This is a formal portrait from the Ethel file of Dot’s great-great-grandparents, James Myhill and Sarah Myhill (nee Webster). Quite romantic.

Had a great weekend with David, Vicky, the grandchildren and Dave and Julia. Oliver and Amy were wonderful: Oliver was Star of the Week last week for good work at school, and I’ll swear Amy’s talking improved just over the weekend. She has loads of words, if not many complete sentences. Dave has produced a superb wooden house in the garden at Toton, which is great for the children. We played Wolf quite a lot. There’s also a lovely old dolls’ house indoors.

Dave, David, Vicky and the children went swimming on the Sunday mporning, and Dot and I watched. Both children getting quite confident: went down slide.

After return home – arrived about 10.40pm – I had a terrible night. Don’t think I slept at all until after 5am. Got up and watched a bit of TV between 2am and 3am. Felt shattered today, of course.

Some heavy showers today. Went to Cromer to assess one of the trainees. Dot has two schools to inspect – Alpington and Swanton Morley. Tonight lost only my second game of chess this year (to Jeff Dawson) after trying out a bizarre opening I’d been looking at. Must stop doing that.

Another car, and not very clear, I’m afraid. Which is a pity, because apparently the two children standing by the car are Dot’s mum and her sister Ethel. In the car are the Green family: Ethel, George and George junior. The older Ethel was Dot’s grandmother’s sister.

And while we’re on the subject, the car in my previous blog apparently contained Dot’s great-great-grandfather and great-great-grandmother, James and Sarah Myhill (nee Webster). Also in the car were “Uncle Fred and Aunt Rose” (position in tree obscure), and it just may be Auntie Ethel is the child.

This is clearly getting a bit esoteric. Here in the 21st century I am still persisting with my walking, although yesterday was too wet – it seems autumn is here with a vengeance. Much cooler and a lot of water. Very grey. I’ve just finished Dave Gemmell’s last book, Shield of Thunder, which was excellent. I didn’t notice many changes from the draft copy I saw. I’ve also written my talk for the memorial service and sent it off to Stella. The publishers are looking at it today to see if it fits in OK, but Stella seemed very happy with it.

I am shortly leaving for Dereham to asssess a trainee there, and tomorrow we are travelling to Nottingham for Amy’s birthday party – she’s actually two on October 20, but we and Vicky’s parents will be away then. Last night we had a blast from the past when Ruth C came round for the evening, and we spent two or three hours sorting the world out – though it doesn’t seem to have improved this morning.

I have had an annoying occasional pain in the gut for about a week but don’t feel ill and think it’s something that will pass. Possibly literally.

Another letter today from my West Norfolk correspondent DD, who thinks the millennium started on January 1, 2000 and there is a huge conspiracy to cover it up. Accuses everybody of not listening to him, but doesn’t respond to my clearly erudite explanation of why he’s confused. Why doesn’t everyone see I’m right about everything?