WEDNESDAY'S WONDERFUL ENCOUNTERS

Did I ever say how hard it is being retired? It certainly is anything but boring! This morning I have had five wonderful encounters - six if you count Mr. HCB -  and every one has added something special to my day! 

Mr. HCB gave me a lift as he was on his way to pick up his cricket buddy, Keith, and I needed to get into Old Town quite early. When we stopped outside Keith’s house, I noticed that there were some poppy seed heads in his garden - I could tell that they had been pink because there were pink petals on the gravel, so I asked if I could take one or two heads whereupon he said “You can take the lot!”  I didn’t need a second bidding! 

I left them and walked through an area called The Lawns on my way to meet a friend for coffee at 10 o’clock and had plenty of time so as I walked I looked - as most good Blippers do. I got to a certain telegraph pole and saw that there was a very tall hollyhock next to it, which had obviously been well looked after because it was tied to the telegraph pole.  In fact I remember seeing it last year and taking a few seed heads in the hope that we would get a pink one to go with our yellow ones - however no pink ones have come up yet!  

I saw man in his front garden sorting out his recycling boxes - and here he is - so thought I should mention to him that I was just taking a photograph of the hollyhocks – I daresay he thought “What a strange woman” but he came out to see me so I told him about Blip and we started chatting.  I found out his name is Andy Binks and it turns out that he is very involved in The Swindon Society - in fact, he is the Chairman.  As we chatted I told him about the Street Challenge I had set myself, to photograph and research a street in Swindon for every letter in the alphabet.  He was very interested so I gave him one of my cards and told him that if he got in touch with me I would willingly send him the links to all of my Street Challenge Blips.

I casually mentioned that my husband had gone off to cricket so I was meeting friends today for coffee and lunch today.  He said it was the first day he hadn’t been at Cheltenham - it turns out that he is also a Life Member of Gloucester County Cricket club so we chatted a bit about cricket. I showed him a picture of Mr HCB but after looking at it he said he didn’t recognise him but the next time he saw him at cricket he would be sure to speak to him!  He introduced me to his wife and gave me a flyer about the Swindon society so I think I may even go to the next meeting.  He was talking about getting me to speak at one of their meetings, so watch this space!

I carried on walking and met another man who was interested in why I was picking up feathers. I told him that I wanted it for some photographs that I was going to be taking and also explained to him about Blip. He asked if I had seen the beautiful “Monkey Puzzle” tree in the grounds of The Lawns, which I hadn’t;  he told me it was his favourite tree, so I must make sure I go and find it. We chatted for a few more minutes then took our leave of each other saying how much we had both enjoyed chatting.

I duly met my friend, D, for coffee and we had a good catch up. We have known each other for quite a few years, in fact we worked together for sometime and although she is half my age, when we meet that doesn’t seem to matter - in fact, it makes me feel quite young again!  It really is so hard being retired - but meeting friends certainly beats doing housework!

After we had parted, I had a few minutes before meeting my next friend so had a little wander round the shops but nothing really caught my eye.  However it was then time to meet Julia for lunch at Fabio’s, a favourite little Italian restaurant of ours. We go back many many years in fact, in the early 1970s I think she and her husband were the only people in our road who had a telephone so whenever she saw me standing outside the telephone box, which happened to be opposite their house, she would call me over and say I could use their phone.  I didn’t want to take advantage so I always used to leave the money on her telephone table and I remember she used to get cross with me for doing that!  

Our children were much the same age so we often went on holiday together to the Isle of Wight and had some wonderful times, so again we had lots to chat about, especially as her son gets married in Rhodes in a couple of weeks.  

The good thing with old friends is that you can just pick up where you left off even if you haven’t seen them for a while - today has been a wonderful Wednesday and I am thankful for everyone I have encountered.

“Be genuinely interested 
     in everyone you meet 
          and everyone you meet 
               will be genuinely interested 
                    in you” 
Rasheed Ogunlaru

P.S.  I almost forgot to tell you and I know you will want to know this important fact - in five months' time it will be Christmas Day!!  I wonder if we will be grumbling about the cold then?