Walk

Out on Delivery: Mon 16 Jan

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Today: Quince, Newmarket Rd: Green growth, Ipswich Rd: Blossom, Mount Pleasant.

A return to work after a weeks holiday in an endlessly snowy white Nordic landscape. This British, darkish rain threatening overcast day, feels by contrast lush and colourful. Green moss covered walls and brown mulching leaves catch my eye as do fruits rotting in trees. A blossom tree in Mount Pleasant is prematurely blossoming and there are signs of new green growth.

Tax office letters feature heavily in the mail, which is fairly light. Christmas surge over and strike backlog cleared. All feeling calmer in the office.

Out on Delivery: Fri 30 Dec

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Eyes down today to keep the rain off my glasses. Mostly the pavements are filled with brown autumn leaf mulch, so, the occasional lighter leaf catches my eyes.

It is as hard today as it was easy yesterday to get people to answer the door. I wonder wether people are off visiting others for the new year or just tucked up in bed sleeping through this dark, wet, miserable day.

I ask a few customers how their Christmas were and are reminded of how Christmas can be hard and lonely for many people. A favourite customer shares how her family don’t celebrate New Year’s Eve after her Grandma was killed being hit by a bus whilst on the way to her parents New Year’s Eve party. Humbled by the intensity of this story and the range of lived experiences people have.

Out on Delivery: Thu 29 Dec

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Today: Sparkly wreath, 3 Kenneth Mckee plain: Bus stop, Newmarket Road: White leaf, Ipswich Rd

Still more straggling Christmas cards to deliver but lighter on parcels and packets today. Streets are quieter in this Christmas holiday time and people are home for parcels.

Out on Delivery: Wed 28 Dec

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Today: Wet leaf, Ipswich road: Lost bauble, Newmarket road: Puddle reflection , Church Avenue.

A return to work and the walk after a period of illness and Christmas. A rainy, dank day but still comforting to be back treading my usual steps. A hangover of Christmas Cards and new travel catalogues to deliver today. I notice a card I deliver has taken over a month to arrive, despite being posted in Norfolk. Another first class letter (which is being eagerly awaited) finally arrives having been posted on the 12th December. I hope this signals a catching up of strike affected mail and look forward to everything returning to normal.

Out on Delivery: Tue 13 Dec

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Today: Frosty van handle: Frosty plant, Lime tree Road: Textured ice, Allens lane.

Even colder and frostier than yesterday. Many beautiful frosty moments to photograph but so cold that my phone battery dies as soon as I use it. Remembered my ice grip shoe attachments, so easier walking today.

Out on Delivery: Mon 12 Dec

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Today: Leaves on frozen pavement, Ipswich Grove: The saddest sign, The cedars.

A treacherous day out delivering. Black ice turning roads and pavements into ice rinks. We stopped to help cheer a man who had fallen and bashed his head on Christchurch Road, whilst he waited for an ambulance. Eyes to the ground, looking for ice free routes.

My head is filled with cold and I feel rotten.

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

| ginnybain

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: Mon 5 Dec

| ginnybain

Today: Posties calling cards, Delivery Depot: Blue dot, Allen’s Lane: Gleaming Newmarket road.

A difficult day, mountains of packets and parcels to sort. Tricky to move around the delivery office, since so many Yorks filled with mail in all available spaces.

We are late out on delivery and it is cold and showery. We have to prioritise the mail and yet still we are only finished at 3pm. Tomorrow will be worse. Mail boxes are jammed full with Christmas cards.