autumn equinox

Very still air, the fine spider nets of early autumn everywhere, even on my bicycle. 

Today I ate the last apricot, most likely also the last damson of the year, while the last wild peaches went into the crumble with the first blackberries. Green beans and freshly harvested carrots tonight.

I walked down to the primary school to cast my vote (general election today) and remembered this day four years ago. That time, I held onto R and my head was spinning and roaring, waves of fever making me sweat. We had no idea what was in store, we were having a laugh, look at me, all shook up with a virus (so we thought) performing her civic duties, doing her bit for democracy.

Today I just walked there and back in a couple of minutes counting my lucky stars and thanking the experts and the drugs under my breath. And everybody was politely queueing  in the school hall with the children's paintings of harvest along the wall, friendly smiles. We can take it or leave it, we are so lucky. I would be totally bankrupt by now, or dead, four years later, without the health care system we all take for granted. The cost of the drugs, all the tests, the hospital stays, the lot. These friendly smiling people, out to vote after their Sunday lunch, they all paid for it. I could get quite emotional.