Some very heavy rain in the last couple of days, most recently when we were in the cinema early this afternoon watching Mrs Lowry and Son, which is an excellent film. Not much happens, but Timothy Spall acts brilliantly as always. I was on the verge of not going because I had two bad nights, with head and stomach problems, but I think it may be a result of coming off codeine after a month. Anyway, I was OK in the cinema. On our way out, a man warned us not to watch Ad Astra. I think he’d just walked out of it.

My hospital appointment has been postponed for a week, which is a bit annoying. Most of the insurance stuff has either been sorted out or I can’t do anything else. Obviously we’ll need a car at some point, but not while I can’t drive.

On Saturday I went to a book launch at Jarrolds for Pete Sargent’s Anglian Annals. Paul Dickson was the publisher, and I was delighted to come across several former colleagues, including Annette Hudson, Emma Outten, Neil Haverson, Pete Kelley and Viv Thomas, a former weekly sub. Afterwards Dot picked me up in the MX5 and we drove to Bowthorpe Ruins (next to the church), where Lucy had organised a PHS event. I was a lovely warm day, and we had cake and plums with Lucy before calling at her house to try to see Naomi, but she wasn’t well enough to entertain.

In between Jarrolds and Bowthorpe, while waiting for Dot I was accosted by Peter Bussey on Exchange Street, and we had quite a long chat. Apparently he has had scabies.

On Sunday after church Dot and I drove to Hellesdon, where we had trouble at first finding the venue for another open-air performance, close to the former Hellesdon station on Marriott’s Way. This was to celebrate the railway in Norfolk and was exceptionally good, with Matt Williams playing the central role of the stationmaster, Carrie in a pivotal role and Charlie Caine holding it all together, as keyboard player, conductor, actor and prompter. Some really good acting, an excellent script and appealing music. We sat next to Judy, who we didn’t know would be there.

The next day we went to the garage to let them know our car no longer existed, and ticked off a few other things. I was getting pretty tense toward the end of the afternoon when Carrie turned up unexpectedly to borrow some pills. She also calmed me down a bit. Later I played what may be my last competitive game of chess when I lost to a youngish player called Biran Shah in the club knockout tournament. I lost track of the game when I suddenly had diarrhoea, and after that played very badly.

Yesterday I stayed in bed until quite late, but was up in the early afternoon when Des came round with Private Eye. He recommended the film we saw today. Still feeling very strange.

Norwich City against Manchester City went pretty well, much to everyone’s surprise. We won 3-2, and so Dot, who decided to go at the last minute after encouragement from David, was over the moon. So was Oliver. The rest of us were pretty happy too: David and children arrived at the front door at more or less the same time as Dot got home.

We ordered takeaway from Nando’s and had a good evening, with Oliver and Amy both showing their expertise on the piano. The next day David dropped me off at church, where I was preaching, and picked me up afterwards. He had bought us some food for lunch and some extras for the next few days. They left just after 4pm because Oliver had a party at 7.30pm. Lovely to see them.

Monday was a frustrating day. My arm was pretty painful, and I decided to ring the Plaster Room at the hospital to get them to have a look at it, or to give me some advice. I rang most of the day with no reply and by 4pm was so annoyed that I decided to go up there. Happily we arrived just before the Plaster Room shut and found there had been two people on all day, when there should have been five. Nevertheless they agreed to have a look and cut a window in my plaster. Nothing appeared to be wrong, or even suspicious. I immediately felt better.

Most of the week after that merged into one. The TV wasn’t working properly despite two visits from Ryan, and I wanted to buy a new computer for Dot, as hers was so slow. Eventually we found ourselves in the Apple store and after discussion agreed on a new Air laptop (gold), leaving it overnight for all her stuff to be transferred and her old one to be wiped.

At least, that’s what I thought. We were told the process would take up to 72 hours but we got a call the next day to say it was ready. When we got there, we found we had to wait for the old one to be wiped and an operating system to be installed. Both waits seemed interminable. The first day I had to pretend to fall asleep; the second I wandered round in what I hoped was an annoying fashion. But we eventually got sorted, and both computers seem to be working OK.

We followed up the second visit by going to John Lewis and buying a new BT box. Back home, I set it up, and for one brief moment everything seemed to be fine. Then it said we had no internet connection, and the BT player wouldn’t work. I considered attempting suicide, but I guessed that wouldn’t work; so I pulled the plug of the router out of the mains, and after a while I put it back. Now it all works. At the moment, anyway.

Somewhere in the middle of all this we called Green Flag, because the MX5 battery was flat. They started it easily enough, but we had to stand over it while the engine ran for about an hour. After that Dot took it for a drive, after discovering she could get in the car. That must have been Wednesday. On Thursday I discovered I could get in the car, but I could’t drive it, of course. We went up to the garage to discuss the future, but the garage had some kind of event on, and there was no room to park.

Last night Dot gave me a lift to Anteros, where the private view of Joy McCall’s new book was taking place. Quite pleasant: she was collaborating with another poet at death’s door and an artist who seemed reasonably healthy. Also present: her husband Andy, publisher Adrian Bell, printer Nick Gorvin, Trevor Nuthall (writer and local historian) and for some reason James Goffin. Linda Street’s son Jack read Joy’s poems.

It’s been reasonably warm. Today the man came to put up new blinds in the kitchen. They look nice, but Dot has trouble reaching the cord on the big window. This afternoon Paul arrived simultaneously with Harriet, but Dot managed to get rid of Harriet by asking her to come another time, and we had a long talk with Paul. Afterwards we went to the cinema on the spur of the moment and watched Downton Abbey, which was really enjoyable nearly all the time.

