An Unexpected Lunch

When Mum and Dad lived in the bungalow, they had cleaners in on Friday mornings to help them look after the place. We continued to have them after Dad died when I came here to be with Mum in 2015. I’ve kept them on since losing Mum and they now come every two weeks, which makes all the difference for me in keeping on top of the housework. Mum and I always used to go to The Exchange in the village for a latte and a toasted teacake while the ladies were in the house, and I still do that on my own. I know all the staff there, and feel very comfortable dining solo. Today one of the cleaners needed to go to a doctor’s appointment (they’re so hard to get these days, you have to take whatever’s offered), so they arrived a couple of hours later than usual. I still went along to The Exchange, but ended up ordering an early lunch which I hadn’t really intended to do. Well, it saved me cooking and washing up! It’s very much a village hub, and I usually bump into people I know there and have a catch-up. Today was no exception and I stopped to chat with three friends before heading back home (not the ladies in my blip). It’s all part of that lovely feeling of belonging in the place where you live.