A Carer's Life for Me?

The slugs and snails are beating me to reach the strawberries, with the seeming never ending rain for the last how ever many days beating them down to a pulp also. I managed to rescue a couple of punnets of ripe and undamaged strawberries.  I already have a couple of bowlfuls in the fridge so what to do with them?

Rather than share with the neighbours, I thought I would take them to a local residential care home for elderly people.  As I got nearer the home I realised that I didn't really have enough strawberries for 16 residents so I ended up buying a large pot of double cream and 16 meringue nests to bulk them out!

I had seen the home advertised on line and it seemed like a jolly place with a gallery of photos displaying various parties and events.  I rang the doorbell and was invited in as I handed over the strawberries.  I was so embarrassed when the manager took me to the residents lounge where she told them about my strawberry giving gift.  I nervously mumbled something about picking them from my garden that morning.

What struck me and saddened me about visiting this home was the sheer surprise from the manager at my 'good deed' and the sad picture of the empty faces sat in the chairs around the edge of the room.  Why do they sit  people in chairs around the edge of the room looking out into the abyss? 

I muttered if there were any volunteering opportunities (ideally I would like to engage with these people and teach them to make jewellery and do other grown up craft and not the paper hat making and child like crafts usually afforded to them, but I know this is an unrealistic expectation and I'd be more likely to help with feeding time).

Anyway, feeling elevated and depressed at the same time, I like to think that at least I made someone's day by being a new face that just wanted to bring them a bit of joy in an otherwise monotonous midweek day.