, National Trust and National Trust for Scotland are also supporting the awards which were launched on Wednesday. Click on the link for more info.
After the excitement of the reappearance of the Owl and arrival of a noctule bat the wildlife spotting died down a bit but the first tortoiseshell butterfly was seen yesterday and the first swallows int he area have been reported in the local paper.
But on to more mundane things, like CJS Weekly. Which is now rolling off the printers, 11 pages this week with a monster 186 new paid posts, of which 126 were sent direct to CJS, there are also a couple of pages of voluntary posts. Don't forget that although next week is Easter CJS rumbles on as usual so digital copies will be available on Friday but paper editions will be a day or two late (thanks Royal Mail).

another week

the year is flying by, here we are at the end of March already - and that means end of year accounts. Why is it always 10p out? Maybe this year the books will balance as they should - then again that pig never did take to flight.
Anyway enough boring office stuff, what you want to know is that CJS Weekly is now falling off the printers as usual. 10 pages this week with 59 new paid posts of which 40 came direct to CJS. There's also the last warning about the impending subs changes next week. Out of the office windows we can see the bold daffodils standing tall and cherrily welcoming the cold sunshine. Don't forget the clocks go forward this weekend - summer's almost here!

Sunshine

Lovely warm sunshine all week, but not quite as much as TB who is sitting on a beach in Alicante knitting (yes, she's taken her knitting on holiday, needles safely in the suitcase). Good job it's been a quiet week without our fastest editor, back next week so you can start sending those job ads now!
On Wednesday evening the chirrup of bats was heard for the first time this year. The new (Christmas pressie from NC, thanks) bat detector was taken out and once a smoke alarm had been robbed of its battery, don't worry we replaced it later, the small speaker soon gave the squelch of a pipistrelle out of hibernation and looking for supper. We're hoping to hear brown long ears (they use the garage as a summer roost) and to catch the squeak of daubentons and noctules on their way across the fields to the river and nearly trees.
In fact it's been far too lovely to be stuck in the office...
CJS Weekly is now rolling off the printers, this week it's 10 sides long with 58 new paid posts, 40 of which came direct to CJS. it also contains the one thousandth vacancy advertised this year as well as the latest advance warning of the impending subscription rates change.

Latest Weekly

Is now dropping off the printers. This week it's 10 pages plus three of training for the coming month, there are 91 new paid posts of which 42 came direct to CJS. There is also the second advance warning about the impending subscription rate change along with a few more details about what's happening and why.
The owls have been hooting this week and the bulbs in the garden are showing their beautiful colours, although the snowdrops are almost over. So we think it must be spring!

Sunshine and snow

Although it's brilliant sunshine now we had another dusting of snow this week and there have been some very hard frosts overnight. Yesterday we had yellowhammers on the feeding station and it seems as if we're the join between two lots of robin territories - we've seen a few dust ups! Winter hasn't quite given up yet although spring is definitely chasing hard on its heels with some glorious bulbs showing their head above ground and the first few seedlings are appearing in pots in the greenhouse.
Despite the glorious sunshine we beavered away at the machinery and got CJS to print on time, this week it's nine pages with 53 new paid posts of which 30 came direct. the online copies are already available and post allowing paper editions will be there on Monday. This week's edition also contains the first advance warning notice of an impending change in subs rates.

A quiet but warm week

We have not been inundated with jobs this week but plenty have gone on to Daily Online. KH has been on holiday and has been blessed with good warm, dryish weather for spring tidying in the garden.

The next edition of CJS Weekly has finished printing and will soon be in envelopes, online already and paper copies due on Monday as usual. 9 pages this week with 61 new paid posts of which 36 were sent direct to CJS.

Green grass!

At last, the fields are green again even the white margins have been erased. The birds are singing and no longer flocking to the feeding station although we've had a pair of robins very delicately sharing food and several dunnocks flirtatiously waving their wings. A host of snowdrops were waiting patiently under the drifts and are now gently nodding in the breeze.
It seems spring really is in the air (but say it quietly in case Jack Frost hears us and decides to return for one last fling). And amid all this productivity the next edition of CJS Weekly drops off the printers, online already and paper copies due on Monday as usual. 13 pages this week with 104 new paid posts of which 69 were sent direct to CJS.

Let nothing come between you and your CJS

Well, eventful journeys home for all staff travelling by car even though they were sent home early, leaving at around 3pm but all made it safely home. In the evening the snow changed to light drizzle followed by clearing skies and a slight freeze overnight but no more white stuff. The ruler in the middle of the lawn measured seven and half inches of snow (19cm), so not too bad then. Tractor ploughs and gritters got the roads cleared and opened again by this morning although the vehicular debris was spectacular including a large 4x4 which slid sideways off the road and was stopped by a tree from plunging down the ravine into the river above Beck Hole.
The office remained open and thankfully the heavy snow melted from the vital wires and (so far) no loss of power or phones. So CJS Weekly is now dropping off the printers, this week there are 60 new paid posts, 39 of them direct to CJS, it's 10 pages long plus a further three with training courses and professional events.

Latest Weekly

Monday's edition of CJS Weekly is rolling off the printers. 15 pages with 147 new paid posts of which 105 came direct to CJS , that's nearly three quarters direct to CJS. The article highlights the Severn tidal power feasability study, most specifically the response from WWT, if you'd like to know more about the study and woudl like to add your comments please visit the offical site at: http://severntidalpowerconsultation.decc.gov.uk
We've been really busy this week with the adverts flooding in for next week's CJS Focus on Volunteering, check back next week for more details.

