Sunday, March 1 – Spring! Some brightness, but lots of cloud and intermittent drizzle.  Caught up on another month of EP Chess. Up to date now. Wrote some e-mails – mainly to Kristine and Joy, the latter after sending off for presents for Phil. Watched football. Spurs lost again – 2-1 to Fulham. Ukrainian couple called to see if we knew any Ukrainians in the area (!). I suggested Des might be a link, but not sure they went there. Later Des called and said Bob (next door) had suggested they might not be genuine. True enough. Will be alert.

Cooked sausages for supper, and they went down well. Watched the last episode of Season 5 of The Chosen: all very well done. I believe Season 6 is in production. Also watched Ice Road Truckers and Call the Midwife. Bit late in bed. Earlier Oliver FaceTimed us, and while he was on we were joined by David and Chrissy, who opened her birthday presents (her birthday is tomorrow). Oliver is training for his marathon. Meanwhile war in the Middle East seems to be escalating. Khomeini, leader of Iran, seems to be dead. Other countries involved as well as Israel and US.

Monday – Pleasant: sky mainly bright and reasonably warm. Drove Dot to hospital for her 11.30 physio appointment, which went well. Again, I was allowed to go in with her. Physio Rachel very pleasant. Good time of day to get to hospital. Afterwards bought doughnut and cake from hospital café and had light lunch. Looked at my autobiography afterwards and realised I ought to bring it up to date. Could take a while. Also walked to sorting office and posted a card from Dot to Jeannie. Achieved over 4000 steps today. Cooked chicken, potatoes and peas, and we also had some jelly and ice cream. Both felt a bit tired before supper and lay down for a while. Sorted out rubbish and put bins out.  Watched football, a grand tour of the River Ayr, and the penultimate episode of The Lady. Oh, and University Challenge, where I got Sturm and Drang and sonata (from its structure). Bed rather late. 

Tuesday – Dry, not too cold. Some sun. Busy day. Up fairly early to go to Archant Pensioners’ meeting. Good breakfast – Dot had extravagant-looking waffle instead, because of her mouth. The stitches dissolved later in the day, and her mouth now feels almost normal. After light lunch Roger called in and had coffee and KitKat. Good chat. Afterwards I cleared up and brought emptied bins in, then cooked salmon. Sorted out mistake on newspaper bill.

Judy arrived about 7.30, and we gave her a lift to Bridget’s for Cake and Compline. Also there David, Vicky and Claire. Really good evening. Vicky just back from Hong Kong. Claire about to have operation on foot. Nikki not there because her father was having heart operation at Papworth. Phil in France. Bridget read extract about a poem from excellent Malcolm Guite book. Not his poem, but very good: Maps, by Holly Ordway. I led a compline which I had printed out earlier – after sorting out a problem with one of the printer cartridges. Dot told story about Moslem woman who met Jesus in a near-death experience and knew him immediately. Home fairly late. Judy has new cat – Lola. 

Wednesday – Grey. Toyed with idea of ordering a new cover and protective screen for iPhone, but realised that taking the old protective screen off might be tricky; so decided to get that done at Apple (Putting the new one on would be straightforward, oddly.) Guys from Sonata arrived at 1.30pm to fix new alarm boxes. Spent some time installing new control panel and box, but discovered they needed to get up to bell on outside wall and as usual didn’t have a long enough ladder. So they’re coming back. New panel much more complicated, so have put off using it so far, but will have a go tomorrow.

Cooked lasagne then took Dot to her first rehearsal this year. She enjoyed it and intends to play in the concert, which she hadn’t thought she’d be able to. Janet brought her home. I spent the evening listening to YouTube music. We both watched the final episodes of Silent Witness, which is getting more and more convoluted – this story was about firms working with AI and sabotaging each other. Late in bed. Earlier put some poems together to read on Sunday at the Seagull. Haven’t written any poems this year. 

Thursday – Dry and mainly blue sky, but a little chilly. In the morning went to see Mary and Neville for tea/coffee and had a really nice time. Neville has had a stroke but seems much better. Watched Match of the Day over lunch. Bridget came to clean at 3.30, which was nice. Had fish cakes for supper, and I fried some potatoes – bit of a dry combination. Followed with strawberries and then half a hot cross bun while watching Dark Knight – a Batman film that didn’t really impress me: rather incoherent and violent in tone. Also too long; so rather late in bed after clearing away. Set alarm to see if it works. It did when we went out. Felt a bit funny today: slightly chilly and popping in my ears. Not ill, though. Spurs lost again: getting a bit tedious.