What a murky year so far, in so many ways. Today (Tuesday 28 January) it is grey and wet, and Dot is on her way back from the dentist’s. I drove her up, but she wanted to have look a round the shops on the way back. I cancelled my appointment because I still have a cough – not frequent, but apt to come on without warning, which is not what you want when you’re at the dentist’s.

Going back over a week, Monday 20th was also grey – and cold. Got in touch with Joy to arrange a meeting: eventually settled on the 31st, because they have a lot on this week. Just as well, as it turned out. Still feeling bit chesty. Plus pains in lower right side off and on. Feels like gas. After lunch drove to Morrisons, bought food and other supplies and put petrol in car. Inauguration of President Trump. Biden determined to prove he was no better by pre-pardoning members of his family plus the notorious Faucci. Ho hum. Watched quite a bit of TV but nothing too significant. Put bins out. Cooked salmon. Dot very tired – slept a bit in afternoon. 

Tuesday’s weather pretty much the same. Bit of an upset stomach in a minor way: felt better towards evening. Earlier sorted out charity money – quite a big job – and walked up to post office – bitterly cold. Brought bins in when I got back. Cooked pizza, and we had some Christmas pudding. Let Oliver know our latest situation, and he decided to put off coming up here, especially as there were colds going round at work. Sad not to see him but I think it’s the right decision. Will see him soon, I hope. 

Wednesday – More of the same, but slightly wetter. Wore raincoat to go to church in morning after Judy had come round to see last episode of The Chosen. Quite warm in hall, and we covered quite a bit of Acts 16, 17 – I think. Cooked salmon en croute and then Dot went with Janet to orchestra rehearsal. No Nova. I watched a documentary on Jack the Ripper (Lucy Worsley) but went to sleep. Don’t know why I was so tired. 

Thursday – Bit of rain, but not too bad for Philip Robinson’s funeral. Church pretty full. Saw several people we recognised from the area, including Sally Morris, who we gave a lift to the Annesley Hotel on Newmarket Road for the wake. She seemed very unhappy. Also saw Mary and Bernard Pitt, Mrs Barter, Bernadette – and Sylvia was there too.  Plus the family of course. At the wake sat with Francine and her son Simon, a really nice guy and an IT specialist, of course. Both live in Northampton. Also chatted with Anne and the girls, plus David (Louise’s husband). Nice food at the hotel. One or two photos that I’d taken! Felt fine while all this was going on, but when we got home I felt cold and tired. Had to lie down. Had omelettes for evening meal and watched another episode of Patience. Plot a bit far-fetched, but enjoyable. Dire  bad weather warnings for tomorrow, but mainly somewhere else. 

Friday – Cold, windy, mainly dry. Avoided worst of storm that brought rain, high winds and snow to more northerly and westerly parts of the country. Too much cold wind to meet in street. Earlier went with Dot to chemist and then Morrisons – after getting up late and choosing hymns. Couldn’t eat much lunch and had to lie down. Felt cold and very tired. Later chest was very tight. Had small supper, watched Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, which wasn’t quite as good as I remembered, but had its points. Felt better towards the end of the evening and helped Dot clear up in kitchen – she had been making a birthday cake for Nikki. 

Saturday – Weather similar. Very unwell during night: pain side and back – had to take paracetamol. Dot prayed for me for quite a while. Eventually got to sleep but not all well during the day. Stayed in bed. Had a bath. Took more paracetamol. Dot went to match: City beat Swansea 5-1. She went back to shop to get me some white fish. Got up to watch TV and felt gradually a bit better, possibly because I went to loo. Dot said she also had pain in similar place (not the loo): possibly we ate something. Watched final two episodes of Crá – Gaelic thriller. Quite good. 

Sunday was a strange day. Pain much less. Dot went to church with cake for Nikki. I stayed in bed. Took more paracetamol, which helped. Started coughing quite a lot, which also helped, I think Slept a lot later. Though not quite as much as I thought I had. Felt very tired. Church went well – Dot did prayers, and everyone was concerned about me. Lots of advice, including ringing 111 or going to A&E. Decided I felt bad enough already. Des and Chris back from Lichfield. Spurs lost to Leicester. 

Yesterday there was some rain. Landmark morning: I went down to make a cup of tea (just after 8am) and didn’t need to put the light on. Rang dentist to cancel my appointment . Still felt very heavy, with the greatest desire really to go to bed or, if already in bed, to go to sleep. As you see, I’ve got behind with my blog. Watched a bit of television in the evening, including the first episode of Silent Witness, which wasn’t really helpful because it was about a man dying of an unknown virus/pathogen on a plane. Very exciting, though. Also saw a documentary on the Loch Ness Monster. There’s definitely something there. I can feel it.

