Sunday May 12th was warm and mainly sunny. Went to Cathedral in the evening to listen to Ashley Grote playing Messiaen on the organ. It was as if someone had created or come across this amazing machine that made a variety of interesting sounds if you learnt to use it. Unfortunately no-one had invented music yet: so there was a limit to what they could do with it. Or possibly like prog-rock, which showed people how clever you were without producing anything worthwhile. Watched an old episode of Hancock’s Half Hour, which was brilliant.
Monday was still dry and mild, though clouds looked a little threatening during the evening. Caught up with just about everything – sent David some stuff for his birthday and booked a hotel at Matlock. Dot did a huge amount of work in the garden. She seems well now: I was a bit achy in my legs and feet. In the evening we gave Eleanor and Judy a lift to Claire’s for cake and compline. No Phil. Apparently his e-mail arrived late. For some reason Jonathan has power-washed our outside wall, which now looks a bit flakey, though clean.
Tuesday was mainly overcast with some rain. Got bus into the city and bought a new iPhone from O2. Took some time, but Eurowoman was both friendly and efficient. Left phone there to charge up with apps etc and walked round M&S, but couldn’t find anything for Dot, though she tried a top on. Had a cup of tea and returned to O2, but still had to wait. Didn’t complete loading up till later in the evening. Had supper and went to Morrisons. David FaceTimed us later: his birthday parcels had arrived. Told us Oliver has a bad cold in the middle of his exams. Earlier Dot had long phone call with old college friend Christine Highmore, who moved house about six years ago and now lives near Aylesbury.
Wednesday was overcast with quite a bit of rain, mainly light. Judy came round to watch another episode of The Chosen, and after a snack she left for church, and Dot and I walked up to the Octagon for a violin concert by Geneva Lewis, who was very, very good, though I liked some of the pieces more than others. It would also have been nice to be able to hear what she said when introducing the pieces, but apparently this had not been given a high priority. Maybe something to do with the fact that it was being recorded for Radio 3. Anna was in the audience, but downstairs and beyond reach.
Afterwards Dot and I walked up to meet Kim at Jarrold’s – at least that was the intention until I fell heavily on St Andrew’s Street, tripping over a road works sign. I cut my head and was quite shaken, though not as shaken as Dot was. She took me up to Boots, who were singularly unhelpful, refusing to even give me a glass of water. We had to buy paracetamol, plasters and wipes, and no-one on the staff wanted to get involved. The pharmacist was on a break. It was quite painful, but I was relieved that I hadn’t broken a limb, which could easily have happened and would have jettisoned our holiday. By contrast to Boots, when I was on the floor several young women showed a lot of concern and were anxious to help. I said I didn’t need an ambulance. The guy in charge of the roadworks was also very solicitous.
Anyway, we sorted ourselves out enough to walk down to meet Kim at Jarrold’s, had a cup of tea/coffee and talked for some time. She then accompanied us up to the top of London Street before parting ways. We continued down through the Close and home. Strangely I felt quite Ok to walk – better than I had for a few days. At home we watched the excellent Blue Lights and I cooked a meal (salmon) before Dot headed off to orchestra with Janet. She had a good evening, and we watched Red Eye when she got home. Two excellent thrillers in one evening.
Thursday – Head and finger no worse, though I felt a bit dizzy when I tried to open the loft. Actually feel reasonably well. Very wet morning: decided not to go to North Walsham, but got suitcases out of loft in preparation for holiday. Caught up with emails (again) and wrote an article for my website after a long gap. It was about falling over, and attracted about a dozen comments, though not all on Facebook. David FaceTimed us: Oliver is doing well with his exams despite his cold. Dot sorted out loads of stuff from the music basket, including the school song and a poem I had written set to music by someone. Bridget came and cleaned – concerned about my head! Later struggled to get into NOW to watch Norwich lose 4-0 to Leeds in playoff. They were pretty awful. Watched Masterchef to take our minds off it.
Friday was ,much nicer: quite warm and dry. We drove to North Walsham via the recycling tip and left some glass and other electrical stuff – but forgot one big sheet of glass which was flat on the floor to the boot. So we called again on the way back: tip far less busy then (early afternoon). At North Walsham we bought flowers at Sainsbury’s, using our vouchers from the cancer research bloodletting a few weeks ago, then indulged in a meal deal (sandwich, crisps, drinks), which we consumed in the cemetery before putting flowers on graves.
Afterwards we called in at the garden centre on the way out of North Walsham and bought a new hanging basket, which John (over the road) helped us to put up later. Good garden centre, with coffee shop (we didn’t indulge this time). Bearing it in mind. Watched a bit of a spy thriller later in the afternoon.