Well, we finally lost the fourth Test in fairly humiliating fashion, though two bowlers (Broad and Swann) top-scored with 60+ each. I suggest that for the final test we pick a wicketkeeper and ten bowlers, on the grounds that bowlers seem to be able to bat at least as well as the batsmen, and possibly better.

The meal on Saturday night at the Nelson, on the river opposite the station, went pretty well, though the front of the restaurant was full of disgruntled though good-humoured Norwich City fans, drowning their sorrows after the appalling 7-1 home defeat by Colchester. One of them went so far as to buy Dot a drink as she stood at the bar, so at least he had an eye for talent: perhaps he should pick the team. The meal itself was excellent in quality, but the service was terrible. The whole meal took almost three hours, which was not so bad when there were seven of us chatting, but would have been awful for just one or two. Bad service really irritates me. I don’t think it was the staff’s fault so much: there just weren’t enough people serving. Swine flu, I expect.

After church on Sunday Phil took Andrew back to Coventry, with me as a passenger adding moral support. Warm day, and the Mercedes air-conditioning wasn’t working, so it was quite wearing. Fortunately I had a bottle of ginger beer. Stopped at Cambridge Services again for a call of nature and found it crammed. Can’t help wondering if people go to service areas for a day out instead of the beach. Rest of journey was uneventful, and the traffic fairly light. When we passed Thetford on the way back there was a huge queue going in the opposite direction, heading for Elveden. After mentioning it on Twitter, I discovered that the RSPB are objecting to the new road. If it’s not newts, it’s curlews. When will they learn that wildlife is infinitely adaptable, unlike us? Home by 7pm and time to watch a bit of television after Dot emerged from under piles of ironing.

This morning the fascia board people arrived but couldn’t start because the scaffolding didn’t get here till 10.30, and anyway the surveyor had failed to take a couple of things into account, and they would probably need more scaffolding. Sounds like a big company taking advantage of the self-employed again. Guys who came were really pleasant and I’m confident it will be done well. They are returning at 7.30am tomorrow!