Last preparations today for Holy Land trip. Feel much like Moses, except that he didn’t have the hassle of airport security to put up with. We have just received an e-mail telling us our flight has been brought forward half an hour. Given that our bus has allowed itself well over three hours to get to Luton, this may not affect us, but no doubt someone will be in touch some time in the early hours to tell us we have to be at the Cathedral at 5.20 instead of 5.50. Oh, joy.

David is going to Canada later in the week. I fear he is not giving our trip his full attention, and I don’t really blame him.

The week has gone by in a bit of a blur. We saw the Hendersons on Monday for an hour (quite a long time for them) and on Tuesday we went for lunch at the Gem restaurant round the corner with Des, Chris and John from No 19. Des organised it. Quite nice, though it’s not my favourite type of food.

Later that day Dot went to the ballet. She had a meal first with Anne and wasn’t feeling too well, but she seems to have got over it. I was intending to go to Jurnet’s poetry evening but I wasn’t feeling great either; so I finished translating a couple of Paston letters and caught up with some other stuff. Pity, as I’d written a poem about uncertainty specially. Admittedly, most of my poems are about uncertainty…

Highlight of the week was our visit to Aylesbury on Wednesday and Thursday to see David, Oliver and Amy. Stayed at the Travelodge and had a lovely meal at Zizzi’s in the evening. Still find Aylesbury very difficult to navigate, but we managed to find a petrol station before leaving, and with about 30 miles still in the tank. On the Thursday we got some food from Nandos shortly before leaving.

While we were in Aylesbury Amy attempted to teach us a complex strategy game, but we proved sadly inept at it. We did better at cheat, whist and knockout whist. Oliver had a bad cold, but David says he is now improving. Admired the new chairs. The apartment looks pretty good as a whole. Had a political discussion, but the odds were not good. I spent a fair amount of time yesterday shredding some paper for David, which I should have done ages ago.

Yesterday we had an early hair appointment with Linda, and I had a number three round the sides as a tribute to my grandson. Later our electrician friend Luke failed to turn up again, and this morning we went to church. The weather outside has been very windy again, though it is quite mild. Tomorrow may be another matter. Our new lay canon is apparently quite ill, so was unable to lead the service, which was a pity. Sang one of my songs during Communion, with Phil on guitar.

Des wanted to use our ladder yesterday , which meant I spent some considerable time trying to find the key to fit the padlock. However, success in the end. Fred and thousands of his family are coming down to see the match against Leicester on Friday and he had been hoping to stay with us (just Fred, not all of them), but of course we will not be here. Pity. Not hopeful that they will be rejoicing, since we managed to lose again today, but you never know.