A difficult week. Last Sunday (25th) weather was ok, I think. Got back from church – where was quite a thin congregation and I played in the band – feeling pretty ill and went to bed. Not sure: I may have just lain on it. Slept a bit. Some pain in stomach. Headache, etc etc. Dot looked after me. Eventually she came to bed and we went to sleep. 

Monday (Bank Holiday) – Weather pretty nondescript, but dry till evening. Woke with temperature up. Dot dropped me at walk-in centre, and I spent two hours waiting to be seen (initially thought it would be longer). Very good nurse practitioner prescribed antibiotics and cream and told me to go to doctor’s first thing tomorrow to get more detailed blood test. She sent them a message, which should make things easier. Seemed to think it was mainly a UTI.

Dot met me (she had been in John Lewis after initially returning home) and we walked home. Had cheese sandwich and watched last two episodes of Long Bright River, which was very good, if a bit slow at times. Then feeling pretty grotty so went to bed and slept a bit. Dot did me a fried egg and toast, and we watched a good programme on Scandinavia – primarily Finland. Then watched football. David FaceTimed with Oliver and we had a chat. Apparently Chrissy & Co have colds. Anna, returning home from New York, apparently has Covid. 

Tuesday – Pretty wet, especially later. Tried to ring surgery at 8, made 17th in the queue and then noticed that I already had am messages giving me an appointment at 11.10. Amazing efficiency, presumably as a result of the walk-in centre’s message. The appointment was with Emma, my favourite Thorpewood nurse, but it turned out it was just to take blood. I have another appointment on Friday to get the results – at Dussindale (later changed to Thorpewood). Felt a bit better during the day, though still very tired, and I lay down during the afternoon. Des brought plants over for charity project at church and later came again to tell us our car boot was open. Nothing taken, though. Dot had been to shops earlier. Watched first two episodes of Series 4 of Clarkson’s Farm. Very good. Pity about some of the language. Also first part of a documentary about Jane Austen. 

Wednesday  – Very wet to start with, but dry later. Fairly warm. Helped Dot load car with plants to take to church for planting by charity. When she got there it poured with rain for ten minutes; so she had to wait in the car till it relented. Plants were appreciated though. Tim-free Bible study with Debbie, Ellie, Steven. Judy was at the funeral of her husband’s second wife and had left her car in our drive. She picked it up about 3pm –  all went well.

Meanwhile Mark has had new windows and a new front door installed: the door looks particularly good, and it all took less than two days. Even John was impressed. Dot and I watched Death Valley, a new comic crime series which I rather liked. Stars Timothy Spall.  Nova arrived too late to go with Janet and Dot to violin rehearsal; so I gave her a lift. I think she now feels an eternal obligation. 

Thursday – Warm and dry but a little windy. Very quiet. Dot did some work in the garden. I gradually improved healthwise through the day and risked not taking my final paracetamol. Tidied my room up in the afternoon and chose some hymns for Sunday (after sleeping for a while post-prandially). We have new harder pillows – well we’ve had them for a while but not used them. They seem good. Bridget came to clean about 4pm – seemed very perky and full of ideas.  Des brought us fish and chips at 7pm, and we watched a couple more episodes of Clarkson’s Farm. I walked over to the station to get cash out and somehow, with a little indoor walking, brought up the 4000. 

Oliver is now (Sunday the 25th) in Canada. Here, last Tuesday (20th) it was warm and dry. Dot found my summer shirts in the loft, and I wore one to go to Bawdeswell Garden Centre to have lunch with Julia and Allen. Had whitebait – nice. Felt a bit iffy all day but better in the evening. Have been drinking water for usual reason. Also peppermint tea. Spoke to Mark and Jon when we got back. Sarah not having her op till next time Mark comes home. Watched some football and finished off Parish Pump – though not happy about one of the items. Lots of conflicting information. (First rocket lunch in 1950). After light tea – biscuits and ham and cheese, plus leftover salmon – we watched first two episodes of a thriller called Long Bright River, set in America and pretty good. Had another search for Dot’s book The Case for Heaven, but it still eludes. Headache. 