I have managed to establish that the insurance company has paid for the car, but I suspect there is practically nothing left over. The holiday insurance are unlikely to pay out at all because I should have rung them at the time, and anyway I don’t really fit their criteria.

And so another week passes. Dot seems quite a bit better and as I write is watching NCFC (or those few players who aren’t injured) take on Manchester City at Carrow Road. Meanwhile David, Oliver and Amy are on their way to see us. My arm is giving me quite a bit of trouble, but that’s partly because I’m a bit late on the painkillers. Yesterday it wasn’t bad at all.

At lunchtime I walked to church to sit with Stuart and greet Heritage Day visitors from 1pm to 2pm. It’s a warm day, as it was yesterday, but I managed the journey Ok. Yesterday I wore a bit too much when I accompanied Dot to Riverside and was driven mad by sweating inside my cast, as well as being very, very tired.

Last Sunday Judy took us to church, and in the evening Phil gave us a lift to the Octagon for a concert of early music organised by Anna. Matt took part with his hurdy-gurdy, and there was an oboist who was excellent. Anna’s sister Niki was there, and so was Anna’s friend Jayne, who we met at their house; so that was two interesting conversations. It was a lovely evening, just the right length (about 75 minutes), and there was wine outside afterwards.

That was where we met Caren and Phil, who were very keen to do something to help us. So we “allowed” Caren to drive us up to Thorpewood for Dot’s routine pre-diabetic eye test the next day. While we were there, Dot was amazingly able to book us both in for a progress check-up with a doctor at the new Lionwood Surgery on Wellesley Avenue. Afterwards Caren took us to the airport to retrieve the golf umbrella we’d left there when we flew back from Kirkwall.

The following day we decided to take the bus up to Lionwood, and that worked very well. We had plenty of time to spare, and the doctor was sympathetic. Had to hurry back because Ryan, who was making a second attempt to fix our TV, was running early. But that worked out Ok, though I am not totally convinced by the TV, as we still can’t get HD on it through the BT box. We suspect the box might need replacing.

In the evening Philip Robinson picked us up and took us (very, very slowly) to Poringland for a meal. Anne wasn’t feeling too well – she has sores in her mouth – but we had a nice time. Phil drove us back very, very slowly. Bit worried, because he’d already been asleep.

Wednesday was Oliver’s 17th birthday. Phil and Joy came round to see us and were here for quite a long time. They really do have a lot of health problems – especially Joy. There can’t be much she hasn’t got.

Judy has been keeping us stocked up with food, but on Thursday Mary next door rang from Morrisons to see if we needed anything. Dot suggested a few biscuits, and she exceeded expectations by a considerable margin. Unfortunately she arrived just as Paul and Maryta were about to leave, and Maryta had one of her shouting fits. Less unfortunately, Mary was not at all fazed by this, as her older son has a similar problem.

Bridget also called in, but I’m not sure which day. Des has been over and innumerable people have rung or sent cards. One who rang was Mary Thrower, whose husband Neville, who was in the same class as I was, has v=been having fits at the same time as being treated for prostate cancer. So many people are having a rough time.

Just had a long phone call from Lily, who seems pretty perky.

Trying to get back to somewhere near normal, at least as far as this blog is concerned. Still in a bit of pain, especially round the chest, but Dot seems quite a lot better. We both get tired easily. Insurance claims are in, though I had a call from an Orkney farmer about his damaged post. Had a bit of trouble understanding him.

On Sunday Judy took us to church, and I preached on love, citing our experience from so many people after our accident. Afterwards the congregation went to Eleanor’s at the Great Hospital for refreshments.Not all of them found the way easily. Sarah turned up a bit late, and Adrian was early – too early, having invaded Eleanor’s service. She asked us to make sure he left when we did; so I woke him up.

On Monday Dot cancelled her visit to the commissioning service at the Cathedral and recovered from Sunday: so did I, though of course I wasn’t going to the Cathedral, not being a DSO.

On Tuesday she didn’t make it to the Archant coffee morning, but I did. Quite a small attendance. Robin and Shelagh offered me a lift up there, and I accepted. Afterwards, however, I went over to Boots and discovered the glasses I had broken in Ballater were still under guarantee, which was a Good Thing. The y organised some new frames for me, which I picked up yesterday.

Later on Tuesday Heather visited Norwich, and I met her at the station. She was on crutches from a torn calf muscle, obtained at zumba. So together we made a pretty pair. Dot joined us in Costa at the Premier Inn, and we had a long chat. She was doing a viva on a UEA student at the Maids Head.

On Wednesday Ryan came round to fix our TV, but failed. The HD went wrong again shortly after he left; so he’s coming again next week. In the afternoon Dot and I went with Paul and Maryta to St Benet’s Abbey. He took us down a narrow road which left us only a couple of hundred yards short, and we had a pleasant 30-40 minutes looking round on quite a nice day. Maryta only screamed at him a couple of times, once for doing an outrageous 42mph in a 60mph limit.

The next day Dot and I walked over to Riverside to get her some allergy pills from Boots and a couple of things from Morrisons. We also got me a pair of jeans (Farah)with a waist large enough for me to do it up easily. Later I wrote to Andrew and sent him a few photos.

Today Judy came round with some more food for us. She has been brilliant. She is also taking us to church tomorrow. The weather has turned a bit chilly, but it’s not too bad.