CJS Weekly

We're all prepared for the Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend. Feeders cleaned and refilled but although it has rained pretty much non-stop all week it's been really quite mild (until today when it snowed) so not many birds int he garden or at the feeders. Perhaps another chilly snap will bring them in just in time for the count.
Monday's edition is almost printed and we're about to start putting it in the envelopes ready for the Postie tomorrow morning. This week it's 13 sides long containing 120 new apid posts of which 84 came direct to CJS. Talking of post our has been a bit hit and miss this week (our regular postie is on holiday), we can't beleive that there have been only ten letter for us all week. So if you've sent something by post and not had a response don't worry - yet - I'm sure it will reach us eventually.

CJS Weekly

Second edition now printing. This week it's 14 pages plus two of events / training, there are 117 new paid posts of which 88 came direct to CJS. New for 2009, subscribers to the digital copies have access to CJS Monthly in full, under the new system you'll find it listed at the bottom of the January editions.

The first CJS Weekly of 2009

Is now dropping off the printers, it's not quite as large as we thought it would be, but then the Guardian only had three relevant ads on Wednesday rather than the 40+ of previous years. However, CJS is still a respectable 14 sides with 117 new paid posts, of which 88 came direct to us.
The security problems with accessing the subscribers only section carried on and so we've implemented a whole new protocol, it should not look any different (well not much) to you the reader and in theory once it's over the teething problems (oh, no not again...) it should be easier for us to use too.

Happy New Year

The CJS Office is once again open and we're ready for the onslaught. Several jobs waiting for teh website and lots to type for the first Weekly. Remember CJS Monthly will be one week later than usual this month.

Here we go again....

CJS Weekly and Website

The last CJS weekly edition of 2008 has now been published. The next one will be published on Monday 12 January 2009. to receive this edition we must receive your subscription by 3pm on Thursday 8 January.

The website will continue to be updated until Friday 19 December.

As you may have noticed the blog has been a little quiet. As some subscribers are aware we've had a few issues with the new web hosts. However these now been solved, worked around or are int eh process of being fixed. Everything will be back to normal in January.

Snow – what snow??

We've been warned all week, "Arctic conditions, heavy snow falls" . Yes, it's a bit colder, we've had a bit of hail but blizzards? No (well not yet anyway). I'm not sure I believe the met office any more, and one day there really will be some serious weather to contend with and we'll be ignoring them, cry wolf once too often…
We've been having fun and games with the wood stove the last couple of weeks, the soot plate (on the top of the firebox to stop the soot falling into the fire) keeps falling out and smothering the draft making the fire smolder. Three times we've let the fire go out to put it back. On Tuesday we left the stove to go completely cold, took the plate out, cleaned it and put it back – so far it's stayed put and the stove has stayed in.
Well the latest CJS Weekly is thundering off the presses, this week's it's 11 pages long containing 148 new paid posts of which 108 came direct to CJS. It also contains a copy of CJS Weekly Special Edition supplement.

CJS Weekly and Website news

17 November edition is now printing, it's nine pages plus the December Training calendar which is a further two page. This week there are 56 new paid posts of which 34 came direct to CJS. It also contains the first advance warning of an impending change to the website. Following on from the disaster in July when the site was forcibly moved from one server to another (within the same hosting company) we've been struggling ever since and have finally given up. So, at the end of this month the site will move wholesale to a new hosting company, all associated emails (those ending with countryside-jobs.com) will also move. As I'm sure you can image we're full of trepidation about the move. But this time we'll be prepared and have contingency plans ready to implement should everything go as badly as last time. More details later.

CJS Monthly – November (and Weekly)

Is falling off the printers, five pages of jobs plus four of events. All now online and freely available
For some reason the Weekly update didn't appear. As you've probably worked out by now it was published as usual, with 55 jobs (31 direct to CJS) on nine pages.

Everything else is going swimmingly (almost literally – will it ever stop raining and dry up??) and our Data Manager is now returned from India – complete with snorter of a cold and beautifully hennaed hands.

Let it snow…

rom summer to winter in one posting. On Monday night the temperatures plummeted, and on Tuesday we finally lit the wood stove, as we watched the snow fall and the hail bounce it was very comforting. So now that we're warm and snug it can do whatever out there, although last night's storm had to he heard to be believed...
TB moved her horses to their new winter quarters (The National Park won't let her graze her own fields all year round) and was delighted to discover a Barn Owl had set up home in the field shelter. Although whether it will stay there now the horses are using it is another matter, however, it has been seen flying around which one of the young horses find fascinating.
Another edition of CJS Weekly is now printing, this week there are 60 new paid posts (35 direct) over nine pages.

Indian summer?

You might have noticed things are a little different here this week – or maybe not (in which case, phew, we're hiding it well!) Our Data Manager is away for three weeks. AW flew from Manchester to Nepal on Saturday and is now trundling into India on a very long train journey. This means that our new recruit is deputising and some of AW's other roles have been shunted sideways, we don't think we've lost or destroyed anything yet but then again perhaps we've just not noticed, I'm sure you'll let us know.
CJS Weekly is now printing, it's bit bigger this week at 11 pages with 77 new paid posts of which 48 came direct to CJS.

Post and search engines

We're always ready to grumble about Royal Mail well here's a nice story for a change. Earlier this week the post was dropped in as usual at around 9.30. Later in the day the door bell rang and there was the postie, he'd found a letter for us tucked into another bundle further on in his round. He put it to one side and called in to drop it off before going back to the sorting office. Well done Ray, thank you.

