Last Wednesday I took the volunteer handbooks to Karen as planned, having a chat with Heather C while I was there about a talk I’m doing at her Saturday group in a few weeks’ time. Even Colin came round in the evening as planned, and it’s not often you can say that. However, he did promise to let us have a quote by Friday, and it’s now Sunday…
After that, things (as opposed to Colin) moved quickly. On Thursday we drove to Northampton to meet the Evetts and Oliver and Amy at Coton Manor, where we had lunch and a walk round the very beautiful gardens. It was still pretty warm, but we did have to wear jumpers for lunch, which was outside and in the shade. There was a parrot. I don’t know why.
On the way home I showed the children their great-great-great-great grandparents’ grave in Harlestone churchyard. Since my last visit 11 years ago a bush had grown up in front of it and had obliterated most of the writing. I am thinking of complaining to the PCC. Happily I have a photo from my previous visit.
After this we drove into Northampton and left Dot at a hotel with Barbara. They were delivering some P4C at a nearby school the next day. It went very well. The children meanwhile were in my tender care, or vice versa, and we had a good time the following day, shopping at M&S and visiting Phil and Joy, taking Joy her birthday presents. And a big plus – Oliver fixed our Broadband and WiFi, with a little help from his father.
In the evening after supper we drove to Scole to meet Dot and Barbara, but were delayed at every turn: first by a huge traffic jam at Tasburgh, then by a combine harvester, then by taking the wrong road on the diversion and finally by road works traffic lights on the outskirts of Scole. We were about 15 minutes late, which was annoying. Still it showed the children some parts of the Norfolk countryside they would never otherwise have seen. Oliver said it was the second most adventurous drive he’d been on. The other one involved the centre of Paris and Grandad Evetts.
Yesterday I had a morning meeting at the UEA introducing volunteers to the Paston Footprints project. Not as bad as it sounds: I had some interesting conversations and even learnt a bit about John Fastolf’s house in Norwich. Had to leave fairly promptly to take the children back to Vicky: we met at Cambridge Services in pouring rain, and Vicky stayed for a coffee before heading pack. Dot and I bought a pizza and some other stuff from M&S Food.
Today Dot stayed at home doing preparation while I went to church and played guitar so that Phil could leave the service. Howard played piano for the same reason. After lunch Dot headed for London and her second P4C of the weekend. She reached her hotel on Seven Sisters Road all right – only a mile or two from where we used to live on Bethune Road.