Monday night turned out very well. Not only did I avoid hearing the Ryder Cup result and was able to watch the tightest of finishes without knowing that Europe won by a single point, but I won my chess game too. That match was also a tight affair: my team beat King’s Lynn 2½-1½, and I won the deciding game. Just call me McDowell. That meant we went through to the next round of the Williamson Cup, where we will almost certainly lose to hot favourites Norfolk and Norwich. Ho hum. It must all mean something.
I continued my winning ways by beating my nephew Joe 3-o at rapid chess on Wednesday, which is better than I usually do. Meanwhile I had been working on my course for church magazine editors, which after seeing Parish Pump editor Anne Coomes today I am still not sure will happen. She is very keen, but it is hard to pin down exactly what’s required. I picked her up from Belsey Bridge (formerly Ditchingham) conference centre just before noon and we had lunch at the White Horse in Trowse. Good fish and chips. We then spent the rest of the afternoon discussing the course, what would and what wouldn’t work, plus other more personal matters before I dropped her off at the airport just after 5pm for her trip back to Manchester and home.
Dot meanwhile had spent a sparkling sunny day at Diocesan House followed by a visit to a school at Carbrooke. She is now at the new-look Ambient Wonder event – First Thursdays – mainly in order to get a video from Matt. I was excused on the grounds of looking tired. And feeling tired actually: Anne had what she described as the end of a cold, and I am a bit nervous about being exposed, especially as I have to drive the P4C stars to Henley on Monday.
Before that I have to write and deliver a sermon. I am now officially a trustee of the Paston Heritage Society, having been voted in by Lucy and Jo. Lucy has to spend some days in Papworth with a chest infection, so I am suddenly 50% of active trustees. I ought to know more about it than I do. Today was National Poetry Day. That ought to rhyme, but it doesn’t. Typical.
Three in a bed, and the little one hid up. Dot and grandchildren in the West Runton caravan.
As waste disposal lorries queue up in the street outside, the Oxburgh Hall exhibition approaches rapidly. Rupert Mallin has just appeared with his print, which I will transport to the Hall tomorrow, together with Martin Laurance’s pictures, which he delivered last night. Rupert is happy with his new teaching schedule at City College, but most full-time employees have to reapply for their jobs. This has always seemed an iniquitous device. If your job is no longer there, you are redundant and entitled to compensation; if your job is there, then there should be no legal way to remove you from it unless you’re dishonest or incompetent. Changing the job description slightly is in reality ending one job (redundancy) and introducing a new one.
Happily I am unlikely ever again to be in such a position, though I suppose Dot could change my job description. Would I have to reapply? The suspense is killing me. Have just heard my aunt Kathleen is in hospital with a broken hip after a fall, so will probably pay her a visit this afternoon. That will teach her.
Yesterday was a lovely warm day. Dot went merrily and with memory lapse to Swaffham with her P4C hat on, leaving her colleague waiting for her at the Park and Ride in Norwich. Numerous phone calls later (neither Barbara nor I knew which school they were going to, and Dot had her mobile phone off) the pair were reunited just in time. I have been preparing my poetry workshop for Oxburgh, but in the afternoon delivered a chess game to Mike Read (my rather exciting loss on Monday to Jon Burrows), walking to Knowsley Road by way of Mousehold Heath. Met up successfully with Dot at Phil and Joy’s to deliver Joy’s birthday present and have a long discussion on miracles. At least, that’s what happened.
On Sunday I led the service and preached, with Dot doing the prayers. Everyone else who does that kind of thing was away, either at Greenbelt or elsewhere, so there wasn’t much choice. Afterwards Vicky M said she had been completely healed of a back problem after we’d prayed for her on the Tuesday last week. This Tuesday we had a large gathering for the meal (no connection between last two statements) when we’d been expecting very few. Dot’s friend Carrie came, which was nice. Had a good discussion about prayer, miracles and what we should or could be doing.
Went to see June W earlier in the day. Her problems are still proving recalcitrant, but she was cheerful, and we had a good time with her. Her house and garden are so beautifully organised, sand she’s brave enough to use bright colours on wall and furniture. Her son William is a brilliant artist in leather – produces wonderful things.
