A Walk Around The Village

I checked my landline answerphone yesterday . 

Eight messages since New Year’s Eve 

I never use the phone now except when I call Nigel . 

His home phone blocks incoming mobile calls

Four silent entries, 2 spam, and one from covid help line about my fourth jab.

The final message was a passive aggressive message from Mrs Davies in the village asking if I was alive or not . She said she had not seen me in months and wished me happy new year. 

She’s lonely and had probably fallen out with her son again , so I harnessed Mary and called round to say hello.

Luckily she was out , so I left a note saying hello and apologising for my absence stating I will work full time ( with college) 

I doubt I’ll be forgiven

It was cold and blustery, but the weather did us both good and we had a proper mooch around the village, something I haven’t done in a good while, not with Dorothy hating a walk near the main road. We walked around Bron Haul and I waved at Marion who still delights to share how her gay grandson is doing. No one else was about until we got to High Street where I spied Jo with her three whippets disappearing into her driveway. One of her dogs only has three legs but I never can tell when they are all together. 

We could go up High Street towards the “ posh Houses” on the side of the Gop but as it has started to rain Mary led me into Maes Offa , and down into Byron Street where I spied Mrs Trellis busy polishing her windows from the inside. The lights were on at affable Jason’s neat little  house too, but I couldn’t see anyone to wave at through the small symmetrical windows.

We walked past the dark lMemorial Hall as it rained harder and Mary stopped briefly to give me a look. 

We then crossed the road into Well Street which looked deserted. 

The cheerful Manleys, Velvet voiced Linda with Nick, Bridget and Boffin Cameron all live nearby but again we saw now one when we gave the Pond a once over. 

It looks splendid with its new little jetty and sympathetic planting even in the bad weather.

Mary had a wee next to the well, which reminded me that we need to look at an official opening day

I have so much to do 

Why don’t I ever feel as though I’ve got enough time?

Answers on a postcard please?

We walked back towards home, and Mary quickened her pace, half closing her eyes in the rain

Wendy from Rhoda Arthur waved from her car as did Della driving back from Pen y Cefn Isa 

We stopped briefly to shelter under the Church Lytchgate. 

It looks bare as the massive wrought iron gates still have not been returned from being repaired

I reminded myself to ask about them when I saw Islwyn next. 

Before we left for the cottage and the fire 

I checked on my laburnum , now stripped of its leaves but remaining healthy and strong.

The rain lashed down from the West just after we got home so hard that I had to put a sock in the letterbox to stop the draught bursting into the living room.