Lockdown from Bridport - Part 3 - Day 54

I take back everything I said about the carpet resembling a slime filled pond, it's nothing of the sort. Seized with the energy normally reserved for something exceptionally exciting I head on down to the shop to oversee the laying of said flooring. This took all of five minutes and satisfied that all was going well I headed off for far more enriching horizons, (the local National Trust beach). 'The Undertaker' looks up in alarm as I go to take my departure. 'Where are you going'? he says. 'Too many cooks spoil the broth' I answer. How can anyone argue with that? 'There's a packet of stem ginger and butter cookies' for you both I add. Minus two I think to myself...

The beach was utterly glorious when we got there, (my Mother and I), such a caring daughter I can hear you think, breaking off from work on such a beautiful day. There are one or two figures dotted about sitting on blankets on the beach and a heavenly lack of people which would normally be swarming around the cafe inexplicably needing to scoff at any random time of day. The air is warm and we are soon lulled into a sense of wellbeing by the gentle sound of the waves. There's a woman sitting on her own who looks across and confides she hasn't left the house since Christmas and lives alone. 'I had to come down here' she explains 'before I went mad'. The phone interrupts my reverie. 'Your mimosa plant is on the way' 'The Undertaker' says. 'Oh and someone wants to buy the Limoges French coffee cups in the window'. '£25 for the set' I say and £15 for the mimosa, which gives you a clear £10 for simply being there. Nobody could ever accuse me of being anything but generous. 

Unusually we had corned beef sandwiches for lunch with vegetable crisps. It's years since I've had corned beef and it will be years before I repeat the experience, but hey, variety is the spice of life. We go out into the garden where I announce its time the fruit trees were pruned. We have four espaliered fruit trees, one wild cherry, one pear (which has borne us one pear) and two apple. Within five minutes voices are raised and non too politely either. Why I didn't just get bog standard trees is beyond me, anyone would think we had a Victorian walled kitchen garden. However my little mimosa which is flowering is placed reverently in place, although not actually planted.

We have to deliver the wardrobe which I sold yesterday. It's not far, Lyme Regis is a mere 15 minute drive away. The main trunk road is blissfully empty but after taking the turning as instructed we find ourselves in a village which neither of us even knew existed. We end up at a group of buildings which were once a girls finishing school and after that boarding for the local boys school. Normally when we go anywhere 'The Undertaker' gives a running commentary of all the houses he has picked up from with a description of the interiors but he's unusually quiet. 'Well' I say 'this is off the beaten track'. There are handsome old houses and a handful of new builds consisting of glass, chrome and wood.

We take a stroll through the gardens at Lyme although the sun has disappeared. The sea is flat calm the surface barely broken by a couple of paddle boarders. On the high street which has a fairly steep hill a youth hesitates as he prepares to hurtle himself down it on a skateboard. We watch in disbelief as his figure disappears rapidly down the centre of the road, his free leg working furiously to get up an even greater speed. 'Bloody hell' said 'The Undertaker' 'that boy must have a death wish'. It was quite extraordinary.