What on earth? before her in her very own backyard was a pile of broken up rocks and concrete completely destroying her beautiful back garden and Mary let out a shocked gasp as she stared at the mess before her.

How had this happened?  It must have happened when she was away and as the weekend had been so bleak and she'd been so busy going to Church for the first time and planning things she had not once looked outside.

Then from around the side she heard what sounded like an army of men all shouting and yelling and screaming instructions at one another and then into sight came Jeff.

What a few days away can do to one's sanity as she surveyed them heading for the mound and starting to hurl rocks and rubble at each other and then suddenly Mary woke up realizing the old shed had been moved to the side and the old foundations had been broken up and were now being moved.

She scuttled back inside feeling quite the fool. 

The noise lasted about half an hour and suddenly ceased and from her front window she could see a draught horse built very powerfully pulling a trailer piled high with the rubbish and then there was a tap at the back door and it was Jeff explaining what they had been doing and how he'd needed several helpers to get the stuff removed quickly, they were all strong he pointed out which Mary had noticed despite their increasing age.

Once more it crossed her mind that she seemed to be destined to spend her life in the company of old man and at only 35 that seemed a fairly bleak outlook.

Were all the young men on the farms spoken for she wondered.

She scarcely paid any attention to what Jeff was saying but she did remember to thank him for looking out for the cats while she was away and he told her they had had to lay foundations for the old shed and she should think about what she wanted to do with it, it hardly seemed worth saving but the new foundations would cost her a bit.

Reality was beginning to hit really hard and she realized she'd been a bit silly not giving more thought to what she should do with the shed.  Apparently the guy doing the cat run would start to-morrow hence the rush to get the rubble out of the way.

Although no-one overcharged in this small village she began to add up what she would have to pay out which she had not really allowed for and although she had plenty of money in the bank that was really set aside for other things.

Jeff said he'd spend a bit more time in the garden to-day and then would not return until the cat run was completed and she'd need to let the old fellow know just what she wanted and where she wanted it to go but that should be easier now that the shed had been moved.

Mary went back inside knowing she'd need to hurry if she were to get to work on time but hurry she did and she reached the doctor's surgery just in time and a bit breathless, the first patients had already arrived and it was all go go go. 

When she arrived home after a busy day she found Jake pulled up outside with his horse and cart.  On her invitation he followed her inside and sat playing with the kittens while she made them both a cup of hot chocolate, it was turning bitterly cold outside as the day progressed and she even found some cake for them which she had taken the time to cook on Saturday, she knew she could not compete with Brownie's skills but Jake seemed happy enough with it and reminded her that the dance was next Saturday, which, in fact she had completely forgotten. It was a pity he was so young he was so nice and something of a spunk.

Knowing her circumstances he said he'd pick her up on the way and would even have the first dance with her but after that he'd be off after the young chics, he said, at the same time giving her a large and cheeky wink and she couldn't help but laugh. In many ways she wished she wasn't going now as she new she'd never make a farmer's wife and that was what all the young men and she'd need one a bit older, seemed to want.  They married early out here and it was not long before the next generation of farm girls and boys were on their way.  Everyone knew and everyone liked it that way. Everyone except Mary that is.

It seemed almost the whole village would attend and it really was a large social occasion with the crowd soon splitting up between young, those married with families and then the oldies and there were plenty of those as Mary well knew.

Jake would feel he had failed in his mission if she didn't go so she held her peace.  He informed her that someone would give her a lift home but probably not himself as he'd be taking some young lady home, bestowing another large wink and adding "unless I'm losing my touch" and Mary could not help but laugh. 

As Mary watched him go she smiled ruefully, it was one thing to assess herself as being too old, quite another to have someone so accepting of that situation.

She'd just have to make the most of the dance, regarding it as a duty.