Life Changes.

I have lived in the village now for 24yrs, it is a beautiful scenic place and the home of a very famous small bear and his friends who all lived on a very famous Forest. This knowledge over the years has spread worldwide and in turn has brought many visitors from as far as Japan to visit their bridge and our village. Pots of Honey and tiny letters are left by the bears front door that mysteriously appeared overnight, a well kept secret if someone here knows who put it in. I find it very endearing to see and yes I did read the books when I was growing up too. 

                                                                        Pooh's house

The village has ramblers, cyclists and walkers. The traffic at weekends is dreadful and parking is a bore as there is not a carpark. So, parking on the edge of the high St it is then making residents a little heated at times. I am not doing very well as a tourist operator am I but that is how it is. 

The people I first got to know when I came were the older generation, very friendly and great communicators. Willing to talk and exchange news of the day for a while but one by one they have parted this mortal coil and I miss them. I miss the conversations across the village green, the chitchat on the corner or outside the shop. They were the heart of this place, making the past seem alive and bringing history into the present. 

In the past 6 weeks 3 people I knew very well have died and it hurts me. It is a sad loss to think there is no one to wave too as I walk past their houses now. One lady in particular I had known as long as I had lived here, her husband had passed away a few years back, then her little dog and that just left her. We used to have Tea together, exchanged stories and news and always waved to each other when I passed her house. She always said to me 'Your always smiling, how lovely'

She died and my heart broke.

The end of the smiling warm face at the window who would wave the beautifully manicured hand at me. A smile warming from my heart. The house went up for sale within days, sad.

I was mortified to think that that within that short space of time someone's life was over. It is a sad cruel world made more cruel by reality of estate inheritance. 

The changes here probably correspond with that of many small communities no doubt, the once cheery tight neighbourhood lessening. Now, the small bodies of people in the villages left behind forge different loser friendships but not over the garden gate!

When I walk up the road I still look at the once pretty little house and remember fondly the lady with her manicured hands. The cottage style house with roses on the front has been sold but remains uninhabited and the garden that was once so tidy now lies overgrown. Sold, for what?  Village life changes.