Walk Home With Me: A Friday Afternoon

I always walk home from work, and today I thought, why not walk home with me?

So here’s an ordinary Friday walk home.

Except it’s not ordinary because there’s nothing ordinary about Fridays.

Mondays are for getting through Monday.

Tuesdays are still a little too close to Monday.

Wednesdays, we’re halfway there.

Thursdays are Junior Fridays, although I’m not completely convinced.

But Fridays?

Fridays are special.

And because it’s Friday, I always take the long way home. I like looking at the houses along the way, checking out who has done what with their gardens, seeing the new builds, houses for sale and the renovations. Occasionally, I pick a favourite.

Friday afternoon house judging. It’s a thing.

Come on, let’s go…

It feels so good to step outside the preschool gates and onto the quiet, tree-lined street.

It was so cloudy this morning, but this afternoon it’s warm and sunny. So warm that I’m having to carry my puffer jacket, along with my heavy bag full of all the things.

Spring is definitely showing up now. There’s new colour and growth everywhere I look. Love that!

The longer route takes me past the fruit shop, and although I don’t actually need anything today, I still like having a look around. They have a nice selection of things, including smallgoods. I’m so hungry that I’m visualising eating my way through the whole shop.

Oh yes, we’ve run out of cashews. I grab a packet.

I walk out of the fruit shop and spot yet another Lime bike. A while ago they just appeared overnight, and now they are everywhere. I guess people ride them?

This house is for sale, and I immediately wonder what ridiculous price it will go for. The market has dropped, so maybe it won’t be quite as ridiculous as it would have been a few months ago.

Now I’m making a mental note to see when this one goes to auction so I can go and have a sticky beak. Is there a nosy Parker in all of us?

And then I turn onto one of my favourite streets. I don’t know what it is about this street, but it has good juju.

Even when it’s not as sunny as it is today, this street always feels welcoming. Sometimes I see people walking their dogs or young families out for a walk. There’s a guy who usually exercises to music on his front lawn. If the nice Macedonian lady is out the front gardening, we have a chat.

It’s a great street! And today it was even more special because you wouldn’t believe what happened.

I walked past a house where a young guy was chatting to the homeowner at her front door. He turned around, smiled at me and said, “Do you remember me?”

I knew I knew him from when he was a little preschooler, but my brain was frantically flipping through the old mental Rolodex, trying to work out who he was.

“It’s Isaak!” He said

And instantly, I remembered him.

I’m not usually a hugger if I don’t feel comfortable with someone or know them well. But this was Isaak. He was that little kid I remembered, only now he was a young man standing in front of me.

I had to give him a hug.

And he hugged me back, just like he was still that little boy.

He told me he’s 22 now and is a plumber. He was doing a job at the house on my favourite street and introduced me to his coworker.

“Look, this is Ruth, my preschool teacher, and she looks exactly the same.”

Ha! I loved him even more!

We chatted for a bit, then said goodbye, and I walked the rest of the way home feeling happy and nostalgic at the same time.

Gosh, doesn’t time just go by so fast?

I get home and check out my little plants I planted last weekend. I’m hoping they grow colourful flowers like they did last spring. They’re so tiny at the moment.

These girls always greet me at the door, but I’m a little suspicious they know it’s dinner time and aren’t actually greeting me because they missed me.

I go feed them.

I start tossing up whether I should blog first or do a quick Friday clean and get it out of the way.

Quick clean wins, and I grab my cleaning caddy.

I put on some SBS Chill because Steve isn’t home. He hates chill music. He left for work just before I got home.

He doesn’t love Fridays like I do. Friday is the start of his working week.

Main bathroom done.

Ensuite done.

Quick vacuum, and then I water the plants. The Monstera is doing well, the small plant didn’t make it, and the other plant is hanging on. I can see some new growth there!

I turn on the lamps as it’s starting to get dark.

Sam gets home from his casual job at the kitchenware shop with more freebies. This time he brings home some earthy coloured plates and bowls. All of a sudden, my all-white set looks very boring.

“Mum, are you thinking of changing everything?”

“No.” (Maybe yes.)

He also brings home lots of dinner knives.

Knife anyone?

I give everything a wash and leave it to air-dry. Then I make myself a chai latte before heading to the office, which was once upon a time a garage, to start blogging.

My positive peas are sitting at my desk believing in me. They’re telling me, “GO YOU”, so I take the hint and get blogging.

Now I’m typing away, trying to get finished so I can join the Friday Favourites link-up. Every week I say I’ll write a bit every day so I’m not rushing on Fridays, but here I am, about to finish writing and press publish in real time.

I didn’t have to worry about cooking dinner tonight as I have chilli con carne, rice and guacamole in the fridge leftover from last night. Winning!

When I’m done here, I’ll have a shower, get comfy in front of the TV, watch Call the Midwife and eat dinner.

Happy Friday if you’re just starting your day, or happy Friday evening if you’re winding down like me. 😊