Smell the roses?

Again in Ayr, I perused the green by the beach as I quickly wanted to explore but not get too wet. I began to make my way back to the town up a different street and I could smell roses coming from the gardens of this street.
I came to a garden full of roses well cared for and noticed an elderly lady stood by the window. I gestured and waved to her from the road a form of semaphore communicating that her garden smelled good and I thought this was great. I waved and left.
As I edged away I realised I had a card in my bag. It was made and printed by a friend from church with verses inside. She'd given me this as an example of her work but I wondered if I could use it to encourage someone sometime. Here was my opportunity. I wrote her a note to go with but really the card stood for itself. I knew she would like the front cover!

Another M takes back her freedom

On the train to Ayr I met a woman who noticed my lunch options and we stuck a long conversation about healthy eating, wellness, weightloss and intolerance. She too turned 30, mentioning a 30th party my mind was drawn to something I had read that morning. I shared it with her and suggested she took a crown brooch as a memory of what she is standing for. She understood what I was saying and although she took no stance in agreement she recognised what I was saying about the royalty that Jesus affords us.
I pray for full healing in her whole being.

frenetic cyclist feeds pigeons under Central Station

A few weeks ago I was getting myself into town for first time in a while, as I was nearing my destination the bus slowed at the Heilanman's Umbrella; the dampest of places rain or shine. It smells of chippy fat even when the chippy is shut.
A woman has dismounted her bicycle to scatter copious amounts of corn to 2-3 pigeons in the dankest spot in town. Her eyes dance around the streets as though afraid of arrest at any moment, it's as though she knows she is being watched but cannot locate her voyeur from atop a double-decker bus. It is almost as though she is angry with Glasgow's people and authority for not feeding it's most destitute residents and that she is dutifully doing a job someone else's job. with a sigh she remounted her cycle to continue her errands.

man down the road

Some six weeks ago a man of about mid 40s with a small dog calls out to me as I cycle past him at a fair speed.

I am taken aback because I don't know many people in the area so assume he is after someone else. I slow down and circle back. 'Hello' I say

The man exclaims 'I knew you were a nice person, isn't it funny that I knew you would be a nice person'

as we exchange various sentences it becomes clear that he suffers with some mental health afflictions. On several occasions he requests to know where I live. Each of my responses are vague. He becomes persistent in wanting to meet me again. The intensity of the interaction raises alarm bells in my mind and I am keen to make sure that if this occurs it should be in public and well away from my home.

Before managing to extract myself from the conversation I note that his hairline has been replaced with a shadow of what looks like talc.

fox feeder

One night last month, I turned down a small road nearing home, and a woman in her 70s was stood in the road staring at me, carrier bag in hand.

'are you alright ?' I asked.

She gormlessly replies: 'Yes, I'm just feeding the fox.' and got back to her task.

a pair of trainers and a bike

A few weeks ago I left my purse on a bus. I also needed some new trainers. I found a pair I liked but did not have the cash, I spoke with the sails assistant and she warned me that in a few days I might be too late. I made it back nearly a week later, and as I arrived she was putting a pair of trainers on the shelf. 'I was just thinking about you' she said. 'These are similar but £5 cheaper.
I have been praying that God will bless all the people who bless me at this time. Simple little things like this help me to remember how loved and precious I am to God. I asked her her name and we talked about the weather and how she likes to walk the hills around the area as many friends are away at uni. I suggested she tried cycling too and she told me that she would like a bike but would have to save up for one.
I was in two minds to give her my own bike. The following week a bloke from my Church was chatting about several bikes clogging up his shed.

I asked if I could have one for someone I wanted to bless.
That night I rode this bike home and deposited it at her shop.
The sales assistant on duty sent for someone of the same name but it wasn't her. This other young lady said 'Are you Mel? .. She said she had talked with you
about getting a bike'.

fleeced for chips with chicken curry.

Got chatting tonight with a friendly guy waiting for a bus. I fancied something hot after a night conversing in French. We talked about the obscene amount of food I had been given and agreed that I had been fleeced. He explained how he had lived in various parts of the UK and Netherlands but wondered why he had left Glasgow. We agreed that Glasgow holds the most open people in the UK. He told me of his experience of homelessness and recommended I visit the city mission, i agreed to try to get along soon before I skipped off to catch my bus.