Monday, July 6 – Very warm. Dry. Slept quite late, having failed to watch England beating Mexico 3-2 in the early hours. After breakfast got the bus up to the city with Dot, who had a noon eye test. She has chosen three new pairs under the guidance of me and Melissa, a very helpful young woman who also advised me on how to sort out my own glasses. Not something you would think necessary, but in fact very helpful.
Afterwards we walked home and picked up some potatoes from the one-stop shop. We then watched the England match. I trimmed some Ivy and other hanging branches, and also noticed some water on the bathroom floor. Where this was coming from is a mystery: I may have to get a plumber in. Aaargh! Meanwhile had a chat with neighbour Mark, who returns to Brazil tomorrow, and later with Des and Chris on their return from Anglesey. Much earlier Eleanor’s friend from the woods called to say that a branch had fallen off one of the trees. Dot had heard the crack earlier in fact. Later we saw someone checking it out. Cooked some duck, and we watched Spain beat Portugal 1-0 in the 91st minute. Huge van parked outside.
Tuesday – Very warm. Drove up to the Town House after I’d managed to arouse Dot, if you see what I mean. Small but select group, including the editor, Peter, and – for the first time – his wife and former secretary, Kate. Also Eric and Linda, Batso, David Newham and Bill, plus Tricia. Robin and Shelagh will probably not be coming any more: he has a more or less permanent chest infection, apparently. Brian is also feeling quite low.
Afterwards went to Morrisons and, after unpacking and resting, to the plumbers up on Kett’s Hill to get a new sink plug (more complicated than it sounds) and shower sprayer (the old one fell apart). Then back home to relax. Dot feeling particularly tired; so she watched a fair bit of tennis, and I checked to see if I could still sing and play guitar. I can. Then we fixed the plug in the sink and waited with bated breath after Dot cleaned the sink to see if it works properly. I made the bed, almost started writing an article for my website but made dinner instead. Then spent the evening watching much of a five-hour game of tennis between Djokovic and a Canadian with an unpronounceable double-barrelled name. During it David FaceTimed to show us his new phone, which is orange. Late in bed. Canadian lost.
Wednesday – Very warm. Decided to sort out shed, get rid of wasps’ nest and make everything clean and tidy. Bit ambitious. After the first session, Dot was feeling quite ill: wondered if she’d inhaled some of the chemical used to destroy the nest. But after a rest she seemed OK. I took over the movement of objects under Dot’s direction, but this was not easy, as might be imagined. Lot of dust to be washed away and cleaning to be completed. Eventually we managed to sort it out. Dot decided to clean up the leaves as well and, later, to water the flowers in front and back. Needless to say, she was exhausted. Distracted, I tipped some leaves in the wrong bin and almost did myself an injury trying to transfer them to the right one. But no harm done, I think.
I had a bath and so missed the last set of Arthur Fery winning yet again: I put his 6-0 in the final set down almost entirely to my not watching. He is now in the semi-finals. Did cheese on toast for supper because Dot couldn’t eat anything substantial, which was fine. Afterwards she had a shower. We caught up on the Tour de France – Channel 5 coverage is growing on us – then watched an old and forgotten episode of Death in Paradise. Water in bathroom has dried up; so have left some in basin to see what happens.
Thursday – Very warm again. Jon has supplemented the boards at his downstairs windows with a blanket upstairs. Must be very hot in his house. No more water on bathroom floor, but decided to let plumber come anyway. He did, very late in the day, but was very friendly and professional. Renewed some piping under the sink and put new washers in. Also left the stuff we’d bought yesterday as a reserve, which was nice. Wrote an article for my website on Scotland – not sure it was very good. Also put the slightly adjusted Oyster Catcher poem on there. Quite like that. Heard that Phil passed his driving test, which is great for him. Birgit took him this time – must be her influence. Watched tennis and World Cup – France 2-0 Morocco. Pretty boring. Wore shorts today – says it all.
Friday – Yes, still warm. Linda came round and cut our hair just before lunch. Later we went to Morrisons to buy stuff for tomorrow – our visit to the Knox Whittets at Beachamwell and hopefully a drop-in with wedding anniversary presents for Phil and Joy. Had a bath before that, of course. Later we met in the shade of our driveway with Des, Chris, Matt and Angela. Still pretty warm. Cooked lasagne then watched a couple of episodes of the Tour de France – I’m quite enjoying the new format – and Spain beating Belgium 2-1. Close game. Earlier Fery lost to Zverov despite putting up a good show, and Djokovic lost to Sinner.
Saturday – Cloudy with spells of warm sunshine. We were invited to Beachamwell, in the wilds of west Norfolk, for lunch with James Knox Whittet and his wife Anne, but before we left David Bowman surprisingly walked by: he had been our neighbour in the early days at Aspland Road, together with his older brother Derek, and his mother Diane and father Derek, who was Ella’s brother and so first introduced us to Ballater. It was good to have a chat with him – he now lives in Devon with his wife and two adopted daughters.
We then drove to Phil and Joy’s via another change in the back road layout, to give them card and presents for their wedding anniversary tomorrow. Then on to the Knox Whittets for a nice lunch of salmon in their garden. Stayed till end of afternoon, then went home via Swaffham, where we handed a birthday card to Julia Higbee. In the evening we watched the final two episodes of Two Weeks in August, which we could have ignored, because there was no-one in it we liked. Also watched Tour de France before tackling the England-Norway match, which ended 2-1 after extra time, with England in the semi-final. Didn’t get in bed till 1am (on my birthday).