This is one of a number of pictures I’ve taken recently around the River Yare as it winds between Cringleford and Earlham. This one was taken near the university, close to the bridge which gives access up to Colney Lane. The best of the other pictures can be viewed on Flickr.

The springlike weather slipped away on Wednesday afternoon, as I walked up over Mousehold to try to find somewhere that sold a lagging set for a 50-gallon round cold-water storage tank. You’d think they’d be everywhere, wouldn’t you? Maybe not. Eventually tracked one down over at Hellesdon (on Thursday) and am in the process of installing it. The lid goes on OK, but of course the pipe doesn’t quite reach into the hole prepared for it. The lagging is waiting to be wrapped round, but although the weather has been much colder, I don’t think there’s much danger of the tank freezing. It never has, and as far as I know it’s never been lagged properly.

Most of yesterday (Valentine’s Day) the weather was quite unpleasant – very cold, with drizzle in the air – but it had improved slightly by the evening, when Dot and I walked into the city for a Valentine’s Day meal at St Benedict’s Restaurant. This was truly wonderful. We arrived early, but they opened up for us and got going on our drinks and meal immediately. We started with a half-bottle of champagne and followed it with some excellent Merlot. The food was really superb, reminiscent of the Green Inn in Ballater and about the same size portions, so we had no trouble eating three courses. I had lamb, and Dot had sea bass, and they were both exceptional. The dessert was amazing. This restaurant immediately goes to the top of our list for taking the Murrays when they visit Norfolk in August. Service and staff were brilliant too.

Totally took my mind off the fact that I had damaged (possibly broken) my little toe just before we left the house. Quite painful, but it eased off – must have been the champagne. Red and swollen this morning.

Earlier yesterday J had come to Norwich, and Dot took her up to see the doctor about her husband. It seems that he will move into residential accommodation at North Walsham. J bought us lunch at Caffe Italia. Liz came round later (while I was in the loft) to borrow the Rohr CDs.

Today it’s dull but not so moist – at the moment anyway. This evening I have a poetry reading at Colchester with Rupert on behalf of Lepra. Dot is coming too. Yesterday I sent off some poems for this year’s Norwich Writers’ Circle competition and wrote to my cousin Ann in Liverpool, hoping to interest her in my family tree.