So...Where is this Year's Valentine Issue?

Excellent stamps again Colin, but you need to raise your postage price to cover the costs of the postage plus the envelopes plus other packing plus the stamps you stick on the outside.

Another great package though, with a wonderful story to back everything up. Any plans to do a stamp for the savage Angora 'Angreer' rabbit? Pretty please?

Going back to 2013 Lucky in Love I see I hadn't made a note of this combination of an ordinary stamp in a tête-bêche arrangement with the butterfly variant.



I have had a look at all the other material, sheets and mini-sheets, and cannot see where this fits in.

I have found reference to a William Lole 1800-74, a hermit and preacher of 'freedom' who lived at Ashby de la Zouch. Each item of his clothing had a name and symbolic message and was labelled with religious messages, his favourite suit was white linen, held together at the waist by a belt he called the 'Order of the Star'. 

His obsession with symbolism extended to the garden at his home. The entrance had 3 chairs - the 'seats of enquiry'  on which was written the questions 'Am I Vile?' 'Am I a hypocrite?' and 'Am I a Christian?' and he enjoyed spelling messages out in coloured flowers.  When offered a home by his brother Lole was heard to say ''for what would then become of my garden? My heart is in my garden. I cannot leave it!'.

Sometimes he would hide in a tub and pop up to preach against oppression. Lole never had a profitable occupation and survived on donated food and money provided by friends and neighbours.

Could it be the same man? No mention of cricket unfortunately.

Spot on!  Although I admit I had to go back to the source to check the details myself.

All the Sportens characters are named after rogues, villains and/or eccentrics in our world who find peace through leisurely pursuits in the parallel world of Laernu. I have to be careful as some of the characters are still alive... and in one case last known to be living in Norfolk just a few miles from me.

William Lole had a thing for wearing white, jolly hats and fancy means of keeping his breeches up, when he wore them. - something our cricketer shares - while also appreciating a well turned-out garden.

Steve wrote: And Colin has included a teaser too. April 8th is already marked on my calendar