Wednesday. Cooler, some sun; showers elsewhere. Went to church for Bible study.  Discussed “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”, but not very successfully really. Probably better to revert to reading a book, or part of one. People who are revamping church  “garden” started work today – they seem very nice. Phil back from Italy but didn’t come till Taizé. Dot and I took short walk to Anglia Square to see changes: thought it would be shut, but only the shops were shut. The square is still open. Wrote new article for Parish Pump to replace one I wasn’t happy with; so went with Sir Robert Peel, the 1935 Yangtze floods and the 2005 London suicide bombings. Dropped: 1950 Cape Canaveral rocket launch, which had lots of contradictory info. Wildly different estimates of how high it went, for instance. Not entirely clear why the first launch should be called Bumper 8. Anyway… Dot went to orchestra in evening with Janet and Nova. I managed nearly 5000 steps through the day. We watched another episode of Long Bright River as well as (after several attempts) brief highlights of Spurs’ 1-0 win over Manchester United in Europa Cup Final. Feel quite a bit better but still getting very odd sensations in head and stomach. On the plus side, still alive. 

Thursday – Some light rain very early, but mostly dry and not too cool. Still feeling fairly odd, but able to carry on with stuff generally. Chose hymns and took card for Paul’s birthday up to post; Dot and I went to Morrisons to stock up. Altogether managed over 4000 steps. Cooked complicated meal of duck, then we went to DCC meeting at the new vicarage. Managed to park eventually. Stopped Dot driving up no-entry street: she had been confused by my directions. Didn’t enjoy DCC meeting.  Watched first day highlights of Zimbabwe test, which was so easy for England that it was boring, then a Villages by the Sea episode on Alnmouth, where I’d stayed with Andrew. Didn’t look very familiar, but then I did go to sleep during the middle of it. The programme, not the holiday. 

Friday – Reasonably warm. Up quite late. Think I’ve worked out what might be wrong with me: enlarged spleen. Sounds weird, but can’t find anything else that fits the symptoms. Most of the time I feel all right, though. Perhaps it’s shrinking. Caught up with playing through EP chess games, edited pix and checked bank account. Did quite a bit of walking up and down and reached the high 4000s again. Did some work in the garden, mainly cutting back ivy. Later met in street as usual, but without Mary, who has a migraine. Des, Chris, Ciara, Matt, Joe and Sam there. Mark arrived very late – had been out for meal with friends and had enjoyed the cocktails. Interesting conversation with Ciara (mainly) about Whitsun, which is a couple of weeks away. Cooked pie for Dot, and lamb steak for me. Watched more cricket, Austen and Red Dwarf, as well as another go at Villages by the Sea, during which we managed to stay awake and Alnmouth looked more familiar. 

Saturday – Warmer than it looked. Rained early on but threatened later rain did not materialise. Had a bath and then walked over to the bus with Dot, but got a different one to go further, intending to walk home from the RC Cathedral area. However, this plan fell through when a Polish woman asked me where the city centre was and if she had time to look round before her train left at 2pm. I got off with her at Red Lion Street and set her in the right direction, heading down The Walk.

Then I walked up to Chapelfield Gardens and from there through Little Bethel Street to the City Hall, where some kind of demo was going on. Not sure what it was. Looked in at an exhibition in the Undercroft but didn’t like many of the pictures. Headed on through the market and from there through the Arcade and on to London Street, where Dot was busy in Jarrolds. Up towards the Cathedral, and in Queen Street bumped into Stephanie Caine, a friend I hadn’t seen for a while and who was having trouble with subsidence, as well as asthma. Had a chat, and I then went on down through the Cathedral, past Paddington and into the cloisters for a quick look: then home, feeling very, very tired. Had worn a raincoat, and it was too hot.

Had lunch: meanwhile Dot was having lunch with Kim in Jarrolds. She bought several things with Rhodes in mind. Had soup for supper, watched Zimbabwe lose Test (but play quite well) then Dot prepared prayers for tomorrow. Watched two more episodes of Long Bright River – not enough rapids for my liking. Took paracetamol. Still feeling weird.

Thursday, May 15 – Much cooler with a northerly breeze, but still dry. Dot did violin practice and made a cake. I checked over Paston talk, organised trip with Mike Read for next month and researched a bit of Parish Pump. In the afternoon we drove to Christ Church and checked the technology for tomorrow with Julia (Steve?) and Bridget. Seems OK. Cooked pies and watched Far from the Madding Crowd (original version 1967). Long but atmospheric. 

Friday – Dull and quite cold. Didn’t feel at all well in the morning, but okay in the evening. Had a bath. Checked talk again. After lunch we drove to Christ Church, Eaton, where I spoke about the Paston family. There was a Mr Paston in the audience, but probably no relation. Dot was my tech support, and surprisingly all went well, though she kept signalling me to hold the microphone nearer my mouth. Discovered that I don’t like holding a mike when speaking because I tend to move my arms around. Chatted to a few people afterwards, including Amanda and Matt and the Taizé couple. Lay down when I got home and felt better by the time we went out for street meet. Very cold. Good group: Des, Chris, Angela, Matt, Mary, Sam, Jon. Des got us fish and chips, most of which I managed to eat. Watched some light television. Steps only 1800. 

