It was my first visit back to my girl Mrs J, following a two week holiday hiatus (both Christmas and New Years were on Saturdays).

A few days before, her daughter V had dropped her usual text, and some warm wishes following the festive break, and I had my list prepared for my trip to Asda.

Post-parkrun, I whizzed across the river to Clapham, and did the rounds of the supermarket. Mrs J’s list is pretty consistent week to week, and this episode of shopping for Mrs J wasn’t much different. We had cream cheese and toilet paper, which are rarer occurrences, and of course the weekly special of five packs of galaxy, custard tarts and French fancies!

There wasn’t any normal Philadelphia, so Mrs J got own brand, but other than that, it was full house. Shopping paid, round the corner and a buzz on the doorbell later, Mrs J greeted me with a snazzy new dressing gown on (a Christmas present from her neighbour) and a cheeky grin.

In classic Mrs J form, she wanted to push some of her chocolate on me. Now, as anyone who reads my run reports will know, I had started to put the galaxy bars right at the bottom of the bag, so when Mrs J couldn’t find any in her fridge, she wouldn’t be able to get to them easily in the bag, this Lucy goes home empty handed. Trust me - I don’t need any more chocolate, I’m sure I’m still working my way through last years!

Anyway, Mrs J asked the question she does every week ‘is there any chocolate in there?’, to which I replied yes. She went off, then came back from the kitchen forlorn. Normally I’d fake disappointment and she would promise me double next week. But it was a new year, and clearly a new Mrs J. She proceeded to empty the contents of the Asda bag out into the hallway - tins and cans and boxes. Right at the bottom. I was impressed with her balance as she bent right over… she pulled out a four pack of smooth milk chocolate, and emphatically ripped it open, before pressing two of the bars into my hand. I didn’t even have a chance to say otherwise!

A new year. But the same old story with Mrs J and I!