Another shopping trip, this time for a lady living just down the road from me, only 5 minutes by bike...

Shirley is shielding, as she has a number of existing medical conditions, but also, so that she can take care of her sister, who also has complex needs. The sisters live just across the hall from each other, in sheltered accommodation, with beautiful views of the river.

Shirley's list was not very long, but there were a number of specific dietry requirements included. Another 5 minute ride and I was at the shop, and before long, had delivered the items in full. The whole shopping trip had taken no more than 30 minutes.

Once the food was handed over, Shirley and I had a chat...and discovered that we had lived and worked close to each other on several occasions over the years, although we had previously never met. I grew up in Bootle, near Walton Gaol, Shirley moved to the area when she was a child, as her mum worked at the gaol. She lived in the same street as my sister, and we played in the same park...though some years apart. Later, Shirley moved around the area, finally ending up in Runcorn, where she taught reading. At one time, she taught in the school where I was to spend 25 years...just a year or two before I started there.

As you can imagine, we had a lot to talk about. Shirley loved reminiscing about our shared childhood memories, and the people we both worked with, as adults. What started out as a quick shopping trip, ended up being a wonderful trip down memory lane.