Wrexham County Borough 113 - the Easter bunny arrived and the world is like a gymnasium /1 - 2 - 3

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It does take a long time to settle down once you return home from holiday . All that clothes washing that I intended to do in the house we stayed in came home dirty . Two solid days of washing clothes . We probably took too many clothes this trip . But then it was guesswork as to how many we would need . The dust had settled around the house and needed moving around a bit . The cat had missed us. He had been looked after extremely well but must have missed us as he clung to us for days mewing at our every move . But settle down to normality has naturally occured .

The book of the holiday needs to be produced . Looking back at the photographs there are not many . A little over one week away does not produce a book full of memories . The empty cupboards have been refilled and I have dropped seamlessly back into walking and swimming . The odd feeling has come back as there is no Gabby to clean . No carpets to take out and brush. No cupboards to empty , check and refill for the next trip . The first of the toll costs has come through . One day from Calais to Chalon - was it 60 euro or £60 ? We guess the journey from Chalon to Cogolin will be something similar . Add to this a return trip to Frejus and an long drive to Eze and back and we will be dipping into our holiday funds to pay for the tolls . It would not stop there either with the long drive to Calais to add to the costs .

My walk this morning took me past the photographers window full of pictures of well heeled blushing brides in their extremely expensive wedding dresses . Standing in a castle which daddy had forked out thousands to hire for the nuptials . Young children looking as if they were princesses in their proms outfits and sitting on horseback . A few weeks before the windows next door were full of knitted Easter bunnies heralding the Easter season in the village . I think I preferred the Easter bunnies . The church had been "decorated " with the Stations of the Cross and then they had been replaced by Easter Lilies . The bells recently refurbished and rehung had been ringing out for practice and for services . Since arriving home the Easter Bunnies had gone and the bunting had put up to celebrate the Coronation and in readiness for the street party we had been lucky to avoid . Union flags had been hung from the lamposts . Rather an insult in a way when the householders were Republicans and followed the Indy Marches in the town .

My walk took me along the river which had not changed in 10 days . The riverbank was covered in pink Campion, sunshine yellow Buttercups, mauve Comfrey and white Queen Annes Lace . The hedgerows were full of the white Hawthorne blossom which gave off the heavy cloying scent . It all looked pretty even the mist that hung even on this May morning.

The world is like a gymnasium where we go to keep fit. That was the thought on the calendar this morning . Written as spiritual inspiration I guess it was mean to make you prepare for the next life . For me walking I thought more about not keeping fit for anything that might or might not follow but keeping active walking , swimming , seeing new things , experiencing new foods or new places . Yes the world was like a gymnasium but not quite the type my calendar was suggesting . My mind wandered as I tried to see if there were any swans on the river or the family of Goosanders from last year. But things were quiet . Apart from the sound of the odd birdsong, the car passing by I had the walk all to myself .

Plenty of time to think about those stations of the Cross . Who painted them? Were they bought off the shelf or commissioned? I doubt I would ever know. Gideons Bible - did they still put them in hotel rooms ? I had not seen any on our recent trip . None in the UK and none in Europe. Replaced by smiley faces inviting you to ring up an organisation who would support you if you felt alone. Finally with all these thoughts going round my head I found myself humming the old song 1 - 2 - 3 by Len Barry if I am not mistaken . The first new floodlight had gone up at the Cae Ras . The second appeared a week later . The third of the proposed four was going up this week . Odd how my mind was flitting between Gideons Bibles, would I go on holiday again this year and the new floodlights at the football ground . Keep fit . My brain needed a good clearout of useless thoughts .

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