In these credit crunched days it often feels more difficult to make a difference. Well here's a way that doesn't cost a thing and you can make a huge difference. We've added an Everyclick search engine to the website, every search raises one penny for good causes; we chose the Hawk & Owl Trust as a small but worthy cause and one we've worked with in the past. So give a go and 'give your mouse a heart'.

CJS Weekly 20 October edition is now printing. As it's the third week of the month it contains the Training Calendar which is three pages long, there are nine pages (plus the three of training) containing 53 new paid posts of which 28 were sent direct to CJS.

More Birds and a Weekly.

CJS Weekly
Monday 13 October is now printing. This week it is 8 pages with 55 new paid posts of which 38 came direct to CJS.

More birds
The siskins arrived over the weekend, not in great numbers yet but several different individuals. We've had a few visiting bramblings joining the general finch flock too. Another returning species, but new for this year's list is a willow/marsh tit (I can never tell tother from which unless they're side by side!). Our brave little tree sparrow has been and told his family about the wonderful food available at The Moorlands and we've had three together all happily munching.

Marrow and more

Last weekend was the fifth Green End heaviest marrow competition, AW and family have been cosseting their plants through all the stormy weather. On Saturday morning the largest were chosen from their respective plants, cut, washed and carefully polished; Mr W's marrow was so large it had to go in the car, normally a wheelbarrow suffices! AW's offering came fourth but Mr W's was so large it didn't fit on the scales and had to be hung from a spring balance. It came in at 36¾lbs, yes that's right 2 and half stone of marrow. Not quite half ton veg but almost. Needless to say it was the winner and they went proudly home with their trophy and are now working out what to do with several stone of marrow. The monster yellow fellow is the winning cucurbit.


And through all the excitement of birds (see yesterday's posting) and marrow competitions CJS rumbles on and the weekly is now thundering off the printers. It's another small one this week at 8 sides with 70 new paid posts (25 direct to CJS). There's also a call for participants for a new BBC competition to win a year's contact at the prestigious Natural History Unit in Bristol.

CJS Weekly - three times

Sorry folks, we've been having server problems – again. This time not as severe as last but it's still affected our uploading to the site and on Friday morning we didn't have any emails! Argh, deadline day and no email. Quick phone call to establish that it was the servers and not us, "yes, we've just discovered" they said, "it's a problem with the authorisation" (no wonder all your operators were busy) and will be fixed soon. It took nearly an hour but we were back online before the deadline. So the Weekly is now printing, it'a little one this week, just 8 pages containing 44 new paid posts of which 27 came direct to CJS.

Turns out that the blog has not been updating either, so here are updates from the last couple of weeks.

Friday 19/9 - Mixed week.
It's been really quite busy in the office, our latest recruit is settling in and finding a way around our more obscure systems. Website has been alternatively busy and then quiet, however we've still got a large CJS weekly dropping off the printers, this there are 83 jobs (50 direct to CJS) over thirteen pages. Now the sun is shining and I think it's time for coffee and biscuits outside, got tot make the most of it whilst it lasts, it's been a rarity this year (but, then you know that too).

Friday 12/9 - Still raining….
Just like everywhere else we're still squelching around in the wet and it's still raining. Perhaps we really should become the Canoes &
CJS Weekly is now online and is currently being printed. This week it's 10 pages long with 95 paid posts of which 42 came direct to CJS. This week's edition contains the monthly training calendar which for October is four pages long.

Weekly update.

Our house martins have fledged this week and have been whizzing around after the multitude of midges but in the last couple of days have not been seen as often. The swallows have been gathering in great groups too. But at least it stopped raining and the sun came out yesterday so everything was steaming although with clear skies and a brisk wind everything has been drying out remarkably well – but the forecast for the weekend includes lots of rain and even some thunder thrown in for good measure, so enjoy it while it lasts.
Despite the vagaries of the weather CJS rolls on as normal and is now rolling off the printer. This week's edition is seven pages long containing 53 new paid posts of which 39 came direct to CJS. It's one of the smallest for a while which we think is partly due to the end of the summer holidays (including the Bank Holiday on Monday). There's also a bit of trend towards fewer vacancies which we're blaming on the credit crunch with people less willing / less able to move job or house. However CJS still receives a respectable 50+% direct from the employer, this week it's ¾ direct.
Blogger-in-chief is out of the office next week, officially on gardening leave (the real sort, done with a spade and hoe) but the garden is still sodden and any work on the soil will probably only make the damage even worse so maybe virtual gardening and plant-buying trips instead.

Squelch

I think we're going to change our business emphasis and start selling wellies and waders (the boot type not the birds). Free copy of CJS with every boot – or perhaps the other way round, galoshes with every CJS - what do you think?
This week's edition is somewhat smaller than last, no training or Special Edition but it's still a respectable 10 pages with 59 new paid posts 41 of which came direct to us here at CJS, that an impressive 70%. It is now printing and will be online shortly. Postal copies will arrive on Tuesday, due to the Bank Holiday on Monday.
The show did go ahead but we couldn't get there – literally, the roads were littered with abandoned (allegedly parked) cars. Reports from those did manage to get there say the field used as the car park was accessible to 4x4s only, and even then the gate posts would cause problems for some. In places the show field itself would have done Glastonbury proud and entries were significantly down. So after slaloming around vehicles and dodging stuck horseboxes it was decided that retreat was the better part of valour. Such a shame but we're not the only ones to have problems. The Ebor race meeting at York was abandoned as have been lots of other smaller events. And it's still raining… Now do we list any courses on boat building?

Whopper of a Weekly.

