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Published: April 23rd 2020
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The early morning dawn light was streaming in through the window . The time seemed irrelevant . It was still not quite light enough to rise . Looking at my watch I hoped the green luminous fingers would give me a clue to the time . It felt like 5am. The fingers went round but they were not luminous enough for me to work out what time it was . Sleep had come easily last night . Perhaps that last bit of fresh night air. Sitting outside on a bench watching the night sky. Venus as bright as ever . A satelitte passed over north to south . I waited in anticipation of the 41 satelittes that would travel the night sky above me . I think I saw 5 but I could never be sure .
Lying awake waiting for dawn to fully break I planned my day . Breakfast , coat on and head off for the walk before the world and his dog woke . At 6.45 I was up and out heading off to post a birthday card. Left or right at the bottom of the road . Left - decision made as it was flat
and the ankles were objecting rather loudly . A runner ran by . Immersed in his own thoughts . My brain always working overtime had already made the decision that left was good and I would head for the A61. The natural break between the countryside and the industrial. A circular route that would bring me back home again across the fields and through the peaceful woods . I started to mentally count footsteps . I soon got fed up of that . My mind went off to the NHS clap tonight . Another week of lockdown under our belts . As I walked I noticed more cars than usual . Perhaps they are all key workers . More likely people are getting fed up of being told to stay in . NHS - I thought about Captain Tom . The 99 year old ex serviceman who made a pledge to walk around his garden 100 times before his 100th birthday . His object to raise money for the NHS. By his 100th birthday he had raised 23 million pounds . I saluted the man . He is a hero made of sterner stuff .
We have together walked
the main road and are now going to leave the noisy A61. A country lane with the heady smell of Hawthorn. Slightly cloying but in its branches a robin sits and sings . A thrush is grubbing in the grass looking for worms. On the way home along the tarmacced path I know I will see a rabbit or two and even a squirrel . Farms and stables . I pass the time of day with two young girls mucking out the stables . "Busy " "Yes " they replied "Always busy ". I reach a point where a decision has to be made . Right over the stile , follow the wood and the electric fence and come home via Primrose Lane as it has become known . Or carry on a short distance and then take the next stile . Both bring me back to where I want to go to. Just one a bit nearer home than the other . Lets go the first one . I meet a lady with her dog. He is ready for his run across the field catching his ball. We talk for a while about the silence. How it nice to
hear the birdsong which is rich at this time of year . How we hope it will all stay the same but know it wont . It never could . The sounds will be drowned by the traffic. The clean fresh smell of the morning replaced by car fumes . The last part of the walk is of course back up hill . What to do the rest of the day comes to mind? It is warming up nicely. Rub something on my aching ankles and then have a coffee. Coffee first I think then find something for the painful ankles . Plan tomorrows walk . How about Top Road , Middle Road and Bottom Road ? Now that conjures up something doesn't it ?
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