FS HOT FSHOT

Today is Friday the 13th, a date on which otherwise sensible human beings become suspicious of ladders, black cats and perfectly innocent mirrors.

Nobody is entirely sure why. The superstition appears to have developed from two older fears: the number 13 and Friday. The earliest clear written references to their unfortunate combination have been traced to France in 1834.

Things really took off in 1907, when American author T. W. Lawson published Friday, the Thirteenth, a novel about a stockbroker exploiting the date to cause financial chaos. Apparently, even back then, people were quite happy to lose money over something entirely imaginary.

There are several theories about the origins.

One involves the Last Supper, where Jesus dined with his twelve disciples. Thirteen people were present, including Judas, who rather spoiled the occasion. Jesus was subsequently crucified on a Friday, although the supper itself took place on Thursday. Clearly, the calendar department had some explaining to do.

Another theory involves Loki, the Norse trickster god, supposedly gatecrashing a dinner of twelve gods in Valhalla and causing the death of Balder. It's a wonderful story, although the original Norse sources don't actually describe this thirteen-person dinner party. Folklore, it seems, occasionally enjoys embellishing the guest list.

Then there's Friday 13 October 1307, when King Philip IV of France ordered the arrest of the Knights Templar. A genuinely unpleasant episode in history, but despite its excellent horror-film credentials, historians have found no convincing evidence that it inspired the superstition.

So there we have it. Centuries of mythology, religion, historical coincidence and literary embellishment have combined to make one particular date rather unpopular.

Meanwhile, the universe is approximately 13.8 billion years old, contains hundreds of billions of galaxies and operates according to physical laws we barely understand.

And humanity is worried about a Friday.

Friday 13th – still beats a Monday.

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I've been experimenting with my sci-fi alter ego and seem to have ended up as a rather unfortunate cross between Holly and Rimmer.

Half ship's computer, half hopeless bunkmate. All smeghead!

I'm not sure who's more worried: the crew or the computer.

At least Mocha hasn't been promoted to captain. Yet. 😹

"Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast!"

// Deakster

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A big thank you to Councillor Yvonne Wright and her fantastic team of volunteers who are out and about in Tottington every week, helping to keep our village looking its best.

Whether it's clearing fallen leaves, tidying flowerbeds, picking up litter or generally lending a helping hand, these dedicated volunteers give up their own time, completely unpaid, to make a positive difference to the place we all call home.

It's easy to take these little things for granted, but the time and effort that goes into keeping our streets and public spaces looking lovely deserves recognition and appreciation.

"This is what community spirit looks like"

The team also regularly organises community events and activities, giving everyone an opportunity to get involved, lend a hand and show their support.

You don't have to be a regular volunteer to make a difference. Even joining in for an hour or attending one of their events helps support the great work they do.

If you'd like to get involved, find out what's coming up on the Events Calendar.

A lovely village doesn't just happen. It's made lovely by the people who care about it.

Thank you to Yvonne and everyone involved!

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