Delightful week, despite the chill wind for much of it. Son and grandchildren visited, and Philip and Jane and their two children camped nearby in the Premier Inn; we spent most of the time together, and I even missed an Archant agm, I was having so much fun.
Our family arrived on Monday. I was due to play chess against Yosif in the evening, but typically he didn’t show up, and I returned for a quiet evening. On Tuesday the Coomes arrived, and we organised lunch and supper for nine. In the afternoon most of us walked into the city by way of the Cathedral Close (leaving Dot fixing the evening food) and then went to the Museum, followed by the Norwich City shop, where I bought a Canaries bag for Oliver and two teddy bears for Amy – one pink and one a traditional yellow. Apparently the NCFC teddy bears are walking off the shelves in the current climate of optimism. As I write City are 2-1 up against Nottingham Forest, being watched by Dot, who got a free ticket from the Robinsons.
On Wednesday we all went to Bewilderwood and survived the chill quite well, considering. Ended up in a den-making competition, with Dot spearheading one, and Phil and David leading the other. Both did exceptionally well, I thought. Another meal at ours in the evening, but the trend changed on Thursday, which was a bit warmer, in a relative sort of way. Everyone except me went to Cromer (Dot by train), bercause I had to wait for the alarm to be serviced and then go to the dentist to have a crown fitted. Not an actual crown, though that would probably have been cheaper. The process (with earlier preparation) left me with little change from £1200, which is about £1000 too much for any tooth work, in my opinion. Of course, I wouldn’t tell the dentist that. They have drills.
Owing to an earlier blunder, I had booked Dot and me into the Maddermarket in the evening, so instead of enjoying a leisurely meal in the Premier Inn with the others, we had a quick starter and then hurtled up to the theatre for an excellent performance of Alan Bennett’s 40 Years On. Sat next to James Goffin – to whom I owe my four years’ teaching at UEA (I took over his course) – and afterwards had a chat with David Newham, another former colleague and long-established Maddermarket actor, who said he was hoping for a part in the forthcoming Under Milk Wood.
Today was much warmer, but it was also the day of departure for our visitors. In the morning we took them up to Mousehold and had a game of football which I feel may take me several days to recover from. Good fun, though. Oliver is dead keen, and very skilful too. Amy organised a party lunch with some assistance from Dot (or should that be the other way round?), and I said goodbye early to meet Anna at the Castle. We were supposed to proceed to Dragon Hall for a meeting on Paston plans, but Sarah at Dragon Hall postponed twice within 24 hours, so I had to spend almost an hour with Anna, which was of course a real trial, not to say very pleasant indeed. Someone needs to get an armlock on Sarah, though.