Valentine's Day ...so much is so different in a year

My Valentine's day.

This morning I forget  that the heating engineer is coming at 8am to service the boiler. So I open the door to him in dressing gown and bare feet, letting in the frosty air.

Clearing the space by the sink so that he can get to the pipes, I knock the kitchen compost caddy off the counter...tea leaves, banana skins and broccoli stalks spray across the Ikea carpet. No damage done -  just my embarrassment levels rise. He hums to himself and gets on with the job while I go upstairs to get dressed.

 By 9.30am the sun is warm through the car windscreen and I'm sure it contributes to me feeling lighter and more positive than I have for ages.

   I buy too many greens in the farmers' market because I can't remember what is in the fridge.

I feel restored and inspired by coffee and catch up with dear friends and very touched by the gift of a big bunch of  tulips for Valentine's day.

On the way home I call in to Furniture Village to look at sofas and dining room tables....but it's too early to choose such big items and anyway I'm waiting for the follow on report from lovely Feng Shui consultant who will give me guidance about such things.

In Sainsbury's I meet my ex neighbour from where I lived Exeter and we have a long chat in the  cheese and yoghurt aisle. And I remember my old life in our old house.

It was on this day, Valentine's Day last year that the FOR SALE sign went up outside our house, and a man came with a mobile camera to make a video of all the rooms and the estate agent emailed me to say I was now 'live' on RGHT MOVE.

 So much is so different in a year.

I didn't know Edward Scissor Beak existed - maybe he wasn't even born. And now  I'm worried about him because I haven't seen him for several days at the bird feeder.

 He comes every day without fail and the other afternoon when I was out there filling up the fat ball ring he was already hopping  along the path and instead of flying off he just continued along the path and round the toes of my boots - I was standing stock still - and  he started pecking at the seeds in the wire mesh basket on the ground, totally ignoring me. I felt so moved by his trust. 

The photo below is the last one I have of him. Taken on Sunday. He does look extra bedraggled and I think one of his legs looks all wonky as well.

I'll miss him if he really is gone.