Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Gentle day, being sociable and selling things
Today was my quiet day - not much on the Things to Do list achieved.
This morning we caught the bus into town. I commented on facebook that I like going by bus because it is always a friendly experience.
This led to a bit of a discussion on a north/south divide when it comes to friendliness.
Actually I have not found people in our part of the world to be at all stand offish and often end up learning somebody's life history within minutes.
I do wish strangers were a little more prepared to make eye contact when they pass me in the street, maybe smile and say Good Morning. Old men normally do!
The bus proved to be as sociable as normal. We waited at the bus stop at the end of our road and chatted with a younger woman and an older gentleman - the weather is such a useful starting point.
On the return journey the woman behind us opened the conversation and within 5 minutes I knew of the death of her husband 20 years ago from cancer of the oesophagus; that she is now 80 and sad that she can't manage to go bowling or swimming now. I heard about the Crawley football last night - when the team returned to the home ground with the trophy for being promoted to the football league. This 80 year old woman has been a season ticket holder for years and regrets that she can't go to many away games because other clubs don't have the facilities that Crawley has and she might have to stand for the length of the game.
And then after 5 minutes of our shared journey, she was gone.
Perhaps it is just that I have a face that invites these conversations; but, in fact I do believe that people here are just as friendly and open as those who live in the north.
We had little to do in town. I take echinacea to boost my immune system. It seems to serve me well and so it is important now to my feeling of well being. Normally we buy from one of the on-line companies, but I had run out. So, I wanted a small pot to tide me over.
We bought a few bits in the pound shop - cleaning materials. I also bought a lovely wooden photo frame in a charity shop for a violets postcard, which is now on the shelves in the loo.
This afternoon Isobel came round.
We chatted and then Bill went to mend her computer.....switch it back on!
She is certainly not the first to have knocked a switch off and not realised.
I dealt with a couple of EBay sales.
I can tell you I felt a monster for putting the sleeping Steiff bunny in a plastic bag and wrapping him up. I found myself chatting gently to him about his new journey!
Selling for rather more than the Steiff was an old scouting game.
I think the art work on the box lid is just wonderful.
Obviously a true scouting fanatic wanted it - well, more than one as the bidding went up more than I expected.
This morning we caught the bus into town. I commented on facebook that I like going by bus because it is always a friendly experience.
This led to a bit of a discussion on a north/south divide when it comes to friendliness.
Actually I have not found people in our part of the world to be at all stand offish and often end up learning somebody's life history within minutes.
I do wish strangers were a little more prepared to make eye contact when they pass me in the street, maybe smile and say Good Morning. Old men normally do!
The bus proved to be as sociable as normal. We waited at the bus stop at the end of our road and chatted with a younger woman and an older gentleman - the weather is such a useful starting point.
On the return journey the woman behind us opened the conversation and within 5 minutes I knew of the death of her husband 20 years ago from cancer of the oesophagus; that she is now 80 and sad that she can't manage to go bowling or swimming now. I heard about the Crawley football last night - when the team returned to the home ground with the trophy for being promoted to the football league. This 80 year old woman has been a season ticket holder for years and regrets that she can't go to many away games because other clubs don't have the facilities that Crawley has and she might have to stand for the length of the game.
And then after 5 minutes of our shared journey, she was gone.
Perhaps it is just that I have a face that invites these conversations; but, in fact I do believe that people here are just as friendly and open as those who live in the north.
We had little to do in town. I take echinacea to boost my immune system. It seems to serve me well and so it is important now to my feeling of well being. Normally we buy from one of the on-line companies, but I had run out. So, I wanted a small pot to tide me over.
We bought a few bits in the pound shop - cleaning materials. I also bought a lovely wooden photo frame in a charity shop for a violets postcard, which is now on the shelves in the loo.
This afternoon Isobel came round.
We chatted and then Bill went to mend her computer.....switch it back on!
She is certainly not the first to have knocked a switch off and not realised.
I dealt with a couple of EBay sales.
I can tell you I felt a monster for putting the sleeping Steiff bunny in a plastic bag and wrapping him up. I found myself chatting gently to him about his new journey!
Selling for rather more than the Steiff was an old scouting game.
I think the art work on the box lid is just wonderful.
Obviously a true scouting fanatic wanted it - well, more than one as the bidding went up more than I expected.
