I was speaking to Bernard ‘the window cleaner’ Wilkinson the other morning.

Together, Bernard and Dean Simpson form Bank Street’s great double window cleaning act.

They’re two great guys, who are a whizz with a ladder and bucket.

“Bernard”, I said, as he splashed me with his leather, “it’s hard writing this here column, having to come up with witty – and very often insightful – observations on a regular basis.”

“Tell people how lucky we are,” replied Bernard very matter-of-factly, and those sentiments immediately struck a chord with me.

On Sunday, myself, Mrs B and Archie the Jack Russell scaled the heights of Cribden and looked down on the Valley on a perfect afternoon.

I thought about the poor souls in Japan. Can you imagine the devastation?

The next time you pass the Ram’s Head pub in Rawtenstall, look up and you’ll see a little yellow plaque that reads ‘17ft FP’. That’s how high the water rose during a famous flood back in the 1920s.

The Japanese tsunami was three times that height. They didn’t stand a chance.

I also thought about a close, and very dear friend of mine, who has just had an operation, which would not have been possible a mere 25 years ago, sadly, with dire consequences.

Yep, I thought, Bernard is right.

We ARE very lucky. At that point, I put my arm around Mrs B protectively and said, “I feel lucky.”

Do you know what she said in reply? “Don’t you start that malarkey with me on top of a hill in broad daylight."

Like a lot of things, she had missed my point completely.

Finally, for weeks now I have kept my lips sealed on what is going on with the Valley Centre.

But, soon I shall be free to vent my spleen on what has really gone on, and where I feel the finger of blame should be pointed. So don’t say you haven’t been warned.

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