The Beat of Helicopter Wings

 I'm missing my walks. 

My knee isn't ready yet for the steep hill or the uneven footpath. So I take short strolls, weather permitting, as often as I can in my garden.

 On Sunday evening I'm blessed with the surprise gift of sunshine after  days of grey drizzly rain.

While I'm walking in the garden, taking photos, I hear the putt-putt sound of a helicopter.

When it comes into view I see it's red. The Devon Air Ambulance. It's very close and stays hovering over the village for ages.

This evening I read that it had come to a man who died suddenly of a heart attack. The life of his widow changed forever .... in seconds. I don't know her but I feel so sad for her.....the shock of it compounding the loss.

 To me Robin's death was sudden. The shock still resides in me like the beat of helicopter wings....coming louder and louder as the 3 years draws closer and closer to that awful day.

This morning I bake a batch of raspberry banana muffins and I take them, along with the Indian curries - one wild salmon, one aubergine and golden vegetable  -  that I made on Sunday, to my sister's farm. I'm helping as much as I can as they prepare to pack up and move house after 22  years. Making lunch means one less thing to think about in the long endless list of their things to do ...counting down to  completion day.

This evening I bake an apple and pear crumble. The home grown apples and pears are gifts. The topping is crisp and buttery with ground almonds, porridge oats and muscovado sugar.

In the absence of custard I scoop out some Booja Booja salted caramel ice cream from the freezer, and watch it melt into the hot fruit sweetness....

It's only Monday....I don't usually make puddings ...not just for me...but once I had the idea in my head it wouldn't go away... how lucky I am to be able to  indulge it....and what if it was my turn for the air ambulance to come out of blue sky

...for me....

 I would have missed all that pleasure....