MEMBERS of Teesdale U3A (University of the Third Age) are a jolly and busy lot, as I discovered at their monthly meeting in Cotherstone village hall, on Thursday. They may be in the senior citizen bracket, but they are a lively bunch who seem to have more interests than many folk a fraction of their age.

Marion Bond, who spent much of her working life operating computers and teaching about them, edits and prints an impressive newsletter for the 109 members. Apart from being packed with information, it shows how active they'll be in the coming weeks.

There's an archaeological visit to Bowes on February 12 and a trip led by Roger Redfearn to Forest to seek traces of ancient farms and buildings on March 28.

A science group will travel to look round Weardale waterworks next Wednesday.

There will also be rambles, a theatre trip, concert, book session, birdwatching and other events. Can there be any other group of enthusiasts in the locality getting enjoyment from such a diverse collection of pastimes?

George Jameson, the chairman, says guests are welcome to attend one of the meetings in the village hall as a taster before deciding whether to join. They are held on the fourth Thursday of each month, with coffee from 10am before business starts at 10.30am. Sandra Pollard will give a talk on different artistic partnerships at the next convivial gathering, on February 28.

FOLLOWING last week's piece here about the phrase "All my eye and Betty Martin", my former colleague, Sheila Dixon, now on the staff of The Bowes Museum, told me that when she was a child in Derbyshire, her mother used it often to show contempt for anyone she thought was bragging or telling lies.

Sheila wonders if lead miners brought the phrase to Teesdale when they moved north from the Derby area. She recalled other phrases from that part of the world, such as "Mithering a growing tree". This meant pestering for something until you got your own way. Another was "Straighten your clock." This was an order to look more pleasant.

The expression "Don't stand there like a shilling horse," was an instruction to stop being useless and do some work. I'm grateful to Bob Kelsall, of Heighington, who wrote pointing out that the Betty Martin phrase originated in Portugal.

The glossary says in fact that its origins are probably in an old Romish hymn, Mihi beate Martine.

The fascinating document lists hundreds of words and phrases in use in the dale in 1849, though, of course, many derived from other places.

Among them are birtle - an apple thought to come from Birtle in Lancashire and grown on two trees in Newsham at that time. A bowdikite was an ill behaved child. Aw's bravely meant I'm in good health. Anyone caleevering was running about noisily, and colley was bacon or butcher's meat.

WHEN an upper dale woman known to have a sharp tongue and fiery temper was mentioned in a local cafe the other day, one man suggested she could do with some three-legged stool treatment. He was referring to the story of Betty Grey, who lived near Middleton many moons ago with her husband, John.

She was famed far and wide for nagging the poor fellow day and night. She flew into a rage if he failed to carry out every order instantly, and her angry screeching could be heard several furlongs away. She used to sit in front of the fire on an old three-legged stool held together by two steel plates nailed to it.

One night, when a friend called Wright called for a chat, Betty shouted from the bedroom, telling her husband to warm her stool and feed the pig. John put the stool near the hearth and went out to the sty.

Wright, known as a joker, held the stool close to the flames until the steel plates were almost red hot, and replaced it just before John returned. Betty emerged from the bedroom, plonked herself on it and let out a blood-curdling yell that might have been heard, it was claimed, 20 miles away. Wright was treated to many a pint of ale as he related the tale - and it was agreed Betty got what she deserved.

An old undertaker once told me of a similar shrew who made life a misery for her husband. He found her motionless in bed one morning and a doctor pronounced her dead. But as the funeral director and his men were carrying her in a coffin down an awkward staircase, it slipped and whacked into a wall. They heard a moan and found she was alive.

She recovered after treatment and returned to her fierce ways.

"He had to put up with her for a few more years and blamed me,"

said the undertaker, smiling, but swearing it was true.

JOSIE Pollard, of Barnard Castle, known around a wide area as a top quality singer, called to say she had sung The Silver Swan in front of audiences several times. "In fact, it is one of my favourite madrigals,"

she said. "I started singing it when I was 15. It is a lovely song with a plaintive ring to it. It is hugely popular."

As I stated last week, after buying an old copy of the sheet music, it has nothing to do with the famous silver swan at The Bowes Museum. But I'm told that the museum has a number of copies of the music. It has probably been performed there in the past, and possibly will be again.

It would be pleasant to hear Ms Pollard and two others singing it beside the priceless swan.