Monthly Archives: February 2008

27 February 2008

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Three in a row and a bonus point. My two grandchildren, Oliver and Amy, with their friend Alastair, all entranced by a Wii computer game. We spent a weekend in Caddington, and Alastair came round on the Sunday, bringing with him his sister Lydia, and his parents Phil and Jane. Quite a while since we’d seen them: I used to work with Phil’s father David on The Christian newspaper in London in the mid-60s.

And another similar relationship: last night Dot and I went to the Maddermarket again to see a play which included Sam, the son of Nigel, my best friend at university, also in the mid-60s. Sam is clearly an actor of some promise, and the play – The Musicians – was very well done. Sam and his mum Heather came back for coffee afterwards.

On Monday the vicar came round for tea, and we had a chat about life, the universe and anything. The church – or to give it its alias, the Norwich Christian Meditation Centre – will soon be having a website, and I shall probably be having some oversight of it, which could be interesting. In the evening I scored what must be one of the luckiest wins of my chess career, having been dead lost for most of the game. My opponent panicked in time trouble and let me mate him. The team captain, who had stepped out briefly, couldn’t believe I had won, and I was of much the same view. It was rather like a football match in which one team is stuck in its own penalty area for 89 minutes, then breaks upfield, the ball hits someone and ends in the opposing team’s net. Well, maybe not quite that bad. I did make a couple of quite nice moves, but it should have been all over by then.

Speaking of football, Spurs managed to win a cup at last – the Carling Cup, beating Chelsea 2-1 on Sunday. David, Phil and I were sneakily listening on radio for much of the match.

Yesterday I spent 2-3 hours with Annette, talking about our Paston workshop, and got some interesting ideas together. I will make a proper note of them when I’ve finished this and send them off to Lucy, via Annette. Had lunch there after Annette and I had picked up some eggs from a roadside stall. Showed Mike how to put images on the InPrint website. Dot meanwhile was checking out places we could have our ruby wedding anniversary party in August, and it seems likely to be Dunston Hall. We had a big party for relatives a couple of years ago: this will be for friends (with the odd exception).

Today – bright though chilly – J is with us again, having visited her husband in hospital. They’re beginning the painful process of working out where he will live and who will pay for it. There’s a chance it will be the NHS, but you can never be totally sure. It’s now after lunch, J and Dot are in the city, and I’m waiting for the insurance company to ring back about the dispute we’re engaged in about whether I cancelled my policy last year ot not. I’ve supplied paperwork, but they seem reluctant to admit they’re wrong. It’s important because of the no claims bonus issue. Over £400 hangs on it.

There was an earthquake last night. It woke and frightened Dot, and she woke me up. A reasonably large quake for England (around 5 on the Richter scale and centred in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire), but no-one injured and no damage in our area. Very little damage elsewhere. Annoyingly I couldn’t get back to sleep properly afterwards – thinking about that insurance thing – and after lying awake for ages, I got up at 5.20 and watched TV for the next two and a half hours – stuff I’d recorded, not the rubbish you normally get on in the middle of the night. Now, of course, I’m very tired. Why can’t you fall asleep in front of the TV when you actually want to?

22 February 2008

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This is Dawn Jones, my cousin Ann’s daughter, and her family. We’ve recently been in contact over family history, and she has access to my tree on Genes Reunited.

We’ve been to see a couple of plays in the last two days. On Wednesday, Dot and I went to the Theatre Royal to see The Deep Blue Sea. Incompetently, I had booked the wrong performance online, but we went up anyway, and there was no trouble at all in not only changing our tickets from 2.30 to 7.30, but getting exactly the same seats. This was because the theatre was two-thirds empty, which was quite surprising.

It was one of those odd productions where everything seemed to be fine – acting, script, direction – but the whole thing never quite gelled. I think it was because the two lead characters who were supposed to be passionate about each other didn’t convince the audience of their passion. Still, it was quite enjoyable.

