Day 71: at dinner
I sat at the dining table, staring out of the window.
The evening garden was too low for me to see but over the wooden fence, the grasses of the meadow were a blurred band of subdued green in the lambent light. The ploughed field beyond was a soft brown and rose to a line of trees, poplars maybe. In a gap between I saw the sun was setting. A pale Cambridge blue sky was streaked with a few grey smoke-trail clouds and striped with horizontal neon bands of brilliant pink.
I was captivated, deaf to the conversation around me.
Day 72: stopping at the motorway services
We stop at the motorway services, not unusual, in fact it’s usual; we usually stop, almost always stop for a break in our journey. This is unusual, we haven’t done it for over a year, we haven’t been on a journey involving travel on a motorway for that long.
It’s the same as in the before; the services are just the same; same shops, same food at the different outlets, same expense. only the welcome message has changed. Welcome if you wear a mask, welcome if you can’t wear a mask. Not welcome if you simply won’t wear a mask.
Day 73: walking the pages of The Salt Path
A radio programme gave a completely erroneous impression of The Salt Path – Raynor Winn. Staying with friends, nothing to read, I picked it up, intrigued by the premise: a couple, one dying, walked the 630mile Salt Path round the south-west coast of England.
I could barely put it down, enveloped in their world; their story, the writing, their personalities leaping from the page. Vividly describing their tough adventure, Ray shared their arduous trek, showed me the varied landscape, nature, sea and shore. I shared their joy, had tears for their pain, I marvelled at their love, celebrated their salvation.
April 30th 2021 would’ve been Captain Tom Moore’s 101st birthday; in recognition and in remembrance of his achievement, a new challenge was announced by his family. They challenged ordinary folk to complete a hundred somethings to raise more funds for The Captain Tom Foundation – ‘whether you bake 100 cupcakes or walk 100 laps – help celebrate Captain Tom’s achievements.’ The official ‘Captain Tom 100’ has now finished, but I’ve challenged myself to write a 100 word blog each day for 100 days. I started on May 1st and when I complete my task, I’ll donate £100 to his Foundation.
I have been away over the weekend, but each day I wrote my 100 words, one in a notebook, one on the phone, and one here when we got home after a six hour journey. It was harder to write by hand than I expected, but it was done!
Lois Elsden 