Strikingly Normal

Sometimes I look back on a week that is ordinary and uneventful. The week slipped through my mind like sand slips through fingers. sitting here typing, nothing stands out as being special. I cycled, I swam, I played tennis... tidied up the house, swept the leaves from my courtyard, read emails. In fact there was so much of the mundane I wonder how I got through it. 

Obviously there were some things that that happened that were out of the ordinary: there always are. It is just that I have looked back and they haven't registered -  like spending two days at the orchard this week. On Tuesday, the regular Orchard day, we had a visit from two police officers. They looked around and offered advice - most of which involved us spending money. On July 3rd this year after one act of theft and vandalism, we were offered a dedicated officer to support us. This officer was so dedicated, they didn't turn up or even contact me and then eventually another officer was assigned to our case. He and his sidekick finally arrived on October 14th. Now that is service! It took just four months and further acts of vandalism and theft before we saw a police officer in the flesh. At least I now have a contact card and a direct line now. Small progress.

On Friday, we hosted a corporate group at the orchard. I was expecting at least ten volunteers but only four turned up. They worked their socks off for six hours and promised to return to do more. Previous groups have come from all over England. Last week another corporate group had someone over from Canada mucking in and doing jobs around the orchard. In contrast, Friday's group were entirely local. Because there were only four of them, I managed to do some stuff around the orchard myself. I hardly noticed the time slip by. 

Just like school plus a beer or two

On Sunday, I met up with old school friends in Leighton Buzzard. The last time we met, I was fifty. Time really has slipped by. By the time I arrived at the venue, I was worried that I wouldn't recognise anyone. I was sure, however, that I hadn't changed at all in the intervening years. Actually, there really wasn't anything to worry about. We slipped into conversation about the old days when life was rosy and the sun always shone etc... It was lovely to see everyone and we plan to make it an annual event. Perhaps!

Back to normality, Nicholas and Naser met at my place on Saturday. We talked about all sorts, but mostly how to solve big world problems. Among ourselves, I think we have a few good solutions and they are all strikingly normal. 

Our hardworking, corporate group at the orchard