Very warm and summery. Just had lunch with Dot at Cafe Rouge, one of my favourite places to eat. She had been teaching some Thinking Skills at Gillingham in the morning, and I had finished off my page before going out to Attleborough to purchase some roses and pay the bill for our celebration meal. Saw Amanda, Tina and Vaughn, as well as the chef.

The picture is of my grandmother and grandfather in 1933 at Sea Palling. They would have been in their early 50s, quite a bit younger than I am now, which is moderately mind-blowing. Until recently I had only seen very late pictures of my grandparents, plus possible very early ones (around first world war).

Another picture of my cousin Pat – this time as a young bride, with her father Paul.

Today Dot has been away training for being a diocesan school inspector (maybe), and I have been busy, writing my column, doing research, composing a few e-mails, walking into the city to buy a couple of things, sending off Gareth’s cheque, fixing the bathroom tap, choosing hymns for Sunday, submitting an invoice for yesterday’s work, making sure everyone knows tonight’s InPrint meeting is off, making sure the house is tidy, washing dishes and generally having a good time. Another lovely summer’s day – blue sky, warm. Still (4.30pm) have to finish column and have a look at the disk Nicholas gave me last night with the church’s entry for a “friendly church” competition. A few corrections need to be made.

Today I met my cousin Patricia for the first time in about 3o years. She called in with her husband Brian and collie Sophie, and we had a look at some old photographs over a tea/coffee. Above you can see her with her father Paul and brother Stephen, a few years ago now.

Afterwards drove to Cromer to introduce trainee Jules Stevens (m) to the NVQ. Dot came with me and spent an hour or so on the clifftop. On the way home we called in at some barn conversions at Roughton. Beautiful interior work, loads of space, but not detahed and with no real view. Also too expensive for us, and we’re not really looking to move anyway.

Beautiful summer’s day – sunny and warm, with only a slight breeze on the coast.

This is the wedding of my uncle Reg and aunt Dorothy (no, not that one) in 1932. My uncle Paul, now in his 80s, is not the baby being held far right, as I was originally told, because he would have been nine at the time. Possibly it’s Howard, Leonard’s eldest. Dorothy (yes, that one) and Kathleen are bridesmaids.

The last three days have been very strange because Dot has not been well: she has a problem with her balance, making her feel dizzy. The doctor says it’s probably a virus. Also headaches and tiredness. Her lack of vitality has communicated itself to me, and apart from church on Sunday and taking her to the doctor’s yesterday, I have barely left the house. I haven’t been feeling 100% either – possibly the same virus – but then my normal level of vitality is such that this is not nearly so noticeable.

Weather has been quite reasonable and springlike, though it was extremely windy yesterday. David and his family are on holiday on the Isle of Wight, and attempts to contact him have failed so far. Vicky’s birthday is tomorrow.

This is Dot’s aunt Margery – her mother’s sister-in-law – probably also by the pond at Westwick.

Very quiet day today, neither of us feeling particularly well. Dot has a headache which keeps coming back and we’re both feeling achy. Haven’t been out. Last night was very good, though. Everyone got on well.

Another beautiful summer’s day, warm and sunny – though we were warned that it might not be. We have spent much of the day preparing for this evening, when we are having four friends round for dinner – two from across the road (French husband, Italian wife) and Dot’s former teacher Barbara and her husband Andy from deepest Suffolk. Well, fairly shallow Suffolk really, quite near the border.

Today’s picture is of Dot’s mum in jaunty pose, taken we think near Westwick Pond, just outside North Walsham, perhaps by her sister-in-law Margery, perhaps in wartime.

This is a rare picture of my uncle Reg, between two Dorothys. His wife has the handbag; the other one is his younger sister. No idea when or where it was taken (I would guess the 70s), but it comes from the collection of another uncle, the even younger Paul.

Summer arrived completely today – very warm and sunny. Dot and I went to Park Farm for lunch, and called in on her aunt Ethel on the way, to show her some pictures of the celebration meal and thank her for her gift. Afterwards I went to the chiropractor, and we then retrieved a package from the Post Office for £1.18, which turned out to be an Open Studios catalogue, which I already had, and an invitation to a private view for Martin Mitchell, which was six days ago. So, a total waste of £1.18, not to mention the petrol.

Today is also local election day. There is absolutely no-one I want to vote for. All the parties seem to have turned themselves into branch offices of Greenpeace, and the Lib Dems cunningly arranged things so that we couldn’t get out of our road this morning – pretending as usual to be very informative about what was happening, but not actually wanting to tell us anything.

Before we get back to older family pictures, here is what is believed by at least one expert to be the best picture ever taken of my wife, Dot. It was taken by Acton Gazette photographer Pete Smith at Acton, West London, probably around 1970. After being pressed by a close friend to find it when I reported it lost, I eventually uncovered it while going through photographs for our Into the Sixties meal. It was slightly marred, but what you see here is his excellent attempt to restore it.

We were delighted for obvious reasons that last night Graeme Dott won the world snooker championship, and believe it is partly down to us. He was going steadily downhill as we watched, but as soon as we stopped watching to go to sleep he recovered to win the last two frames. Little does he know…

Miserable weather yesterday for a bank holiday, enabling us to watch Solaris – an excellent film – without feeling guilty for staying indoors. It rained pretty much all day. Today is much brighter and warmer out of the wind. But there is quite a wind.

Clear the road! Tractor driver Oliver sorts out a snarl-up ahead. He was in authoritative mood when he visited us at the weekend, taking over various vehicles. He was also, with his sister Amy, a big hit at the Lenton/Cousens family gathering and celebration, which went surprisingly well.

My uncle Paul supplied a number of pix and documents that I’m putting on record for the family archive, and Dot and I put a large number of pictures on display from the past.