Notes from the country with Vicky Turrell

  “Our grandchildren think we know nothing now we are old.” Someone was talking to me at one of those Autumn Fairs which seem to be springing up everywhere. He was at my book stall. “We know a lot about life. We oldies have a lot of experience.” He went on to list some of his extensive knowledge. “Mind you,” he said, taking out his mobile, “when it comes to this thing, I haven’t a clue and the grandchildren know it all!” I went to a concert recently; these are also springing up now the autumn season is upon us. I sat near a person who was on her own and we got chatting. Her son was in the concert and she had come all the way from the southwest, enjoying the peace of her drive to the Midlands. She told me that she originally came from Scunthorpe and spends a lot of time travelling to the east coast just like me. I mentioned going across the river Humber on the ferry when I was young, before the bridge was built. My companion remembered the paddle steamer ferry too. She use...

  We were just going out of the door when the phone rang.” I was sitting in our local pub having lunch when a couple about my age came in. They were dressed smartly. “The voice on the other end said that my hospital appointment for this morning had been cancelled.” The bartender listened politely and took their order for a meal. The hospital’s loss had been his gain. They had nothing else to do so they had decided to eat out. But it must have been disappointing for them when they were all ready for an appointment. I remember once I went for day surgery and did not find out until I arrived that my operation had been cancelled. The ward had been flooded overnight and they were busy ringing round but had not got to ‘T’ yet so I did not know. And there I was complete with high hopes and hospital bag. But it was no one’s fault and I had to go home and wait. We had to wait on the motorway too when we went to Yorkshire last weekend. I chose to go on Sunday because I thought that...

  Her voice was reassuring and gentle with a slight Shropshire accent as she guided me through the procedure. I was sure I recognised her from the last time I rang. But I know now that I was mistaken. I was ringing the doctor’s surgery for a routine appointment and I was not speaking to a person I was speaking to a robot working with AI. The same thing happened when I went on-line to see where my parcel was. It should have arrived yesterday, but I had a message to say that there was a problem and it had been returned to the sender. I went on their website to see what I should do. I could not see any guidance, so I went on a chat box and spoke to Andy. He was surely a ‘Bot’ but answered each of my questions precisely. ‘My parcel has not arrived.’ ‘We are sorry about this.’ ‘Can I have my money back?’ ‘We can arrange that.’ And so it went on, simple question and a simple answer ending in a confirmation email that my refund would be with me in 5-7 business days.   No ...

  What was that? We were driving back home from East Yorkshire when we saw it. We were on the Shropshire border where you see all types of wildlife. Sadly, some are in great danger, I am seeing a lot more badgers, hedgehogs and strangely squirrels on the road. I suppose they have had a hard time in the extreme hot weather but are out hunting for food now that it is a little cooler. What we saw this time on the road was something very different. It was a fish. Quite a big fish. I looked around. There were no lakes, no rivers and well, no water at all. Where had this fish on the road come from? Had it fallen off a seafood transporter? Had it fallen from an osprey’s talons? It is a mystery. There was a mystery for me too when I first went to school. You see, everyone at home had always called me Vicky. But when I was five and about to start school, my dad sat me down to tell me that my real name was Victoria. I cried. My life was changing from playing on our farm every day to having...

  Where has it gone? At first, I could not wait to get rid of it. Now it only makes the occasional visit. And I know this might seem strange after all the complaining and longing for rain, but I quite miss the sun’s constant comforting warmth. With breakfast on the patio, bare feet and a silky shift dress we had every excuse for loafing about all day trying to keep cool. And it is not just the heat; the light seems to have gone as well. It has all happened so quickly something has sneaked in on me from behind closing the curtains and turning the heating off. We are all in search of our long-discarded jumpers and jackets. On the brighter side our surviving sapling trees cannot believe their luck after three months of hanging on every night until we came with the watering can, they are happily putting on new fresh green growth with a sigh of relief. I wonder if some parents are giving a sigh of relief now that school is back. Some of my friends have been busy for a few weeks ge...

  ‘The train now standing…’ except that the train was not standing. It was late. Delayed behind other delayed trains. We were going to the Edinburgh Fringe. I have always wanted to go to The Fringe and I thought that I had better hurry up and go as time is getting on. The train appeared eventually but then as we were hurrying along it came to a full stop. A train ahead had broken down and had to be pulled way. There was a little family opposite me. A new mother, a first-time grand mother and baby Lucas. The staff were attentive and the food was good. We settled down to wait. Lucas’s family men had gone up to Scotland in the car to take all the baby gear. They had begun by having bets as to who would arrive first. Car or train? We waited and the news came by text that the car was already at the accommodation, the car had won. Baby Lucas began to cry but soon we were on our way too, snaking through the lush green fields and rushing rivers. We hardly dare think of the dry desert...