Monthly Archives: October 2007

27 October 2007

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As promised / threatened, here is another picture of the garage, now with floor completely painted and refurbishment complete. Did I say complete? Since this picture was taken a number of improvements have been made, including curtains hiding the big door, rotation of the desk, and a number of items moved from the house to the garage. Still looks pretty good, and I’ve managed to dispose of the Strimmer, the logmaker, the hose and some old magazines on Freecycle. In the end I decided to keep the leaf blower and see how it works on this autumn’s leaves.

My study now also looks several thousand times better (no picture), and I’ve started work on what might become a novel or might not. I’ve also written a couple more poems to go with work by Joan, and I’m quite pleased with them. Fairly quiet week on the whole: the weather has turned a mite chilly. Yesterday our neighbour of 19 years moved out and the house is standing empty, though apparently the new owner is expected any time.

Dot is with her friend Barbara at the moment, and I’ve been catching up with stuff I need to read. I also popped over to the cinema to see if there was anything on worth seeing, but it’s a typical half-term: wall-to-wall rubbish.

Tomorrow evening we travel to Caddington, to return with Oliver the next day. He is staying with us until Thursday, and Dot has a programme scheduled which includes the Dinosaur Park and several aunts. Dot’s cousin came round on Thursday and stayed for a meal.

23 October 2007

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This is Alderfen Broad, where we walked just over a week ago. But this last weekend was even more special: Amy’s third birthday.

We arrived at Caddington about noon, to be greeted by two delightful grandchildren. One of the great things about grandchildren is that they’re always so excited to see you. We shall make the most of this before it wears off. Already they seem quite grown up: Oliver a mature five and Amy an enthusiastic three. She got a giant doll’s house for her birthday from her parents, and we bought her a couple of dolls for it. Oliver also bought her a doll. Amy can’t get enough dolls. She also got a CD player; now both of them have one, which makes things quite noisy, as of course one can’t have it on without the other wanting theirs on.

In the evening we watched England lose to South Africa in the rugby world cup final, which wasn’t altogether surprising, but it was a much closer game than might have been anticipated. Added to Lewis Hamilton losing the world championship the following day, and it wasn’t a great British sporting weekend. Norwich and Spurs also lost.

Julia and Dave came over on the Sunday and we had a second party, with the cake making a reappearance, complete with candles. We left early to organise the evening’s Ambient Wonder event, which went surprisingly well, with about 20 people turning up and a variety of things to do.

Yesterday Dot reorganised the garage, and I cleared out my rooom, which was satisfying. Later I lost a chess game, which wasn’t. Today I have been through lots of old papers that have been lying in my room for a long time. Some interesting stuff and a lot of rubbish, now sorted.

19 October 2007

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The garage is completed, and looking good. The picture was taken about an hour or so before completion, with Colin just having to finish the painting of the floor. Very nice to have it done: Dot can’t wait to get out there and rearrange everything, so further pictures will undoubtedly follow. Hard to contain your excitement, I know. Everything has been painted and tidied up, with strategic wood and shelving installed and a proper door into the boiler room.

While this was going on, I discovered that what seemed a minor problem with my teeth turned into a crown replacement and root canal work, which will cost about as much as the garage. At the moment I have a dressing on the tooth, where it will remain until the fateful day, November 12.

I managed to overcome my excitement by going with Dot to Great Bircham in West Norfolk, where she was carrying out a church school inspection. We stayed overnight in a B & B which was quite nice without being overwhelming, and had dinner on Tuesday night at the King’s Head Hotel opposite. It was absolutely delicious. We had hurried over there in the rain and had to wait about three quarters of an hour before the restaurant opened, but it was worth it: the staff were extremely friendly and helpful, and the chef top-class. I had beautifully done duck breast after a starter of probably the best ceasar salad I’ve ever had. Good wine too.

The following morning our “private” bathroom was invaded by another guest. I was about to contest the word “private” with the owner when she apologised for the other guest not knowing where her own bathroom was and using ours instead.

While Dot was inspecting I did an eight-mile walk taken from the EDP, some of which was on the Peddar’s Way. I hadn’t realised quite how heavy and prolonged the rain had been the night before, and there were a number of tricky points where I had to skirt standing water with the aid of my long pole (first time I’d used it). Halfway point was a tiny village called Fring, with a charming duckpond and a church on a hill. The whole walk was a bit up and down – unusual for Norfolk.

