When it comes to knowing a thing or two about dogs, Maureen Gwilliam can now claim to be world class. When I met her this week she let slip that she had been away from Teesdale on another judging trip.

The event? The world championships for St Bernards, in Belgium. She and her husband, George, have been rearing this gentle giant breed at their home in Woodland since 1976 and have produced a stream of winners.

She has judged all breeds of dog at Crufts and other major venues, but this was her biggest task so far.

It was serious stuff, with the value of entrants greatly affected by results. She was nominated for it by US breeders and seconded by others in Portugal. She loves casting her expert eye over the best of their breed and was especially charmed by the world champion from Switzerland.

Maureen has now been nominated to judge a leading show in the US in 2005.

"I'm keeping my fingers crossed as I'd love to go there," said the grandmother, who is director of social work for the Children's Family Trust.

Maurice Abrahams needs a fine memory to help him keep track of all the second-hand books in his shop, Curlews. He reckons there are about 5,000 on his crowded shelves in Market Place, Barnard Castle, and possibly 40,000 more in three jam-packed storerooms.

But ask for a certain volume or type of publication and he can usually say if he has one and, more importantly, where it might be found. It is a fascinating treasure house combining every strand of reading matter.

As I was browsing there this week a woman asked for anything about Hannah Hauxwell. It was easy for him to point to the right place. But try him on more obscure subjects such as The Chinese at Home, or The Bible in Spain and he is just as sharp.

Maurice says history and poetry are lively sellers. Cookery books have become popular, perhaps because of all those TV food fad shows. Three men bought old cookery books that day, but did not reveal if they meant to tackle recipes themselves or just pass them to their womenfolk.

Ten weeks ago I wrote about receiving a letter from Holland, out of the blue from total strangers, saying I had been awarded a TV set worth £1,200. Alas, smaller print added that my prize might just possibly be something less valuable. All I had to do to find out was forward a cheque for £24.95.

Instead of being sensible and binning the letter I sent off a cheque, purely in the interests of letting readers know what happened. Nothing has arrived so far, but surprisingly the cheque went through my bank account only this week. So hopefully a delivery man will call soon.

A Sunderland reader has been in touch, recalling that her granny, brought up in Barnard Castle, used to rave about the handfuls of goodies she could get for her Saturday penny from Auntie Hazard's shop. She asks where this establishment was and if it is still in business. An old timer tells me it was a popular little place on the corner or Marshall Street. Miss Hazard sold groceries, but is still most fondly remembered for her tantalising selection of jaw crackers, jungle jellies, sherbert bombs, fizzers, gobstoppers and liquorice laces. The shop closed a number of years ago and is now used as a house.

Another little known expression comes from a pensioner in the upper dale. She recalls that elderly folk in her locality used to chuckle about putting French cream in their coffee. It always gave them a rosy glow as it came not from a dairy but a licensed grocer. It was their name for brandy.

* I'll be glad to see anyone who calls with snippets of news at The Northern Echo office at 36 Horsemarket, Barnard Castle, on Mondays and Tuesdays, telephone (01833) 638628.