Will write more about this in due course, but have piled up the miles in the last couple of days. From Norwich to Abington via Caddington and St Albans was 472 miles; a further 154 brought us to Ballater today. Since arriving we have driven up into the hills and down to Corgarff, then later by the back road to Balmoral. After all that, and with the house a little chilly because it’s rarely occupied, we decided on an early night.
Monthly Archives: May 2011
It can be a nice old world
Ignore all previous hectic weeks. This was one was really exhausting, as I prepared for our Scottish holiday and tried to sort out two burning issues: Andrew’s pension credit and the British Gas situation as it relates to St Augustine’s. Having heard nothing for six weeks about Andrew’s money, I rang the pension service and was told that they needed my power of attorney. It would have been nice if they had actually told me this earlier instead of waiting for me to ring, and I am not terribly optimistic now that I’ve sent it to them. I suspect it may get lost somewhere. Of course the fact that I’m going on holiday will confuse them totally, despite the fact that I’ve told them verbally and in writing. I’ve also heard nothing about what money needs to be sent to The Langleys – and of course can’t get through to Coventry City Council at all. I’ve left a message. More confusion looms.
At first British Gas couldn’t do anything about my queries in response to their price-rise letter, because I was not Vicky Myers. So I had to e-mail them the change of treasurer. Then someone was supposed to ring me when I returned from holiday but rang the same day instead, and after much discussion we agreed a new contract: or at least he told me about a new contract, and I agreed to it. Apparently for this it didn’t matter I wasn’t Vicky Myers. It’s a funny old world.
But it can be a nice old world if you can afford it. Last Saturday we had a lovely evening at Morston Hall with the Robinsons to celebrate their birthdays and Anne’s retirement (I think that was the excuse). Top-class food, of course, and top-class service too. I restrained myself from drinking as much of the excellent red as I would have liked and drove home – too fast, apparently (Philip Robinson). But no hangover, which meant my sermon on Sunday was relatively coherent, and afterwards we celebrated Anne Travis’ 90th birthday with a cake supplied by her daughter. Anne, who has not been well, came after the service and seemed quite bouncy, as well as very appreciative. Her actual birthday is tomorrow, and Dot collected money and bought her some flowers and chocolates, which we took round to Chris Fiske’s this morning so that she can deliver them when we’re on our way to Caddington. It was nice to see Chris Denton and Zoe on Sunday.
As well as ploughing through paperwork during the day, I played chess on Monday evening: a rapid tournament in which I got totally won positions in four of the five games and lost two of them. I also lost one I deserved to, so a pretty poor result really, except that I beat my bête noir, Terry Glover, with a very nice finish.
The weather has been much more pleasant, with only a shower or two today. Hope it’s not building up to some solid wetness in Scotland. On Tuesday, after more phoning and writing, I accompanied Dot to North Walsham, where we visited the cemetery and had tea with Jessie, who seemed very well. We got back in time for some quick fish chips before making our way up into the city crowds celebrating the Canaries’ promotion, and got a reasonable view of the open-top bus from near the Forum on Theatre Street. As the crowds dispersed (or moved on to a later viewpoint on the route) Dot and I went into St Peter Mancroft for a concert by the Navarra (string) Quartet. Impressive musicianship, but on the whole I preferred the lunchtime concert on Wednesday at the Assembly House by Mark Lindley (cello) and Elena Kiseleva (piano), which was stunning. We got there with seconds to spare after getting up late and misjudging the time.
Afterwards we had lunch at M&S, and I bought some slippers and socks for the holiday. I then went and paid in some church money at Lloyds before heading home. Much of today has been spent packing, but with lots of other things to do as well. In the end I moved the printer downstairs because it stubbornly refused to connect wirelessly. Printer offline, it bleated inaccurately. It will probably stay down here now. Rang David to see how his bad back was progressing, and booked in at Loch Fyne tomorrow for a birthday meal. Now we just have to get there in time.
While all this was going on our neighbour opposite (No 19) has been doing extensive work to his property and has been removing huge amounts of soil and rubble in skips: a real challenge for the skip lorry necessitating lots of juggling with cars and vans. I kept ours out of the way in the drive as much as possible. Hopefully no bodies will be unearthed. Phil is keeping an eye on the house while we’re away: he and Joy came round Sunday afternoon to survey the plants.
