If the Earth was flat, cats would have pushed everything off it by now. Rather more upbeat than I’m actually feeling, for various reasons. I’m getting toward the final throes of a really bad head cold or other virus, and a lovely friend of ours has had some really bad news. To start at the beginning, which wasn’t so bad….

Friday was reasonably warm; bit of a breeze toward evening. Dot has developed quite a bad cold, almost certainly as a result of visiting London. I thought I was getting one too, but I’m not so sure (hah!). She didn’t do much today; so I had free rein. Cleared the decks a lot; tidied the study and the bedroom in a minor sort of way. Got some cash from ATM in order to pay Colin tomorrow. Dot did manage to get to the surgery for the results of her blood test and was given a prescription for pseudo-statins. By the time she got back the street meet was in progress, with quite a few attending: Des, Chris, Sarah, Ciara, Mary, Jonathan, Matt and Angela, who has gone blonde. Looks good. Des got us fish and chips. We watched a couple more episodes of Dr Death and of course the Test Match highlights.

Saturday – Warm again, but with the odd shower.  Colin came early with his son Jordan to cut our hedge. Dot was feeling pretty bad with a streaming cold; so stayed in bed till mid-morning. i made several cups of tea! In the afternoon I drove to North Tuddenham to take some second-hand clothes to the O’dells for their charity fete next weekend. Adrian was in Ipswich; I had a cup of tea with Jane, and we discussed gall bladder surgery; our histories were strangely similar. Also reunions. Cooked lamb steak. Watched Test highlights (England in the driving seat) and Becoming Elizabeth. David and Chrissy’s third wedding anniversary.

Sunday – Mild and dry until evening; then persistent rain. Dot has been ill all day, staying in bed this morning while I went to church for a joint service which attracted a huge number of people – must have been about 50. Played in band with Steve, Simon Snell, Matt and Anna (who arrived late and changed everything – Steve and I could have done it on our own). Good service, but I wasn’t feeling great, and I felt less great as the day went on. Lay on the bed for a while. Have an odd feeling in my throat and a bit of a cough, but it’s hard to pin down what’s wrong. Dot is coughing a lot but says she’s improving.

I cooked meal as usual.  On the plus side I finished reading Dominion, which Paul had given us for Christmas. Very dense and long, but fascinating overview of history from pre-Christian times. Excellent research generally, but how can you discuss Christianity in the 20th century without mentioning C S Lewis? Didn’t agree with the conclusions, but lots of good stuff. Frustrating end to the day when we tried to watch a programme on itvx, but it kept cutting out and then lost sound.

Monday – Felt lousy all day. Dot improving slightly. Had a bath and read a bit of Borges. Managed to cook meal but made peculiar mistakes – wrong oven, wrong time. Fortunately it was edible. I may be cracking up, but how would you tell? In bed most of day. 

Tuesday – Another rotten day. Dot was feeling a bit better and did some cupboard cleaning. I felt bad and didn’t even have a bath. Not easy to sleep. 

Wednesday – hoped I’d feel better, but didn’t  really, though I did have a bath and got a little sleep. Eyes watering , headache. Weather quite good- sunny – and Dot did a lot of work in the garden. Our lovely friend Nikki has had terrible news: her baby is dead in the womb. Dot wrote her a lovely message on WhatsApp. She already has a little girl, India, who is wonderful. Her fiancé was delayed getting to her because his electric car ran out of charge on the way from London. Eyes stinging. Just like the colds I used to get. Hope I feel better tomorrow. 

Thursday – Managed to get some sleep late yesterday and felt I was improving. Mainly sunny today, but the threat of rain. Dot went up to city for pedicure and a couple of other things. I had a bath and got up, but had a bit of a relapse, though it’s not as bad as yesterday. Bridget came to clean. I was confined to my room but very pleased to be quiet. Cooked evening meal but felt very full afterwards, though it wasn’t much. Gunge in stomach. Still feeling far from well.