You’ll be relieved to hear that Jessie’s bus and Dot managed to be in roughly the same place at the same time, and as a result of some inventive parking by Dot, the rendezvous was achieved, as was lunch with A Ethel. I was at home, because you don’t want to interfere with that sort of thing. Meanwhile the roof saga came to a conclusion, and I have to say the result is impressive. Yesterday the final bits of scaffolding were removed and, what with the shorn hedge, the house seems quite naked, without cover of any kind – except of course the roof. When it rains properly (there were a few drops this evening) we’ll see how well the new system copes.

Barbara also came round yesterday for lunch with Dot and a conversation with the accountant. Both worked out well, as did subsequent discussion on the publishing venture. I had written a story which turned out to be not quite what they wanted as an introductory piece, and the two of them have now worked out a more coherent structure. Now I have to write a coherent story, which is not my strong point. Still…

My chess game on Monday was aborted because the guy I was playing was double-booked, and I ended up playing progressive chess against Joe Bell, a precocious youngster from the Norfolk & Norwich club. As I had no idea what I was doing, the games didn’t last long. We also had some rapid games of normal chess, and I managed to win three of them (but lost several more). Haven’t been sleeping well, and today I feel listless and disorganised. I was tired at Tuesday Group last night, as spotted by the perceptive Bridget, but since several people had their eyes closed during the CD and there was the odd snore, I was evidently not alone in this.

Have received numerous e-mails from Barbara about our holidays next year. Terrifying. She’s booked a hotel in Venice that looks rather nice. Or upscale, as I believe they say in upscale circles. Dot and I have both switched our ISAs to get more interest, which means we may be able to afford it.

Amusing story in the EDP yesterday morning under the heading “Council draws up a radical transport blueprint for city”. The first sentence reads: “Radical changes to the way people get around Norwich are on the cards as transport chiefs look to cut gridlock by closing roads…”  Yes, that should work. Is gridlock something that can be cut anyway? Doesn’t it have to blown up? Or simply avoided?