Thursday, June 4 – Mixture of sun and (sometimes heavy) showers. Picked up Mike Read just before noon and drove to Fornham, near Bury St Edmunds, to see chess master Owen Hindle, now in his late 80s. Stayed there about 2 1/2 hours, watched some cricket on TV, and Owen and Mike talked chess with a little help from me. Owen went through two of his games – really fascinating thought process! He has a huge library – some of the books extremely valuable, since you ask. His other interests include watching world news and sport on TV, plus Shakespeare biographies. He can’t walk very far. Liz (one of my former trainees) has new job with BBC at Ipswich. She and Mark help Owen a lot.
Usual hold-up on A11 – home just before 5pm with Bridget in mid-stint. A bit later her husband arrived and we had a chat, largely about his desire to retire: his job is taxing and unsatisfying. Bridget wants him to retire, and I encouraged him to do so. In the evening we had pies and watched highlights of the first Test against New Zealand. England managed about 140, and by close of play NZ had lost six wickets for less than 50. Great fun. Heard from Ella and hope to see her during our second week: she is fishing all the first week!
Friday – Much nicer day. Mainly dry but with a chilly wind, especially on the coast. Drove to Joyce’s house near the airport to pick her up and take her to Beeston Regis, where we met Fred and Sue at the Priory Maze café just before noon. After sorting out a phone call from Ray, who wanted Sophie’s address, we went in and had an OAP meal! I had bangers and mash and apple crumble and ice cream, and Dot had jacket potato and sticky toffee pudding. Fred and I split cost – it was a kind of 80th birthday present for Joyce. Afterwards we all went to Fred’s caravan and sat outside to have a cup of tea. Bit chilly; so Fred and Dot erected a windbreak!
Drove home, dropping off Joyce and arriving in good time for the street meet. Much warmer in Norwich. Good attendance: Dot, me, Des, Chris, Matt, Joe, Sam, John Sissons, Paul from down the road and Mark back from Brazil! Dot and I had rosé. Afterwards Dot cooked fish and we watched the final episode of A Very Peculiar Practice, which was excellent. Dot couldn’t find a card she’d written for Jenny, and I had a peculiar sensation in my jaw – cross between a toothache and a strain.
Saturday – Chilly again: mainly dry during day, but wet later. Late change of plan saw us picking up Sophie and driving to Briston, while Carrie drove Judy. All for Jenny’s birthday party at The Pavilion in Briston. Really good food. Bit odd not knowing hardly anyone there except those already mentioned. Sat next to Martin, who produces children’s books and told me all about it. At least Dot was on the other side, but she was being monopolised by Carrie, who seems to be getting over the very recent death of her husband.
We know Jenny because she comes to church quite often despite living a long way away. She is very sweet and may or may not be between 60 and 70. She says 35.
Not very hungry after large meal and both felt dozy when we got home. Had a few biscuits later. Watched replay in colour of 1966 World Cup Final. Skill level very low. Possibly due to heavy ball, crap pitch and lack of fitness. Refereeing and commentating also dismal (not BBC). Pleas for cash for Alzheimer’s Society got very irritating, as was David Baddiel’s comment that it was a good job they had no goalline technology. England’s third goal was clearly over the line, as you can tell by Hunt’s reaction.
Later watched another episode of drama that made us both very uncomfortable. A Few Days in August – could have been called A Few Days in Hell. Rounded off the evening with first half of warm-up match England v New Zealand. Not very impressed. Remembered I hadn’t paid Bridget. Feel like the left side of my face is falling off, but very, very slowly.
Sunday – Warm and dry. In Norfolk anyway. Snow on Cairngorm. Up earlyish to get three plants from Heather up on Library Gardens to put in our garden – part of project to persuade bees and butterflies to look kindly on us. Afterwards went to church. Eleanor led, and Howard did a fascinating bit on Revelation – with projected pictures.
After lunch Dot went to look at updates to Harriet’s house, but dropped me off near Puppet Theatre so that I could walk round St James Quay – discovered there was only one way in or out by car. Walked back home via Adam and Eve and Cathedral Close. Later Dot planted one of the plants and I cooked supper – salmon. Afterwards watched England win at cricket plus a couple of other programmes, but went to sleep during documentary on tigers. Nice pix, but you kept wishing the film-makers would leave them alone. I don’t know why. Had a chat earlier with David on FaceTime: he has plan for new project linked to Diderot.
Monday – Plenty of rain and not much sun, but Dot managed to plant a couple of the donated pro-bee items in pots in the back garden. Before that we drove to Muspole Street to pick up the repaired table from Richard McPhee, or Mr R J McPhee as the bank prefers to call him (yes, we did a bank transfer for £105).
I spent quite a long time catching up on various things – for instance, editing pictures and sending some to Joyce and Jenny; updating our bank account; and trying to decide whether a communication from O2 was a scam or not. I don’t think it was, but I ignored it. Wrote to Kim, Ella and Kristine, plus Anne Coomes to see if she can do without my Pump pieces this month.
During a break in the rain I cut back ivy that was encroaching on the front door and put it in the bin. Cooked sausages for supper and in response to a phone call gave Nikki Carrie’s address so that she can go there and help with funeral preparation. Bit odd, but there you are. Walked round the house to reach well over 3000 steps and an average of just over 3000 for the month so far. Strange sensation in my jaw and head on the left side, but there you go. Forecast for Ballater next week not great. Must take a book or two.