Brilliant holes in the hedges
Norwich City are playing the final match of the season as I write, having won promotion on Monday amid incredible scenes at Poringland, where we were completing a bank holiday with the Robinsons. After an unlikely 0-3 loss by Cardiff to Middlesbrough, the Canaries needed to beat Portsmouth away to make sure of promotion, and they did just enough: 0-1 (Jackson). So today’s match is a formality, and there is more than a suspicion that the City players have not been putting everything into training. Still, it’s 0-0 as we approach half-time, and Dot is having her hair cut in the kitchen, courtesy of Linda, with the radio on. (Final score 2-2)
Monday was a good day. We started with tea at the Robinsons, plus a tour of their extension-in-progress. Then Philip drove us to Ingham, near Stalham, for lunch at the Swan, which was very pleasant. I then navigated us to East Ruston, where we stumbled on the Old Vicarage Gardens which, coincidentally, we were looking for. I wasn’t optimistic about these, but after an entrance that seemed like a glorified garden centre, they turned out to be most unusual, more than making up for the biting wind, and with hedges that occasional blunted it. Some brilliant planning, with views through holes in the hedges picking our churches and the nearby Happisburgh lighthouse.
After a pause for tea we returned to Poringland, where we looked at about half the Robinsons’ pictures from their recent world tour before switching our attention to the vital match. The tension was so high that Philip had to leave the house, leaving three of us on the edges of our seats – well, two of us, with Anne mildly interested.
A busy week followed for Dot, with several school visits and an inspection at Elveden on Thursday. She has written most of her report already. On Wednesday I went to see Hilary Mellon about a journalism workshop she wants me to do for her Bridges group. I was a bit doubtful at first, but I think it sounds OK. Gave her a lift to a Bridges meeting at St Mary Magdalen afterwards, which gave me an opportunity to spy out the ground. In the evening I was over at Paston for a trustees’ meeting, at which we decided to continue with our plans for the church in the hope that a new clergyperson who will be PCC secretary will bring order out of chaos. We shall see. Nice homemade ginger biscuits, though. Dot meanwhile was visiting Carrie.
Yesterday, with the weather having settled itself at something very pleasant (no wind at last), my iPhone went on the blink, with the battery not recharging. I took it up to the Apple store, having made an appointment on David’s advice, and they thought initially it was a connection problem. But after I left it with them to charge, it became evident that the battery was faulty, or had reached the end of its life. So when I returned from doing a bit of extra shopping, I was supplied with a new battery, which comes in the form of a new phone, but at battery price (£55). Altogether a good result, especially as I had remembered to cancel the papers for our upcoming holiday, and the new phone recovered its apps and everything else.
This evening we head for Morston Hall, again with the Robinsons, which should be very good indeed. The weather is still excellent, though rain is predicted for tomorrow, when I am preaching at St Augustine’s.
Kate and Pippa star in wedding drama
Just back from Coventry, returning Andrew after a three-night visit. Dot came with us, and we started after Communion and a delicious Anna Green church lunch (Andrew dining at Phil and Joy’s), leaving about 2.45 and getting back about 8.20. Roads were relatively clear apart from a stretch of the A14 between the M6 and Cambridge Services (yes, I know that’s a lot), but as few lorries were involved, everything ran quite smoothly. Dot drove out, and I drove back. Cambridge Services has deteriorated markedly since a lot of other people found it and overran it. Don’t you hate other people? This does not include people we know and love, of course.
Andrew came to Norwich on Thursday, fetched by Phil and I in the Merc. Another fairly straightforward trip, with Andrew as good as I’ve seen him in a long time. On the Friday we watched much of the Royal Wedding, starring Kate and Pippa, with supporting roles for Will and Harry. Excellent reading by Kate’s brother. Afterwards I took Andrew to Dunston – a perennial request – and for a change we walked to St Remigius’ Church, up through Dunston Hall grounds and back down the road to the Common. Andrew surprised me by knowing where we were when we emerged from Dunston Hall gate. On our way home we went up Caistor Lane to view the bluebell wood from afar, then called briefly at Whitlingham, where the wind had got up a treat. Lastly, we called into the Rosary, before returning to the house for steak and chips.
Excellent day yesterday, when we all went to Pensthorpe nature reserve, which proved far better than I remembered it from years ago. Lots of entertaining birds, which is always good, not to mention some red squirrels, which appealed to Andrew. The wind was still sharp, but this was uncomfortable only while we ate lunch at the Snack Shack. Walking round the various paths, beside the Wensum and through a wildflower meadow, around some lakes and into some hides and gardens was no problem at all, in view of the sun and blue sky. Spent about five hours there.
Must mention also Dot’s excellent talk at the Surrey Midweek Fellowship. She spoke about church schools and had them eating out of her hand. The fellowship, not church schools.