As I’d neglected to take any kind of sustenance, I was pretty rired out by the time I got back to the King’s Head, where I’d parked my car. Had a pint of Adnams (the sort of thing I do only if I’m very thirsty) and plaice and chips with mushy peas in the bar. Could have done with somewhere to clean up and have a bath, but of course there was nowhere available. Went for a short drive and then met Dot at the school around 4.45pm. We drove more or less straight home.

Yesterday I spent most of the day working on my page for Monday, plus putting the finishing touches to some poems, and Dot went down to Gillingham for a fairly brief governors’ meeting while I cooked the meal (which she’d prepared). Today I helped Colin out with unloading his lorry then made sure everything was ready for Ambient Wonder on Sunday. Dot drove out to her aunt’s to get a present for Amy, whose birthday is on Saturday. We head for Caddington tomorrow morning, armed with a pavlova and some wine.

15 October 2007

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Well, it turned out to be Swardeston Church, which I realised just in time. Very pleasant evening: concert by a string quartet, with three poems from me in the middle. Seemed to go well: sold a few leaflets and a couple of books afterwards to benefit the festival fund. Had a drink in the refreshment are and chatted to a couple of people. Nice atmosphere – good weather too – and to cap it all we saw the rugby without knowing the score: England in the final after beating France. They’ll play South Africa next weekend.

Met a woman at Swardeston – Grace Smith – who knew my aunt Dorothy when she was school secretary at Lakenham, before she became matron at Norwich School. She also knew Frank and knows Josephine. She told me my grandmother stayed at Brundall some time during the war, which I didn’t know. Gave her a copy of my poetry book with the poem about Dorothy in it (Coltishall Hall).

Nobel Peace Prize won by Al Gore and the IPCC, which is a joke. Might as well have given him the Nobel Prize for physics. Obviously releasing a film full of scientific holes and making pots of money out of climate change is peaceful in some way. At least it wasn’t the Nobel Prize for Truth.

Spent the evening with the Cracknells on Friday discussing theology over a chicken takeaway and wine, and on Saturday (before the poetry reading) had a brief Creative Day at Bally, though only Rupert, Tonia ands Joan were present. However, got Joan’s password and put her on the web site with David’s help. I’m writing some poetry to go with Joan’s new pieces for the PVM boxes.

Meanwhile our lovely granddaughter Amy gave us all a scare by falling off a high walkway at Woodside and landing on her head. Big bruise, but she didn’t lose consciousness. On Saturday evening she was taken to the A & E on the advice of the doctor after her neck seemed stiff. But it seems she’s OK. She’s three this coming weekend.

Weather has been quite mild. I led the service on Sunday, and in the afternoon Dot and I went to Alderfen Broad, a little-known spot approached down a bumpy track with a tiny car park at the end. No siognposts, so I guess they’re not actually promoting it. Quite unprepossessing but lovely spot: peaceful. We walked down some pathways and looked at a cormorant, some coot and a grebe or two from the hide. Also five unidentified ducks of some kind.

Today work on the garage proper started. Colin took away loads of stuff and came back to fill some holes, make a door work and do a lot of painting – ceiling and walls. Tomorrow Dot and I head for Great Bircham, where we stay the night before her inspection on Wednesday. Hopefully it will be nice enough for me to go for a walk.

Tonight I won a game of chess on top board – about time – and the team won 3.5-0.5, with the help of a default.

Picture is of the lovely Amy on a different climbing frame, but at the same place.

11 October 2007

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At his official birthday party Oliver showed his prowess on the roped climbing frame, going over the top successfully.

Yesterday Dot and I had our haircut at Reepham, and I went for a two-mile walk on a track round the outside of the village but off Marriott’s Way. Very enjoyable. Dot is still immersed in sorting the garage out and (today) doing a thorough job on the house, with occasional input from me. The mail strike is over, but I still felt I couldn’t risk sending the cheque for Andrew’s care by first class post, so I sent it special delivery.

Weather is quite good. Tonight we’re out to one of Dot’s school colleague’s for a meal. I’ve been improving and printing a small leaflet on Edith Cavell, featuring my poem Edith and the Glacier. Will probably read it at Mulbarton Church on Saturday night during a concert (and during the England-France rugby game, annoyingly).

9 October 2007

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How can it be a week since my last post? Probably something to do with the Royal Mail strike, which is on its last day, with more promised. Or maybe it’s because life is just so busy. One of the exciting events in the last seven days was Oliver’s “official” birthday party at Woodland Farm, attended by ten of his friends from school. The picture shows him surrounded by female admirers, a member of Woodland staff and parts of his Dad and grandfather (the other one).

