Here we are in the middle of Easter, with suitably dark, damp and dismal weather (suitable for the Saturday, that is), and we have just been to a very short concert at St Luke’s, at which a 15-year-old boy played Bruch’s violin concerto with St Gregory’s Orchestra. Quite a good audience, including Judy and Carrie. Dot chatted with several of the musicians afterwards.

Lent is over, of course, and so is my sequence of poems. I managed to do one a day, and some of them are quite good; so that was pleasing.

Yesterday (Good Friday) Dot and I went to sing in the Haymarket with an odd collection of Christians from different churches (we were some of the oddest, of course). I found it all a bit bewildering; we sung a couple of totally unsuitable hymns (old and inaccessible), and the pastor of Meadow Way gave a talk that was very good for the first ten minutes. Mary (not the original one) wanted Dot to start people singing some Taize chants, and eventually she did, which was a lot braver than I would have been – though I did back her up. In fact that went quite well.

Afterwards Dot and I helped Mary take the cross back to St Stephens, where we had lunch with her.

Back on Tuesday the Paston trustees met at Lucy’s. Traffic was terrible, and I took ages to get there. There was a rabbit in the room, which gave me another poem. (I can see you picturing it.) Back in Norwich I managed to get the minutes done the same night, before going with the Archers to Judy’s for Cake and Compline.

On Wednesday Dot had her stitches out, which was fairly painful at one point. The nurse warned her to be careful with the finger to avoid the wound coming apart; so she put her arm in a sling for a while. In the evening she went to orchestra but didn’t play. Simon took her, which resulted in her arriving home after 11.30pm.

On Thursday we went to Angela’s again, where we continued our trawl through Ethel’s things. This time we went to to a Marston’s pub, and I had some quite acceptable fish and chips.

This morning we went up to M&S to buy some food for the family visit – partly because Dot had some offers on her M&S Sparks card, whatever that is. We got the bus home.

Dot’s finger seems to be OK, though when the dressing is off it hardly presents a smooth picture. Little bit worried about it. We are changing the dressing every two days as instructed, and on Wednesday she will have the stitches removed by the practice nurse. We arranged this appointment at the same time as I had my shingles vaccination last Wednesday. I was bit worried about that, but there seems to have been no reaction to it, apart from a very slight headache.

The next day I had my other arm pierced for a blood test, following which I drove Dot to the UEA for her own blood test as part of the pre-diabetes research she is involved in. After that we drove to Dereham and spent the rest of the day going through Auntie Ethel’s things without getting anywhere near completing the job. It was interesting but very tiring. We did take time out to go for lunch at the George Hotel, which turned out to be very good indeed. I had a steak and kidney pudding, and the service was excellent too.

On Friday we had a brief visit from Caroline Gilfillan, who was visiting Norfolk from her new home in the Lake District and staying with her niece Alex (Su Lee’s daughter). We had a coffee and I drove her up to catch the Fakenham bus on Tombland.

In the afternoon our latest piece of furniture arrived: an oak display cabinet that we are using to hold files and other office stuff  in Dot’s study. It fits perfectly between the shelves and the airing cupboard, as calculated by Dot, and looks good too. We had to get rid of all the cardboard and polystyrene that it was encased in, unscrew the handles where they had been positioned for safe travelling, and then screw them in the other way round.

And the day was not over: in the evening I drove to Pinky’s at Halesworth, arriving at 7pm exactly, and read three of my poems, which I’m happy to say were very well received. When I’m on my way there I always wonder why I go (it takes an hour), but in the end I’m always glad I do.

I spent most of Saturday writing my sermon. Happily Norwich won 1-0 at West Brom; so Dot was happy (as was I). Yesterday I delivered said sermon and then we went to see Jessie, which was fun. I dropped off a couple of short story books to Sally, one of the short story writers, who lives on Mundesley Road. She’s not short: the stories are.

Today Rob called in to talk about Chronicle, mainly. After lunch, while Dot went to an Easter service at Little Plumstead,  I paid the church cheques in and then met Hilary Talbot at the St Giles House Hotel for tea and a talk about the PHS. She wanted to know all about the Pastons  and was quite keen that I should take her on the Norwich walk. On the way home I met another Hilary – Mellon of that Ilk – coming out of the dentist’s on Prince of Wales Road. Bit of a coincidence. Not that many HIlarys around.

To get over it I went with Dot to Morrison’s and stocked up. Amazingly, I am still up to date with the Lent poems. Not long to go.

We’ve had some fine weather recently; so on Saturday I decided to prune the roses while Dot painted Amy’s room – or her study, to give it its alternative name. Obviously I had the easier task, but Dot enjoys a challenge. Both jobs were completed satisfactorily – and in the case of the painting, just in time, because on Monday Dot fell over and sliced her finger open on a broken milk bottle she had been carrying.

