At last a bit of warmth for the East of England. And it came at just the right time for a trip to Swaffham yesterday to visit the Higbees. To confirm that summer was here, if only for a while, we had a barbecue – and ate Italian nibbles in the garden, though we decamped to the dining room for the main course.
Later, while Dot went to orchestra, my brother Phil and I went to the Cathedral for a talk on “Why God loves science”. This proved to be not quite as exciting as expected, largely because the speaker tried to get too much in and therefore spoke a bit too quickly. Nevertheless he had some interesting things to say about the book of Job and its references to scientific inquiry (though not in those words).
It was a mark of how much Phil has improved that he walked to the Cathedral (and back), and we met outside the statue by the west door. He pointed out that the statue bore a marked resemblance to Rowan Atkinson, which is true enough, though it is in fact Nelson. I walked halfway back to his house afterwards and then along Barrack Street and Riverside Road, thus exciting my Steps app.
Back last weekend Dot and I went to a Mozart Orchestra concert at Christ Church, Eaton, on Saturday. We went mainly because Bridget had had a hand in organising it, and in fact introduced it and thanked everyone afterwards. But it was an excellent concert, featuring Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto and his 100th symphony. Neville and Mary were also there.
On Sunday I led the service, and in the absence of all musicians, including Dot, who – shockingly – was at Carrow Road for the final game of the season, I played guitar too. I also led the prayers. By mistake Carrie, who had had a very bad week because of the probably criminal behaviour of someone she had tried to help, had thought there was a church meal and invited four men from her Saturday group. As a result she had to fire up some quick jacket potatoes. I declined the opportunity to stay and instead delivered a bank card to the church treasurer, who lives on Colney Lane. It had been addressed to me in error. At his house I noticed an electric car charging…
In the evening Dot and I went to Cley Wildlife Trust for a piano and art event (a pianist improvising to some art flashed on screen). We went because we knew both artists – Martin Laurance and Sarah Cannell – but surprisingly, they were not there and in fact the audience numbered only a dozen, where I had expected it to be packed. We had also hoped to combine the event with a short walk, but the weather was very cold, windy and grey, with a smattering of drizzle; so instead we sat in the cafe with a drink and watched a marsh harrier in the distance until the performance started. We felt the latter could do with a couple of poems.
On Monday, as our son arrived back from Canada, we journeyed north again, to the Paston agm at Mundesley Manor Hotel. Again a very small gathering, but with some excellent sandwiches. Weather still cold, grey and damp (although beautiful in other parts of the country), but the hotel was extremely comfortable.
On Tuesday, with the weather relenting somewhat, Dot and I walked up to Jarrolds in the afternoon to deliver some Paston books (they have now had 26), then had a cup of tea at an empty Presto’s, where Kathy and Roberto talked of opening for early evening meals, which sounds like a good idea.
In the evening Judy drove us to Howard’s for our monthly Julian evening. There was some doubt about what we should have read – I spent 90 minutes in the bath that morning reading chapters 41-63 – but we eventually zeroed in on Revelation 14 and had a good discussion. I’m getting a lot more out of it than I thought I would, and I don’t mean just wine and nibbles.
Anyway, today seems promising, and I shall go out for a walk in a minute. Dot is at a DSSO meeting with Paul. I had been thinking about going to visit Andrew today, but he has been at Minster Lodge overnight, and I’m not sure when’s travelling back to Warwick. By all accounts he’s doing really well. Glad not to go really, because my back is still not quite right, though not exactly painful.