This week's edition contains the monthly Training Calendar and the quarterly Special Edition. That's 10 pages of jobs, 4 pages of training information and 14 pages of information all about Habitats and Biodiversity. Watch the postie stagger down the path with your copy!
It was going to be a monster to prepare and stuff into the envelopes, not helped by the fact that our do-everything, massive, double-quick printing colour printer gave up the ghost after two copies! So it's been printed in chunks and then collated before being put in the envelopes, sorry if yours isn't in the right order, it's been a long week.
Next week we're shutting up shop for a day on Wednesday so everyone can squelch around in the mud at the local agricultural show but before then it's the village Flower & Veg show on Sunday, AW is polishing the marrows and stretching the runner beans…

Catch up.

Well it's been a frantic, stressful and strange few weeks but we've made it.
CJS Weekly has continued to be produced as normal and most people seem to be coping with the new log in details without too many problems.
In the midst of it all Hebe has been fitted with her zip, she was very brave and didn't even look at her stitches, she's been unpicked but now has a frozen tail. Totally unconnected with the surgery but from playing too roughly within a visiting small person, she's feeling more sorry for herself about her tail than her zip, however, it is beginning to defrost and to wag again. The Owls have visited regularly, especially in the frequent downpours. In the high temperatures of a few weeks ago we were adding ice to the tropical fish tank! And KH was asking for a walk in freezer (doesn't do hot, but loves the snow). The plum tree is infested with greenfly which have also damaged the hop, roses and apple trees, the birds have been feasting but not really making any significant impact on the population explosion. Although it is nice to have flocks of long tail tits in the garden at this time of year reinforcements were called for and yesterday a package of ladybirds was released. It was really funny the way the ladybirds suddenly spotted (no pun intended) dinner and stormed off into the worst areas.
At last this week's edition of CJS Weekly is being printed. This week it's thirteen pages containing details of 106 new paid posts of which 33 were sent direct to CJS.

Wet, wet, sodden, drenched but not flooded

Rain has fallen it seems non-stop all week, not to mention thunder, lightening and the odd hail storm. Owl has spent most of her time on the telephone wires and the youngsters have been calling to her. In our nice dry (except for the odd shower from wet dogs) office we've plodded on as usual and the Weekly edition is now printing. This week's edition is 15 pages containing 123 new paid posts of which 54 came direct to CJS. Considering the water sluicing down the article is oddly appropriate calling for greater understanding and protection of our wetlands.

Wet, wet, sodden, drenched but not flooded.

Rain has fallen it seems non-stop all week, not to mention thunder, lightening and the odd hail storm. Owl has spent most of her time on the telephone wires and the youngsters have been calling to her. In our nice dry (except for the odd shower from wet dogs) office we've plodded on as usual and the Weekly edition is now printing. This week's edition is 15 pages containing 123 new paid posts of which 54 came direct to CJS. Considering the water sluicing down the article is oddly appropriate calling for greater understanding and protection of our wetlands.

Damn dog…

Hebe is a small black destroyer, we knew that but today's revelation really takes the biscuit. She chewed all the trim, fascia and bits of car within teeth range and today it turns out she's also managed to reach the seatbelts, despite a factory fitted dog guard. The car failed its MOT because of frayed seatbelts! Little monster.
It's been an odd week, we've all been very busy but don't feel like we have anything really to show for it. It just goes that way sometimes. However, we have managed to produce the CJS Weekly as usual it's currently printing. This week's edition is eleven pages long containing 86 new paid posts of which 37 came direct to CJS.

Musical chairs

AW has been complaining, that's a bit strong, perhaps muttering about would be more apt, of a 'numb bum' and having had to sit in her chair I can see why, heaven only knows what she's done to it but the cushioning is as flat as pancake. A series of musical chairs ensued with different chairs being sat in and, yes, two are in need of replacement, one urgently and one in a few months. So two brand new chairs were ordered, surprise, surprise, the existing line is no longer manufactured so afer hours of pouring over different descriptions and options a decision was made, order placed on Monday, chairs arrived on Tuesday.
How many different things can a chair do?
Well seven apparently, requiring four levers and that's not including manoeuvring into position, another afternoon of musical chairs as the settings were made, adjusted and different levers pushed and pulled. I love mine but unfortunately AW doesn't like her new chair (we think it's her back that's skewed and not the chair or perhaps, being of tough Yorkshire stock, she likes the hard chair?), so more musical chairs was called for and she's now on the almost defunct chair whilst we ponder what to do about a replacement.
Despite the party games (and distraction of yellow fluffy balls in SW19(Wimbledon to the non-fanatics)) a new copy of CJS Weekly is now rolling off the printers, this week it's 13 sides containing 105 new paid posts of which 49 came direct to CJS.
Now has rain stopped play again yet….?

What a week!

Torrential rain interspersed with brilliant, hot sunshine, it's been a bit like living in the rain forest!
We've been relaying messages back and forth this week, first a message on the answerphone for Niall, a mutual acquaintance (and former rent-a-ranger guide) has been awarded an MBE in the Queen's birthday honours, then Niall got a query for CJS (details duly sent onward) and finally in the post this morning a letter addressed to KH but sent to Natural England in Peterborough who very kindly sent it to us, one of the benefits of having an unusual name I suppose. However, we haven't a clue what the author of the letter is going on about so we're a bit of loss as to know what to with it. Perhaps the weekend R'n'R will provide the answer.
Loads of adverts on the website this week, 12 today alone, see Daily Online for more details. So that means it's a quite a large CJS Weekly, 13 pages with 110 new paid posts 70 of which came direct to CJS, that's two thirds with CJS.

