Friday November 14 – Very wet all day. Feeling quite bad, too, until evening. Still on paracetamol and of course antibiotics. Dot and David went to Morrisons to stock up with food, including vegan stuff for Amy. Then David showed me some new features of Diderot, which was exciting. Can’t wait to get more on there. Slept a bit in afternoon. Oliver and Amy arrived just before 7.30pm, both on good form. Dot had just got food ready, and so we ate almost straight away. Some mild political discussion. Cleared up with Dot while Oliver went to bed in living room, Amy in Dot’s study and David in spare bedroom. We were in bed just after 11. David had spent some time earlier looking through old photos, often with hilarity.
Saturday – Less rain, but plenty of damp in the air, sometimes escalating into drizzle. Felt groggy in the morning, but much better by evening. Dot and I took bus up to Castle Museum, and the others walked. Had a good look round, but were somewhat underwhelmed by the changes. View from battlements very wet and misty. Oliver bought us a scone and tea/coffee. Dot, Amy and I walked back via Bookshop and The Close. Quite tired. Had evening meal at Gem at 5pm: very good, especially the Turkish tea. David very kindly paid. Back home watched Scotland lose narrowly to Greece. Over 6000 steps.
Sunday – Still mainly overcast but dry. Chilly. Felt pretty rotten most of the day – prawns? alcohol? – but improved late evening. Didn’t eat too much, though Dot did a nice salady afternoon lunch. Earlier David and Oliver went out for walk and picked up croissants for breakfast. Later I had a lie-down, and the other four went into the city visiting various shops, including Waterstones. Dot got home first on her own and we watched part of Songs of Praise. Saw Oliver off on the 1703 via Cambridge because main line wasn’t running. Later we watched the goals in Albania 0-2 England. Later Kevin and his girlfriend Tracey came round and we had a chat before leaving them to it. Watched an episode of Shetland while Amy did university stuff online. David went to pub for an hour or so with K and T. Cleared up: quite late in bed. Only about 2000.
Monday – Cold with very occasional rain – notably when Dot and I walked over to the station with David and Amy for them to catch the 11am to London. They were in good time, and we think Amy got to Southampton in time for her lecture. Afterwards I had a bath and eventually felt better: the antibiotics seem to be working, unless it’s the prayers. Helped Dot to clear up and get rubbish together, then went to lie down, just as Kim rang and asked if she could come round, which she did (she was at the station). She’s still in a bit of pain from her fall but is planning to go to Aberdeen for Christmas. Ho, hum. Watched a bit of TV in the evening (no surprise there). Put rubbish out and went to bed.
Tuesday – Cool. Small amounts of rain. Dot and I drove out to Catfield school to pick up sugar. On the way had a look at how they were progressing with dualling the A47. Quite a lot of sugar to pick up from the school, and on the way home we called in at the surgery to pick up some specimen jars (unrelated). Later in the day we tidied up the house, and then Harriet and her boyfriend Paul called, but halfway through I had to take a call from Nikki, who needed some advice. Had quite a long chat, and she is popping round again in a couple of days’ time. In the evening we both cooked the meal and watched an episode of Edge of Darkness, an oldish thriller. Very good so far. Scotland beat Denmark 4-2 in time added to qualify for World Cup. Kenny McLean, the Norwich skipper, scored from near the halfway line to wrap it up. We watched David’s progress across the Atlantic until he was safely home.