Last Wednesday (Jan 15) was grey and damp, but warmer. Neither of us felt well, but well enough to leave the house. I did a bit of catching up on the computer, and in the afternoon took Dot to the podiatrist, which is just as well as there were no parking spaces. While she was in there I drove up to the Earlham cemetery and found Mum’s parents’ grave again. (I had mislaid it for a while.) First walk for a while – no great distance, but I felt OK.

Afterwards we watched a fascinating documentary on the Sistine Chapel, the Franciscans and the Waco massacre. Not an obvious link, but some really interesting research about the influence of the Franciscans and various Scriptural interpretations. Even more interesting after seeing the programme on the Renaissance. Later Dot went to orchestra rehearsal, which went quite well. Afterwards we watched another episode of Patience and a bit of football, in which for the second big match in succession the result was influenced by the referee giving a corner when it wasn’t one. This time Spurs lost 2-1 to Arsenal. Last time West Ham lost 2-1 to Aston Villa. 

Thursday was grey and damp again. Had a bath, chose some hymns, rang David by mistake. Sorted out some Parish Pump stuff that looks do-able. Dot went to the shop, got some flowers for Sarah and a plant for Bridget, who came to clean. Her husband came at the end and they went home together. Cooked some kippers, and Dot made a blackberry and apple crumble. Watched some football and a programme by Monty Don that ended up at the Houghton Hall walled garden – without mentioning the flame fountain. Totally unbelievable. Then watched North by North West – realised we’d seen it before fairly recently but watched it again anyway. Very good film. Felt a bit sick afterwards. Nothing to do with the film. 

Friday – more anticyclonic gloom, and quite cold too. I wrote an article for my website at last and made a start on the Parish Pump stuff. Dot went to see Anne and had quite a long talk with her about the funeral and also a possible holiday for the two of them. Dot and Anne, that is. Despite the chill we all decided to street meet, and there was quite a group: Des, Chris, Ciara, Mark, John, Jonathan, Matt. Des got us fish and chips. We watched a highly praised but very weird story about a taxi driver, called Person of Interest. Not impressed. Also watched a Lucy Worsley programme on the gunpowder plot. Impressed. Denis Law died. My favourite footballer. Ever. 

On Saturday the weather was much the same. Wrote prayers for Sunday and finished Parish Pump pieces on Patrick Henry, Alexander Fleming and Dave Allen. Drove Dot to church in afternoon for Peace Catalyst session, which she quite enjoyed. I picked her up afterwards. Norwich lost 2-0 away to Sheffield United. Watched a couple more episodes of Cra, the Gaelic thriller, and I cooked some sausages. 

Yesterday (Sunday) was cold and dry. Went to church in the morning, and we were warmly received, which was nice. I played in the worship band and led the prayers. Long chat with Amanda about Pastons. After lunch we watched football.  All results going wrong at the moment. Spurs even managed to lose 3-2 to Everton. Oliver FaceTimed and arranged provisional date for him to come up here. Showed us round his flat – great view and surroundings. Cooked fish for supper, then watched All About Eve – an excellent film with George Sanders and Celeste Holm great characters.  David FaceTimed to check on our condition. We are both improving but not quite there yet.  Wherever there is.

Very strange year so far. It’s the 15th, and Dot and I are still feeling quite ill, clogged up and lacking in energy. Just had a call from the vicar, who’s had something similar but was worrying about us. Keep thinking we’ll be all right tomorrow, but then we’re not. Dot has been practising for orchestra tonight, but we’ll have to see whether she’s well enough to go. At least we haven’t had a high temperature; so it’s not flu. Something to be thankful for.

This is how it’s gone over the last week:

Thursday, the 9th, was sunny and dry. Very cold. Still up and down healthwise. Same old symptoms most of the day, improving slightly in evening. Dot improving very slowly. Mark got us some oranges. Wrote quite a few e-mails and read meters. Dot paid tax. Watched Cat Ballou in evening and the second episode of Patience, a police series featuring an autistic puzzle-solver, which was very good. Still feel quite cut off from real life. Weird. 

Friday the 10th was again sunny and dry. Very cold. Both of us feeling well below par, but Dot has energy to do things, whereas I haven’t, most of the time. No appetite. Heaviness. Bad head, but can carry on at the moment, though the temptation is to stay in bed. Tonight chest and head don’t feel good. Mark brought us a bit more stuff. I had a bath and finished reading John Julius Norwich book – very good – then read short Alan Bennett book Kristine gave us for Christmas. Also excellent. Bit of sleep. Watched two episodes of three-parter on the Renaissance, which were quite revealing. Also FA cup match between Aston Villa and West Ham, which the latter won because they were given a corner which blatantly wasn’t one. Quite worried about my slow progress and random pains in head and rest of body. 

