Free More Than Love Letters by Rosy Thornton Page B

used to butter me up something rotten, bringing me sherry, and teasing me about being the ‘merry widow’. But I’m guessing that’s all ended long since. I hope he didn’t break your heart, dear. I know what these charmers can be.
    Kirsty is very kind. She does pick up my shopping, not that I get through a lot of things. I can walk to the post office myself now, but still find it hard to manage a carrier bag as well as the frame. She’s a thoughtful girl, too. Yesterday she brought me in a lot of women’s magazines that she had finished with, and she says she will pick up some library books for me next time she goes into Winchester. But you never know what they’ll have, and it isn’t easy for someone else to choose books for you, when they don’t know what you like, or what you’ve already read. Still, maybe she’ll get me reading something new, something she likes, and perhaps I’ll like it too. I wouldn’t want to be too narrowly stuck in my tastes just because I’m an old lady! I watched an episode of that ‘West Wing’ and quite enjoyed it. I wonder if it’s really like that for politicians? It all seems such a muddle, somehow.
    Take care of yourself, dear.
    Love from Gran xxx
     
     
    ST EDITH’S PRIMARY SCHOOL
    St Edith’s Lane, Ipswich IP3 5BJ
    20 April 2005
    Nativity Play
     
    This is to inform parents that the Key Stage Two Nativity Play will take place at 2 p.m. on Tuesday 10 May. It has been decided after all to stage the production, which had to be cancelled in December due to an epidemic of diarrhoea and vomiting amongst the snowflakes.
     
    Doors open at 1.30 p.m. and parents are advised to come early if they wish to get a good seat. May we remind you once again that flash photography is not allowed; this year we will not be using a real donkey, so there should be less risk to the fabric of the school hall, but nevertheless the flashes can be equally distracting for human cast members.
     
    Mrs E. Martin
    Deputy Head
    IPSWICH TOWN CRIER
    WEDNESDAY 20TH APRIL 2005
     
    YOUR LETTERS
    Sir, I am writing to express my concern about the state of some of the cycle paths in Ipswich town centre, and in particular the problem of raised metalwork. There are numerous instances, usually where the road surface has been repaired, where gratings or manhole covers are set considerably above the level of the surrounding tarmac. A particularly bad example is in the contraflow cycle lane in Godolphin Street, close to the junction with Parkside Road. Cyclists are obliged either to risk riding over these obstacles, or swerving out of the cycle lane, both of which are very dangerous. Yesterday I saw an elderly gentleman wobble and almost fall off his bike while trying to circumnavigate a raised grating. I have written to the borough council about this matter on two occasions, but as yet have received no reply.
    M. Hayton, 42 Gledhill Street, Ipswich.
    WITCH
    Women of Ipswich Together Combating Homelessness
     
    Extract from minutes of meeting at Ding’s house, 21 April 2005, 8 p.m.
     
    News of residents
    Helen has arranged to go into hospital over the weekend while Witch House is unstaffed. If it goes well, she may decide to do this regularly for a while. Pat T. has ascertained that this will not affect her housing benefit.
    Lauren has been given another warning about noise after Mrs Robertson from number 27 complained again; she claims that some boys poured a can of lager on to the primulas in her front window box after she came out and told them to keep quiet. It was agreed to invite Mrs Robertson to attend the next house meeting, to air her concerns.
    Joyce has been trying to reduce the levels of her medication, but in the interests of other residents she has agreed to do it only by slow degrees and under Dr Gould’s supervision.
    Varnish ’n’ Nails started work on the repainting of the downstairs this week. Carole has gone to stay with her sister until it is finished, because the dust is giving her