Anna and Dot leave Skyscape in the grounds of Houghton Hall
The weather continues warm, but the dryness isn’t what it was. In fact, sometimes the dryness is wet – as yesterday, when after having our hair cut we stayed indoors most of the day and moped, especially after Norwich City FC, replete with new stars, managed to lose 1-0 to Hull after Hull had been reduced to ten men for two-thirds of the match. Nevertheless, we have tickets for Tuesday’s game against Bury, captained by Dot’s cousin Gareth. Adrian and Clarissa are coming over.
It had poured during Friday night, and it even rained a bit when we took Anna on Thursday to Houghton Hall Revisited: a major Norfolk event of the year, running for several months. The idea is to show off pictures sold by Britain’s first prime minister and Houghton Hall owner Sir Robert Walpole to Catherine the Great in the 18th century – now lent back to the hall by Russia and replaced (mainly) where they originally hung.
Houghton Hall is a beautiful building in a stunning setting, but while some of the pictures were impressive, many of them weren’t. However, we really enjoyed the visit – a brief account of which can be found here.
Dot had spent the day in London on Wednesday, accompanied by her friend Anne. They travelled first class and ate in two rather nice restaurants. Dot also bought a hat for an upcoming family wedding. Meanwhile I frittered away much of the time but did manage to get some work done, largely my sermon for today.
On Friday, after Dot had managed to get an appointment at the doctor’s for a few routine matters, we eventually entertained Joe and Birgit to lunch. They both seemed on good form, with Birgit looking much better than recent reports had suggested. She looked very good indeed, in fact, and we had a lovely evening – some of it out in the garden.
Paul Henderson (left) with Chessie and Jozef at their engagement party
It’s coming up to 7am, and I’ve been awake since 4 – up and about since 5.15. This is an aftermath of my endeavours in the last two days to book a flight to Florida for next April: a process that drove me so crazy I had to lie down under the bedclothes yesterday evening with blood rushing round my head. In the end I was making repeated online attempts to confirm that it had gone through, together with numerous calls to both the website operators and Barclaycard. During all this I also booked a car which was probably too expensive, but I had lost the will to even discuss it.
This came after about a week of not getting enough sleep, which is worrying as I know this makes me prone to illness, but there’s nothing I can do about it. Things just seem to pile up.
A week ago we had a Paston trustees’ meeting out at Dayspring. The journey out there was pretty awful, obstructed by a series of dawdling drivers, but the meeting was OK. Unfortunately I haven’t had time since to write the minutes, and as I rely quite a lot on remembering what was said to fill out my notes, this is rather worrying. I feel sure there were some other things I had to do as a result of the meeting, but let’s hope that’s in my notes.
On the Wednesday we had Sophie round for lunch – in the garden – and afterwards I went with her to visit Geoff, who is making more progress. His left side is a bit more mobile, and the doctor was optimistic about his feet. It became clear too that he can read, though he finds it difficult to read aloud and still forgets a lot of words. Sophie took in a cassette player for him. Since then he has been moved to the West Norwich Hospital and according to Sophie is getting a lot of therapeutic help. I am trying to contribute by organising visits, but not with a great deal of success.
After leaving the hospital I called in on Margaret Comerford, who had some money for the church from her meditation group. We sat in her tiny garden in King Street surrounded by bees.
On Thursday Phil drove me to Coventry, and we took Andrew out for lunch. He is vastly improved. He suggested the Post House at Allesley, but on the way there we saw a Harvester and ate there. A very good meal: I like the Harvester system. Afterwards we drove to Corley (where else?) and then to Memorial Park before returning Andrew to Minster Lodge. The journey both ways was pretty straightforward, but of course tiring. I now have to contact the council again to sort out his money, which will reach a critical level again within a couple of months or less.
While I was in Coventry the car went in for a new condenser, and Dot collected it after spending a few hours sorting out papers and photographs with Angela at A Ethel’s place in Hethersett. Meanwhile Amanda has died suddenly, after suffering pancreatitis and a chest infection. Her funeral has been fixed for this Thursday, unfortunately, when we are tied up taking Anna to Houghton Hall for the St Petersburg exhibition. We have sent flowers, and Angela is representing us.
Andrew and Phil at Corley Rocks
Friday was a bit different, not least in that it rained quite a bit, but mainly in that I spent most of it filming in the city with Peter Stibbons for the Paston DVD. We started in the Briton’s Arms and took in most of the Paston sites. It was quite strange standing in the street speaking to a camera that was not always totally adjacent. Sadly, no-one asked for my autograph, but a group of lads on the Julian Bridge did want to know which channel we would be on. We had lunch at home and ended with a cup of tea there. A fascinating experience. The filming, not the tea.
In the evening we were on the move again, up to Loch Fyne for my birthday meal with the Robinsons, only a month or so late. Again excellent food and friendly service, but very slow. With four of us, it didn’t matter much. Had some excellent halibut. Late birthday gifts of prosecco and chocolate: perfect.
On the road again on Saturday, starting fairly early for a trip to Mottingham, where the Hendersons were putting on an engagement party for Jozef and Chessie. All very agreeable: had some interesting conversations with people from Norfolk and with Maryta’s sister and niece, as well as with Paul and Maryta themselves. Got cut off in the middle of a promising conversation with former head Chris Brown, but ended up talking in depth with Chessie’s mother, from New York State, and her friend Béatrice from Avignon. Click here if you read French. Then we raced the rain back to Norfolk, and won.
