Whether it be family friends or work, I am often surprised about what's waiting for me after a return from a hike. For example, it's my job to mow the lawn, which tends to be my first task but surprise surprise, this time my wife now wants it to be a wild lawn, long grass that is.
Before I left I had an agreement with the Council that they would put in a power shower for one of my clients. Two days before I got home I had family members phoning me and moaning about what's been done. Instead of a power shower a Travel Lodge type tap system, a tube, and showerhead have been fitted just running off the normal water supply. I can never work those tap types out, I either end up being scalded or doused with cold water! So what started off as a simple matter is now complicated.
I mentioned to my wife when I finished my hike that for the moment my heels are sore (just bruised and bashed about a bit) so she obviously mentioned it to a neighbour. At 11.30 today an envelope was pushed through our door and in it was an emery board and two sachets of foot balm. A nice neighbour (she works with feet) and a nice thought but I don't have rough, dry or cracked heels, she must have assumed that I do have?
Then a laugh, I was putting all of my gear away neatly in my garage when another neighbour appeared telling me that when she sees me doing this she knows I've been away walking so she came over to ask where I'd been, did I enjoy it, was the weather bad and so on? She made me feel so predictable, I didn't realise my behaviour was that obvious.
Now my wife wants me to clean my car, both inside and outside, and it's the job I hate most, give me the lawnmower any day!