Last night we went to the Maddermarket with Audrey, a friend who is staying with us. We saw Funny Money – a farce – which was very well done by the amateur cast, including two people I know quite well from the EDP – David Newham and Trevor Burton. I also noticed Trevor’s father, the Rev Jack, in the audience. The script was hilarious and must have been difficult to carry off, with numerous confusing name changes. Of course the Maddermarket is a very attractive theatre, and we were in the front of the gallery, which gives a close view of the stage. So lots of fun.

Yesterday I also had an appointment with Mr Sethia about my ongoing prostate problem. He wanted to carry out another biopsy under general anaesthetic, because my PSA level had increased. But I persuaded him to let me have another blood test first, which is happening on Friday. If the PSA hasn’t fallen, I will be having the mammoth biopsy as a day procedure. In fact I have been feeling very well recently (possibly because I’ve lost a stone) and the night-time symptoms are much less. I quite often sleep through the night, which is unusual in men my age, even without the prostate problem.

Probably too much information. Sorry. The weather has changed: cold and bright has become milder and damp, which I don’t like so much. We are about to go to Dunston Hall with Audrey for lunch.

20 February 2008

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A group of eager artists gazing intently at the results of a new photo-etching process during a workshop at The Barn, Paston, on Monday. This was part of the Paston Project, and I spent the afternoon there so that I was up to speed on what was going on, because Annette (who was helping to lead the workshop) and I are working together at the Open Day in the church on March 22.

Part of the work was being professionally filmed, and some of the results of the photo-etching were superb. All very messy, though. Writing poetry (my contribution) is much more straightforward. It was an extremely cold day with only a little sunshine; very foggy early, and by the time I left, before 4pm, there was thickish fog all the way to Norwich.

In the evening I played quite a good game of chess and drew. My position was a little better, and maybe I could have played on, but I was running out of time.

Yesterday was my monthly visit to the chiropractor’s. No problems, it seems, though Dot and I have spent a couple of days this week (well, parts of days) in the living room, putting up new curtain rails, which I have to say look pretty good. And so they should, at such an extortionate price that I’m not even going to mention it. If we’d had them fixed professionally, the three windows would have cost £1500, materials included. We made a very substantial saving by doing it professionally ourselves!

If Tuesday is chiropractor’s, then Wednesday must be haircuts. Well, at the moment, anyway. We ran late out to Reepham, arriving ten minutes in arrears. Dot had some exciting highlights put in, and I went for a walk towards Salle, finding an idyllic spot by a wood just as a watery sun broke through the mist. The moment was interrupted by a phone call from Dave Hall wanting a game of chess tonight. Unfortunately, we are going to the theatre.

I’m still having a battle with Zurich Insurance, trying to convince them that my motor policy was not cancelled at the beginning of last year. I’ve now sent them copious paperwork to demonstrate that it wasn’t. This is all to convince my new company that I have a current no claims bonus, and it’s a waste of time and effort that could have been put to better use.

I’m now in regular touch with three members of my uncle Leonard’s family: his daughter Ann Rumsby from Liverpool; her daughter Dawn Jones; and Howard’s daughter Jeanette Eglington from South Africa. My family treee is shooting out – in one direction at least.

So quite a busy few days, which also included our usual Tuesday meal (at Ed’s) – totally delicious concoction of chicken and vegetables – and Communion on Sunday, featuring the reappearance of our original drummer, Lisa Campling, with her little boy and husband, and the first apeparance at St Augustine’s of Suzanne Cooke and her family. Suzanne cooked (ho ho) the magical soup at the Rohr event in January. More soup to come? Also went to the Robinsons last Saturday for another meal. We’re doing well. The Hamilton-Lowes were also there. Dot drove, so I indulged a little. Not much, though, because it was icy.

And I’m down to just touching 12 stone – a loss of a whole stone in 2-3 months. Feeling much better for it too.

