If I thought it was cold last time, today must be Arctic. We’ve just been to the shop, and I practically froze during the short distance between car and shop. It snowed this morning, and more is forecast. Apparently it’s chaotic in Aberdeenshire.
This week has been hectic, largely because Dot’s shoulder injury – now re-diagnosed as a neck injury – has meant she can’t drive, or play the violin. The former has had more impact on me, because I have had to drive her everywhere. It’s not that I mind driving her everywhere (I like driving), but it cuts down dramatically on the time I have available to do the various tasks I have before me. I have however managed to complete the Paston magazine (Ed 5) and it went off to the printer today.
Yesterday was a bit of a tour-de-force. Dot had fixed up an appointment with a physio at Little Plumstead at noon. We had intended to come home after that and then drive to see Jessie. Fortunately Dot had the foresight to take with us to the physio the plant and other stuff we were going to take to Jessie – just in case the appointment lasted longer than half an hour.
It lasted over 90 minutes, during which I braved a chilly wind and a little rain to walk my daily quota round the village. So when Dot emerged with her new diagnosis, a well-massaged neck and a series of exercises to do, we were able to drive straight to North Walsham and get there almost exactly on time (2pm).
We stayed for about 90 minutes, during which a couple of nurses dropped in to give Jessie an injection and we had a cup of tea and a few biscuits (we’d missed lunch). I had to be at a Paston meeting at Mundesley at 7pm, so we started preparing supper almost immediately we got home, which was when the phone rang. It was M, whose husband is in Australia.
Dot invited her round at about 6pm, when I was due to leave for Mundesley. She arrived at 5pm, before we’d prepared supper, which is about par for the course. (She was ready; so she came.) But that wasn’t the strange bit. We finished cooking the meal (Hello Fresh for 2) and asked her if she wanted anything to eat or drink. She said no. So we put our food on the table. She sat down in front of Dot’s meal. Dot said no, it was her meal; so she sat down in front of mine. Eventually we ended up giving her bits of our own meals.
I left while she was discussing politics with Dot, drove to Mundesley in Dot’s car and attended a meeting with Lucy, Rob, Penny and all the re-enactors. I even took the minutes. Quite a tiring day, really. Very wet in the end.
Earlier in the week (Sunday, in fact) we had attended an unusual event at Mangreen. It started in Hempnall, at the home of Roger and Sue Eagle and with Helen “Sugar” Lamb and her husband Chris, plus one or two others. Hefty nibbles and then on to Mangreen, where there was a concert by the Norwich Community Choir (or portion of), interspersed with stories by master storyteller Paul Jackson. Quit effective, all in all. Mince pies afterwards.
On Monday I drove Dot to a Diocesan House event, then fetched her (after a gap). Also did some work on the Paston mag. On Tuesday I met Carrie Sant at the bank so that she could identify herself as the next step in changing signatories for the church account. This has been going on for about 18 months. Afterwards we had a cup of tea and Carrie filled me in on the difficulties faced by (and sometimes surmounted by) refugees and asylum seekers. Apparently the system suits anyone who’s prepared to be dishonest.
In the evening, on the spur of the moment, we went to see Paddington 2, which is a wonderful film. A triumph for love, innocence and sheer goodness.