By George, adventures are what life is all about

GEORGE is a handy man so I couldn’t understand why the broken slats on his fence had gone unrepaired for so long.

“I might have replaced them if I had noticed sooner,” he said, “but by the time I did, this had happened.”

He pushed a small bush to the side and showed me a worn path across the flower verges on each side.

“My neighbour and I both have grandkids. They discovered the hole before we did and started sneaking through to play.

“SHE’S a fine wee lass, a bonnie wee lass, is bonnie wee Jeannie McCall.” Julie and her sister Jacqui were singing to Julie’s granddaughter.

I was a little confused because the “bonnie wee lass” is called Evie, not Jeannie. It turned out that the song was a favourite of their much-loved, late grandad Norman. Evie was his greatgreat-granddaughter and she has a look of him about the eyes. After the song was sung, the two-year-old was regaled with stories about Norman.

I sat back, enjoying the ambience, and wondering at a life that inspires such love it touches generations who never actually knew you. Well done, Norman. I never met you, but you must have been a bonnie lad yourself.

“It might not be as exciting now everyone knows about it, but this will always be where they first went exploring – their very first adventure. That’s worth more than a tidy fence to me!”

I walked on, wiser for the talk, and thinking of all the childhood books I read where the adventures began in exactly the same way!

JOHN walked by as I was talking to Harry. We exchanged a few pleasantries then John said he had to be on his way. He was going to help lay a new carpet for a friend of his mother.

“Did you ever notice...” Harry and I spoke at the same time. After laughing at the confusion, Harry asked if I had ever noticed that every time we met John he was on his way to help someone. I agreed, but that hadn’t been my question. I wanted to know if Harry had ever noticed how, whenever we met John, he was usually the happiest person we had seen all day.

“Perhaps the two are connected,” Harry said. Could it be that the secret to happiness was helping others? Judging by John’s example, I’d have to say yes!

It’s a time of great transformation,

As autumn begins to unfold, Our landscape ablaze with colour, Trees changing to russet and gold;

Frost sparkling in the sunlight, Starlit skies and moonlight nights,

This truly uplifting season, Paints for all, so many delights.