[FLYING BANANA]

.......................needs to stop.

This morning whilst looking out of the lounge towards where the Bear is parked I caught a flash of blue then white and back to blue again. I turned around to see that my telly was not on, the flashes of colour looked like it was coming off of a screen. Must be something on in next doors conservatory, a computer screen on a telly. I was now intrigued. So on went my garden shoes and put a coat on, the rain was tipping it down.

Out onto the decking I stepped closing the patio door behind me, got the keys in my pocket. I walked over to have a look in the window of their conservatory. No screens on, so turned back to see where the reflection was coming from. On clematis climbing frame was a blue and white label blowing about in the wind. Looks like another lay down in a darkened room was needed, again.

Couple of weeks ago my long serving slow cooker stopped working. I just happened to post this useless bit of information up of Facebook. Debbie contacted me to say her Mum, Val, had a brand new one For Sale on marketplace. So a quick phone call to Val secured the deal. So drove around to Val and Allen’s house to collect my new purchase. And all for £10 I have a cracking new slow cooker. The old one was about 35 years old. My Aunt had bought it but my Uncle didn’t like the food cooked in it. So she gave us the slow cooker. Been used for so many meals over the years.

Whilst at Allen & Val’s, Debbie phoned to see if I was there. I took the phone and thanked her for the tip off. She asked if I needed my hair cur, it was last done by her back in July last year. I said yes it needed a cut. So I arranged to pop in on my way home. Debbie lives about halfway home. So after my second mug of tea, I just cannot refuse a mug of tea, I set off to Debbie’s
What I didn’t know was that back in January Debbie had a nasty fall at work on black ice.

Where the buses are cleaned there was no grit or salt put down. So Debbie was totally unaware of the danger. So as she approached her bus to take out, over she went. She ended up in A&E with slight concussion and tissue damage in her shoulder. So no bus driving work for a few months.
So after cutting my hair I innocently asked how she was coping with taking the dog for a walk. Alexa is a Belgian Shepherd, and is very powerful.

So I ended up being taken for a walk by this steam train of a dog, pretty sure I now have one arm longer than the other. Along with Debbie we steamrolled up to the park, once there I took Alexa off her lead. And away she went chasing the ball I was now throwing in the plastic catapult. We walked around the park chatting.
Eventually Alexa took sometime out to have a roll around.
So a chance to get the lead back on. The walk back to Debbie’s was much slower.

I now have an occasional job of taking Alexa for a walk, not every day, only when asked. I’m ok with that, every day would see me dead by the end of the week.
Debbie’s family and circle of friends help out with the dog walking.
But I’m still doing my walks around Saltash. Adventurous walk the other Sunday was from home to the Celtic Cross, you can see that as you come over the bridge from England, then I followed the path under the road bridge and around to our “rebuilt” railway station. Then down to Waterside and home via Brunel Green.

I have walked out to Antony’s Passage via the village of Forder. Past the old Tannery and in the shadow or Tremanton Castle, cannot wait till that is open to the public again. Another walk, back through Forder but keeping left of the creek. Here I met a fellow MG owner. He has a stunning 1969 MGB GT in Teal Blue. It was a chance meeting, but we chatted like old friends. Then onto Church Farm nature reserve. Followed around on the banks of the river.

Ended up having to use the map on my phone to find my way home, I came out by St.Stephens Community School, I had not planned to go that far. I thought I had found the shortest route home but alas it wasn’t. Still a good walk nevertheless.

No new news from London. Elizabeth is still very ill but still managing to breathe on her own. Richards ex-wife who is also still in hospital following a stroke, she too has Covid-19 having caught the virus in hospital. There is no further news on her condition other than it is thought she might not make her court appearance in June.

Even after the lockdown is lifted I have no plans to return to London, I know I should but still have no inclination to do so. I miss seeing my god daughter Kirra, she was 8 last Saturday. I miss seeing Michael and Laura. Missing my friends in Kent. And of course I miss going to the cemetery to chat to Val. On the 19th on this month is the anniversary of her fall in 2009, the fall that would change our lives.

So keep safe my friends, and hopefully we will meet up one day soon.

Thanks for reading the kind comments.