A Day of Two Halves

Yesterday was quite a mix of a day.

In the morning Linda, our home help, came as usual. She was full of excitement. Her eldest daughter is going to the school prom this year. At the weekend they had gone shopping for the prom dress. Linda was buzzing. I was shown a picture of her daughter in her prom dress, her first full length ball gown, all aubergine & silver diamante. She certainly did look beautiful & elegant. Now Linda is worrying about all the other bits – the nails, the make-up, hairstyle, the shoes, the corsage, the transport etc. etc. The event isn’t until the end of June but Linda wants it to be absolutely right. She’s a single mother (divorced) & seems to feel the urge to make up for that fact & let her daughter know she’s much loved & beautiful. I just hope all the build-up isn’t going to be overwhelming for the girl.

Come the afternoon, after doing the food shop, we went along to the golf club. There we joined our cruising friends. He was in a bad mood – gout. She was in a bad mood – neuralgia in her head so severe she could hardly bear to comb her hair. The latter was brought on by her husband, a man of 78, getting out to challenge a lorry driver to fisticuffs because the latter had opened his cab door without looking & nearly taken the top off their car. She’d had visions of seeing him lying dead at the roadside. Fortunately the lorry driver just drove off. We’re all a bit down – the effect of a long wet grey winter. We’re all ready for a bit of sunshine & warmth. I’m glad to say we were all laughing by the time we went our separate ways. At least we can still find some sunshine & warmth that way.