16 February 2008

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Yes, that’s me reading poetry at the Appetite coffee bar in Colchester last night, in aid of Lepra. I did a double act alternating with Rupert (also pictured), and Dot did one of the poems with me. It was organised by Jason McLean and was a bit of a shot in the dark as far as I was concerned. I’m still not sure why he picked on us, because I don’t think it was anything to do with InPrint.

Anyway, it was brilliant. We went by train, it was freezing cold, and there was a walk/climb of over a mile to the cafe, which is in a dark back street. But Jason was very welcoming and bought us some wine. We were on first – nearly half an hour late after Jason postponed the start in the hope of getting more people in. Still there were quite a few, and we seemed to go over well. We both enjoyed doing it very much and want to read together as a duo again. We contrast quite well, I think. Gave me quite a lift.

On the train there we talked about Rupert’s YouTube video, which I think is pretty good. I like the idea of doing something similar with Lucy, but she may have to wait until her Paston project is over. We had discussed it in the past but never got round to it. Dot also gave me some ideas for my embryonic novel; so a good day all round, though I had trouble with my car insurance earlier. One company seem to think I cancelled it last year; another wants evidence of my no claims bonus, which wasn’t there because the first company thought my policy had been cancelled. I have all the paperwork, but it’s hard to convince anyone over the phone.

My cousin Ann has replied to my letter, and I’ve added a few details to my family tree as a result of that and a bit of digging, during which I discovered that my aunt Mary’s first name was not Mary but Abi. Puts her in a completely different light!

Not so good today. The weather is beautifully sunny, but at present Norwich City are losing 3-0 to Leicester. Tonight we go to the Robinsons for a meal, which should be fun.

15 February 2008

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This is one of a number of pictures I’ve taken recently around the River Yare as it winds between Cringleford and Earlham. This one was taken near the university, close to the bridge which gives access up to Colney Lane. The best of the other pictures can be viewed on Flickr.

The springlike weather slipped away on Wednesday afternoon, as I walked up over Mousehold to try to find somewhere that sold a lagging set for a 50-gallon round cold-water storage tank. You’d think they’d be everywhere, wouldn’t you? Maybe not. Eventually tracked one down over at Hellesdon (on Thursday) and am in the process of installing it. The lid goes on OK, but of course the pipe doesn’t quite reach into the hole prepared for it. The lagging is waiting to be wrapped round, but although the weather has been much colder, I don’t think there’s much danger of the tank freezing. It never has, and as far as I know it’s never been lagged properly.

Most of yesterday (Valentine’s Day) the weather was quite unpleasant – very cold, with drizzle in the air – but it had improved slightly by the evening, when Dot and I walked into the city for a Valentine’s Day meal at St Benedict’s Restaurant. This was truly wonderful. We arrived early, but they opened up for us and got going on our drinks and meal immediately. We started with a half-bottle of champagne and followed it with some excellent Merlot. The food was really superb, reminiscent of the Green Inn in Ballater and about the same size portions, so we had no trouble eating three courses. I had lamb, and Dot had sea bass, and they were both exceptional. The dessert was amazing. This restaurant immediately goes to the top of our list for taking the Murrays when they visit Norfolk in August. Service and staff were brilliant too.

Totally took my mind off the fact that I had damaged (possibly broken) my little toe just before we left the house. Quite painful, but it eased off – must have been the champagne. Red and swollen this morning.

Earlier yesterday J had come to Norwich, and Dot took her up to see the doctor about her husband. It seems that he will move into residential accommodation at North Walsham. J bought us lunch at Caffe Italia. Liz came round later (while I was in the loft) to borrow the Rohr CDs.

Today it’s dull but not so moist – at the moment anyway. This evening I have a poetry reading at Colchester with Rupert on behalf of Lepra. Dot is coming too. Yesterday I sent off some poems for this year’s Norwich Writers’ Circle competition and wrote to my cousin Ann in Liverpool, hoping to interest her in my family tree.

