Well, it’s been a funny sort of day. It was fine and warm first thing as I cycled to Uppermill, and beyond to go to Tesco in Greenfield before heading for the market which I knew already was going to be a little depleted. Several of the stall holders had said last week that they would be away on holiday. But it was a good day for a bike ride.
As I cycled back through the playing field I stopped to chat with a small boy and his mother. We were all admiring the helicopter which was circling overhead, making a furious racket as it was so low. We wondered where it was heading. As I cycled on it struck me that this looked very much like an air ambulance.
And I could hear the screech police sirens. Something was going on.
I turned out onto the main road through Uppermill only to find traffic at a standstill. So I pushed my bike along the pavement towards the square. Then that helicopter reappeared, even lower and closer. It seemed to be heading to the park in Uppermill centre. It was to be hoped that the collection of bouncy castles and children’s rides had all been cleared away! Fortunately all was clear.
The closer I got to the centre the more obvious it was that a major incident was happening. An ambulance and several police cars were blocking the road in front of the co-op store. People were gathered talking and gawking. I overheard a number of people saying that an elderly lady had been knocked down.
By now the helicopter had indeed landed on the park and paramedics were running to the scene of the accident. More police cars turned up and blocked the road at both ends. I was rather glad I had not been cycling through Uppermill half an hour sooner.
In the meantime my daughter had called and asked me to accompany her on a quest to buy prescription sunglasses. She needed somewhere who would do a quick turn-around as she sets off for Almería on Saturday. So when I saw the chaos in Uppermill centre I called her back and warmed her to find another route to my house.
I finished my shopping and headed for home.
Later my daughter and several offspring arrived and we set out and investigated a number of opticians, ending up ironically back in Uppermill - by now clear of its earlier chaos - where she and Granddaughter Number Two managed to order bargain glasses. There is a strong possibility that my daughter can collect her sunglasses on Friday. Rapid service indeed!
The children played in the park and threw stones in the river. We arranged for the small boy to have a haircut on Friday - a haircut with scissors, not clippers as he cannot abide the noise of the clippers. “Three year olds don’t like clippers’, he solemnly told me.
By then lunchtime was long gone but people were hungry. We found a cafe still serving snacks. Then we returned to the opticians who had phoned to say they had overcharged both my daughter and Granddaughter Number Two. So their original payment was cancelled and they went back to do a new payment.
A quick return visit to the playground before heading to my house for coffee and cake and running about in the garden. And suddenly it was evening. And here I am writing this in the middle evening.
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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