Strange kind of existence at the moment, as if living slightly out of kilter with reality. But the same old things keep on happening, if not in the right order. Today I have been busy sorting out our finances and (I think) avoiding any embarrassment or extra charges over late payments. For the first time ever, I forgot to pay my road tax before it expired, but I believe you have days of grace. Two lots of car insurance haven’t helped the cash flow, especially as my car was also serviced and MOT tested last Thursday. Dot hasn’t been paid for work she’s been doing for months, but no doubt it will sort itself out eventually. Today she has been with Barbara working on her Philosophy, after going to a meeting this morning which actually took place yesterday… At least the days are getting longer, and we’re not providing food for the Tuesday Group tonight, which means we can relax a bit when Dot gets home. Maybe.

My chess doesn’t seem to have been affected. After travelling to West Runton on Friday night to play for the B team (and drawing a game I felt I should have won), I played for the A team last night against the prospective league champions, and managed to win quite a good game. The team also won, 2.5-1.5, so there was general rejoicing. Earlier in the day I had been to Paston to discuss the Paston Guide Book, which I now feel I am closer to understanding. Lucy is not at all well, though. Towards the end Annette turned up: haven’t seen her for a while. For lunch I went to Wroxham Barns to meet Dot and her aunt Jessie, who had been visiting Frank at Wroxham. We had a good lunch. I returned home, and Dot took Jessie back to North Walsham, also visiting the cemetery and Sainsburys.

Sunday was also quite busy. After Holy Communion we stayed for lunch, and then Dot went for coffee with Anna at Greens (the health club) while I came home. In the evening I went to Ambient Wonder, which seemed to go very well, though in silence!

Saturday had been very pleasant. We went to visit Mick and Gill Stedman (pictured) in Framlingham. Mick was our vicar when we lived in Yelverton. We had a lovely lunch and were able to engage in in-depth discussion about our mutual difficulties. We then went for a walk round the town, which was appealing – plenty of old buildings and a wonderfully picturesque castle – as well as being just the right size. Weather was sunny and not too chilly.

In the past few days I had two pleasant surprises from the past. One was a phone call from a woman who I knew when we were in our teens and who I had a bit of a crush on (unrequited). I couldn’t believe it when she said her name, because for some reason I thought she was dead. She was trying to help a woman she knew who went to Paul’s church, so I gave her his phone number – and my cousin Barbara’s, whose friend she was in those far-off days. Hope she got a good response. She now lives in Hethersett. It would be initeresting to meet her.

The other surprise was a contact from Genes Reunited: a guy from New Zealand whose father used to know my aunt Kathleen during the war and who apparently stayed with the family afterwards. He had been a prisoner of war, and apparently the Lenton family fattened him up while he stayed at what must have been their place in Caistor Lane. The son, who is about my age, was overjoyed to hear that he had got the right person and is sending photographs, which should be interesting.

Oh, and last Friday I went with Joe to hear a talk by a Franciscan. The named Franciscan couldn’t make it, but the substitute turned out to be Roger Rayner, David’s old piano teacher. He gave a pretty good talk, hitting most of the right notes.