Luke didn’t come on Saturday; so no progress with kitchen strip lights. Popped round to see how Mairead was, but didn’t go in as they had a crowd of visitors from London. Dot also called today to take a birthday card and small present for Phoebe. She saw Phoebe, but not Mairead, for the same reason.

That was after church today: Phil led. Numbers are generally increasing – we are up to average of almost 20. Phil said he would be retiring at the end of the year and wants to play some more songs! Eleanor announced that she had been appointed vicar of St Helen’s Bishopsgate and chaplain of the Great Hospital. We already knew, but now it’s official. They are a lucky church (and hospital). Sad that she won’t be worshipping with us after February.

Yesterday was Amy’s 14th birthday, and as I write she is on her way to visit us with Oliver and David. They are on the A17; so they may be a while yet. Dot has baked a cake and hidden some small presents.

On Friday Dot and I visited Jessie at Furze Hill. Because of her hair loss, she looks much older, but she is pretty much the same to talk to: quite coherent, but a bit deaf. Her room is quite pleasant, with its own “front door”, which I think is an excellent idea. She also has her own address and post code, and will have her own phone soon. While we were there we saw a cat outside teasing a shrew it had caught, and I wrote a poem later, using that idea.

Afterwards we bought some flowers and went to the cemetery, where Dot found Susannah’s grave, behind the stone of another obviously lesser Susannah. She was Dot’s great-grandmother: same grave as her husband Walter, unsurprisingly.

Weather is still quite summery, and we’re looking forward to our week at Cley. The forecast is good, though it may be a bit cooler.