Rather a busy week in the offing. Monday, August 24 was a bit cooler, but not unpleasant. Drove to Diss to meet Barbara and Roger, who were on their way from Clacton to Heathrow and making a much bigger diversion than I realised. We had lunch at the Waterfront Inn, which turned out to be much less sophisticated than it had appeared online, but the food was actually very tasty and its position on the Mere attractive. I had a terrific steak and ale pie with mash, peas and gravy. Dot and Roger had fish and chips, and Barbara had scampi.
Parking in the Chapel Street car park was a nightmare. The machines didn’t work; so I rang the number provided and paid online by card. Good job we weren’t in a hurry. Roger had the same problem, so parked in Morrison’s car park. Really nice chat over lunch and left quite late (roughly 2-4). Drove home and although we met queues of traffic coming towards us on Hall Road, our journey through Norwich was pretty easy. Didn’t need supper: had a snack later on. Watched what may or may not have been the last episode of Staircase, and Sunday’s Match of the Day. Also another old episode of Death in Paradise.
While looking up something to do with Dot as head teacher on the net, amazingly it brought up a reference to my aunt Dorothy (died in her 90s about 20 years ago) as matron head of boarding at Norwich School. You can die, but you can’t hide.
Tuesday – Warm, a little windy. Not sleeping very well recently. Drove up to Dussindale for an appointment with Karen Earl, who may have been a nurse. She took my blood pressure and gave me the equipment to provide a urine sample some time soon. Also wanted me to monitor my blood pressure. I was 137/91, and 90 would have been all right. She also took some blood almost without leaving a mark!
Afterwards bought practically a tankful of petrol which gave me an alleged range of 450. Last time I filled up (not there) it was 370. At home I checked the tyre pressures, which seemed fine. Had lunch while watching University Challenge, and then headed – once Dot had decided what to wear – for Maryta’s funeral at Earlham. This went really well. Led by Philip Butcher, and Paul did a great tribute, as did Holly. Jozef also read something by Carl Sagan that Maryta liked. Music included Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen and I vow to thee my country by someone else. Afterwards food and drink at the George. Spoke to several people, including Maryta’s friend Barbara, Paul’s sister, Colin Dowdeswell, Chris Brown, Holly and Jozef and their husband and partner, and of course Paul. (Maryta’s sister Terry was in China.)
Drove home, and Dot changed from dress to trousers. We then drove to Snape and got there in good time for the baroque concert which was really interesting. The lead violinist was brilliant but needs to make up her mind whether she wants to be a violinist or an actress – or possibly a conductor. Home quite late and watched brief highlights of Norwich beating Cardiff 2-1 away in the Caribou Cup.
Learned today that John Digby and Tara got married on Friday and honeymooned for a few days in the Peak District. Delighted – they’re both really nice.
Wednesday – Warm and mainly sunny. Felt pretty tired – did a lot of taxi driving. First took Dot to blood test, dropping my urine test off on the way. Then took her to Anne’s because we wanted to protect her leg for their holiday. She went for lunch with her and Anne drove her home. Meanwhile I drove home, where Bridget had been cleaning the house, and took her to her next job off Cromer Road. She too can’t drive at the moment. Wasted the rest of the afternoon but managed to get rid of some e-mails and answer one from Robin about the funeral.
Dot home just after 5pm, worried because her season ticket had disappeared from her wallet. Managed to sort that out and put her credit card in for her holiday. Then we went to Morrisons, noting that the council had put some yellow lines back on Aspland Road, but not very straight and not where Des would have liked them to be. Still none on our side. Bought some food and returned home. I cooked myself steak and ale pie, and Dot had some odds and ends. Then we watched a bit of athletics and an episode of Professor T, a detective drama with an unlikely hero. Unbelievable, of course, but sort of interesting in comparing empathy and compassion. My cousin Barbara rang up earlier: it’s her birthday. I had sent her a card, which I think rather pleased her. She gets lonely.
Thursday – Feels like Friday. Some rain overnight and more scheduled for tonight, together with a lunar eclipse. Dot spent most of the day preparing for her holiday, though she hasn’t actually packed yet. She tried on quite a few dresses. I read a bit of the book of Enoch – one of several I’m aiming to get through while she’s away. Bit of pain on upper left chest, but I think it’s trapped wind. I tidied up a backlog in my room and the kitchen, and at 5.30pm went out for street meet – day early. Large attendance, including Jon, Mark, Mary, Ciara and Sean, Matt and Angela, Joe and Sam, plus Des and Chris, with a couple of AA men who were very slowly failing to fix their car. In the end left it to be towed early tomorrow. The small battery appears to be dead. Those of us with 15-year-old petrol cars refrained from gloating in a very mature sort of way.
Interesting conversation about Palestine and Israel with Ciara and Des. Ciara and I perhaps surprisingly very much on the same page. Came in after longish session for evening snack and watched cricket and Ludwig. Cricket was interesting: commentators said England had done well, and News at Ten said they hadn’t. Earlier watched Celtic throw away a four-goal lead and fail to qualify for European Championship. Horrific floods in Nepal.
Friday – Feels even more like Friday. Mainly dry with the odd shower. Very heavy rain at Snape in the evening. Dot went into city in the morning to buy stuff from Boots and came back with new shoes for holiday. Meanwhile I was tidying up. After lunch we drove to Christ Church to hear Bridget talk about St Brigid (not herself: the Irish one) and her friend Julie on Cuthbert.
After cup of tea and biscuits we drove direct to Snape, if by “direct” you mean via Shotesham. Had plenty of time to spare – had a glass of rosé each and then Dot had a crab and I had a herb and veg concoction involving mussels, which was ok. Heard the London Symphony Orchestra do a rather obscure viola concerto, followed by an unfinished Brückner concerto that was quite vigorous though not especially tuneful. Had ice cream during interval.
At the end emerged into heavy rain. Fortunately (a) we had cushions to put on our heads and (b) didn’t have far to go because we had arrived early and got a good parking spot. Out of the Maltings fairly quickly, but roads were a bit iffy, with the odd bit of standing water. Got stuck behind a car whose driver gave the impression he couldn’t see anything; took the opportunity to go the Beccles route when he turned off to Halesworth. After that it wasn’t too bad, and we were home just before 11pm.
Incidentally, last night about 4am we woke to catch a glimpse of the lunar eclipse. Quite unexpected.