Monthly Archives: November 2008

28 November 2008

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Had a great time in Scarborough from Monday to Thursday. This is Dot, Julia and Dave outside the cafe where we had just enjoyed a toasted teacake and hot drink, as well as much repartee featuring their friend Pam, who works there. The hot drink was especially welcome, because this was on the Tuesday, which was bitterly cold, with a strong wind. We spent the day around Scarborough. Dot and Julia went shopping in the afternoon, and Dave and I went for a walk in the Chinese gardens, where I managed to fall over, though without any ill effects. In the evening we ate at Tuscany 2, just down the road from the Evetts’ flat, and the food was excellent.

By the next day it was much milder, and we went further afield, calling at the Raven Hall Hotel in Ravenscar, which is on a cliff looking over to Robin Hood’s Bay. Walked round the gardens and then went in for a cup of tea. The whole place was wonderful. On to RHB itself, which was delightful. We parked at the top and walked down the steep road and along the narrow lanes, where we called in for lunch at a cafe where the tables were as tightly packed as the houses in the lanes. Then on to the sea, which was accessed by a steep slipway. There were dire warnings to keep away from it, so of course Dave wandered down to the water’s edge. No surprise there. The weather was benevolent and the crowds absent.

After this we drove on to Whitby and took a look at the Abbey beneath marvellous multicoloured skies, then into the town where I took it easy while the other three went off in unsuccessful search of kipper pate. Dot and I were impressed by Whitby: a very attractive town.

We had travelled to Scarborough on Monday by train from Norwich, which took four and a half hours, with changes at Peterborough and York. Dave met us at the station and took us to their flat, which is beautifully designed with a fantastic view of the headland and castle across South Bay. As the train approached the end of its journey we could see a lot of snow still on the moors, with part-rainbows against jet-black clouds: spectacular. In fact the scenery throughout our stay was inspiring, and I wrote four poems while we were there.

Somehow while we were there I managed to acquire a new pair of slippers, a jumper and a pair of trousers (the last because I had messed my others up when I fell over). Dave and Julia bought a painting at RHB. On the Thursday we had superb fish and chips before saying farewell at the station. The journey back, partly in the dark, was less interesting than the journey up, but equally efficient. Best of all, I felt much better, and my flu symptoms have almost entirely gone.

Taking the train did have its down side. When I left to go to the doctor’s this morning I found that the Mazda 3’s battery was flat, because the boot was not properly closed and the light had been on. It was blocking the MX5 in the garage, so I had to hurtle over to the station and get a taxi (£7 plus tip), and the bus back (free). The flat bettery was quickly fixed later by Mazda European Assistance, and I took the car for a drive to charge the battery up. Arrived back as Dot was leaving for her meeting at Diocesan House. Later took it to get the weekend shop at the supermarket. All seems well. This evening Dot has been to see the Vagina Monologues at the Playhouse with Annette V and one or two others.

23 November 2008

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Plenty of snow over the last couple of days. This was Aspland Road at lunchtime today, when we failed to get up the hill and had to park at the bottom of the road. More tricky than it might have been, because Dot was carrying a large chocolate cake that had been cooked for her birthday by Anna and brought to church. Actually there were three cakes, spelling d – o – t, but two of them were eaten at church. Later this afternoon I was able to go and drive the car up, because the temperature had risen and a snowman in the garden almost opposite had lost its head. Still quite white generally though.

Friday night at the Cathedral was good, and afterwards Dot went off with the girls (Vicky, Annette et al) for a drink in the Maid’s Head while I returned home and watched some average folk music on television, because I was feeling tired. Tiredness still a problem, but everything else seems to be progressing in the right direction, and we’re planning to leave by train at about 11am tomorrow for Scarborough. Forecast is quite good for the next few days, assuming the snow melts and we get some sunshine as promised. The temperature should be in the 5-10C bracket, which could be worse.

Yesterday – Dot’s birthday – we had a lie-in and eventually got to St Luke’s just before 1pm. Afternoon session was interesting. Snow was falling outside, but not enough to worry us on the journey home – just as well, as we were in the MX5. In the evening I cooked steak and chips. The chips mysteriously burnt, though the heat and timing were as always, and I did some instant mashed potato, which was in the freezer and tasted really good. After it was cooked, that is. Managed a bottle of wine between us.

21 November 2008

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Latest picture of Dot’s Aunt Ethel, who we visited on Wednesday, after lunching at Park Farm. She was in good spirits. In the evening we went to see Romeo and Juliet, put on by the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Theatre Royal. All very well done – set about half a century ago – but marred somewhat because there were thousands of schoolchildren in, and the ones behind us couldn’t stop talking. I wrote to the manager to complain about it, partly because a couple of couples in our row didn’t come back after the interval, and it is £20 a ticket.