Saturday – Bit warmer. Dry. Started writing prayers in morning, then after lunch went up by bus to the Forum, for a Norwich Polish Heritage event, to say thanks to organiser Adrian O’Dell for supporting Sillars! Met Neville and Mary there. First talk on Poles coming to Norfolk was not impressive: very confused and badly delivered. Worried about going to sleep. The second, on the National Writing Centre at Dragon Hall, was excellent – and much shorter.

Afterwards had coffee in Forum and chatted to Paul Dickson who had a stall at book fair there. Then went down to Jarrolds, bought cheese and walked home, taking it slowly. Quite tired. Finished writing prayers and after meal watched film, Absence of Malice, which was good, but remote went wrong in the middle – couldn’t speed through ads. Reset box afterwards, which seems to have fixed it. Bed late as consequence. Earlier Kim had invited us to another showing of a Chosen sequel, but it clashed with the Polish thing. 

Sunday – Weather much the same. Mark home. David’s birthday – FaceTimed with him after lunch. He seems well. Went to church in morning as usual and did prayers, which as it happened went well with Carrie’s sermon on love and kindness. Also played in band of course. Steve F came and added to sound as he always does. After lunch drove to North Walsham, bought some King Edward potatoes and flowers, then went and put latter on graves. Got petrol from Morrisons back in Norwich before having honey and mustard sausages – not really my favourite, it turned out. Watched last documentary on The Americas and Songs of Praise, which had two good new songs. Then a two-part documentary on the murder of a couple in Essex which had unusual features, though we felt the police made heavy weather of it. Not feeling too great today, but not sure why. 

Monday – Stomach pains and other problems like headache and ear popping. After walking up and down at home walked to Boots and Morrisons, but they didn’t have what I was looking for. Went home and had peppermint tea. Wrote a bit of Parish Pump and had a bit of toast but couldn’t eat anything else.  Had a bath, which helped a bit. And paracetamol, which helped more. Lay down for a bit and then cooked salmon for Dot. Felt a bit better by the time C& C people arrived – all except Phil, who may be in Italy. Good meeting including Eleanor: Dot had cooked birthday cake for David Archer. Managed a slice. Booked next meeting for June 16 at Claire’s. Had a few twinges when we finished; so cleared up and went to bed. Weather quite warm all day. 

Saturday May 10 was very warm and dry. Rewrote part of my sermon. Linda came to cut our hair, and I had a bath afterwards as usual. Dot went to see Anne in the afternoon – dropped me opposite County Hall, and I walked back. Tiring because of heat. Went down by river on both sides. Lay down when I got home, but edited pix and checked account. When Dot got back had pea and ham soup with croutons. Watched final two episodes of Annika. Very good. Mike Read sent me an annotated version of one of my old chess games. Surprisingly good! He wants to go with me to see Owen at his new home in Bury. Would like to do that. 

Sunday – Very warm again. Felt very tired for some reason. Was down to preach at church, but Graham mistakenly thought he was. I let him do his, and I thought it was pretty good. Afterwards took Ray home as usual, avoiding hold-up which had delayed us earlier. Finished the rota after persuading Carrie to let me know her availability. Nothing from LD as usual. Dot did quite a bit in the garden. We watched some football. Later I cooked salmon en croute  then cleared up. Watched interesting programme on polluted and over-dammed rivers. FaceTimed David re his birthday – he suggested we give him a present when he comes over. Went to bed fairly early: head feeling distinctly odd. But then it’s my head, so …

Monday – Very warm. Had a bad night: not sure why. Went to Morrisons to stock up. Then had lunch and drove to garden centre on Blue Boar Lane, where we bought some saucers to go under plant pots to stop the water going through. Of course if there weren’t holes in the bottom of the pots, this wouldn’t be necessary. Anyway drove down to Bungalow Lane and walked to Ferry Café, where we had some delicious strawberry cake. People there very friendly. Walked upriver a bit – quite hot – then back to car and home. Very tired and affected by sun. Lay down for a while then had egg, bacon and mushrooms. Watched a bit of football – Spurs and Man Utd losing abjectly. Couple of other programmes including final of University Challenge which was lost by Warwick on the last question – the only time they were behind. 

