Jeez, it’s getting close.
A challenging month emotionally in a number of ways. I found myself getting quite apprehensive about a birthday party I had been invited to - something I normally relish. The thought of turning up, on my own, in amongst all the couples was starting to seriously bother me. Fortunately the opportunity arose to share a cab with some friends and I felt much more relaxed having got that sorted.
The party itself - the 60th of a very dear friend - was good fun, really good fun. However there was those moments that came right out of the blue hat had me creeping away for a moment or two as the eyes starting leaking. There should have been two of us here - Trev was no dancer but he’d have loved the social side and the chance to catch up with everyone.
June also saw the end of term at the school where I work - early I know but Independent schools keep their own timetable. Again, a day of real mixed emotions - four kids who had been on my bus for six years - now young adults - left having completed their A-Levels. No kids of my own of course, so this is the nearest I was likely to get and I felt quite proud of them. Proud of myself too as their parents had effectively entrusted them into my care for upwards of two hours a day for the last six years.
The end of term also saw the departure of friend and colleague Tony who was retiring. Tony took over the route from Trev when he first ‘left’ and is the second longest serving driver after me. We had the inevitable after school get together in the pub and that night at home after brought with it quite a few tears, the eventual release of the days emotions no doubt.
in addition, this would have been my last day at the school – at least for a while. As some will know we had loose plans for a long trip, skirting where possible the coastline of Britain to celebrate Trev’s retirement. It would have been fun but challenging and not one I could currently contemplate doing solo.
These hurdles keep coming and there’s another as get ready I depart for my summer trip, culminating in the return to Colchester in a months time. I say get ready - I’ve done a little in preparation but am approaching it with some trepidation, remembering that we left the flat this time last year, and Trev was never to return. I have a number of sites booked prior to the return to Colchester but to be honest I can’t strike up any enthusiasm whatsoever. I’m pondering delaying my departure but we’ll see.
This months photo is from roughly 20 years ago, in my mobile home in Waterbeach, a little village to the north of Cambridge, with, of course Dipsy, a present from his fellow cabbies at CamTax.
