Last Friday (May 30) was warm and dry. Phone call at 8am changing my appointment to Thorpewood at 11.45, instead of Dussindale at 11.10. This was so that I could see a GP. And so I did – Dr Okeke, who was very pleasant and thorough, though he didn’t leave me much the wiser after well over half an hour. Heart all right, and so are blood pressure and a number of other things. However my PSA is raised, which is very surprising as I don’t have a prostate. Also liver function down. He examined my body, but nothing was obvious. He wants to test two more things and arrange an ultrasound. Hope they don’t interfere with holidays. Met Carrie in the waiting room and she was still there afterwards! Her husband is quite ill with probable kidney cancer, and she’s not too great herself.
Watched some more of Clarkson’s Farm and a couple of other things in the evening, but before that I went for shortish walk and got steps up to 4000 again. Then had street meet in the sun: Des and Chris briefly with Charlie, then Mark and Sarah, Matt and Angela and Joe and Sam plus Jon, Mary and Ciara, back from her wild swimming. A has been diagnosed with osteoarthritis. I went in towards the end to start cooking our salmon, which was very nice. Felt quite a bit better during the evening.
Saturday – very warm and dry. Adrian O’dell’s 80th birthday bash, as highly organised as you’d imagine. We got there a bit early, despite taking the wrong road and having to ask a man mowing the verge. Seating was designated; so we couldn’t sit with Fred and Sue as hoped, but it was ok. We sat with Mike and Cindy Huggins, Graham Drake and Richard Archer. Fred and Sue sat with Neville and Mary. Buffet meal was really excellent , and so was Adrian’s autobiographical film, but I had a headache and was feeling a bit unwell; so went out and missed part of the speeches and the quiz. Adrian on ukulele, son-in-law on bass guitar and grandson on drums did some good music. Even Adrian wasn’t bad.
Spoke at some length to Fred and Sue; so that was OK. Dot joined in birthday phone call to Barry Brown, who was 84. This happened while I was resting in the car. Dot drove both ways. Lay down for a bit and took more paracetamol, and I felt better as the evening progressed. We watched part of The Good, The Bad and the Ugly and then cleared up and checked our service for tomorrow. Phil and Anna will probably be away, or at least inactive.
Sunday – Cooler, windy but dry. Still quite pleasant. Drove to church and led service. Only 14 present. Dot (in nice dress) and Martin joined by Steve Fiske in band. Howard arrived with wheelbarrow and plants and somehow got a lot of water on his Bible. He preached on Mongolian Christianity, which was a lot more interesting than it sounds. Anna didn’t come. Illness now described as flu – still, it’s not malaria. Took Ray home: he was a bit down, especially as Steve is going for a liver scan.
Watched European final, PSG beating Inter Milan 5-0, which was a bit humiliating. Also saw end of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, which was good, bad and ugly, as well as being extremely long. Compelling, though. Also a few other ongoing crime dramas, and documentaries about Scandinavia and the Flying Scotsman. Took my last antibiotic pill and didn’t feel too bad at the end of the day.
Monday – Dry and quite mild. Gas man came to service boiler – all in order, though I had a nasty moment when I couldn’t remember where the gas meter was. Totally ridiculous: I read it every month and know exactly where it is. Beginning of the end? Afterwards Dot and I went to Morrisons and stocked up. Slight problem in that Dot wanted to get some Pyrex dishes – free with More card, but she didn’t have her phone with her. They sorted it out, though.
After lunch Anne came round, and she and Dot walked to shops…for quite a long time. Dot bought some tops and a dress for her holiday. Meanwhile I drove up to Rosary with flowers from Morrisons. Graves in a bit of a mess (see picture); so tidied up a bit. As usual someone was walking a dog, although dogs are prohibited there. Back at home lay down for a while. Cooked pie for Dot and lamb steak for me. Watched a couple more episodes of Code of Silence – very good. Feeling quite a bit better, though getting strange head pains.
Tuesday – A little rain, drier later. Up reasonably early to get to Archant Pensioners’ breakfast; in fact we arrived well before anyone else and were halfway through our breakfast before Tricia arrived. Robin and Shelagh also there and two “new” women – in fact a goodly number including Peter Franzen, with whom we had a chat.
In the afternoon Dot drove me to a Thanksgiving service for Derek Haylock at CityGates (Surrey), where I met Phil, who was delivered by minibus from Eckling Grange. Chatted with a few people I vaguely recognised and one or two I knew. Sat next to Helen, Lucy’s mother. Interesting. Brief chat afterwards with Pastor Andy Rees, who did a good sermon. Three eulogies that in total gave me a huge inferiority complex. Walked home afterwards, after being closely questioned on the Lentons by former Surrey centre forward, who is black – unusual in those days. In the evening watched Jane Austen documentary and the last two episodes of Code of Silence, which was a brilliant thriller involving a lip-reader. Feeling a bit fragile, as if I was only partly here, which may be true.