Foliage

Out on Delivery: Sat 10 Dec

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Today: Frosty leaves and spiders webs

A very cold day, off to a difficult start as it took three turns of the yard to locate my van (which has just been changed). All the numbers obscured in the heavy frost, too cold for anyone to bother to quip “it’s the red one”.

Frosty leaves were beautifully white edged and sharded spiders webs were visible. So cold that I finished cold despite the thermal layers, hat, neck warmer and extra Jumper. Starting to deliver Christmassy looking parcels and plenty of cards.

Out on Delivery: Tue 6 Dec

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Today: Pink leaf, Ipswich Road: Leaf, Mount Pleasant: Windscreen leaf visiter, Ipswich Rd: Foliage, Harford Manor Rd

Another challengingly long and damp day’s delivering. We head out at 9:00am and back at 15:45 having delivered non stop. Bundles are heavy and so we use the trolley on most loops of the walk. My head is down, pushing on with the delivery and so it is the leaves on the ground I notice mostly today.

Out on Delivery: Fri 2 Dec

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Today: Windscreen leaf, Grove Avenue: Mail trolley, Newmarket Road: Christmas tree, Honor Close.

So much mail to sort that we are not out delivering until 10am. Cold and unexpectedly showery. When the sun comes the light is clear. We are not finished delivering until 4:15 pm, so deliver into the fading of the day. Christmas trees sparkle and we peek into cosy and warm homes. Customers seem chatty, perhaps pleased to see us after our two day strike.

Out on Delivery: Mon 28 Nov

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Today: Autumn Leaves, Church Avenue: Spider’s web, Allens Lane: Wet leaves, Ipswich Road.

A slight mist hugging us damp, it lifts later, partially. Moist droplets, catch the eye,on webs and foliage. Burnt orange is the colour of the morning with the Beech trees looking splendid. Still plenty of foliage, flowers and even a peek of lilac in a lavender bush, feels unusual for late November.

Plenty to deliver, increasing numbers of cards and ordered Christmas presents. Finally less catalogues and promotional material and the backlog of magazines which weren’t delivered last week due to the strikes.

Out on Delivery: Sat 26 Nov

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Today: Pointy leaves, Christchurch road: Mysterious box, which caught my eye, East Anglian Squash and Tennis centre: Leaves, Grove Avenue: Twisted fruits, Ipswich Road.

Back after two days of strike to more mail than we could deliver in Saturday working hours. Put in the overtime to clear it before the tidal wave of black friday shopping washes in.

A beautiful softly sunny day made for a very agreeable days delivering.

Out on Delivery: Wed 23 Nov

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Today: Wet leaves, Ipswich Grove: Leaf filled puddle, Ipswich Road

A challenging day all round. A band of heavy rain moved in and through during the course of the delivery. My waterproof coat is not quite up to the job and the van and my glasses needed constant de-misting. High volumes of letters, cards and parcels to deliver, plus collections made for a long wet, cold day.

Despite hoping for a deal to be struck we received confirmation that we are striking for the next 48 hrs. It was difficult to move around the office this morning for volumes of parcels I can’t begin to imagine the volumes we will be dealing with when we return to work Saturday…

Out on Delivery: Wed 16 Nov

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Today: Moist berries, Ipswich rd: Purple berries, Allens Lane: Windscreen reflection, Ipswich grove: Droplets on leaf, Newmarket rd.

Rudely, since not forecast, it rained heavily during the morning. Cleared into a sun dazzlingly, clear lighted afternoon. Noticing berries and droplets of water on leaves.

Plenty more Christmas catalogues to deliver and a black Friday flier which ripped at the slightest invitation and made our fingers black and inky. Definitely noticing the start of Christmas shopping…

Out on Delivery: Sun 13 Nov

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Today: A favourite bush, Newmarket Road: Wet leaf on Moss, Ipswich Road

Enjoying all the moss and lush greens today. After the bone dry summer the damp greenery feels comfortingly familiar. A warm, damp and overcast day – fairly perfect delivering weather.

Lots of City Council letters meaning visiting all addresses on some streets.

Out on Delivery: Mon 7 Nov

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Today: Dissolving leaf: Mossy paving, Ipswich Rd, Oat leaf on grass sprouting gravel.

Over the weekend the seasons turned a corner. Autumn leaves are mulching away and a bleaker wintery feeling is emerging. An absence of recent strike action means the delivery was a normal lighter Monday. Talk in the office of a possible resolution nearing. Fingers crossed.