Very warm five days, gradually getting warmer. BBC getting quite excited as usual. On Wednesday 20th it was still quite cloudy, though. Dot had a violin lesson with Anna in the morning, and I drove her up there. Afterwards I drove to Ray’s to spend an hour or so with him. He didn’t seem too bad. Picked Dot up around 12.30 – very busy around the car park. In the afternoon to Morrisons for a stock up, and filled up with petrol. Dot bought a new shower mat – smaller so that it fits in the cubicle better. Felt shattered after we’d unpacked and put stuff way. Both rested on the bed for quite a while. Cooked pizza, which wasn’t too bad, and then Dot left with Nova for orchestra rehearsal (Janet couldn’t come because her grandson was ill). I sorted out my backlog and decided not to respond to a very silly comment on the church What’sApp group about Israel. Dot home in good time: watched highlights of Aston Villa 3-0 Europa League Final win against Freiburg and an episode of the wonderful Amandaland.
On Thursday Dot arranged insurance for her holiday, but I don’t think she’s confirmed it yet. She also wrote several birthday cards. After lunch I put up the new hanging basket, using half the long ladder, but had difficulty putting the two ladder sections together to look at the gutter, which I suspected might be blocked. However at this point both Sean and Des had come over to chat, and they gave us a hand: Sean put the ladder together and Des climbed up it to clear gutter. Very kind neighbours! Later Mary came and had a chat, and we recommended Amandaland, which they watched later and liked! I also cleaned up the garage door and trimmed the tree, but then felt very tired and went in, but Dot carried on tidying up the drive. Cooked chicken for supper – ok, but not great: I don’t have a lot of success with chicken. It never seems tender. Watched tribe last episode of Race Across the World and then the Reunion, where it was revealed how complex the set-up is to put the programme together. Always thought it would need loads of people, and it does.
I was up early on Friday to take the car to the garage for check on brakes and a general once-over before going to Scotland. Made good time and got bus back to Tombland. Then took birthday cards up to sorting office and checked bus times on way back. At that precise moment Ingress (garage receptionist) rang to say car was ready; so went back home and returned about 15 minutes later to get the No 35, which turned out to be a large minibus with only me and one other guy on it. Made good time, and I got off one stop early because I wasn’t sure where the stops were. Spoke to old woman (ie my age) whose granddaughter was buying a car. Told her I was very happy with mine. Cost today about £560, mainly because I needed new brake pads and something else. Drove home for lunch. Street meet well attended: Des, Chris, Sarah, Jon, Mary, Matt, Joe, Sam: gathered in our drive in the shade. Afterwards I grilled steak: unusual, not too bad. Watched average murder mystery. Amy FaceTimed, and we finalised train times for her visit to Scotland. She sounds in good form, and we’re looking forward to seeing her.
Saturday was a very strange day, largely because most of it was taken up with lunch at the D’Souzas in the company of John and Tara. Meanwhile left brown bin out for Joe and Sam to put stuff in, and it has now disappeared (returned on Sunday). Suspect it’s in their garden. Lovely lunch (salmon) with quite a long chat before and after. John didn’t say much because he’s very tired after his heart attack, but Tara made up for it. She seems to be much fitter than last time we saw her.
Meanwhile Carrie’s husband Al, who we know quite well, has been told he has only a couple of weeks left. He has a kidney/bowel tumour, and there is no cure. Listened to a programme produced by Kristine about a young woman who had a heart attack which led to her being locked in – ie fully aware but unable to communicate by voice or movement. She’s had several tumours, and her surgeon said it was a miracle that they did not recur after the last operation (fifth or sixth). She is now able to communicate by a very painstaking method, one letter at a time, and is amazingly positive, having a deep faith in God. Pretty inspiring. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p002vsn4/episodes/player – called Speaking from the Heart.
Didn’t really need another meal after lunch over the road; watched television – several people covering Bob Dylan songs, ranging from brilliant to appalling; highlights of play-off final between Hull and Middlesbrough (1-0); and a new drama series set on a Greek island.
Bright blue on Sunday. Up in time to visit Kim. Took the car and parked in Oak Street so that we could get a bit of exercise but not too much. Arrived around 11am and had cake and Cava Rose. Hadn’t seen each other for a while so caught up on our respective families. Kim is going up to Huddersfield on Tuesday to visit a close friend who is very ill. Talked about the march she went on and the state of the world generally: we agree on lots, but perhaps not everything.
Back home early afternoon: Got very tired and went to sleep for most of a TV Pentecost service from Wrexham Hope Street Church, notable for mentioning the Greek continuous present tense, which is a favourite of mine (Be filled with the Holy Spirit means Be being filled, or Keep on being filled.) Later I cooked salmon again – a bit earlier than usual so that we could go to the Theatre Royal, which unusually started at 7pm. Got bus most of the way but walked home.
In the bar met Stephanie and Charlie, which was nice. Theatre nowhere near full, to my surprise – I thought it had been pretty booked up. It was an unusual event: 21 strings players (4 cellos and 2 double basses, with the rest violins and violas). What was unusual was that they played while moving round the stage; so they had to remember all the music. It was brilliant – Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky. Back home and feeling tired, we watched Death Valley and football – or more accurately people talking about football – until we were too tired and went to bed.