Jennifer

Yesterday.

I had a hair appointment at 9:30, my hairdresser is a minute walk away. I had colours on my hair when the gardener phoned. I hadn’t realised he was working on a Saturday...luckily I could nip back and give him access to electricity. When my hair was done I rushed home to make the lads a cuppa as they were working in pouring rain. In the afternoon I went out to meet the Coven for a cuppa. I’d been in and out all morning, but it was only when I arrived home just after five that I saw Jennifer still had milk on her doorstep. This has happened occasionally when she’s only been in and out of the back door in the garden so I rang the bell to tell her.

There was no reply. I went round the back and the blinds were still down. I rang her phone and no reply. I saw another neighbour and said I was concerned. We both knocked and rang. I rang a friend who knows her niece’s number and gave Sarah a call. She told me where the spare key was. We struggled because the chubb key was still in the inside lock. More neighbours arrived. I phoned 999.

As I was on to the ambulance service Adam managed to dislodge the key and we opened the door. Jim and I went in and we found Jennifer.

We are a small street, but we are all very close. We are blessed in having the love and support of each other. Jennifer was a character. She was a lovely person and we are all shocked and so deeply saddened.

I spoke with police and paramedics, I searched for a pulse, I made drinks for everyone, I hugged those who were crying, yet it still hasn’t sunk in with me yet. I think because I kept going for the others I’ve not let myself go. It will hit me hard, I know. Jennifer was one of the best neighbours you could wish for.

This is one of my favourite pics I took of Jennifer. She is in her garden, one of her most favourite places. I often nipped round and sat there with her and shared a drink, the ups and downs of my day, my photos and artwork that she loved to look at and the pleasure of just sitting in the sunshine in her beautiful garden.