Saturday and Sunday, August 16 and 17 – Still warm, but cloudy. Yesterday afternoon (Saturday) Dot and I decided to go for walk round the pitch and putt course on Mousehold, which was quite enjoyable, though I became very tired. Later lost my appetite and couldn’t finish my meal – though I did manage the salmon. Afterwards went to lie down – started shivering and felt pretty bad. Went to bed with hot water bottle (!) and eventually went to sleep. Surprisingly slept very well, but still felt shaky when I woke up, though the shivering had gone.
Yesterday (before I was ill) we had practised some songs for Bridget’s get-together today, but I wasn’t well enough to go. Usual UTI symptoms developed. Had a bath, but didn’t feel much better, though we were able to watch football. Spurs won and Norwich scraped 2-1 away win at Portsmouth. Judy came round and Dot took her and Howard to Bridget’s. They had a good time; I slept mostly. When Dot got back David FaceTimed and we had a chat – with Dot telling him more than he wanted to know about the party she’d been to. She brought me a scone back, which I ate and we watched Beck (very good) and another sacred Scottish islands documentary by Ben Fogle – this time Islay, Jura and something very small across the Straits of Corryvreckan and its impressive whirlpool.
Monday – No change in weather. Had bad night and felt pretty rough during the morning, but gradually improved through the afternoon and even cut some ivy back and put it in the brown bin. That was after having a bath and watching some football. Dot got interested in getting me the right food to eat and went to Morrisons, where she met Claire and also had problems finding ingredients; so was quite a long time. Later watched Ridley: very good. Also finished reading The Last Battle, the final book of C S Lewis’ Aslan trilogy. Brilliant, but probably wouldn’t get published today.
Tuesday – Cooler; cloud. Still felt dodgy most of the day, but did some house-tidying while Dot went to Jarrolds in the afternoon for waxing and manicure. Nice to see things sorted out. Putting new cartridge in printer unexpectedly tricky, but did it. Got down big suitcase from loft. It doesn’t look like ours, but can’t think whose else it would be. Dot did me special lunch of poached egg on toast with avocado: very nice. In the evening drove to meal with Mary and Neville at the Cellar House in Eaton. Parking tight – came close to edge of drop but extracted the car later. Good food – had medium-rare rump steak and chips – then we went back to the Throwers’ house for cake and ice cream, and a talk about illness and getting old. Oh dear. Felt definitely improved by the time we got home.
Wednesday – Cloudy but quite pleasant. Dry. Again felt ropey on waking but improved as day went on. One dose of paracetamol at 12.30pm. Bridget came to clean at 9.30; so I had to get up and move car. Dot left at about 10.40 to pick up Joyce and take her to North Walsham to meet Sandra again for lunch. After Bridget left – shouting a greeting to a mystified Des, who was engrossed in a conversation with John – I went out for short walk and to post pic to Linda (Eric’s grave, which she had asked me about). Popped in at station for no good reason. Did a bit of picture editing and attempted to finish a poem. Dot cooked chicken in the evening – very nice – and we watched Masterchef and another episode of In Flight.
Thursday – grey and coolish, especially in Norwich. Warmer and with the occasional shaft of sun in Essex, where we spent the afternoon. We travelled down (Dot driving) by the fastest but not shortest route, down the A11 and M11 to near Stansted, cutting across to Great Dunmow and then up to Duck End, where Liz and Pete live. About 90 miles. Had really nice time there, with Brian and Jacqui, Rob and Sue, Jeannie, Jan, Christine. Others couldn’t make it; Jan’s husband is too ill with dementia.
Lovely food, and I had a long chat with Rob and Pete, who I like very much. He is a businessman in the engineering industry with a special interest in cars. Rob and Sue have visited every corner of the known universe. I drove back by the more country route, with only the occasional diversion. Took in Sudbury, Bury St Edmunds and the occasional road closure which you could in fact drive round with minimal effort, using a parallel lane. Quite tired by the time we got home. Had a bite which I probably didn’t need and watched Masterchef and the penultimate episode of In Flight.
After that, felt quite ill and was shivering. Very bad night – so bad that I determined to go to the walk-in centre and this morning (Friday) was seen by a lovely 60-year-old nurse, who listened to what I had to say and prescribed antibiotics, which I have started. She was very thorough. Have been feeling very tired and warm and not capable of much. Got the antibiotics from Boots on Riverside, where Dot met me. She has been quite busy: Anna called early to deliver some paint; Paul then called but left (mainly because Dot was not dressed) when Dot said I was ill. Later Howard called to do some painting; street meet as usual (I was still in bed), and then Dot picked up Howard and Anna and they went to the Bowers for a meal. Or at least Howard did: Anna had a migraine. Vicky was also there. Dot brought me back some blackcurrant tart, which was lovely with ice cream. I had been to sleep and felt much better.
However when I woke up (Saturday) I didn’t feel so good. Head very heavy and general bad feeling. Meanwhile Carrie came round to see Dot about her group working in schools, and they had a long chat. Had a bit of lunch but wasn’t at all hungry. Then Dot went to football (lost 2-1, but Spurs top of table). I tried to sleep, then had a bath, then did a few puzzles in the paper. Took another paracetamol and shortly felt better. Had a small dinner – avocado and egg on toast – plus an even smaller sweet – banoffee pie. Watched a fair bit of TV about islands and also Annika. Earlier had seen last episode of In Flight, which was pretty good, though with some loose ends and a questionable moral compass. The good news is that Mark is home.