Somewhere in the middle of all that (Saturday, actually) we had our hair cut. Thought I’d better mention that.
Granddaughter Amy being attacked by a bear but retaining her appetite
One of those weeks where you seem to have plenty of time to do stuff, and so you fritter most of it away. Weather has not been brilliant – wet and dull all day yesterday – but at the moment the rain has relented, which pleases Dot, as she’s scheduled to have lunch in the city with Anne a bit later. It’s a bit autumnal: cooler without being anywhere near cold. I’ve had my second ear-syringe (note the hyphen) which seems to have cleared all the wax, though the ears (and head) are still strangely crackly. On the plus side, I can hear better. The sound of the rain on the car roof as I returned from my appointment with Martine (we name the guilty nurse) was strangely loud. I’ve also had my teeth cleaned by a hygienist, who is so highly skilled that it doesn’t really hurt at all. So I should be in good shape.
I’ve managed to write a Paston poem, linking the last Margaret with the first of the family who arrived at Paston from France. Think it just about works. Need to speak to Annette in more detail about the workshop. The church magazine editors’ training plans have been laid aside temporarily, because one of the key guys is too busy and Anne’s dog is not well. Not sure if it will ever happen. However, I have written most of my sermon for Sunday. Most of the church will be either at Greenbelt or some other holiday venue, so I am prepared for a very small congregation.
Played my first chess game of the new season on Monday, after negotiating quite deep flooding on the road approaching the club. Hesitated to go through at first, but saw a bus a negotiate it, so followed. When I reached the club several other people were there, so I felt a bit of a wimp. However, recovered enough to draw a tight game against Jon Burrows, who’s graded about 30 points higher than me. As it was a knockout competition game, I have to play him again – probably on Monday.
Busy, busy. That may be why I feel heavy and listless. Have just been to Carrow Road with Dot to book tickets for the Swansea match for David, Oliver and myself. Only a mile and a-half there and back, and I feel exhausted. Am having my ears syringed shortly, but somehow I suspect that may not have any effect on the exhaustion. Haven’t been sleeping too well and have been having rather unsettling dreams, which is very unusual for me. Weather is still fairly warm, but not without some cloud and rain.
My eye test on Thursday went well: seeing is not a problem, and no new glasses necessary. No explanation as to why I have this burning sensation in my eyes in the evenings sometimes. Jennie arrived on Thursday afternoon: first time we’ve seen her for a while. Her arrival was somewhat marred by an event in the city shortly before her arrival: Dot was stung by a wasp. She was a bit worried at first because of Roger’s anaphylactic near-death experience, but was reassured by a pharmacist. However, the sting did become infected and turned quite unpleasant: swollen arm, very hot, very itchy. Had a bad night and went to see a nurse practitioner on Friday morning, just after I left for Coventry with Phil to take Andrew out on his birthday. Periodic phone calls revealed that she was not at all a happy bunny, and so it was fortunate that Jennie was there to keep an eye on her. The area of infection spread up her arm, and in the evening she called the emergency number, only to be reassured that the penicillin would not have kicked in yet. So a second sleepless night followed, and it was not until Saturday that the infection stopped spreading. It has still not quite subsided, and she is still taking the pills.
Meanwhile, Phil and I had a difficult drive to Coventry, having to take a diversion to avoid a huge hold-up on the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon – my least favourite stretch of road in the country and yet another example of short-sighted planning by the highway authorities. It’s the place where all the traffic going from the east to the Midlands and from London to the North-East has to share a two-lane dual carriageway. Who would have guessed that wasn’t enough road space? Not the highway planners, of course.
Andrew, however, was very well, and we took him for an excellent meal to Friday’s before driving to Corley Rocks, which we reached successfully despite Andrew’s directions or, in one case, because of them. One of Andrew’s favourite spots, it’s a bit tired but has potential. Unfortunately its potential is unlikely to be realised. The journey home was much easier.
