Tuesday, December 10 was dry but quite cold. General clearing up in the morning, then went into the city after lunch to buy charity Christmas cards from St Peter Mancroft. Pretty poor selection, but… then on to Jarrolds to buy one or two presents. Lost Dot in shop, but then found her. Walked home on my own. Very tired. Chose hymns for Sunday and started on sermon. Tidied kitchen up while Dot listened to Norwich drawing 0-0 with Portsmouth away. She made a lot of cards and wrapped up some presents. Watched one of the old Wessex Tales. Bit depressing, but that’s Thomas Hardy for you.

Wednesday – Dry; not quite so cold. Big grey. Missed Bible study and went with Dot to pick up sugar from Wreningham, where she had done an assembly. Very nice secretary helped us load up. Drove to Morrisons and did some shopping, then home for lunch. In the afternoon I wrote my sermon while Dot did some clearing up, then she had a shower and (a bit later) I had a bath. We were intending to get bus to Oaklands for Sillars Christmas do, but decided at the last minute to drive, and I restricted myself to Coke. Food delayed but quite good, except not enough gluten-free. Sat next to violinist Stella and discovered a common interest in Blofield Church and poetry. Also spoke to a number of others, including Janet and Graham, Catherine, Vikki, Penny, Neville and Mary …. Gave Nova a lift home (Rosary Road) and watched the last episode of Shetland. Not bad, but not brilliant. 

Thursday – Grey, damp day with water hanging in the air. Not cold. Described by BBC as anticyclonic gloom, but as they also thought it would be dry, that’s probably meaningless, like most things coming from the BBC. This was our first main sugar day. We drove to Long Stratton, where we met a very nice head teacher, Laura, and loaded up with sugar; then Tasburgh, and a helpful secretary who assisted us in loading a considerable number of bags; followed by Newton Flotman, where we had been expecting 17 bags but received three. Drove home in time to see the window cleaner and Bridget, both of whom seemed a bit unwell. B is recovering from her teeth drama but has a husky voice, which her doctor says is a virus. Tried to keep clear.

After lunch drove to North Walsham and left today’s and yesterday’s sugar at the Benjamin Foundation, next to the Orchard Gardens on Mundesley Road. Woman in charge and a couple of lads took the sugar off our hands. Drove into town to buy 40 stamps at Post Office: very pleasant assistant. That area of North Walsham now nearly always jammed with traffic. Came home via Wroxham and checked that Lion Wood Junior was where we thought it was. It was. Coq au vin for supper. Watched last two episodes of documentary on Sirius cult, then an episode of Dalgliesh, which is really good. 

Friday – Anticyclonic gloom continues, though marginally less gloomy. Another sugar day – went first to Lion Wood Junior School, who had collected almost 200 bags, apparently by requiring them as entry fee to a play or something. Fortunately the secretary and her assistant put them on a trolley and wheeled them out to us. We returned home to count them and then proceeded to Worstead, to pick up a rather smaller number and then take them all to the dropping off point in North Walsham. Unfortunately the helpful gang from yesterday weren’t in evidence, but we got some assistance from the rather slender girl in charge. Nevertheless we had to heft most of the bags in ourselves, either in carrier bags or small boxes.

Home in time for lunch.  Dot cooked a blackberry and apple crumble and then went to Riverside, where she bought some presents from Next, Boots and the charity shop while I cleared the house up and disposed of a pile of e-mails. Went out for street meet, but Des and Chris have colds and Mark is still away. In the end only Ciara came out, but we had a lovely chat. Later I cooked smoked haddock and we had some of the crumble. Watched a couple of episodes of Black Doves on Netflix – very good – and the second of a two-episode Dalgliesh. Shoulders quite sore – realised it was from carting sugar about earlier.  

Saturday – Blue sky! Dry but colder. Dot prepared her prayers. I was feeling a bit dodgy, but improved during the day after having a lie-down after lunch. Marion came round with two Christmas cakes – one for Kim. I had earlier taken some money out of the ATM at the station to pay for them, and on the way to the station had a long chat with Michael, who had been collecting sticks for Christmas decorations. Dot went to mysterious shop to get me an unknown present. In the evening we went to church for cocoa and carols. Bit early really but had a chat with a few people and dropped in at the Stage, where we saw Leanne and Nikki, Sharon and Alison, Sophie and her daughters. Also saw Stacey at church. I walked home to prepare meal, and Dot left early with car to eat it. Watched several things during day, including cricket, Dalgliesh, Return to Paradise and Moonflower Murders. 

Sunday – Dry. Milder most of the day, becoming colder in the evening. In worship band at church, then preached on living in the light. Dot led prayers focused on joy. After brief refreshments took Ray home; five of us in car because we also took Mike and June. Traffic horrendous: police closed a section of Riverside Road, apparently because of an unexploded bomb. Any excuse… Went through back streets to deposit Mike and June at top of St Matthews Road. Ray a bit down because he’d been told his cancer was getting worse.

After lunch Amanda came down (Matthew brought her by tandem) and the three of us went to Norwich v Burnley. Took lead in first minute, then lost 2-1. Not much attacking nous. Bit later walked up to Old Library Wood for carols and mulled wine with loads of people we didn’t know plus Des, Chris and Ciara, and the Anglia TV newscaster who lives up in Old Library Mews.  I left a bit early to put the meal on, but the whole thing  only lasted about an hour and I met Dot coming back. Did a few Christmas cards. Watched a bit of football, the end of Wolf Hall and a couple of other things. FaceTimed Oliver, and Amy was also hooked in. Both seemed well (as did Chrissy) though Amy bumped her bottom when she fell while ice skating. Late in bed again.