Last Monday we were still in Coventry, at the end of a chilly day with snow forecast over the next couple of days. Picked Oliver up from his house and after showing him our room at the Old Mill had a meal with him in the restaurant – very good ribeye and excellent waitress. Dot drove him home (with me) as she kindly denied herself alcohol. Very tired.
Tuesday‘s – breakfast was a bit slow, but the drive home was easy. I drove to Cambridge Services where we had tea/coffee, then Dot drove home. Arrived home about 1pm. Unpacked etc and watched various TV programmes, then went to bed early. Very tired. Weather quite pleasant, but cold.
Wednesday was very cold, but hovering just above freezing. Lots of precipitation, mainly rain but some snow. Drove to Phyllis’s house for valuation of her possessions at 9.30pm. Took about 40 mins – very little worth having. Prepared poems for evening and looked at talk for next Monday. Dot went to Taize, then collected pills and went to Morrisons. Bought new hot water bottle – left old one at hotel! Made meal (sausages) and left a bit late for Halesworth. Drove through lots of sleet and arrived about five minutes late, but not last. Lynne in charge. Fewer people than usual. Read two poems about Andrew, one about the White Ship and Near-Death Experience. Couple of new guys and an artist, Ros, who was very pleasant. Quite a bit of snow on verges on the way home, but none on road. Filled up with petrol. Dot had been to orchestra and said there had been quite a bit of snow in Norwich, but it hadn’t laid. Some snow on windscreens. Watched Hotel Portafino and were rather late in bed.
Thursday – miserable weather: cold and very wet, but no snow, as there was in much of the country, including Coventry. Got up in good time to prepare for visit by the Goddards at 11, but they had the wrong date in their diary. Spent much of the day tidying up my room and catching up, but we did watch Endeavour, which was excellent, as was the second episode of Unforgotten. However I did go to sleep towards the end of Clarkson’s Farm. Before that had FaceTime with David and Amy, who looked very good. Some competition between Oliver, Amy and David as to what constitutes a blizzard.
Friday – mixture of snow sun and rain: very cold. Went out twice: early on to move car and post a birthday card for Phil, and later to buy some milk. Pam and Stuart Goddard came round for reschedules tea/coffee and cake. Had quite a long talk. Judging by what they said about their electric car, I definitely don’t want one. Both of us felt a big down in the afternoon : Dot cooked a lovely meal for Phil and Clare and Matt and Amanda. I worked on computer and spent ages trying to find the right leads for the projector – unsuccessfully. At 5.40 we went over to drink wine at Mark and Sarah’s, plus Des and Chris. Lovely meal and chat with our visitors, Matt revealing more of his knowledge of ancient and modern Norwich. Plus much else. They came by tandem. Bed after midnight.
Saturday – much better day, weather wise. Quite a bit of sun, and not quite so cold. Dot dropped me off at the post office, and I walked up to the Rosary and back, with a few diversions. Dot continued to the garden centre, bought a couple of things and spent some time in the garden. Meanwhile in Ontario loads of snow, as David revealed when he FaceTimed us. Had phone call from Heather Savigny, saying Simon had a stroke and is in hospital for at least four weeks. Upsetting – he’s had a poor prognosis and she is thinking about moving, because they live on the 8th floor and the lift is dodgy. Watched a fair amount of TV, including England losing heavily to France, who scored 53 points. Also refreshing Premier League highlights, because all the commentators have come out in sympathy with Gary Lineker, who was removed after a rather silly tweet about immigrants and Nazis. Wrote prayers for tomorrow.