Heavenly

The morning was spent cleaning and tidying up after some time away but also decidedly outside rather than in. Gorgeous balmy weather, sun shining, and the garden is the place to be as it is infused with the scent of mandarin blossom, the azaleas are in flower, as is a little bush of yesterday- today and-tomorrow, that interestingly named multicoloured wonder. An evergreen shrub with purplish flowers in the cool weather, then lavender blue and finally white - all often appearing on the bush at the same time. Vibrant purple to start life, and then gradually fading. 

I take great delight in sweeping with my Baju hat on and in weeding flowers beds. I walk inside and think that if there is a heaven, this is what it must smell like.

The afternoon is more mundane with a visit to the local supermarket to shop - but as it turns out it is even more exhilarating then the morning. I am in the queue waiting to pay and literally from the side comes a little lady with a walking aid, sporting a jolly hat and a pink shirt, wearing bright red lipstick. On the seat are two bars of chocolate.

"Do you mind' she says "if I go before you? "
"No, not at all" I say and make room for her items on the conveyor belt.
"My daughter in law likes white chocolate so I thought I would come and get some for her, but you see my eyesight is not very good so I asked an elderly gentleman to help me and he got me this".
I look at the chocolate and say "This is Milk Chocolate, not White, would you like me to get you the White?"
"Oh she says "that is very kind". So I nod to the cashier that I will be back in a mo and rush off to get her a white bar.
"I show her it and she says - "Well I am not so sure now dear, I can't quite remember what she likes, maybe it is dark. I do get a bit confused sometimes, so I hope you don't mind I shall stick with what I got."
"No worries" I say in my best Aussie linguo and she is at the till paying,closely scrutinising the money she has taken from her wallet.
"Would you like me to help you?"
"No thank you dear, the doctor said I should use my eyes as they are, to stop them from deteriorating further, but I do struggle sometimes to see. Do forgive me I am a little old."
"I hope you don't mind me asking but how old are you?"
"102" she says as she wanders off.

I am so dumbstruck - I pay for my shopping, abandon it at the kerb side, and go racing up the road to find her. I interrupt her walking and ask if I may take a photo of her. She adjusts her hat, smiles graciously and lets me snap a photo of her.
I ask her name, Grace Rowlands of Ashgrove I am privileged to meet you and salute your resilience. She is surely destined for my heavenly scented heaven, but clearly not yet, if it has anything to do with her, as she continues on her daily shop.