It’s the little things…

Living in a small village does little for the concept of spontaneity. Indeed, I began to make the case for the benefits of having to plan things in advance, something I didn’t really do much of as a Londoner, back in the day. But, having now reverted to urban living, I’ve begun to realise just how nice it is to have things on your doorstep.

Today, a lampshade was purchased for the lamp in the living room, one a bit larger than we’d previously had. As a result, it needed a support, and the wonderful lighting store on Butter Market sold us just the thing. But the man in the shop said that, if it was the wrong height, we could replace it. So, we took the lampshade and support home, tried it out and found that, yes, we needed something a little shorter.

The four minute walk back to the shop meant that the job could be done, the light fitting restored. Very nice, very efficient.

This afternoon, we had a yearning for ice cream. There’s an ice cream parlour close by, which we studiously avoid most of the time - we try to avoid temptation where we can. But, as a treat, it’s very nice.

There’s little doubt that urban life is simpler in a range of ways, some obvious, some not so. The trick, I guess, is not to take it for granted…