LUNCH WITH MR. & MRS. HCB

One of the great things about being retired is that if someone asks one evening if you are free the next day, and you don’t have any pressing appointments, then of course you can be! 

I was online quite late last night when Heidi asked what my day was like today. Thankfully the dentist and optician appointments are tomorrow and Wednesday so I was able to tell her we were free. She was going back up to Great Malvern with Alfie, her camper van, so I invited her to lunch. 

I did mention, of course, that I hadn’t done any housework for several days, but told her that I had a selection of glasses for people to wear when they visit that blot out any signs of dust and she was happy with that.  It was good to be able to share a simple meal together and not have to worry about time and of course, Mr. HCB dressed up to meet her!

We have met quite a few times since we began following each other on Blip and both Mr. HCB and I have become great friends with Heidi.  One amazing coincidence is that Heidi is a trustee of Yeldall Manor, a residential Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation centre near Reading started by her parents forty years ago, and we met a couple almost twenty years ago who worked at Yeldall both of whom Heidi and her Mum knew very well, but of course, I didn’t know that until I met Heidi on Blip and saw one of her posts.

During lunch we chatted and whilst telling her about Dave Clarke, the Schools and Youth Work Manager from Swindon Youth for Christ, who had come to our Church yesterday, were amazed to hear that her father had been the European Director of Youth for Christ - she also told us she knew the parents of another member on the SYFC team.  Christian circles can seem very small. 

We always enjoy seeing Heidi but before long she had to be on her way with the promise that she will visit again soon. She took a bag of homegrown lettuce with her and think she might be back in a few weeks for some tomatoes, a cucumber and maybe even some sweetcorn.

Mr. HCB is now watching a football match, and once I have finished this, I will be finding a shady spot, as it is so hot today - and dare I say it, we do need some rain for the garden, but it doesn’t look as if we are going to get any this week.

“A meal is the whole experience
     of getting together and
          sharing with friends -
               it is more than food.”
Jinny Fleischman

P.S.  I forgot to remind you all - and I know you will be glad to hear this in the middle of a heatwave here in the UK - but in six months' time it will be Christmas Day!!