Taken by surprise

I have not felt at all well today, nothing too drastic- a very sore throat and cough, just enough to make me feel as though I wanted to walk aimlessly around the living room with a dirty house coat on! Fat chance......
Chris woke me up at 6am as he excitedly got himself ready for his Birthday treat ( a trip to London to see La Cage Aux Folles) a gift from Jo his colleague at work.
We went through the usual stressed panic in getting him to the railway station on time before I could go home for a lemsip , proper coffee and a long bout of dog walking.
I didn't feel like veg planting in the fine misty drizzle this afternoon, so after the field jobs I got stuck in to weeding the back garden, which was a job that desperately needed doing. The herbaceous planting has started to develop, but the true "cottage garden" feel won't be truly established until May, when the garden is at its true best.I wish I had the skill my sisters have regarding planting all year round colour.
I was just finishing when a large group of pensioner walkers ambled past (all wearing the obligatory woolly hats, waterproofs and all swinging trendy ski sticks)
Now walkers often stop for a brief chat, they like to talk about the poultry (especially Boris who is often photographed ) and many will stop to buy eggs if I have any available, so I wasn't surprised when one matron leaned over the wall and addressed me.
"You must have loved Finlay very much" she said pleasantly, and the comment took me so completely by surprise that I suddenly felt very emotional, tearful and could hardly reply to her.
Obviously she had noticed Finlay's gravestone , tucked in the flower bed in the front garden and felt compelled to comment about it.
We finally chatted about Finlay and the other dogs who had lined up at the gate to watch what was going on for a time, and after the walkers had gone, I got to thinking about how a loss can still affect you in the strangest of moments..especially when your guard is down.

Mind you, my reaction may just be a symptom of a combination of a cold virus and not much sleep!