Bit nervous because the computer is going in tomorrow morning to have its long-standing video RAM problem fixed. I shall be without it for two or three days. Aargh! I expect I shall manage.

The picture is of Sophie Robinson and groom Richard Smith emerging from Shotesham Church yesterday and getting surrounded by confetti. Their wedding day couldn’t have been more perfect. The sky was blue, and the weather pleasantly warm without being sweltering. Dot and I started it by having our hair cut, then hastened to Dunston Hall to meet the Walpoles, who were over from Canada for the occasion. We had a sandwich, then headed for Shotesham. I made the mistake of letting the Walpoles go first: they had a sat-nav which took us a long way round and eventually got us heading for the Suffolk border. After a brief consultation I led the way back and found Shotesham without much trouble. Still in good time, fortunately.

The service was very good, and I got a lot of interesting photographs afterwards before we all headed south (correctly this time) for Hoxne, home of the groom’s parents, where the reception was held. We went our own way and managed to emerge on to the A140 ahead of the bridal car, but by the time we had parked in a field at the village they had arrived. The usual long hiatus between service and meal was made actually enjoyable by the amazing garden, which had several levels, a pond, a stream, a hill and a Celtic cross, not to mention a couple of fairground organs in working order. We took advantage of the many hors d’ouevres and a couple of Pimms and chatted to the Walpoles and the Robinsons, who had eventually arrived.

Very pleasant meal, and an amazingly good speech by Philip, the bride’s father, who used one of my jokes. Chatted for quite a while afterwards with Peter and Karol; also with Jean and Alan, friends of Anne’s from Mitcham days. Eventually a band came on the scene and were very good value. Dot and I had two or three dances. Too loud to talk, though, and we left by about 9.30pm.
Sophie looked lovely and very happy throughout, and her two sisters were stunning bridesmaids. As we left the party was resurrecting with barbecue and a bar, and many more people arriving.

Earlier in the week – on Thursday – my aunt Josephine invited us to a family meal at Oaklands Hotel, which was a very good carvery. Present were Phil and Joy, Joe and Birgit, Paul and of course Josphine, Dot and me. Also present unexpectedly was one of Dot’s childhood friends, Carol, who accosted me in the carvery queue, and who I thankfully recognised. Another very pleasant time. Josephine looked well, and Paul apparently hasn’t an ache in his body at the age of 85, going on 60.

The weather has entered a very warm and calm spell, timed to coincide with the return of the Murrays to Canada, where the weather is apparently not so good. This afternoon we went to Adrian Ward’s Open Studios exhibition at Cringleford and had a pleasant chat. We bought some of his photographic cards. Now, after some time in the garden tying up…oh, one of those plants…and watching the birds, Dot is preparing for a day of philosophy in a Yarmouth school tomorrow. Anne’s school, in fact. There could be some wedding talk.