Monthly, Weekly and Swords

The June Monthly, after a small hiccup (does nothing ever run smoothly?) was published as usual. Details of the vacancies are freely available online and are in this week's CJS Weekly which is even now rolling off the printers. In addition to details from the Monthly it also contains July's Training Calendar. It's 15 pages plus a further four of training calendar, and a massive 142 new paid posts of which 72 came direct to CJS

In local news the Goathland Plough Stots, our local traditional Long Sword dance team, a lethal variety of morris dancing for those you who haven't come across this before, are worried about the future of their dancing. In the recently passed legislation aimed at reducing knife crime a series of exemptions for carrying 'weapons' in a public place were included, but not one for the ceremonial dancing swords. For more about this see the report in the Whitby Gazette. (AW's husband is one of the senior team.) For more about the Stots see here: http://www.goathlandploughstots.co.uk/

CJS Weekly - no collection.

We discovered this morning that Royal Mail did not collect our post on Saturday. To say we're not happy would be a major understatement. A formal complaint has been made to RM so we expect a book of stamps in recompense.
Our usual postie is on holiday and the replacement is less than useless, we've received post for another business down the road, and only two letters this morning (we usually receive around 20-30 on a Monday), added to which he virtually refused to take our mail and eventually did so grudgingly.
So apologies from CJS, we hope (fingers crossed) that your copies of CJS Weekly are with you soon. If you're one of the unlucky ones and have not yet received your copy then if you'd like to contact us we will provide you with temporary details to access the digital version.

Disaster free week and Chelsea photos at last

No disasters or calamities to report this week. Maia has made a full recovery and finished her antibiotic eye drops. It was Hebe's birthday on Monday, the office pup is now an office doglet at one year old but just as crackers this week she has eaten (well chewed up and spat out in lots of bits) a bar of soap so she's been foaming at the mouth but I doubt if she's learnt anything and today she's been at the 'bad beans', into everything mischievous and troublesome. We have managed to get the Chelsea photos on Picasa, they're at: http://picasaweb.google.com/Humphreys.Goathland/Chelsea2008?authkey=9oc27ipTjd4 or click on the album cover (below)

Chelsea 2008

This week's feature article in CJS Weekly is all about the decline of puffin numbers on the Isle of May, a worrying trend. In addition to the fascinating feature there are 82 new paid posts, 31 of which were sent direct to CJS over 10 pages.

Black eye, holes and a copy of CJS Weekly.

Another week's gone by and we can't believe it's June already (well almost, we've been working on the 2 June edition since last week so we feel it's been June for a while now!) and in the post this morning was the first of the Christmas catalogues – not yet surely?
Poor Maia has a black eye – how do you tell if a black Labrador has a black eye? Tuesday morning a head long dash into heavy cover in hot pursuit of Hebe resulted in a loud yelp and a closed eye. This led to a trip to the Vets, they were very good, we phoned at 9am explained the problem and they said can you be here at 9.20, we just made it (11 miles over the moor). A full examination and home we came again with antibiotics and green tears (from the stain) but the good news that there was no lasting damage. By Thursday morning Maia looked almost normal again and today her eye is only slightly swollen but she still set off at full tilt down the lane this morning.
TB has also had an interesting week, on Tuesday a small hole appeared in the road by the land where she keeps her horses. It might be small of the surface but upon closer inspection a large cavern was lurking below and the tarmac was defying gravity to present the appearance of a road. It even stopped the postman, Highways were informed and put up 'road closed' signs. That's it we thought, that's the last we'll see of them for a while, but no- yesterday it was filled with several tons of concrete as a temporary measure. Engineers will do a full inspection at a later date and proper repairs will be made.
But despite various distractions, of a Bank Holiday, Maia's adventures, a mysterious hole in the road, reports of horse rustlers and so much more we've got the Weekly edition together and it's now on the printers to be with you on Monday post permitting. This week's edition is 12 sides with 73 new paid posts of which 46 came direct to CJS.

Plants, peas and post.

KH spent Tuesday at the Chelsea Flower Show, photos will follow as soon as we've looked through, sorted and captioned, the 100 or so taken!

However Tuesday was not so good in North Yorkshire on the plant front. There was a very harsh air frost overnight, with temperatures down to almost -6°C in some gardens, TB lost all her beans and half the potatoes and reports of plant losses in Goathland are mounting, ranging from begonias to gunneras. Thankfully our gunnera manicata was only scorched and the fatsia japonica isn't looking too happy either but both should make a full recovery. BUT the sweet peas are definitely looking the worse for wear and this is nothing to do with the frost but more to do with Labrador damage. Maia is an odd dog and for years has hunted out and eaten dandelions down to the root; just recently she's moved onto soil, especially that nice, soft, newly turn earth around tender seedlings like sweet peas! With this in mind a large quantity of cat pepper was incorporated into the planting pockets, a drench of rain and the frost removed the smell from the surface just enough for her to get her nose in and start eating, then the pepper did it's stuff but by then she'd got the taste so out came the peas and digging commenced searching for 'clean' soil. Hebe found uprooted peas a wonderful toy to toss around the garden and she's not averse to a bit of digging. Upon hearing this news Niall offered Flag's services, "Flag is now running day release courses (NVQ Level 3) in Open Cast Mining, and in Canine Archaeological Digs and welcomes Beginners and Improvers, so do let Maia (& Hebe) know. They may be interested in sitting at the paws of The Master Digger & learning how to improve their technique..."
Despite all out plant induces traumas we've put together a CJS weekly just for you, it's 15 pages containing 121 new paid posts of which 51 came direct to CJS. It is now dropping off the printers and will be on it's way to you soon. Please remember Monday is Bank Holiday so postal copies will be a day late and should arrive on Tuesday.

Not enough time...

