No sun summoned

Yes, I know. I was a right misery yesterday. And the situation worsened with the news that the car was indeed defunct. Goodbye pension and possible retirement at 72. It’ll have to wait until maybe 80. Actually, given inflation, the money might not be worth anything then anyway.

But, I've loved that car. Simba. I've felt so safe. I've felt so grateful and so cared for. I've washed and waxed and tended. I wanted another 100,000 miles.

All things come to an end.

So, I was going to call the new car Floki, in homage to Vikings, but Floki is actually in some ways a hateful character. Instead, Aulus.

Aulus, you may recall, is the hollow oak in whose embrace I have rested on a few occasions. As though to reinforce the point, I came today, as I trotted to collect a hire car, upon another hollowed oak.

This is cool as people tried to shore the trunk up with concrete – which does not seem to have done any good.

On the other hand, the tree’s own curving scar tissue has provided it with sufficient stability to grow quite a luxuriant crown.

The oak improved my mood. Indeed, if someone can continue to flourish with so much of their core decayed, then who am I to complain of emptiness?

This land is managed by the Wildlife Trust. I remember pulling up fence posts one day maybe 18 months ago. Maybe not so long as that. I’ve walked here a few times. With the dog. The path along the river is lovely. Even when it’s wet.

It’s where I watched a duck and ducklings… near where once I saw a kingfisher… not far from the park with the small leaved lime.

Places are marked in my mind with the lives whose paths I have crossed there. I remember too meeting a man with a lovely dog and another time a woman who was about to meet a Tinder date. I remember checking out the poplars that line the football pitch.

There were some young cattle in the field. I managed to pass them without causing too much disturbance. They had settled, I guess, to wait out the rain.