Sunday 24 August – Quite warm with some sun in the afternoon. Posted birthday cards to Barbara and Julia, then watched football. In afternoon went up with Dot to “picnic” in Old Library Wood, together with various neighbours and Matt playing his hurdy gurdy. Also spoke to Jude and her friend Bernadette(?), who moved up to Norwich from London a couple of years ago and then lost her husband. Really nice to see them, but wasn’t feeling great.
Nevertheless carried on after a lie-down and we had Matt and Amanda round for a meal – entirely prepared by Dot. Had a good time with them – Matt is an enthusiastic talker and very knowledgeable on the history of Norwich. We also watched a Channel 4 documentary on the reshaping of Norwich Castle. Nightmare for those involved. Felt a bit better in the evening but still heavy-headed. David FaceTimed and persuaded me to buy a new suitcase. He seems well, but Amy has a cold. Roger and Barbara are still stranded in Italy because of Air Canada strike, but have tickets for Tuesday flight.
Monday – Warm and often sunny. Felt just about well enough to get up, bath and reach Un Café by just before 10pm to have breakfast with Brian and Tricia. Had a good time and definitely have been feeling better, though not well. Don’t know if it’s the antibiotics or the infection, if there is one. As I went to bed I felt my stomach wasn’t right, but… Earlier Judy came round for a cup of tea and brought us a card signed by church members and some flowers! Really nice. Before that, on the way back from breakfast we called at Dunelm and bought a new suitcase. Pretty quiet apart from that. Watched quite a bit of football, plus Ridley and a documentary on Orkney that included the Italian Chapel! Good to see it again. The Chapel, not the documentary.
Tuesday – Still warm but cloudy, and some wind. Promised rain did not materialise. Rang Ray and then Barbara, whose 80th birthday it is. She was very bouncy, considering she had had a recent frightening experience involving a bee sting and a lifeboat. I spoke to her just after Kim had been to visit: very much the same vibe, if on a different level. Dot was in the city getting dollars, and fruit from the market, and having a pedicure; so I showed Kim our Channel Island pictures, which she seemed to like. She also brought us a lovely gift for our 80th birthdays – stunning “prophetic” mosaics that fit together. Later had scrambled egg, mushrooms and spinach and watched too much TV as usual. Final episode of Ridley and more about islands. Felt very tired at end of evening. Got in touch with Val Gemmell, who is at Bungay, aiming to see her tomorrow.
Wednesday – Warm, sun and cloud; light rain in evening. Drove to Bungay (Outney Meadow), where Val had parked her camper van. Had a chat in the van, then drove her to Norwich, got a bus up to Red Lion Street and then had a lovely lunch in the Ivy. Really nice to reminisce with Val and talk about our families. She came back to the house for a drink and then we drove her back to Bungay. Tried to take her via Church Road and our Yelverton house, but needless to say the road was closed. Tried a different route back home after dropping Val, but it didn’t quite work. Got home around 7.30 and I lay down and slept for most of the evening, followed by the rest of the night. Wasn’t feeling great: suspect I ate too much at the Ivy.
Thursday – Quite warm. A little rain, but happily not till I’d cut the ivy back. Dot wouldn’t let me use a long ladder; so I had to cut the shoots lower down so that the upper part would die away. Not ideal, but… Dot rearranged the pots as part of the operation. Was feeling tired most of the day as has become normal. Headache too, though both improved at end of day. I have now taken the last of my antibiotics, which may help, and had a proper meal tonight (salmon). Watched a bit of dramatic football (Grimsby beating Man Utd 12-11 on penalties and Rangers going down 6-0 in Europe match) and first two episodes of a pre-1066 historical drama, which has been panned by historians as “not accurate”; so it’s probably spot-on.