Saturday – extremely cold: fog and ice. Paul came round to see us in the morning, and I felt well enough to go down and have a drink with him (at opposite side of room). Dot improving but not well enough to go to first of a series of meetings at church on peace – part-led by Phil Gazley. We listened to Norwich lose 4-0 to Brighton in the FA Cup. I definitely felt a change, as if I might have turned a corner – so much so that I cooked a meal that Mark had got for us: moussaka. Very nice. Discovered Graham still unwell, and Liz will be taking baptism tomorrow. Watched quite a bit of TV, including final episode of Renaissance documentary, which was excellent, and another documentary, on Yellowstone, which had nice pictures but was written as if for a class of not very bright ten-year-olds. David FaceTimed: he and Chrissy seemed perky and well. 

Sunday – No change in weather and not much change in health, though managed to cook meal again. Watched quite a lot of TV – including Spurs making heavy weather of beating Tamworth. Watched a couple of episodes of new Gaelic thriller – in Gaelic. 

Monday – still very cold. Dot went to Morrisons and I almost went with her, but didn’t feel quite well enough. Then we almost went to Cake and Compline at Eleanor’s, but again both felt worse just before – so I got Bridget to call in and pick up the compline I’d chosen. Elaine said her iodine recommendation may have been a bit too radical. Ho hum. Did manage to put the rubbish out. 

Tuesday – Becoming warmer and dry. Very gradual improvement for both of us, slightly delayed in my case by having my hair cut. Dot had hers cut too of course, but it doesn’t seem to affect her in the same way. Felt very tired after lunch. Read a bit. Cooked chilli con carne for supper and watched Silent Witness, which was pretty good. Then an old episode of Outnumbered, which was brilliant. Long interchange with various people (mainly Debbie) on DCC issues  ended with meeting being moved back to February. Reading The City and the City – vague memory of seeing it on TV years ago. Very clever. 

Friday – Mainly sunny and cold. I went out twice – once to post Dot’s sympathy card to Anne and later to take the football tickets to Naomi. I didn’t feel too bad doing that but I do seem to have taken on Dot’s cough, though in a rather less virulent form  – I hope. Ellie brought us round some Vitamin C and iodine, which apparently kills germs and viruses.

I finished writing my sermon, and had to cope with the house alarm, which kept going off despite not being set. Eventually Wilf came at about 5pm and seems to have fixed it. He says there was a loose connection. Jonathan gave me a Daily Mail for some reason, and Des got us fish and chips. Everyone is very kind.  Steven rang, concerned about his aunt, who is dying. (She later died.) David FaceTimed us around lunchtime to see how we were. 

Saturday – Cold but dry. Felt lousy. We both stayed in bed most of the day: listened to football: Norwich losing 1-0 till 90th minute. Then sub Forson scored twice. Wild scenes. I got up to cook pies for supper , which we ate while watching documentary on Vera. Arranged for Liz C to read my sermon tomorrow. Dot rang up Ray, who is quite ill with stomach problems. Had bath and went to bed. Chest very tight. Not feeling good. 

Sunday and Monday – Not much improvement. Apparently only 11 at church and only two in music group – Matt and Phil. We missed the taking down of decorations and Neville and Mary’s drinks gathering. Dot still has quite a bad cough, and we both feel that we’re carrying a huge weight. Struggle to do anything really, and not sure if taking iodine is a good idea. Mark and Sarah kindly bought us some soup and a ready meal (very nice) on Monday. We watched a fair bit of TV.

Last night I couldn’t sleep till about 4am. Felt lousy when I woke up, but improved after going to loo – bit of a stomach upset. Grim weather on Sunday, but Monday was cold and sunny. Lots of snow and flooding elsewhere in the UK. Happily Oliver’s flight back home went OK – as far as I know. He is now at home in Walthamstow, and Amy has returned to Southampton. 

Tuesday – Sunny, dry and cold. Feel we may have turned a corner after a bad night (for me). Very strange semi-dream involving cubes of textiles and half-remembered places. Dot and I got up latish morning and cleared up the house – I did the kitchen and Dot did the decorations, then I put the stuff Dot had gathered together into the loft. Put the bins out. I had a bath, shaved and did my nails, then went to sleep. Felt fragile after that, but we had venison grillette sandwich, and I began to feel better. Watched a double episode of Silent Witness, which was excellent, and by bedtime I thought I was making progress. 