Tuesday – Warm and dry. High. Had a bath, then Dot drove me to the podiatrist, who liked my feet. Afterwards we drove to the cemetery and removed the temporary cross from Phyllis’s grave. Then crossed the road and found my grandparents’ grave (mum’s parents) unexpectedly easily. Drove home for lunch. Not very hungry. We found my Powerpoint for the Paston talk and put it on a memory stick. Hope that’s all that’s required for Friday. Cooked salmon supper and afterwards we watched Legally Blonde, which was pretty good. 

Wednesday – A bit cooler, but not much. Still dry with a bit of cloud. Bridget arrived at 10.45, fresh from the dentist, to do our cleaning. Had cup of tea in the garden with her and arranged a meeting at Christ Church tomorrow to make sure the technology for the talk on Friday works OK. Drove to church and did Bible study on Joel: went quite well. Other than Dot and me, we had Debbie, Judy and Steven. Lunch afterwards, and Dot did some violin practice while I eventually managed to book a boiler service with British Gas. (Nothing available last few times I looked) Had another look at Friday talk and found memory stick which might have PowerPoint on it. Dot drove to orchestra rehearsal (with Nova) because Janet is away. So couldn’t go to Halesworth poets. Probably a good thing. Rang Mike Read, who is going to contact Owen re visit (he now lives in Bury). Printed off talk and cleared up house. 

Sunday, April 4 was cooler, with occasional light rain. Drove to church and played in band. About 20 present including Eleanor. Howard led, Anna did lectio. Spoke to Sharon, whose mum (76) has dementia; father (82) looking after her. Took Ray home, then had lunch. Watched football: little time given to Norwich because no promotion/relegation issue. Dot feeling a bit unwell after injuring her arm –  not sure how. So she decided not to come with me to Lowestoft after our salmon supper.

Very quick journey despite some rain. Lovely rainbow near Lowestoft. Few people there: six of us plus Ian – Ivor, Peter, Pat, a  Christian guy who does blogs, Joan and me. Read Long Lens, Background Music, Some Other Universe, A Girl who was Passing, Binmen, The Crowd. Finished well before 9.30 but locked in by upstairs idiots who left while we were halfway through. Had to get out through fire escape. Left Ian and Christian guy trying to get into key safe. Earlier Ian had been telling me about pressures on managing theatre, which depends on grants. Some rain on way home, but no problems. We watched a pointless Expedition documentary about kayaking up the coast of Greenland. 

Bank holiday Monday and the start of VE Day celebrations, though we didn’t know that till catching it on the news tonight. Cool wind but dry. Got a message from Paul Henderson about 10 and as a result drove round to see him about 11.30 and stayed till well after 2 for tea/coffee. Very pleasant chat. Drove home and contacted Anna about signing will documents. Watched some snooker including last frame: young Chinese guy beat Mark Williams. Chess all over again. Cooked pies. Watched Americas documentary – Patagonia section. Just got up to 4000 steps by walking in the kitchen. 

Wednesday – Still chilly and often grey: a few drops of rain here and there. Dot and I went to Town House for pensioners’ breakfast; talked a lot with Eric and Linda. Tricia couldn’t come at last minute because of shoulder pain. Robin and Shelagh not there because Shelagh’s sister had died suddenly. Afterwards drove to Salthouse and looked at new exhibition there including Martin Laurence – good stuff generally. Bought some cards and spoke to one of the artists. Then drove cross country to Letheringsett and the new Jarrolds farm shop and café. Excellent tea and cake, then bought some food. Dot drove home. Watched new episode of Annika on Paul’s recommendation. It was really good, but only available on U app. Earlier walked up to sorting office and posted cards to Vicky and Rodney. For second day running just managed 4000. 

Wednesday – Cool wind again. Grey. Drove to church and did Bible study. Interesting discussion about the parable of the wise and foolish virgins: Debbie, Judy, Steven and Ellie on phone. When we got home Bridget was halfway through cleaning. Later watched Annika 2 and and a fascinating documentary about Saudi Arabia. Dot went to orchestra rehearsal with Janet – at Hoveton because usual place unavailable. I had a long FaceTime with David about Diderot – new bits look very good. Managed to get steps up to just over 4000 again and started on sermon. When Dot got home about 10pm watched Upstart Crow and then European Cup semi/finals. PSG beat Arsenal and Inter beat Barcelona. 

Thursday – Quite warm in morning, becoming cooler in the evening. BT man came to check up on Broadband because I’m renewing, but everything seems to be OK. Spent quite a long time writing my sermon and choosing hymns, while Dot went to the shops. Watched another episode of Annika. Very good. Late lunch and just a roll at teatime, then walked up to Maddermarket for Princess Ida. David Archer in chorus. Very good production other than shaky male lead. Met Stella from orchestra on the way and several others there. Also talked to David Newham and Neville Miller, who is 95. Two intervals – one too many. Dot chilly on walk home; so lent her my jacket. 

