Yes, it’s Dot again, setting out for a hen night with her friend Anne. Norwich on full alert. The hen night is for Anne’s daughter Sophie, who is getting married at the end of the month. Meanwhile, a quiet evening for me, which is just as well, as I’m not feeling at my peak. I’m back on antibiotics, this time long-term, in a bid to get rid of my urine infection. Sorry to keep mentioning it. It’s a bit painful today, which is unusual: normally it just makes me feel generally unwell. Hope for an upturn by tomorrow, when I’m leading and preaching, and probably leading prayers as well. Suspect no-one else is going to be there.

Anyway, I did win my chess game on Monday night, which gave me 5/8 in the tournament and possible promotion to the first division next year. The next day Dot and I embarked by train to Scarborough for an overnight stay. Very pleasant journey both ways (especially coming home) with everything running to time – or very nearly. Dave and Julia met us and we had a long talk at their apartment, then walked down the cliff path to the beach, which was beautiful, along the front to the harbour and back up to the station , where we caught the bus back to the apartment, using our free bus passes! Julia provided an Indian meal of suprising hotness. Slept well, and the next day we went to Thornton-le-Dale, a beautiful village sadly (or perhaps deliberately) undersold by its website. We went for a walk of just under two miles and managed to avoid the rain. Then to a farm shop / restaurant, where we had lunch, which consisted mainly of (very good) sandwiches. After a detour down the wonderful Forge Valley, not to be confused with the more famous Valley Forge, which is in another country and besides, the wench is dead. (Sorry – obscure literary reference). Then by a slightly devious route to Scarborough Station, where we caught the train we meant to and changed at Grantham. The conductor said Peterborough, but that would have been a mistake, as the train we took from York did not stop there and we would have arrived bewildered at Stevenage, which is not something you’d want to happen.

Since then I’ve been to the dentist to have a filling built up, which was far less painful than the cleaning I’d had done a week or so ago. And today we both had our hair cut. How exciting is that? Meanwhile I’ve been rushing around sorting out various matters, mainly financial, and have managed to write a sermon to boot. Well, not to boot exactly, although that could be the reaction. Weather has been a bit on the chilly side, but nothing too unseasonal. We’re hoping for summer next week, when the Murrays arrive by train from Canada. After catching the plane first, of course.

Keiron Pim did a big article in the EDP this week about Voicing Visions, the Norwich 20 Group art and poetry exhibition which opens next week. I was quoted extensively, and Sandra’s picture dominated the page. My poem was also used. Can’t grumble about that, can you?