Very hot, Norfolk – as Noel Coward almost said. We were in the 30s yesterday, and today it seems even warmer. Also Boris Johnson has been elected the new leader of the Conservatives and therefore Prime Minister; so not much is cool, apparently.
Barry finished painting yesterday, but tidying up has been delayed because Dot has taken on a new project – painting all the dining chairs. Despite this we found time yesterday to entertain Paul to a cup of tea in the rather cluttered garden, and I was pleased to find he felt as uneasy about England’s World Cup cricket win as I was. He was at Lord’s, of course and said it was very exciting, but the wrong result. Apparently England’s captain has been in lengthy and friendly conversation with Kane Williamson, the NZ captain. They and we think a shared trophy would have been the right result.
Anna also dropped by on her way home from Derbyshire and approved the chairs, but declined a lift home despite her heavy suitcase. Instead I drove Dot into the city so that she could buy another tin of paint from a shop in Westlegate while I spent a long time turning the car round and putting the roof down (it was too hot to have it up).
Later we drove to Cromer in our air-conditioned car and had tea and cake with Peter Stibbons and his wife (plus Rob and Penny and a few others) at Beach Hut 90 on the West Promenade. While we were there someone in some kind of disability vehicle drove off the prom on to the beach ( a drop of about five feet) and a number of emergency vehicles became involved. Too far away to see exactly what happened, but Dot and I returned from a walk on the beach just as it resolved.
We then drove back to Norwich and left the car at Steve’s for the bodywork repair. Dot picked me up in the MX5 – I would normally have walked, but it was very hot and I’d already done 5000 steps! The tap replacement parts arrived today, and I’m about to pack up my binoculars to go for repair. Everything’s coming together…
Going back a bit, there was the DCC last Thursday evening. This was at Carrie’s house; so of course Phil went to the wrong place and missed it because he didn’t have my number on his phone. Apparently. Howard and Anna had to leave early; so we barely got on to the main business of the evening, which was St Augustine’s Way. Can’t remember what happened, but we agreed that not everything connected to it should have to be open to everybody.
On Friday I went to Halesworth poets and read three poems that I’d written in the past fortnight. Not one of my favourite evenings, because it was quite warm, and someone insisted on having a door open, which meant outside noise could get in. The same person then did some pretty bad singing, and because there a lot of people there, the whole thing went on rather long. Beware people who say, “I haven’t got three poems, but I have one long one.” The long one almost invariably lasts as as long as six normal ones, and probably longer, because it usually has a lengthy introduction as well.
On Saturday Dot left for Birmingham with Anna, where she had a Fiddle School arranged. The train was cancelled because of a strike, and Anna arrived too late to get the alternative – and had Dot’s ticket with her! Very annoying. So they left about 45 minutes late and had a huge rush at Birmingham, where they had arranged to have a meal with Ruth and Steve Roberts. Ruth was also taking part in the Fiddle School. (They live near Dudley.)
I drove to Hickling, intending to find Lily’s cottage, but was interrupted by a massive thunderstorm, and drove home, delaying only to take a picture at Ludham Bridge. After church the following day – at which Adrian criticised Phil’s playing and I had to calm things down – i tried again in much more pleasant weather. I parked at the church and walked through the village and back, failing to find Rhue Cottage despite asking four people, who hadn’t heard of it. However the fourth did recognise Lily’s surname and directed me to the right place. The name of the cottage was very clear – don’t know how I’d missed it.
Needless to say, Lily was out. She may have been at a church event, because I discovered some Gospel singing going on there when I returned to fetch the car. I talked to another guy and two a woman in the churchyard, then drove to Ludham Bridge, where I discovered a path to St Benet’s Abbey. Also found you could see the Abbey from Ludham Bridge. Later Paul told me a different route.
Went for another walk in Norwich in the evening (bit too much really), and met Dot off the train at 11.13pm. She had had a really good time and couldn’t speak too highly of the tutor, Joe Broughton.