Sneak preview of a small part of one of the exhibits at the upcoming Open Studios in Norwich – a combined work incorporating my poem, Unable to Find North. Or it may not be a part. The artist, Bronwen Edwards, took a very large number of pictures, of which fewer than 30 will be used, I believe.

Meanwhile Rupert, Lisa and I have installed the Poetry Vending Machine in St Giles Church for the Open Stuidios “taster” exhibition. It looks very good and was quite a hit at the private view on Friday, but it still has operating problems. We can’t rely on it to work if we leave it. Rupert is popping in with some WD40 and a screwdriver tomorrow, hoping to sort it out. Rupert is incurably optimistic.

Dot has been at Caddington having fun with Amy, but she came back earlier than expected, so we went to a poetry reading at Wells together on Saturday evening. Also superb sausage and chips. Wells seafront was idyllic: no wind, dying light. Poetry reading by Alan Brownjohn, who was witty in a very low-key way. Poems not terribly poetic but very amusing and designed for performance. Sarah Law was not really a performer: she appeared not to enjoy it, despite AB’s attempts to jolly her along, particularly in the questions and answers. Some interesting poems, though – many with a mystical bent – but the best were about her father’s death.

Church lunch today: nice community feeling to it. Nice to be among so many friends. Discovered I’d missed the deadline for the TLS poetry competition, but I don’t suppose meeting it would have affected anything. Should I have a go at the play-writing contest? I’ll believe it when I see it.

Apart from Wells seafront, the weather has been quite chilly over the last few days, and we are supposed to have rain tomorrow. Is summer over?