The house is very busy today. As I write (coming up to 4pm), Bridget is just finishing her cleaning and Linda is drying Dot’s highlighted hair, having cut mine. Earlier Anne came round for a chat and tea. Philip is not so good, causing her a lot of worry. It’s dry and fairly warm. I put water in the piano.

I last posted on Tuesday morning. Towards the end of that day Dot picked up her pills, and I managed 4000 steps by walking up and down in the evening.  Watched The Producers – not impressed – and a couple of episodes of a documentary on Hemingway, which was very good indeed. Decided his secret was the poetic rhythm of his writing. Quite chilly.

Wednesday was dry but grey; cool. Tidied up in preparation for Kristine’s visit. Dot went to Morrisons, and I “mended” the bookcase in the hall by replacing tape with screws. Trickier than it sounds, because it was not easily accessible. We watched a Paston talk on Constance – illegitimate daughter of John II adopted by John III. Fascinating. I was asked to act as question answerer for Paston Q&A next week, but will be in Wales. Watched final four episodes of Hemingway documentary – very well done. Not sure H was a very nice man, though his (four) wives seemed to be good women.

Spoke to both ex-wives of David Coomes yesterday. Anne e-mailed first thing to say she couldn’t get Parish Pump info to me till Saturday; I wrote back to say I was going away, which made her ring me. I was in the bath. I am going to try and do the stuff while I’m away, but if not, the day I get back.

Then of course Kristine came up by train for the day. We took her to the Maids Head for lunch, and I just about managed to restrain myself from having steak. Went for monkfish again.  All very nice, and we showed her some Israel pix afterwards, but she had to get the 5pm train back.  Watched The Great Gatsby in the evening: rather strange characters, but quite well done. Very reminiscent of Hemingway, funnily enough.