Well we've been rather busy, there just don't seem to be enough hours in the day or days in the week so the sooner we find an admin assistant the better!
Last week's CJS Weekly did go out as usual, it was 13 pages with 90 new paid posts of which 33 came direct to CJS. This week's edition is huge! It's 15 pages plus a training calendar for June of five pages AND this week's edition has a Special Edition supplement which is eight pages all about Access & Rights of Way. I just hope your mail box, be it physical or electronic, is big enough for it all…
Whilst the rest of the country has been basking in sunshine we've been shivering under sea frets which pushed over the hill, rolled down into the valley and stayed there. Yesterday brightened up a bit but today is grey and gloomy (very Eeyoreish) again. However, on Monday our Owl came back to visit us and sat on the phone wires for several hours until it was virtually completely dark before she went off hunting. On the not so good side a rabbit has also been sighted in the garden, the dogs saw it off, Hebe did a wonderful Tigger impression and almost bounced right over the wall, and so far there's no evidence of damage to any of the plants. AW is hearing the patter of tiny (webbed) feet, two goslings have hatched and are making their first excursions into the great outdoors.

Summer and hangovers

It's gloriously warm and sunny, the cuckoo has been heard, swallows, house martins and swifts have all been sighted – BUT it's a bank holiday so watch those storm clouds gather! (we hope not).

Mouse droppings were seen in the feed room (bins of bird, dog and guinea pig food are very tempting) and so the trap was dug out of retirement. Bait of peanuts and a wedge of bread doused in whisky (not the good stuff I hasten to add) was placed temptingly and next morning one wood mouse with a rather large hangover was released a couple of miles away and so far has not returned. Why wood mice in the middle of this tree-less desert called the North York Moors? Well, Niall claims they're rather slow and rather than run away or emigrate they watched all the trees being felled in the bronze age and are now sitting around waiting for the trees to return!

We're just about back to normal although we're still looking for an additional team member. Therefore, this week's CJS Weekly is just about to hit the presses, this week it's 10 pages of 71 new paid posts of which 29 came direct to CJS.

Have a lovely Bank Holiday, if you're interested in our vacancy you'll find details here.

Spot the deliberate mistaek

We're sure there must be some this week! We've been seriously short staffed but have soldiered on and CJS Weekly is now printing, this week there are 12 pages containing 75 new paid posts of which 43 were sent direct to CJS. Thank goodness it's almost the weekend and the foot soldiers can have a couple of days of R'n'R to allow poor brains to recover.

Summer arrives – oh, no it doesn't!

The first swallows were sighted on Sunday – summer's here, almost. Then on Thursday we awoke to an covering a snow and the Post Master had to go to the top of the hill because the delivery driver with the newspapers was too chicken to drive down into the village. Any way they got here and we collected ours to scan for Monday's CJS Weekly. Which is even now printing. This week it's 13 pages plus three for the Monthly training Calendar, there are 80 new paid posts of which 39 came direct to CJS there's an advert for a conservation working holiday programme (a new area for CJS), not to mention the Wombles – yes that's right, the furry residents of Wimbledon Common, SW19. You'll have to read it to find out why…

Busy week draws to a close on a cloudburst

For the last couple of days the weather has been beautifully sunny and almost warm but as I type the heavens have opened and the rain is being hurled to the ground with some ferocity, there go the plans for a gardening weekend… never mind.

The new subs rates seem to be generally welcomed, the new shop is, so far, behaving, the pdf distiller is still causing problems (it seems to think A4 is the same size as legal letter) but with a bit of persuasion the end result is not dissimilar from the original. To cap it all one of our printers has decided it thinks everything should be in 3D! An engineer is on his way to fit it with the right sort of specs so that those of us with more normal vision can read the copy without getting a blinding headache. The other printers have machinefully shouldered the burden and are working overtime to ensure CJS Weekly is out on time. This week it is 14 pages with 122 new paid posts of which 74 came direct to CJS.

Missing!

Friday's blog update didn't appear for some reason. So here it is again…

Well we've managed the week and the presses are now rolling. This week's edition is 13 pages containing 88 new paid posts, 54 of which came direct to CJS. We've changed the online copies today, no longer are the display adverts separate from the main copy but are now in place in the main body of the copy of both the HTML & PDF options. The RTF file remains as plain text with links to the displays. But (there has to be a but doesn't there?) we've had problems with the PDF Distiller today and the PDF looks a little strange. We're working on a solution and will replace the file asap and next week everything will be back to 'normal'. And don't forget the new subscription rates now apply and so far (whisper it) the new shop is working well.

We like bank holidays!

It's been rather quiet this week which has allowed us to develop lots of new ideas including a new webshop which we're planning to launch next week to coincide with the implementation of the new subs rates. Good news first – we've had bramblings and a TREE SPARROW in the garden on the feeders, the first Tree Sparrow for nearly 20 years. On the down side we're losing a member of staff (how careless!) so we're once again on the look out for a new team member. Any slightly mad, computer literate, dog lovers out there fancy joining the bunch of harebrained, balmpots who keep the CJS show on the road? Send us an email.

Back to business, CJS Weekly is now rolling off the presses, this week it's just nine sides but contains 61 new paid posts of which 35 came direct to CJS. The fascinating feature article is all about the return of the ospreys to Scotland and a new webcam at Loch Garten, viewed on the RPSB website.

Equinox gales rage – oh and it's Easter too!

It's wild, windy, cold and painful (large hailstones) out there so we're staying put in our warm snug office. Yes, we know it's a Bank Holiday but we're here slaving away to make sure your copy of CJS is published on time. Electronic copies are already online, paper versions will arrive on Tuesday, unlike CJS Royal Mail doesn't work Bank Holidays. This week's edition is a bit smaller than last week at eleven sides with 68 new paid posts of which 29 came direct to CJS.

