1. We sit around the table, our fingers sticky with spicy gravy, laughing and telling stories.
2. The light reflects off her eyes and her silky fur as she sits proudly in the doorway.
3. After the big lunch, I don’t have time for dinner so I pack myself a tub of cheese, crackers & olives.
1. The journey through Calverley is always great for dog spotting.
2. Following G’s lead, I have saltfish and callaloo for lunch. I go from being not sure I like the cabbage-like vegetable to loving it within a few mouthfuls.
3. As stray comment earlier in the day inspires us to watch ‘Wayne’s World’ in the evening. We giggle throughout the whole thing.
1. The vivid turmeric in the curry turns their lips yellow and we laugh.
2. A combination of a large lunch and a warm office make me feel incredibly sleepy by mid-afternoon so I decide to go for a walk around the playing field at the front of the office to wake myself up. After I complete the first side of the rectangle, I turn to find a view of Leeds I’ve never seen before, glorious in the dying light. The buildings on the hill to the north of the city centre – the university’s Parkinson building, the churches and the rust tower – are most prominent but the sea of new tower blocks to the east are visible too. As I become more distanced from Leeds, I can see how much it’s grown and transformed during my time there.
3. It turns out my mid-afternoon sleepiness is also because I’m getting ill – I started to feel rough in the office but during the journey home, it fully blooms. It’s John’s cold from last weekend so now it’s his turn to look after me. In the evening, we eat soup and watch cartoons. The momentary relief after a sneeze or sinus shift is heavenly.
© 2024 Louisa Parry