Last night we went with Anne and Philip to St Benedict’s Restaurant for Dot’s birthday meal, which was excellent. I felt I could tackle a steak and mushroom pudding, and it was beautifully done. Philip gave us a lift, which was nice because it was very cold. I have been feeling very tired recently, but paracetamol usually helps, and I felt fine for the evening. Today we went (a little late) to the James Finlay sessions at St Luke’s. He’s a former monk who specialises in Thomas Merton but talks generally about contemplative prayer and allied subjects. Very laid back and (but?) very, very good. I came back home this afternoon because I was tired, but Dot returned after popping into the city and really enjoyed it. One of the reasons I came home was because I want to go this evening, when he’s speaking in the Cathedral. I’ve just taken some paracetamol in anticipation!

Dot and I were supposed to be part of the team gettying stuff ready, but I really wasn’t up to it. Very blustery and cold today, which means several layers are compulsory for the Cathedral. Snow is due tomorrow. Wonder what it’s like in Scarborough…

17 November 2008

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Went to Paston country today, had lunch with Lucy, who is off work more or less permanently with leukaemia, and then went with her and her friend Diana to Cromer District Council offices to take down the small Paston exhibition there. Diana took this picture. The weather was miserable: very cold and damp. Afterwards I called in at Wroxham Barns to take the Martin Laurance print for framing. I had intended to take Lucy’s too, but that turned out to be already framed. While at Lucy’s she showed me how to use Garage Band to record poems, and I hope to be able to record Caroline and Lisa. I am also intending to help Lucy with her guidebook of Paston walks, in return for which she’s going to teach me how to edit movies.

Yesterday was a significant Sunday, as it saw the farewell from St Augustine’s of our friends David and Bridget. They are going to a more traditional type of church in Norwich. Bridget is training to be a reader. We had quite a moving farewell liturgy, followed by wine and a delicious chocolate cake cooked by Anna. Howard preached a great sermon on thankfulness (among other things), and I led the service. We hope D & B will continue to come to our Tuesday Group. They have been a big part of what has been going on at St Augustine’s and will be sadly missed. In the evening Dot and I went to the Ambient Wonder planning session. We are doing a special AW at Stephen’s Church on Dec 11 – a Thursday evening when people will be passing on late-night Christmas shopping and might appreciate a bit of quiet in the middle of it all. Or not, I guess. Worth a try. Anna wants Dot and I to go to Greenbelt with them next year. Staying in a hotel, of course. Camping is right out. An over-my-dead-body scenario.

On Friday the four of us (Anna, Howard, Dot and I) had dinner at Vicky and Jared’s: a really lovely evening with Spanish food that was surprisingly wonderful.

12 November 2008

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A surreal sign in the dunes at Winterton.

I managed to win my chess game on Monday night, and the team won 5-1. I gave Jonathan Wells a lift home afterwards. I’ve known him since he was a schoolboy player thousands of years ago. He is now very strong and plays on top board for North Norfolk, though he lost on Monday. My game on Board 5 against Peter Hodkinson ( I was White) went like this: 1 c4 c5 2 g3 g6 3 Bg2 Bg7 4 Nc3 Nc6 5 Nf3 Nf6 6 d4 cd 7 Nxd4 0-0 8 0-0 a6 9 e3 e6 10 b3 Qa5 11 Bd2 Qc7 12 Rc1 d6 13 Qe2 Bd7 14 Rfd1 Rfe8 15 Be1 Rad8 16 b4! Nxb4 17 Ncb5 ab 18 cb Qb6 (if Qa5, Bxb7 and the knight cannot be saved) 19 Bxb4 d5 20 a4 Rc8 21 a5 Qa7 22 Nb3 Bf8 23 Bc3! Nh5 24 Bd4 Qb8 25 Nc5 Bxc5 26 Bxc5 Ng7 27 Qb2 Nf5 28 e4 Ne7 29 Qf6 Rxc5 (if Kf8, Qh8 is mate, and White was also threatening Bd4) 30 Rxc5 Qd6 31 Rcc1 Bxb5 32 ed Bd7 33 de Qxe6 34 Qxe6 Bxe6 35 Bxb7 1-0 With the exchange up and the a-pawn about to queen, White wins easily.

Yesterday I wasn’t feeling too good – couldn’t get warm – but while Barbara and Dot were in in-depth discussion about Philosophy4Children I drove down to Bally and picked up the two pictures I’d bought from Rupert: one of his own and one of his mother’s. In doing this I discovered it actually was very cold, which made me feel a bit better, especially after we lit a fire when I got home. Before that I called in at Morrisons to pick up food for the evening meal – for which we had six, including us.

Today I felt quite a lot better. We had our hair cut by Linda in the morning, and then Dot went into the city to meet Carrie while I filled our garden waste bin with leaves. Surprisingly I felt OK after this.