Since then I’ve been trying to catch up with e-mails and paperwork. Before the flights fiasco I was spending most of my time sorting out church finances, and I paid some cheques into the bank yesterday. The weather continues warm, which enabled me to slot in a bit of bush-trimming in the front garden, so that the brown bin was suitably charged, ready for emptying today. Yesterday this account was hacked by some Bangladeshis, but fortunately David was able to save the day and sort it out.
Dot takes a break during our walk to St James Hill, Mousehold
Well, eventually the gas man cameth and fixed our problem – unsurprisingly a sticky valve. Again. And I got to speak to Andrew on his birthday, though he was rather vague. The next day (Wednesday) things looked up considerably, as David and Chrissy arrived for a three-day stay. They largely organised their own activities, but we took them to Prezzos (unfortunately not at their best), and on the Friday we all went to see Jessie at North Walsham. We also shared several meals at home, and it was lovely having them with us.
On the Thursday, while they were out in south-east Norfolk, I went to visit Geoff in hospital and was encouraged to find him upbeat and making good progress. His right side is still largely paralysed, though he can move his foot and thumb, and he can sit up with help. He can talk (though he has trouble remembering some words) and he can swallow. His toes are a bit of a mess with gangrene (caused by lack of circulation during his operations), but apparently this will sort itself out. He looked more like his old self. Sophie was also in good spirits. The hope is that he will move to the Colman Hospital for rehabilitation this week.
Also had a committee meeting about the parish share in the evening, which was rather depressing. We need to find quite a bit more money next year, but everyone then talks as if we’re running a business and need to behave accordingly. I find this very difficult. Paul: “We’ve been asked to go over into Macedonia to help people there, but unfortunately we probably won’t have enough money; so we’ve decided against it.” End of New Testament. It’s probably just me.
On Friday the car went in again to have the air conditioning looked at, and it turns out that this is more serious than we thought. So it’s going in again on Thursday to have a new condenser fitted. Another £300 down the drain – or in the radiator.
David and Chrissy stayed on until late Saturday, which was a nice surprise, and on Sunday it seemed very quiet. In the afternoon Dot and I walked through the Rosary and up to Mousehold. Clouds threatened showers, but nothing happened.
Yesterday we went out to Park Farm. I had been intending to go for a walk while Dot had her session, but it started raining on the way there, so I decided against. In fact the rain didn’t really materialise, but it was too late: I had ordered the food. Afterwards we went to see Aunt Ethel at Welborne. She seemed very well, perhaps because she has begun to eat. Quite coherent and clearly in a better state than many of the other people there. It’s a nice setting, but sitting in rows in a lounge is never very stimulating.
Meanwhile poor Barbara M has been moving too fast again, and this time has done herself serious injury, falling down the stairs into the basement and fracturing her pelvis, not to mention various bruising and lots of pain. She is going to find it hard having her movements restricted over the nest few months. I imagine Roger will find it hard too, in a different way.
I have made some progress on writing Amy’s story, which I’m quite pleased with.
I’m writing this as I await the arrival of the gas man – an appointment pinpointed at between 8am and 1pm. It is Andrew’s birthday. Hopefully his presents will have arrived, and I will phone him later.
Again, it has been a busy week. After mentioning that the meal for our last Tuesday Group would be cold because we were both too shattered post-holiday to cook, the Archers and Vicky both volunteered to bring food. In the end we had a curry prepared by Vicky and a nice evening. Tonight’s has been cancelled because we’re going to West Runton to see Fred and Sue.
On Wednesday I had my last session with Sharon. My shoulder is not completely better, but it is much improved. Quite enjoyed a bit of physiotherapy, and I shall miss it.
We were entertained lavishly twice last week: on Friday by the Greens – an evening meal in their garden with Claire and Phil, followed by tea and coffee upstairs in their unique house. Food and wine were in plentiful supply, as was the conversation. A lovely evening.
The following day we were at Dunwich, where we helped Annette celebrate her 50th birthday at the Cliff House holiday park, which is a lot better than it sounds and which her family and friends seemed to have taken over. Annette had a beautiful cottage, others were in tents, and the celebration centred on her mother’s large wooden chalet where, again, food and drink were abundant.
We eventually located the latter by the Liverpool accents and eventually Annette’s distinctive laugh. Guests included Caroline, Martin Laurance and Teri.
Another big day on Sunday. I was preaching at church, and this was followed by a rehearsal for our visit to the Seagull in the evening. In the afternoon we called in to see Phil and Joy with some Scottish marmalade, and updated them on Andrew. The performance at the Seagull went quite well – especially the first half, when we did my new song, The Rolling Hills of Pakefield, and The Man in the Mask. In the second half we did Feels Like I’m Falling Apart, which was fine, and the full version of Bernadette, which was probably too long. However, we got a good response, and I read a couple of poems too. As you will have guessed, the number of performers was not the highest.
Yesterday saw the culmination of house-cleaning and rearranging, thanks to my wife’s almost limitless energy (I suspect she is siphoning off some of mine). I did arouse myself in the afternoon to paint our two gates and was quite pleased with the result. They also survived a thunderstorm a couple of hours later, following which we went to Morrisons to replenish our fast diminishing food supply.