Wednesday – Sunny, dry and cold. Dot seemed quite a bit better, though there was plenty of stuff floating round her head and chest, as there was round mine (try not to picture it). Late up again. I came down to say a brief hello to Bridget, who came to clean. I had already brought the bins in and moved the car for her. While she was here I didn’t feel at all good (we stayed in the living room to keep out of her way). After she’d gone I felt even worse and went up to lie on bed: Dot came up to pray for me. She left me for half an hour – I dozed and then suddenly felt better (lighter).

Came down for chicken soup and fruit, and we watched Paddington 2 again. Brilliant film – lifted us both.  Then watched Songs of Praise, which ended with two inspiring songs, one of which was new to me. Also saw good little documentary on Culross, a village in Fife. Dot missed orchestra rehearsal of course, but Janet kindly came round to deliver her folder of new music. New venue – Sewell Centre – seemed good. Graham in bed with cold and cough, and Debbie panicking about the DCC. I just want to go to sleep.

It’s Friday, January 3, and we’ve just had another really bad night. Dot was coughing very severely on several occasions, and we got little sleep. Eventually I prayed for Dot in tongues and the coughing eased. It certainly hasn’t gone completely, but she seems better. Obviously we’re both very tired, and the alarm went off for no apparent reason – it wasn’t even set. But the sun is shining, though it’s very cold.

Last Saturday was a rather dull day, but dry and chilly. Slept late and had a bath. Feeling tired still, and heavy-headed. Oliver has arrived in Waterloo. After turkey sandwich lunch, Dot took bus into the city to meet Anne in Jarrolds. I caught up with various things like bank account, picture editing and e-mails. Did quite a few steps but felt very tired. Checked out Dot’s car gifts, especially brilliant absorbent sponge. When Dot got back had another turkey meal! Afterwards watched a good ghost story, a quite pleasing Call the Midwife and an excellent Dr Who: Joy to the World, by Steven Moffat. His stuff is always good. 

Sunday was very weird. Had a stomach upset in the night – not too severe, just annoying. So decided not to go to football with Dot. Still have an irritating cough. Had message from Des to say they’re improving. Dot went early to Carrow Road to get free drink again – they found the scarf she left behind last time! Norwich drew with QPR 1-1 by scoring in the last few minutes. More importantly, got a message from Anne to say that Philip had died at 10pm last night. End of an era. Very sad, but at the same time a relief. Watched all four episodes of The Serial Killer’s Wife, which was pretty good really. Also saw a bit of football and (pointlessly) the last bit of The Sound of Music, because it happened to be on. 

Monday was quite pleasant: mainly sunny and not too cold. Dot went to see Anne in the afternoon and stayed for a while. I cleared up, then walked up to the Rosary and back. Checked graves, of course. When I got back, made turkey soup – should have done dumplings, but didn’t. We ate a lot of it later. Have had better. Dot did Christmas pudding, which was delicious. Watched quite a bit of TV, including some football and The Split: Barcelona, which was average, despite a good cast. Dot started feeling ill; hope it’s a passing  thing. Earlier David FaceTimed as they were having a Christmas dinner at Waterloo. Full table. 

Tuesday was dry but windy. Dot has a really bad cold and is on paracetamol. Did quite a bit of clearing up, wrote some thank you e-mails  and kept an eye on Dot: cooked cheese on toast for lunch and battered haddock in the evening. Watched a lot of classical music on TV among other things, including a couple of episodes of Black Doves, which is very violent. 

Wednesday the 1st – Not a good year so far. Rained almost all day, though it wasn’t too cold. Dot’s cold is still bad, and we didn’t get up till lunchtime: Dot didn’t get dressed all day. My filing cabinet jammed, but I managed to unjam it. Chose hymns for Sunday and gave my sermon a thought. Cooked salmon for evening meal. Wind overnight smashed over Dot’s greenhouse. I’ve stood it up, but it needs sorting out. Watched penultimate episode of Vera, in which Brenda Blethyn was as good as always. Also the final episode of Black Doves, which was good but violent. If that’s possible. Getting a bit of exposed nerve trouble from one of my teeth.  

Thursday – Sunny and dry, but much colder, which I prefer, because it feels warmer to me. Dot still very bad – lot of coughing during the night; sore ribs and some coughing during the day. Got up late and sat in living room in night clothes. After lunch (leftover salmon) I drove to the shop. Felt really odd when I got out of the car and for some time afterwards, as if I was in some other head. Quite tired. Again. Managed 4000 steps largely by working in house and walking round shop. Repaired the structure of the greenhouse, but the plants are in disarray. Watched wildlife prog, part of a film and the last-ever Vera. Wrote part of my sermon for Sunday. Cooked egg, bacon and mushrooms. Dot coughing less by end of day but is very sore.