Over the few years, that I worked for Monmouth sawmill, there was a lot of travelling. Each day was an early start, I worked around many counties, Monmouthshire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, Wiltshire and many more, I could go on and on. Most jobs where just a day or two, some, not many several weeks. it was the time that the Elm disease was getting a grip, I can remember it first showing around Gloucester. Many of the big elms on the country estates were standing dead, the bark so dry it was dropping like dust, enormous trunks, standing bleached white with the sun. Skeleton`s waiting to fall or be felled. Lorry load after load were being moved, Thousands of tons burnt on the fields where they fell, It was an horrible site to witness. Since 1968 when it got it`s grip on the Elm`s, there are not many mature one`s left. We see lots growing in hedgerows, but never staying a live much over fourteen to twenty years before they start to die back again. One day, we can all hope that there will be a generation that see the Majestic Elm tree in its full Glory, standing proud in this Island of the Britain and the many other countries around the world where they grew so prolific. Moving around such a lot, and one of my last jobs for them, was at Peterstone court estate near Ross on Wye, I was sent there on my own, I don`t know why, because we always worked in teams of 6or8. But there I was by my self in a stand of mature oak, with a couple of very fine ash trees dotted here and there. I had an accident here, that cracked three of my ribs, The Job was to thin, cut out trees to allow more light in. This was a sporting estate and the pheasants came first. well at least till the poor birds were shot. During the felling of big oak tree, trying to get them down between other large trees without any damage to those that would be left standing is not the easiest of task, It is very dangerous and requires a lot of skill and experience at the job. Not for the novices that just started. One of the standing oaks had a branch hanging, it was broken through with just a fragment of wood left holding it up there. I look at it, thinking perhaps the next good wind would bring it down. Some branches hanging so high don`t appear to be so big looking up from the ground. It`s when they fall you realize just how big some can be. Well, yes, I just went on working and felled another oak across into the gap I had created by falling others, All of a sudden things went a bit black, it seamed like the lights had blown. That hanging bow had fallen. Right across my back, I was now face down in the mud, winded and disorientated. It took a minute or two, but I managed to lift my head, get some breath , On trying to move, that`s when the pain hit. I did get up after a struggle, and thought I had better call it a day. Driving home to Chepstow was`nt the pleasant journey I was having on other day`s. Next day I popped into casualty in Chepstow hospital, where the sister put a good strong crapped bandage around my middle from my waist and up under my arms. That was fine, I felt a bit more comfortable so back off to work again, Back to Ross. It took a good many weeks before I was right again, Don`t laugh and don`t cough, it hurts. I still enjoyed working there desbite the discomfort. At that time a land agent often came by to see how the Job was going. A Mr Lee. he was a nice fella, we would sit and chat, mainly about birds, he was a bit of a twitcher. Our conversation on one of those days got around to forestry, when I told him I wished I had studied it more. With that he said, " would you be interested in getting a job on an estate to learn." " Yes, given the chance on the right place, I would jump at it." He said, " leave it with me and I`ll see what I can do.". So I wrote my address on a slip of paper, gave it to him and wondered if anything would come of it. A week or two past, I had finished the job there of thinning and was moving on to another wood. It was then I got two letter one, one day the other the next. Both offering me an interview with the chance of a job in forestry. Glanusk Estate, Crickhowell in the first letter and there at Peterstone Court in the other. The Glanusk one came first, So when the day came, Cathy my wife and I went along, It was at the Estate office at 4.00pm. That day will always stick in my mind. We drove from Chepstow to Crickhowell leaving our daughter Eliabeth and son Jared with my Mother. there with plenty of time we hung about Crickhowell for a while then on out to the Estate office in time. We arrived in the yard, and on getting out of my van. Lady Del`ile drove in. The lady invited us into the office where Tim Hutchings the Land agent was sitting behind a large desk. He stood and we shuck hands. The interview went well and I was offered the job. The lady then took us to show us a cottage that would be our home. All had gone well. we drove home smiling all the way. I wrote to the other Estate Peterstone court, thanking them for the offer. Mr Lee got in touch and was happy that we chose Glanusk. so all in all life was good. I`ll continue on, that`s another story.