12 February 2008

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Here are two members of the Lenton clan – one by birth and one by marriage. Paul is the youngest of the eight children of Charles and Rosa Lenton. In his mid-80s, he is one of only two surviving. Josephine is also in her mid-80s and is Frank’s second wife. She invited us to a lunch at Oaklands Hotel in Thorpe yesterday. Another beautiful day, and a good meal – carvery style. As well as Paul, Josephine, Dot and I, my brother Phil and his wife Joy were there, together with their son Joe.

I had a long chat with Paul about his parents and particularly about his brother Leonard, for whom he worked for a while as a roofer, before Leonard went out to Africa – originally as a roofer for a Christian organisation but later doing many different jobs. I knew Paul had been out to see him several times, but didn’t know he was best man at Leonard’s second wedding. Although Leonard was oldest and Paul youngest, Paul felt he knew Leonard better than all his other siblings.

Very good time – we were there from 12 to 3. We Lentons rarely get together, but it’s always good when we do. I walked most of the way home afterwards – until Dot came and picked me up because I had the front door key! In the evening I went up to the chess club and had a few quick games, in which I did not do well. I’ve managed to do a fair bit of walking in the last few days – because of the good weather – and my weight is down to just over 12 stone.

On Saturday we went to a commissioning service for Norwich Youth for Christ, for which Dot is a trustee. Quite enjoyable, though it was a bit like stepping back in time. My father used to be involved with NYFC back in the 1950s, I believe.

Took the service on Sunday. Most of the singers were away, so I thought it was a bit hard going, but two or three people afterwards said they enjoyed the hymns! In the evening Dot and I went to the Ambient Wonder preparation, though we won’t be there for the actual event. Bit of pizza and wine, and a really good discussion. Quite a fun time.

9 February 2008

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Another picture from Thursday’s walk along the banks of the Yare. Yesterday I repeated part of it, taking a bus to the university and walking down to the Broad and along the path to Cringleford, where I got the bus home. All very relaxing – until the bus was involved in a nasty accident at the top of Prince of Wales Road.
I couldn’t see exactly what happened, because I was sitting sideways on behind the driver, but a young woman apparently stepped out into the road and, despite the driver’s attempts to avoid her, he didn’t. In the process he also hit a traffic sign and smashed his windshield.

No-one in the bus seemed to be hurt, but the woman was left lying half under the bus, which had to be raised to free her. She was taken to hospital, and the EDP reported this morning that she had serious head and lower leg injuries. I didn’t hang around, but did take a couple of pictures, from a reasonable distance.

Last night we went to the cinema to see No Country for Old Men, a Coen Brothers film billed as being better than Fargo. It wasn’t, but there were some excellent performances and many moments to savour. And an abrupt but appropriate ending. The structure of it didn’t quite make it for me: nevertheless, worth seeing.

Today has been beautiful: sunny and actually warm. I went for another walk, this time from Eaton down Marston Lane to Ipswich Road – just over two miles altogether. Discovered Marston Marsh nature reserve, which was too wet to walk on but looks lovely, and Danby Wood, which I didn’t know existed.

8 February 2008

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Dot and our friend Joan pictured during a walk down the Yare Valley from Cringleford to the University Broad yesterday. We returned on the other bank, through some woods and up on to Colney Lane, which has been closed to through traffic – making a rather exclusive and semi-private little community. Can’t imagine how that happened.

Joan, who taught with Dot at Muswell Hill around 1970, stayed overnight on Wednesday, after arriving just after lunch, which Dot and I had enjoyed with her aunt Jessie at Caffe Italia. Jessie was in the city to visit her husband, who was taken into hospital on Monday when his illness worsened suddenly. But he is doing remarkably well there.

Had a cup of tea with Jackie Willis on Tuesday in the massive Sainsburys store at Longwater – first time I’ve been in there. She has set up a company, Care Motoring, to teach driving in a more thorough way, hopefully improving road safety. Many of her clients are people who have already passed the test. We met some time ago when I was writing about road safety in the Eastern Daily Press.