On Saturday Dot and I took Jennie for a drive round north Norfolk. Jennie had a bad foot and Dot was still feeling groggy and very uncomfortable, so the ride was about the only option. We started by having a look at Paston Church, then lunched at the Ship in Mundesley (excellent again, with the waitress taking an interest in Dot’s arm and providing a welcome bag of ice. I had fish and chips again, and the other two had an imaginative starter followed by something sweet. We went on to Blakeney, where we decided we were not hungry or thirsty enough to take in any more and headed for home, just as it started to rain hard. Went via Holt and across country to Aylsham. Interesting. On Sunday we all went to church and tried out Nicholas’s new liturgy. Jennie returned home in the afternoon.
Annette at Oxburgh Hall
Monday was a beautiful warm and sunny day, and I drove to Oxburgh Hall to reconnoitre for the art/poetry Paston workshop in early September. I met Annette there, and we spoke to the NT’s top woman on site, who was very helpful. Annette and I had lunch in the cafe, which was a cut above, then looked at the nearby church. All fascinating stuff, and useful insofar as we now have a clearer idea of what we’re doing. Not clear, but clearer. Quite a pleasant journey there and back on the Watton road.
Tuesday started rainy for the visit of Pat and Barry Clayton and a couple of their friends. Pat was a college friend of Dot’s, and it was a very long time since we’d seen her. After an expansive cold lunch the rain had stopped (as forecast) and we all walked round the riverside path to the Playhouse, and then back down Elm Hill and through the Cathedral. A pleasant enough stroll, but again I felt very tired at the end. They left at about 6pm to return to their holiday address in the Harleston area, and Dot and I went to Vicky’s for Tuesday group. Tried to pick up Harriet, but she was in considerable pain in her legs, and Dot stayed with her while she rang the doctor. Also called in on the way back: the doctor hadn’t yet arrived, but she was resting and feeling a bit better.
Have finished reading a book by someone who visited the highest points of all the counties in the UK. Not nearly as good as it might have been, unfortunately. Now I’m on to Robert Holdstock’s Avilion, sequel to the wonderful Mythago Wood. Now he is a good writer. Even David Gemmell says so (on the cover).
Queen Amy processes down the castle steps during our holiday in Llanberis.
The time is just flashing by. Probably something to do with my being 65. It looked as if it was going to be a quiet week, but something happened every day, which I guess is better than the alternative. Tuesday was our 42nd wedding anniversary, and we celebrated with lunch at Caffee Uno (during which it poured with rain outside) and champagne at Tuesday Group. On Wednesday, Dot and I met Jessie at Jarrold’s, had a meal with her and then brought her home to look at our Welsh pictures on Apple TV. To make up for it, we took her home afterwards. On Thursday I went to the hospital while Dot was at Ethel’s. I received a certain amount of reassurance concerning rehabilitation from my operations; I had been feeling a bit down about it. Actually my health is quite good, and I walked halfway home afterwards. It was a bit muggy, so I took a bus the rest of the way: in fact the mugginess has been a constant over the last few days.
On Friday I drove over to Paston while Dot carried through the second stage of a mammoth house-cleaning project, and met with Lucy and Annette to discuss taking the Paston project to Oxburgh Hall. Annette and I will be offering a workshop, if we can work out how to organise it. Every sign that the Paston thing will extend some way into the future, and that there will be more poems and artwork to come from it. Maybe a second book, though it will different from the first – no more copies of which can be printed because several of the plates have unbelievably collapsed or gone missing. I have to write the words for a flyer and a press release, and later this month will be going to Oxburgh Hall with Annette to reconnoitre. After the discussion Annette and I were treated by Lucy to lunch at the Ship in Mundesley: we all went for the fish and chips, and were not disappointed. Good service: according to Lucy, they only employ graduates. That must be illegal, because it works so well.
In the evening we were given a lift by Vicky and Jared to Roger’s birthday do in Thorpe. As none of us knew anyone else there (except Roger’s son Philip) we spent most of the evening talking to each other and had a good time. Met Roger’s new girlfriend, who seemed extremely nice. We had a little too much to drink, but survived without medical help. Ho, ho.
