Not very pleasant weather on Thursday, December 5. Heavy rain and wind developing. Didn’t go out, but managed 4600 steps indoors. Dot spent quite a bit of time preparing for tomorrow and making Christmas cards. I wrote a piece for my website about the curse of managers and sorted out tax and Apple Music cancellation. I think. Bridget came round to clean – she has a big day at dentist looming. Des got us fish and chips for supper as he won’t be able to fit it in on street meet day. Earlyish in bed because Dot has to get up at the crack of dawn tomorrow. Harriet called while Bridget was here but went away and said she would call tomorrow. But didn’t.
On Friday Dot had to get up at an unearthly hour to drive to Wreningham and lead an assembly featuring Sugar for Shelters. As a result neither of us slept well, but she got to the school in good time with no problems, and the presentation went smoothly. She spent some time chatting to the head afterwards. I had a bath but didn’t achieve much else: I’m trying to put together a kind of Christmas letter to friends, but probably looking for too much detail through past blogs.
Weather quite pleasant, but the forecast is worrying: lots of wind and rain in the west already and heading this way tonight. Storm Darragh, whatever that means. Dot went to shops to buy envelopes for cards she’s making. Out for street meet: weather ok, but only Matt came out except for a brief appearance from Ciara and Phoebe when Phoebe arrived home for Christmas. Des and Chris having early meal with their grandson. Watched documentary on Sirius cult in the 90s (vague memories of that) and the second episode of Dalgliesh, which was pretty good.
Saturday was very wet and windy, though not as bad as elsewhere in the country. Fairly mild, considering. Finished the Christmas letter for general consumption. Also prayers for tomorrow – second Sunday of Advent. Dot played in Sillars Christmas concert today; so spent quite a while rehearsing. Drove her up to St Peter Mancroft just after 3pm – surprisingly easy on roads.
Before that we managed to free a drawer in the utility room that was jammed: Dot’s smaller hands critical. Later I sorted everything out that was in the drawer. Not connected, but one of the saucepan lids came unstuck from its handle; tried hard to fix it, but failed. Made myself egg and bacon for supper with fried potatoes. Walked up to church for concert. Arrived early but not early enough to get a good seat. Sat with Bridget and David and Angela and Rodney. Also spoke to Neville and Adrian and Jane. Concert not particularly good IMHO because of choice of music, which was rather ordinary (though difficult to play, apparently). Vicki asked her parents to give us a lift home; so they did – happily, because it was raining quite hard when we got home. Watched Moonflower Murders.
Sunday – Grey, often rainy. Not too cold but with a dead feeling to it. Drove to church, and Dot and I played in the band, and I led prayers. Phil away because his dog was sick. Graham led and Carrie preached. She seems improved, health wise. Worryingly, Graham said he’d made some changes to the Alternative Carol Service. I hope he was joking, but he probably wasn’t. Afterwards had quite a long talk with Nikki and Marie-Lyse, while most people were sorting out the room to have lunch, which was a jacket potato. Don’t quite understand how people can eat the skins, but nearly everyone does.
Matt repaired a puncture for Phoebe, who turned out to be a fanatically keen worker when it came to cleaning and decorating the old church afterwards. Many others helped: Ray and I sorted out the stable with models, but no doubt that will be changed. Bit of concern because a lot of valuable stuff was left in the hall, but I think we had it all covered. Eventually I put all our stuff in the car and came back to get Dot and Ray, for Ray’s lift home. Lot of dust in the church – bit worrying, healthwise. Felt shattered in afternoon: watched a programme on the winter of 1947 and the football (that’s two programmes). After scrambled egg we watched another episode of Wolf Hall but also a first episode of Black Doves on Netflix – a spy thriller which is very promising. Also saw highlights of England cricket win over New Zealand. David and Chrissy FaceTimed at end of evening, and we discussed air fryers, among other things!
Monday dawned cooler but largely dry, with occasional light showers. My mother’s birthday (see right). In the latish morning I drove up to the Rosary to put on her grave the flowers that Dot bought from the station yesterday. They looked really good. Branches across the cemetery revealed the recent windy weather. At midday we drove to Heigham Grove, where we had lunch with Ellie: roast pork and a lovely starter of avocado and smoked salmon. Afterwards talked and played cards – a game called karma which I lost resoundingly twice. This to the accompaniment of a couple of gasmen – old and young – engaged in establishing that her two gas fires were not powerful enough to require a flue by law. Success!
Lovely terrace house beautifully furnished. Sad that she will have to leave it soon (she is moving to Wales). Drove home through rush-hour traffic and Dot was so tired that she lay on the couch and slept while I finished reading God’s own Gentlewoman: The Life of Margaret Pastor by Diane Watt, which would have been even more enjoyable if the author, her “wife” and three dogs had not kept intruding. Anyway, watched football before going to bed. Meanwhile Assad has been ousted from Syria and Israel has taken Mount Hermon, which gives it a good view.