Friday was warm and sunny. Picked Kim up at 10.30 and drove to Foxley Wood. Eventually found the bluebells with help from a teacher who was supervising some bug-hunting kids. Quite impressive. The bluebells, not the teacher. Dot had stomach problem but made it round, and we drove to Bawdeswell Garden Centre, where we had some food and bought a few plants, plus some soil for Kim. Back to her place, where we unloaded and then drove home. Street meet as usual – bit thin on ground, but Matt and Angela, Joe and Sam, John. Mary and Bob in Rouen, Des and Chris in Bradford, Ciara and Sean in Surrey. Sarah has back trouble. I cooked lamb steak and Dot cooked chicken breast. Watched final episode of Black Snow, plus another one of Annika. 

Tuesday 29 April was sunny and warm. Dot picked up Joyce from her home at Hellesdon and took her to North Walsham to visit Sandra. They had coffee at the garden centre and chatted about times past. Dot was home for lunch, just as I was eating mine. I cleared up house and looked at OT for tomorrow, then cooked salmon for supper. Watched quite a lot of TV, I’m afraid, including first two episodes of Black Snow, which is a pretty good Australian thriller. Muscles in back and neck rather painful, possibly a result of sawing wood yesterday. Amy is in Bristol. 

Wednesday – Warm and dry. Dot and I Drove to Bible study at noon. Debbie not there. Did review of first part of Genesis, which went reasonably well. Drove home for lunch, then Bridget came to clean. Dot did some gardening and I caught up with e-mails and other stuff. Suddenly discovered that duck took 90 minutes to cook – did it just in time. Quite nice. Then Dot went to orchestra rehearsal with Janet and Nova. I cleared up, then watched a documentary about car-making in Coventry (special interest) and unexpectedly a bit about Bikers and food in Northumberland. When Dot came home we watched the third episode of Black Snow. Oh – had a look at my Paston talk for Bridget and adapted it to remove Swaffham links. 

Thursday – Very warm. Dot went to see Anne, and they had lunch together at Woodton. Meanwhile I got a bus into the city and got my iPhone fixed : the protective screen had been chipped. New one cost £34. Ho, hum. Walked back via Jarrolds and then into the Close, where I dropped off to see if I could see Louisa – which I did, accidentally, as she came to pick up some other clients. So she does exist. Left a message asking for the latest news, as Phyllis’s will was all supposed to be wrapped up by the end of last month.

Walked home (very warm) and looked out some poems for the Seagull, then put together another poem that had been lingering on the edge of reality for some time. Not sure how good it is: it links Snake Pass with a couple of other Peak District themes. Then had lunch and emptied dish washer. Too much detail? In the afternoon started writing a piece for my website. Dot got home about 3pm. We went to Morrisons and stocked up: also bought petrol. Cooked myself a lamb steak. We watched another episode of Black Snow, and one or two other things including European football. 

Friday – Still warm, but with a light breeze. Filled in forms for Canadian visa for Dot and me. Got receipts, but Dot’s disappeared. Then came back again. After lunch Dot and I went into town by bus, and I started her off on clothes shopping, then went home. By the time I got home I felt exhausted; so lay down for a bit, then wrote a piece for my website on the nature of science(!). On the way home ran into Des and Chris: the latter has failed to renew her driving licence and it’s proving difficult to retrieve the situation.

Dot got home around 5pm and we went out for street meet: quite pleasant – Des, Chris,  Sarah, Mary, Matt, Sam and Joe. Fish and chips fetched by Des. Watched documentary on pilgrimage, plus Beyond Paradise and penultimate episode of Black Snow. Earlier in the day the TV stopped working: I restarted box and replaced batteries in remote. One of those measures worked, but not sure which. 

Saturday – Still bright and dry, but a chill wind developing in the afternoon, as we walked back from the final Norwich match of the season. Not a reflection of the match, which City won 4-2 (it should have been about 7-3), and we stayed on for the players and their families parading round the pitch afterwards. Jonathan was also there, but left early as usual. Had lunch when we got home, which was about 3pm. Later on had FaceTime with David and Chrissy, talked about football, gardens and upcoming birthday. Sea bass for supper followed by stewed apples and blueberries and watched TV, including last episode of pilgrimage documentary. Surprisingly good. Earlier edited pix.