Lockdown from Bridport - Part 3 - Day 45

 I'm an absolute sucker for books, especially old books. What they contain within their covers is a life that we shall never know or see again, a world apart from the one we now all find ourselves in. This particular batch dated back to the 1930's. Titles such as '50 amazing stories of the Great War', and 'St George or The Dragon' by Lord Elton, inscribed inside to a Sgt Kemp 21 'memento from comrades of No.171 P.O.W Camp I.O.M 1945'. Makes me wonder if Sgt Kemp read the book. I'm not quite sure it's my cup of tea, very heavy going indeed. The prologue ends thus; A book which has long been awaited-of searching insight, of sanity and hope. Seems like 76 years later we're all still waiting...

At the risk of sounding monotonous every single Thursday, again this week, I cannot believe Thursday has come around so fast. It always takes me by surprise, which is odd, as I don't feel this way about Tuesday or Friday, for example. As the weather is fine, for once, I suggest to my Mother that she comes along in the car for the ride, as it's her 'shopping day'. We take a slight detour and drive down some lanes to ease the boredom of lockdown for her. We drive past a hidden Dorset church admiring the banks of snowdrops that line the tiny lane and pause by an open barn to watch the chickens scratching about amongst the dirt. I pick a couple of branches of pussy willow from the hedgerow.

I have to wait for ages in Waitrose whilst the exceedingly well dressed woman in front of me buys up the fresh fish counter. I idly look into her trolley to see what other goodies she is purchasing. My word, whoever she is feeding is certainly in for a treat. I can't help but observe that she's sporting a pair of Gucci loafers. Moving swiftly onto the wine department the shelves are looking remarkably bare. I trundle back out to the car where my Mother remarks that she is pleased to observe that people are looking remarkably well dressed and that the 'click and collect' is doing a roaring trade. Funny that I didn't notice this plethora of well heeled types here last week...then again who knows or dares imagine!

I go up to the shop to tie up a few loose ends and I'm just popping a pair of lemon leather loafers in the window when a woman outside mouths at me 'what size are those'? Turns out they are her size and I shout through the door that I have two other pairs in different colours. 'I'll take all three' she says without hesitation. I pass them to her through the door and off she goes.

Tonight is the last evening of 'The Undertaker' being 'on call'. Not that we have had any broken nights whatsoever. It seems that everyone is passing away in the daytime or early evening of late. 'Until next week' he concludes somewhat grumpily.