And so we edge hesitantly into October. It’s still reasonably warm, but we’ve had large amounts of rain in the last few days, some of it very heavy. This morning I just got back from the Archant coffee morning as it started again. Dot stayed in the city to lunch with Sue and Helen, and needed her umbrella on the way home.

Robin and Shelagh are in the Brecon Beacons, but we got over that. My plaster cast is still a conversation piece. I hate it. I would burn it if I were not in it. Too heavy, too itchy.

We got a “get well” card today from Amy and Oliver, depicting a snail, which is roughly how I feel. Very nice of them, though. Dot actually went to Lionwood surgery this afternoon and got a clean bill of health on her ribs/lungs. She may have a fungus under her toenail, but apparently it’s not serious and nothing to do with diabetes, which is what she was worried about.

I’ve finished Dark Fire, which is an excellent, compelling book. We’ve started watching Unbelievable on Netflix, which is also very high quality.

Dot went to orchestra last Wednesday and got on pretty well, though she had to take a break in the middle. The next day Phil and Caren Gazley brought us a meal, which they cooked here and ate with us. They also left one for the following day. Very kind people, and nice food too.

I saw Phil again the next day (after we’d had our hair cut), when he explained his vision about training teams of volunteers in the community. He wants me to edit the training manual. I have curiously mixed feelings about it: basically it’s a really good idea, but the mechanics are a bit off-putting, though that may be just me. It could certainly be useful these days, when professional social workers are so thin on the ground. It probably needs an app.

Continuing our Gazley connection, we met the in the city on Saturday to go to a couple of art shows – one in the undercroft and one in the Theatre Royal. The latter (photography) was particularly good. We tried to get in the Assembly House for lunch, but it was full; so we ate at M&S. Afterwards we got rid of our non-legal-tender £10 note and paid in a cheque (road tax refund) at the bank, then picked up my bent glasses from Boots, who had miraculously straightened them. I had laid on them on the bed while trying to put my trousers on.

Sunday was the big day, though it rained again. We had a joint service at St Luke’s, at which I was commissioned as an authorised worship assistant, which is only 39 steps below Bishop. This legitimised what i had been doing for about a quarter of a century; so that’s all right. Ten others were similarly commissioned by the Dean, who did a great job. All being well, we shall be going to Israel with her. It was a really nice occasion.