10 November 2008

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Autumn has arrived with a vengeance. The leaves started falling with some determination towards the end of last week; this tree is in North Walsham cemetery, where Dot and I went last Friday on our way to visit Jessie. Not a bad day, with a stunning sunset that I couldn’t quite get in a position to photograph on the way home. Huge numbers of leaves have fallen since then, and it has turned very damp, with a quite a strong wind overnight. Dot and I stayed in today – seemed odd, slightly removed from reality. I am still not back to health, though going in the right direction, and Dot has a stomach upset, which I hope is just that.

We have got out a bit over the past few days. Saw two films on Thursday and Friday – Burn after Reading (Coen Brothers) and Quantum of Solace, the peculiarly named new Bond movie. Both were worth seeing without being mind-blowing. The first was funny and the second vigorous, though I do think covering Gemma Arterton with oil was a shocking waste.

Went out for an evening meal at Birgit and Joe’s on Saturday. Had been feeling rather ill all day, but improved during the evening. Joe cooked an excellent Indian meal, and we had a long talk. Then to church yesterday for Remembrance Sunday – so traditional hymns not much suited to guitar. This evening I’ve agreed to play chess for our club team in the Norfolk and Suffolk Cup, so hope I don’t get too tired.

6 November 2008

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Amy completes the blowing out of candles on her fourth birthday cake, with Nana and Daddy looking on. Seems a long time ago now.

I did manage to get to church on Sunday and preach: I also played the guitar and stayed for lunch, but spent the rest of the day on the sofa watching television. Next day I didn’t feel so good, and this week has been very up and down. Yesterday I managed without any paracetamol, but today I’ve just taken a couple. Very difficult to pin down what’s wrong: just feeling fragile, with occasional headaches and stomach more peculiar than anything. What’s really annoying is that I have no stamina. I walked into the city once and felt very tired indeed afterwards. Today I’ve walked to the sorting office and round the block – not more than half a mile or so altogether – and feel quite fuzzy and tired. Annoying when I really enjoy walking and can normally do four or five miles with no trouble at all. I’ve just bought a new pair of shoes as a sort of vote of confidence in my recovery.

No doubt it will all pass and be quickly forgotten. We are due to go to Scarborough in just over two weeks, so I hope I’m feeling OK by then. Today Dot has been at a conference. Yesterday I drove up to Diocesan House with her and didn’t feel too bad afterwards. Tuesday we had ten (including us) for a meal, and it went off well.

1 November 2008

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Long time no post – and no wall, either, after a builder’s lorry slightly misjudged the corner. This happened while I was in the bath and Dot was in London, The builder guy was very apologetic, and it has been measured up for rebuilding.

That came in the middle of an awful ten days or so. We had a nice weekend in Caddington for Amy’s fourth, staying over to the Monday – her actual birthday. But I was feeling under the weather and didn’t accompany them to Milton Keynes. Nothing I could really put my finger on, but it wouldn’t go away. We came home on Monday evening and had a pleasant journey with Dot driving, but I was extremely tired by the time we got home and into bed. The next morning I was feeling awful in just about every area and went to the doctor’s, who thought it was flu or something viral. Of course.

Paracetamol barely touched it, and the next two or three days were very unpleasant, but it seemed to be easing off by Friday, when I managed to eat a meal with Jessie and Roger and Adrian and Clarissa, who were staying with us for the Norwich-Doncaster match. But then I felt so bad I had to go back to bed, and didn’t get out again, despite the free tickets for Carrow Road. On the Saturday I couldn’t stop shivering, and Dot called the emergency health line. A doctor came out around 5.30pm and said he was pretty sure it was influenza: he gave me some cocodamol tablets and some antibiotics (“just in case”). The cocodamol did have an effect, though not as dramatic as he indicated they would. I stopped shivering and slipped into a sort of alternate reality where I just lay very still for a long time. No appetite at all.

Not a lot of progress before A & C went, though I managed to have a brief chat from my bed. I had to cancel my poetry reading, of course, also my chess game, Tuesday night, visit to UEA with Nicholas to hear David Hare, Ambient Wonder involvement and so on. Though not in that order. Dot rang surgery on the Monday to get my blood results, but they insisted on speaking to me, and eventually I spoke to another doctor (Dr Holt) who said my blood test was OK, but I could see him on the Wednesday if I wanted to. I did. In the meantime Dot went to London on the Tuesday to meet Chris and Jan Stokes and was delayed on the way back by a trolley on the line.

On the Wednesday the doctor said he was sure it was flu, and it would take me quite a long time to recover fully. I completed the antibiotics but don’t think they had any effect and it really was (is) viral. Now I am taking tablets off and on, feeling pretty OK one minute and not at all right the next. On the plus side, recovery from my operation seems to be unaffected. I am supposed to be preaching at church tomorrow, which I think should be OK, but I’m writing it out in case Dot has to deliver it!