There's egg-citing news too (sorry) AW's geese have laid several eggs which are now being brooded but the fancy pigeon eggs hatched and then the chicks promptly died, still it was a first attempt so better luck next time.

The office has a new piece of artwork, a beautiful picture of a hare now adorns the chimney breast, way back in the mists of time KH's first business was called HareBrained so there is some harebrained logic in there somewhere. Did you know the easter bunny was actually a hare? The hare was a symbol of fertility and linked to the spring festival of Eostre (a saxon / Germanic goddess of fertility) from which came Easter. Want to know more? Click on to: http://landscaping.about.com/cs/pests/a/easter_rabbit.htm

Happy Easter from all at CJS.

Mad, mad few days.

Nothing in particular just lots to do and not enough time! The usual malady in the CJS Office. However, we've sent CJS weekly to print. It's rather large this week at 15 pages plus an additional four of event diary. There are 95 new paid jobs this week of which 62 came direct to CJS from the employers. This week's edition also contains the fourth advance warning of changes to the subscription rates. More info will follow soon.

Spring is in the air.

Nice holiday thank you, but now back to the grindstone! So how did you survive the earth quake last week? You'll have gathered that CJS kept rolling on and last week produced a 12 sided CJS Weekly containing 86 new paid posts of which 59 came direct to CJS. This week's edition is just about to go to press and has 93 jobs (62 direct to CJS) over 11 pages.
We've had a few stormy days (and nights too) recently and one lovely old alder at the edge of one of the now drained village ponds succumbed tearing itself in two.


However, as these lovely tête-a-tête mini daffodils show spring is here – well almost. Enjoy the sunshine whilst you may, more storms are predicted for Monday.

What is that…?

Any guesses? This week we've had some unbelievable weather, temperatures down to -12C, rarely above freezing even at midday. On Tuesday and Wednesday there was this wonderful hoar frost (which I called rime but no one else knew what I was talking about!) This is actually the frost on some chicken wire, taken before the camera packed up working because it was so cold.

And then on Thursday it all changed and now it's warm and mild with a +10 temperature at 10.30 last night!

The woodstove has done a brilliant job of keeping everyone warm enough to type and the Weekly edition is now printing and all being well will be with you on Monday by post or for online readers it's there already. It is a bit smaller than last week at 14 sides containing 104 new paid posts of which 56 came direct to CJS.

And finally as they say, the blogger-in-chief is having some time off next week so please check the main CJS news release page.

What a week

Friday travails: TB had to leave her car at the field with her horses (a couple of miles from the CJS office) and walk home, 50 minutes of hard trudge through the soggy snow. AW tried to get home but managed 200 yards in 20 minutes! But family with a large 4x4 were able to make it through and take her home up the dale. However, we're happy to report to damages to property or more importantly people. The dogs all thought the snow was wonderful, their people were not so pleased at all the soggy pawprints. Friday night it all froze solid but by Sunday there was hardly anything left. Monday arrived and you'd never know it had snowed at all. And now (Friday afternoon) the sun in shining, it's warm and spring like, most peculiar!

Despite the vagaries of the weather CJS has trundled on and right now copies of CJS Weekly are dropping off the printers, this week is 12 sides long with 93 new paid posts of which 63 came direct to CJS.

You may be aware that postage rates are changing yet again come April, this will push the cost of producing and posting CJS Weekly beyond your subscription fee (yes, our profit margins really are so small). So we're looking at ways to reduce the cost and this week we're experimenting with folding your copies to fit a C5 (half A4) envelope which should make them RM letter size rather than large letter with an analogous postage decrease. If it's possible without giving the staff RSI we maybe able to stave off a huge subs increase, if it's not possible we'll have to stick with flats (C4, big envelopes) and charge you all a lot more – sorry. Keep your fingers crossed it works.

Quick, quick...

It's snowing, wet sticky snow is coming in horizontally and being plastered to everything including the power cables. The electricity keeps flickering, we've had three complete power losses so far and broadband is not exactly reliable. So we're working as fast as we can to get all the vital things done before the power goes for good (although we have everything crossed that it doesn't). We have managed to get the Weekly to press, it's 15 sides long containing 111 new paid posts of which 67 came direct to CJS. We've also caught up with the backlog of volunteer posts too. On the good news side the woodstove is keeping us lovely and warm and can boil a kettle (slowly) so there will still be coffee. Now where did I put my skis? And has anyone seen a Labrador recently? Or perhaps that moving snowdrift under the birdfeeders might turn out to be one…!

A bit of a blow - hold onto your hats

And your coats, your dogs and if possible something nailed down, to say it's rather blustery out there is somewhat of an understatement. We've just seen a dustbin go flying past the window, the field in front of the office is full bits of debris from the building plot down the road, torn off tree, out of bins, I'm sure you can imagine. Very few birds around, they're all wedged in somewhere out of the gale. But at least the wind is drying up the very wet ground. We have the first shoots from the bulbs are beginning to show above the ground, some of the shrubs have little green tips and the cobnuts have small catkins just waiting for some sun and warmth to burst open, first signs of spring all around – we must get the apple trees and roses pruning finished before it's too late.

But here in the snug, cosy office (a little too warm if we're honest, the wind is fair making the woodstove roar away!) we've been beavering away and this week's edition of CJS is now printing. It is 14 sides this week including lots of voluntary posts as we try to catch up on the backlog of those previously put on hold to allow space for the paid posts to be published. There are 95 new paid posts plus a few re-ads, 50 of the jobs were sent direct to CJS from the employer.