There was a great deal of blood, and after some debate on where was the best place to go I took her to Boots on Riverside, where the first aid person bandaged her up and said she had to go to the walk-in centre, because she would need stitches. Fortunately this was nearby, on Rouen Road, and they dealt with her surprisingly promptly. A male nurse cleaned it all out very carefully, gave her some anaesthetic (she was in quite a lot of pain) and under my watchful eye put in a number of stitches – at least six, possibly more.

Again, there was a lot of blood, but it eventually disappeared under bandages. She now has to be careful with it for a week, when the stitches can come out. Being an active sort of person, she finds this difficult. She has other cuts on her hand and knee, and various bruises.

On Sunday we had a joint service at St Luke’s, at which Dot and I accompanied the worship with Steve. This was followed by a talk by the Archdeacon (soon to be Bishop) and some other guy on homosexual relationships, all of which was less than convincing, and a bit patronising, to be honest.

In the evening Dot and I went to the Seagull and I read five of my Lent poems (I am just about managing one a day). Quite a goodly company, but an awful lot of people are repeating material, which is a bit disappointing since it’s called “New Words….” Nice to see Ian, who is the  third person we know well who has had a hip replacement this year.

On Monday we had a PCC meeting. Dot decided not to go because of the pain she was in.  Actually the cocodamol was controlling it OK, but going to a PCC meeting would undoubtedly have made it worse. These things are normally painful through their sheer tedium, but the current vicar delights in details of procedure and multiple action points. Howard was over the moon at the end because he wouldn’t have to go any more.

Yesterday Harriet called in on her way to Morrison’s, and she fetched us a pint of milk to replace the one Dot had broken. (I had forgotten it on a trip to the supermarket the day before, after the accident, after realising initially that we would need it. Ho hum.) Later in the day Anna called round for a chat, discussing possible ways the future might pan out at St Augustine’s. She then left to pick up Anandi from the station, and we had our hair cut by Linda.

After hearing a sermon on waiting last Sunday, we spent most of Monday doing just that. Colin M was supposed to come and do various jobs for us, and after prevaricating on the phone he admitted by e-mail that he wouldn’t be able to make it. Then we got a roast dinner ready for Naomi, who completely forgot about it. Nice meal.

On Sunday evening we’d been to Soul Circus, which unusually was held in our church hall instead of the Cathedral. Lovely to see Suzanne and Simon Ward, who it turns out went to school with David. Also Robin and Julia Vincent, plus Diana (George) and Elspeth, who played piano for us many moons ago. Nice session, featuring a couple of films about things that changed people’s lives – not at all what you’d expect. The thing about Soul Circus is that you expect things you wouldn’t expect…

Colin actually did turn up on Tuesday and was his usual disarming self. He fixed a new stopcock and adjusted the shelves upstairs, plus a couple of other minor things. He is coming in April to do some more major things – that’s April this year, I believe. In the evening on Tuesday we were driven by Judy to the Julian meeting at Howard’s, and the meeting itself was as lovely as usual.

Howard had his meeting with the Bishop and Archdeacon this week, and it turned out not to be as confrontational as some had feared. On the other hand, on reporting back, Howard sounded very much like a Bishop. Has he been converted?

We have bought a new cabinet for Dot’s office, so that she can put her files in it and free up shelf space in my study. It’s coming from Oak Furniture and should be arriving next Friday. Dot has been busy making changes to the room, including new curtains and new paint.

Yesterday we went to the Dining Room at Cinema City for a meal with the Hendersons. Very nice too – steak frites and banana split for me. Maryta got extra chips because of a delay and she was about to send them back when the rest of us intervened. I worry about her sometimes. Well, most of the time actually. They came back to ours for coffee and were able to view the changes.

Today we’ve spent most of the day with the Eagles at Hempnall. Lovely lunch and relaxing conversation. Was amazed to discover it was 5.15pm. Made our excuses and left.

Unusually, got quite interested in Davis Cup tennis this afternoon, with Murray having a real struggle to beat the Japanese guy, Nishikori. They are currently in the fifth set, and I’m getting so irritated by the England supporters with beer and drum that I’m almost hoping Nishikori wins. They’re both almost dead on their feet.

Yesterday Norwich City managed to lose by the odd goal yet again, away to Swansea. It’s now almost certainly between Newcastle, Sunderland and us for the remaining two relegation places (Aston Villa have had it). Everyone is gloomy, including the two EDP Norwich City “experts” I met at Paul Durrant’s funeral – Ian Clarke and Ken Hurst. They seemed to think there was a chance of Martin O’Neill coming back as manager.

The funeral itself was beautifully done and went off well, thanks to exceptional weather – sunny, dry and not too cold. The main building at Colney was quite big, but nowhere near big enough to hold the numbers who attended, and many of us stood outside, listening by loudspeaker. Obviously there were many former colleagues here, and I met several I hadn’t seen for years, Including Vanessa Kemp (now Angier), Emma Outten, Colin Forshaw, Tony Wenham, John Carey and many others. I taught John how to sub, and apparently he married one of the subs’ runners. How come I didn’t notice that going on?

