Virtuous shopping

In the busy charity shop a petite woman drags a large fluffy off-white rug to the counter. Another customer accidentally steps back on to it, even before she is able to ask for help to roll it up.

Asanas

The sense of physical wellbeing after a short session of basic yoga poses. It's been too long and it feels like coming home.

Play gym

The baby lies on a pink daisy-shaped mat with pastel toys suspended above her. Her limbs move, as yet without conscious purpose,but her hand swipes satisfyingly against the textured shapes.

Pigeons

Three fat pigeons perch together on a bouncing low branch, their breasts puffed up against the cold. At the very top of the tall tree two more sit far apart, almost hidden from sight.

Rainbow vision

The angle of the early morning sun casts a rainbow across the width of the television screen, partially blocking my vision of the tennis final.

Vitamin D

For the first time in many days the sun breaks through the clouds, warming my face and hands as I walk to the shops and filling my whole body with hope.

An excuse for cake

Sweet white chocolate frosting and luscious strawberry filling, a special cake to celebrate a special day.

Green shoots

Clumps of green grass emerge bravely from the snow blanket, another sign of the gradual return to normality.

School mums

A surprise when the lady delivering a birthday present remembered me from the school gate more than ten years ago.

Thawing

As the thaw begins the patio looks like a tartan weave. Rows of white criss cross symmetrically where the snow has settled in the cracks between almost bare paving slabs, interspersed with occasional blobs of snow to add texture.

Letting go

Our son rings to ask if I would mind if he didn't come home this summer. I'm pleased that he has become so independent and even more pleased that he asked.

Catching up

A very unexpected phone call from an old friend who I'd been thinking of just a few days earlier makes me believe in the psychic power of thought.

A clue

Pawprints in the otherwise immaculate snow near the fence give away the recent presence of a garden intruder.

Seagulls

A small flock of gulls swoops around at the end of our road, barely visible against the snow-laden sky. I can't help wondering what attracts them to a London suburb, many miles from the sea.

Gentleman

The elderly man stands aside to let me into the shop and, seeing my stick, gallantly steps forward to hold the door open. After I've paid at the till we end up at the door together and once again he holds it for me.

Foxes hunting

An eery rhythmic barking comes in bursts in the middle of the night. Not quite like a pack of dogs, the sound moves away quickly, even as a voice shouts out from a nearby house. It's too cold to get up and look out of the window.

Fairytale hair

The lady in the bank has undulating locks of multi-gold, long enough to reach the bottom of her thigh-length jacket. I feel that she must live in a tower, but she remains talking at the counter so long that I never see her face.

First snow

Morning snow glitters on the grass and trees, but the roads and walkways remain damp and dull until the second wave of snowflakes arrives at lunchtime.

Ladies shoes

The footsteps sound like those of a woman, so it is a surprise to discover that the passer-by is a man. Glancing at the disappearing figure we spot a pair of high stacked heels beneath the hem of his trousers.

Been and gone

The shutter over the estate agent's shopfront is partially and crookedly forced open, displaying sadly empty windows.

Crossing the road

The elderly man on a disability scooter shades his eyes with his hand as he waits for a gap in the traffic. The blinding winter sun makes the scooter's raincover appear obsolete.

After dinner mint

The Christmas chocolates are nearly all gone, so choosing a last minty treat to savour with coffee seems special.

Lunch

Luscious avocado on peppery leaves,scattered with ripe baby plum tomatoes and wedges of cooling cucumber. The salad just begs to be topped with some of my favourite things.

Butterfly

Butterfly is too pretty a term for the needle which finally enables the nurse to fill a vial with my blood, but the shape of the coloured plastic it is set into gives away the origins of the name.

Prescriptions

As I sit to await my magic pills, the man with the hugely swollen eye turns his head away from me.

Bathtime

The warm scented water cleanses and cradles, soothing aches and pains, yet it still drains my energy away.

Walking sticks

One stick moving slowly forward at a time, the elderly lady inches her way along the bumpy pavement, a scarf protecting her hair from the incessant drizzle.

Food at last

The delivery man is in and out of the kichen so quickly that yet again last weeks bags lie forgotten in the corner. I can't bring myself not to recycle, so there the growing bundle will remain for another week.

From the Amazon

The thud of a package landing in the porch brings a surge of anticipation. The contents don't disappoint.

Meal for one

A steaming bowl of pasta, interwoven with emerald and ruby vegetables and topped with grated cheese, signals the return to lonely evening eating.

New Year sun

The rare glint of midday sunshine on tinsel, sudden reminder of a day of new starts.