Quick word of warning. Our web hosts are migrating from one server to another over the weekend and this may disrupt service to the website and possibly emails. If you email us and don’t get a reply by the end of Monday please contact us as it may have got stuck.

Second CJS Weekly of 2008 now printing.

It's another large one, 14 sides plus a further three of events. There are 98 new paid posts of which 55 came direct to CJS. The first few editions in January are always large and we leave out many voluntary posts so there's a bit of back log; these will all be online from Monday.

The garden, the moors, the roads are all awash after the week's rain and more to come over the weekend apparently. As part of the garden outside the office is in chaos (a major redesign / landscaping project was ongoing) there are several small to medium sized pools just right for Labrador to 'plodge' in, all we need are a few ducks…

It's as if we've never been away.

The first Friday deadline for CJS Weekly rolls around and it's 'all hands on deck' to get everything done and to the printers in time to have the paper copies ready to be posted, especially as our post collection is now first thing on Saturday.

So now the printers are clattering away churning out a small paper mountain. This week's edition is 21 sides long containing 192 new paid posts of which 143 came direct to CJS. There's a handful of volunteer posts but due the large size we've not been able to include all of the ads (for vols) received this week but they will all be in CJS Weekly well before their closing dates and all those already received will be online from Monday.

The last CJS Weekly of 2007.

The frost still hasn't lifted and in some places has got thicker, it really is 'earth, as hard as iron' . The wood stove is roaring away keeping us all toasty warm and getting rid of some of the paper which is usually shredded prior to disposal into the bargain. It's been a funny week, frantically busy with the December edition of CJS monthly and preparations for the break, beginning work on the next Special edition but CJS Weekly is another small one, eight pages plus one for the Training Calendar. There are 51 new paid posts this week, 35 of which came direct to CJS and as this is the last edition of 2007 (where has the year gone?) we can tell you that this year we have advertised 4865 posts, a slight decrease on last year but we think that's because we've been more choosy in which ones to include in the digest.

Last online update on Monday.

Birds, lamb, sprouts and jobs

We've had an exciting week, on the nature front we've had a new bird in the garden on Monday we spotted a Redpoll, of course it didn't sit long enough, or still enough, for us to determine which subspecies it may be so we're guessing at the Lesser but whichever sort it was it is the first time one has visited the garden. Today the first of the winter Bramblings came for a feed and the numbers of Siskins have to be seen to be believed, festooned over every feeder (except the red nut feeder which was bought specifically for them as they are supposed to like red feeders – ha, not here, sunflower hearts please!). The wind is fierce and today bitingly cold making it feel like winter, earlier in the week it was exceptionally mild and wet more like autumn and yesterday was a typical grey miserable November day.

In other CJS news AW's lamb went to slaughter earlier this week and when it returns nicely jointed in bags from the local builders merchant some of it will be swapped for a turkey for Christmas dinner but the sprouts failed so some will have to bought – gasp, buying vegetables, unheard of!

It's must be almost Christmas as CJS Weekly is only a little one this week, eight sides containing 83 new paid posts 62 of which were sent direct to CJS. And it's just about finished printing so will be on its way to you very soon.

77% direct

The second of the pre-Christmas warnings is included in Monday's edition of CJS Weekly – my, how time flies. The Weekly is now printing, this week it's eleven sides again this but time with 110 new paid posts of which 85 were sent direct to CJS, that's a whopping 77% a greater percentage than at any time through the year so we must be doing something right!!

New this week, you can now view back issues of CJS Weekly, free of charge, online. We're aiming to keep about a month's worth available at any one time, however because CJS is 'subscription only' the most recent freely available edition is three weeks old. So you might find a few jobs still in date but most will have closed. Also this week we've been reviewing the publications we take to create the jobs digest section, as a result we've dropped a few and added a couple of new titles. If you think we've dropped some or not considered one that should be included please let us know and we'll look again. As ever, your feedback is always welcome. We're off to think about Christmas presents…..

CJS Weekly, electricity & snow - perhaps

Hi folks -The replacement of the electric string apparently went well and we came back on stream without any problems (well, no known problems yet…!).

The temperature is plummeting but the skies are high and clear although snow is forecast overnight so we may some pretty pictures for you by Monday. The birds are filling the garden and emptying the feeders. We've just received a new mesh tray to try meal worms for the robin, we'll let you know how if gets on as last year's experiments with meal worms and bowls were a complete disaster the only thing that ate them was the dog!

Anyway the Weekly is still printing so we'll be working long into the night to ensure it's ready for the postie tomorrow morning. It's eleven pages, with 67 new paid posts of which 31 came direct to CJS.

A bumper edition.

This week's edition contains the 2007 Special Edition supplement featuring Trees and Hedges, as before it's in association with the Tree Council. This year we've focused on Wood Fuel and Urban Trees with articles from The Woodland Trust, CVNI and Trees for Cities. There are loads of adverts and a whole heap of training courses. To see the special click here.

You'll also find the first monthly Training Calendar in this week's edition. This includes, in chronological order, brief details of courses and events being held during the next calendar month and an update on new online listings for longer courses and providers. The online training section has also had a bit of a revamp. Courses are now detailed according to type, so if you're looking to brush up your identification skills you no longer need to wade through courses on how to make biodiesel. Log onto: http://www.countryside-jobs.com/index/training.htm to find out more.

This week's edition is 11 pages of jobs, 2 of training plus a further 11 of Special Edition – wow! There are 83 new paid posts of which 41 were sent direct to CJS.