Also there were Frances, Bernadette, Maryta and Pete Kelley. Afterwards I couldn’t find my car keys and eventually found them back in the car, in the ignition, switched on. Happily the engine wasn’t running, but I’m getting quite worried about my mental capacity. However, I drove to the Red Lion for the wake, where I found David Paull, who had made his way there with some difficulty but lots of determination (he lives round the corner).  Had a chat with him and got him some food from the buffet, but he didn’t seem at all well. I hear from Frances by e-mail that he can only have one more shot of chemotherapy.

Went to the doctor’s on Wednesday, and I am now due for a shingles vaccine and a blood test, on successive days, which seems a bit odd. On the plus side, my blood pressure was down to 140/80. He was a happy doctor. I had to see him to renew my prescriptions.

Later in the day I drove to Banham to interview sculptor Steve Egginton for the article I’m writing for the diocesan magazine on festivals, pilgrimages, retreats and stuff. Steve is creating a long-distance route from the westernmost point of Wales to Lowestoft, the easternmost point of England. “Coincidentally”,  this goes through his garden; so he has a way station there. It’s called the Via Beata. The route, not the way station. Or the garden.

I’ve finished the article now, but it’s out for approval to one or two interviewees. If they’re happy, it goes to the editor on Monday.

Yesterday morning we had coffee with the Hendersons and have booked a meal out together at the Dining Rooms (Cinema City) next Thursday. When I say “coffee”, of course, I mean tea.

Today we had an eventful morning service when a woman burst in and started screaming. Happily, Carrie was there and took her out back, with some help from Debbie. I just carried on leading the service after a brief prayer for her. At the end she came in with Carrie. She was much calmer. Carrie is excellent in these situations.

This evening we went to Soul Circus, which was being held at our church hall. Very pleasant evening with Suzanne, Diana George, Robin and Maria, Elspeth, Carrie and some others. Lucy was supposed to come with Diana, but was ill at the last minute. Chest infection, I think.

Murray won.

It’s getting late and yet again Norwich City have lost by a single goal. Dot was at the match and is on her way home. I’ve lost count of the number of games they’ve only just lost, and now they’re in the relegation zone. Oh well. There are worse things to worry about.

On Sunday for instance we drove to London to see the Coomes. We were half an hour away when we got a phone call from Kristine saying David had fallen downstairs and had to go to A&E. After some discussion (Dot was driving) we decided to continue, and ended up giving them a lift to A&E at Whipps Cross, apparently one of the busiest in the country. We were there for just over an hour, then Dot and I went back to the Coomes’ house for a cup of tea and some bread and cheese. After another 90 minutes or so we had a call to say they were on their way home in a taxi (we had been intending to go and fetch them).

David apparently had nothing broken, but severe internal bruising, which is apparently still just as painful as it was, if not worse (I rang earlier this evening). Kristine is now also not well, having a bad cough. We stayed for a meal and left just after 6pm. It was good to have seen them and to have been of some use (though not much).

Going back to Friday, we had a meal at Prezzo which should have been in the company of the Throwers, but Mary was not well enough. We decided to go ahead and had a pizza each. Very nice too.

On Saturday I went with Rob and Peter (and Karen Smyth from UEA) to the Norfolk Record Office local history societies day. Rob, Pete and Karen all gave short talks, while I listened. Quite enjoyable in the morning, because all the speakers kept to their allotted slots. In the afternoon this was not quite the case, and the air in the room was much colder because some idiot had complained about it being too hot in the morning, and they’d opened the windows. As a result I left before the last lecture.

Yesterday I went and interviewed Heather Cracknell as part of a feature article on festivals, pilgrimages etc I’m writing for the diocesan magazine. Nice to see her, but she’s being messed around by the C of E too: she’s done a lot of pioneering work, but her time is running out and it’s looking as if they might not replace her for financial reasons. Unbelievable.

Later Phil came round and revealed that he might be having an operation on his spine, which is in quite a bad way. It’s not essential, but I think he’ll go for it. He wanted to know about my experience in hospital.

In the evening Dot and I went to a showing of Performance at Cinema City. This was a 1970 film starring Mick Jagger and James Fox, and not for the faint-hearted. It was preceded by a talk by Keiron Pim based on his biography of David Litvinoff that I’ve mentioned before. Had quite a chat with Keiron beforehand, and with Steve Snelling. Glad we saw the film, though I don’t think I’d particularly want to see it again.

This morning the usual suspects landed up at Archant for the coffee morning, most of us quite wet from the prevailing “drizzle”, which is my App’s name for steady rain and wind. Not present were Paul and Maryta – the latter apparently getting very wet and cold on a horse instead.