Dot and I functioned as minders, but with Vicky’s organisation, nothing was going to go wrong – unlike another party at the same place, when two children had inadvertently been left in the Playbarn by the organising mum. As the place is so well organised, they were in no danger – in fact they didn’t know anything was amiss. Ho, hum.

This happened on Sunday. On the Saturday, after England has amazingly managed to beat Australia at rugby (almost as amazing as France beating New Zealand the same evening), Oliver got so enthusiastic about the game that we had to go outside and play it. I managed to trip over Amy’s trampoline while going for a high ball and fell heavily on to it, doing myself some damage in the ribs area. Very painful, and it was hard to move round that evening, but I was walking OK by the party – to my surprise. It’s still unpleasant if I get into the wrong position, and turning over in bed is tricky, but on the whole it seems to be healing all right. I may be out of the World Cup Final, though.

Meanwhile, Norwich are in the relegation area after six straight losses and no goals. The manager is considering his position and doesn’t seem to have the energy or enthusiasm required to lift the team.

We are also in the midst of a garage re-creation programme. Today Annette and Mike came to liberate the chesterfield (and stayed for lunch), and Dot and I took books to the charity shop and rubbish to the tip. Needless to say, we chose the wettest day for weeks to do all this. Colin W came on Friday to look the place over and make some suggestions: he will be starting next week by removing whatever’s left in there and then making good the walls, painting everything in sight – including the floor – and erecting shelving. We’re going to put a few things on Freecycle. I have piles of things to plough through in the way of old newspapers, other papers, books etc. We’ve spent about £50 on plastic boxes.

Last night I lost another chess game to someone graded well below me. I had the advantage quite a lot of the time, but he refused to make a significant mistake, and eventually I was reduced to winning a piece, for which he got a lot of play, and I didn’t have enough time to deal with his threats.

Also yesterday we visited North Walsham to sort out Mum and Dad’s grave refurbishment. Stonemason was an extremely nice bloke who admired the picture of my great-great-grandparents’ headstone in Harlestone, Northamptonshire. Very helpful about what we want done. Followed this by dropping off Paston Letters book at Millfield School for Lucy, then visited J&F and the cemetery.

On Sunday we’d come back early from Caddington to front the Ambient Wonder “Magic of Words” preparation session. Plenty of ideas from the small throng assembled, but I’m not looking forward to organising it all. However, the vicar rang today to say my work on the Developing Consciousness book might not be wasted – he now sees it as part of a DC pack, which is promising. He’s managed to get the Bishop very interested in the whole thing, and is trying to spread it to America. No, I’m not kidding. He’s a vicar with global ideas. He also wants me to get involved with developing the Meditation Centre website, which might be interesting.

2 October 2007

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An EDP picture of one of the PVM boxes. Today four of us – Rupert, Annette, Mike and I – installed the machine in Borders, the Chapelfield Mall bookshop, where it will be for two or three weeks. It looks pretty good and – a real plus – is working.

It’s my grandmother’s birthday. She would have been 127 today.

Dot has been away for two days at a conference in Derbyshire, which as far as I can make out is about how to run Christian charities, or run them better. Before she went we had the Stedmans for tea, and Dot cooked scones and rock cakes, which was a treat. Interesting talk with them about how views change over the years.

Then on Saturday we went to see one of Dot’s colleagues from her early years in London. AB now lives in Bury St Edmunds, and we hadn’t seen her for some years, so we went for lunch on Saturday. Had a really good time and in depth discussions about life in general. Stayed longer than we’d intended, which meant we didn’t have all that much time before going to Bergh Apton in the evening for dinner with another couple of couples from the education world. It’s all eat.

Have been busy catching up with stuff since Dot has been away and am seeing a stonemason on Monday about replacing my parents’ headstone. Today and yesterday have spent quite a lot of time on InPrint stuff and have just completed another poster for a machine that’s going in a Norwich pub. It doesn’t work properly, so we’re making a few bo0xes available free and inviting £2 donations while redirecting them to the real thing at Borders! You can see that working…

Did an interview with some web writer about the PVM this afternoon, and the results should be available soon on http://www.lifesignsnetwork.net/index.aspx I hope.

Andrew seems to be settling in at The Langleys and has a mobile phone. Long talk with him today – or rather, long listen. He has been getting out and looking at things, which is good.