Incidentally, the EDP has finally got round to mentioning that my page has ended after 11 years. They’ve put my farewell page on their website, and it contains a reference to my own website, though they may not have noticed. Seems a bit more satisfying: I had been feeling rather in limbo. I’ve been putting the occasional commentary piece on my website and hope to carry on doing so.

Dot has done another church school inspection – at Salhouse – which turned out to be a bit fraught through no fault of the school’s. She was pretty tired when she got home (Shrove Tuesday); fortunately I was cooking for our normal Tuesday invitation meal, and we all managed to stay awake. Well, more or less. Must have been the pancakes, courtesy of friend Bridget.

Last night we had a very lengthy DCC meeting covering a multiplicity of church topics. Never really enjoy these: I’m not very good in meetings and find it hard to balance between not taking part at all and being more forceful than I mean to be. We have agreed to drop our Ditchingham weekend this year, which will disappoint a few people, including us. Everything is changing, it seems.

Lovely weather yesterday for our walk down the Yare: a bit chilly, but dry and a certain amount of sun. It seems much the same today. An article in the EDP today said we need to get used to not having winter – so stand by for several feet of snow over half-term. Still, a case of wine has just arrived from Cooden Cellars, so we will probably survive.

Have been having an exchange of e-mails with Jeanette Eglington, who is Beverley’s half-sister and my cousin once removed. She also lives in South Africa and has given me more information about the family, which I am about to insert in my tree on Genes Reunited. Great to be in touch with her and Bev, and to find out more about the African branch of the Lentons.

4 February 2008

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This picture was taken only about half an hour after yesterday’s, which sort of shows how fast the snow was melting. All gone now, of course. Today is bright and not so cold.

Spent a lot of yesterday watching TV – even sat right through Calendar Girls, which we’d seen before in Florida. Compelling stuff, obviously. Most of the time, though, I was watching rugby and got quite excited when Wales came back to beat England, totally unexpectedly. I watched it a day late, and Dot did well to keep the result from me. I’m trying hard to like England and was doing well until their exciting winger, Strettle, got injured after a brilliant run. I’m very worried that England will now revert to the boring forward-centred game they seem to think is so wonderful. I prefer brilliance to efficiency, which is why I wasn’t too distraught by Scotland’s loss to France, even though I’m very pro-Scotland.

3 February 2008

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Snow hit East Anglia early on Friday evening, just as Dot was about to go to a friend’s house for a meeting of Dangerous Women. They don’t call themselves that: I call them that. As she felt she might like to drink a drop or two of alcohol, I gave her a lift. A short drive, but interesting, with blizzard-lite conditions constantly threatening to get worse. Made it there and back OK, and fortunately she was given a lift home by one of the more spectacular DW, by which time conditions had improved.

By Saturday morning there was a fair bit of snow remaining, as can be seen on the picture, but it melted very rapidly. We stood at the bedroom window watching little avalanches of snow falling off the roofs opposite.

It was very cold still, and the road remained slippery on our little hill, so we drove to the supermarket together before returning for an InPrint meeting at our house. We discussed the future of the group, news of which will appear on the InPrint website soon, then Dot and I took Annette out to Paston for the launch of the Paston Project. This consisted of a Latin Compline in a barely heated church, lit by candles. Quite a strange experience: it felt as if we were secretly carrying out some illegal rite under cover of darkness. On the other hand, there was mulled wine and nibbles afterwards.

Making my way back to the car through a fair amount of mud, I managed to slip over, but happily without dire consequence, other than caking my coat in mud. One other unexpected result was that when we returned home (dropping Annette at Lisa’s to pick up her car) I must have got some mud from my key into the lock, because this morning I couldn’t lock it from outside. I had to lock it from inside and go out the back door, which meant in turn that when we got back after church lunch (outrageously delicious chicken) and entered by the back, the alarm went off. As I was anticipating it, I was able to disable it in seconds, so I don’t think we caused any disturbance. Afterwards I freed the lock using WD40.