David came up on Saturday to accompany us to the friendly match between Norwich City and Everton, which ended 2-4. Quite encouraged by the performance of the new Canaries, especially Andrew Crofts. Norwich gave away a couple of soft goals, but weren’t hopelessly outclassed. It was 2-2 for a while. Well, about a minute, I think. Although it was raining when David arrived shortly before 2pm I successfully predicted no more rain after about 2.15pm, after consulting three different forecasts. So we bravely managed without umbrellas. Still very warm, as it is today. Afterwards I showed David our Welsh photos, and then we watched the European Athletics championships, at which we did quite well. Appropriately, a Welsh one-two in the 400m hurdles. England also doing quite well against Pakistan in the test match. David stayed overnight, and left about 10 this morning.
Today Ruth was taking the service for the first time, and I gave Steve a hand with the music. We had originally intended to be in London with the Coomes’, but Maurice has been very ill, and David and Kristine are up in Yorkshire. Ruth and Steve did really well, and I’m trying to persuade Ruth to do it on a regular basis (and Steve to join the music group). Good sermon by Margaret.
Have done a bit of work in the garden, but not as much as Dot, obviously. I’ve cut back some roses from above the potatoes, and we’ve tidied up at the front too. Our brown bin runneth over.
The idyllic weather didn’t last. Today has seen a return to the dank and dismal, and we have not emerged from the house – though we did have our haircut this morning. On the plus side, Norwich won 3-1 away at Stockport, and Jenson Button is on what I believe is known as P5 for the final F1 grand prix tomorrow at the new £26 billion Abu Dhabi track. Good job the rest of the world is well fed and healthy, or that might have seemed a waste of money.
Yesterday the latest incarnation of the Paston exhibition opened at the tiny Griffon Gallery in North Walsham, and Dot and I made the journey. Not many attending, it has to be said, and we returned after about an hour, because I wasn’t feeling great. Not sure what it is: maybe a bit of a urine infection. Carrying on regardless, though pretty tired. Spent some time this evening recording some of my songs on Garage Band, the idea being to burn them on to a CD so that Matt can do something musical with them, like write proper music. Quite fun. Managed to work out how to double-track. Have also written part of the Christmas thing, in the form of an Under-Milk-Wood-type monologue, which I hope might be read by Ruth, who is Welsh.
Earlier yesterday had a lunch at Park Farm, then went to the tip (romance is not dead). The city was totally clogged up with traffic on the way back: Dot dropped me off in Theatre Street, and by the time she got to Castle Mall, I had delivered a couple of things to Prospect House and she was able to pick me up! Dot made some pumpkin soup, which was delicious, for the evening. She is feeling better after visiting the doctor (mainly for a minor skin complaint).
Another picture from Easter weekend, with grandson Oliver about to demonstrate his skill with a rolling pin. Admiring sister looks on.
Today has been very busy – so busy in fact that I’m too tired to play in the John Swan Rapidplay chess event, which I normally enter. Instead, I’m writing this. Dot has gone off to PCC but shouldn’t be long. Started the day by dithering around instead of taking the opportunity to get up early when Dot went off to Yarmouth for a Philosophy4Children event at Anne’s school. Eventually got moving and found the bath drainage pipe was leaking. Aargh! I suppose if any pipe is going to leak, the bath drainage one is best. We don’t actually have to use the bath, though I do find it difficult to resist.
After thinking about that for a bit, I went up to the Grapevine to help with taking down the exhibition. Annette, Martin and Peter were there. I took a pile of pictures out to Paston, after calling back home to pick up some Guidebook walks directions that I’d left behind. Before Paston comes Bacton, and I took the opportunity to have some delicious cod and chips – with free bonus sausage – which I ate in Paston churchyard. Then to Dayspring, where I put all the pictures on the table tennis table, because there was nowhere else to put them. There was a hippo taking up most of the barn. Had a quick word with the lovely Naomi and then went off to check walk directions, finding them sadly lacking in several places and completely wrong in one. Still, had a pleasant hour or two in summer sunshine countryside and found a delightful church on a hill at Edingthorpe.
Called at the printers in North Walsham on the way home and picked up some P4C leaflets for Dot after eventually getting through to her on the phone to check that it was OK to do so. At home I corrected the walks and sent them off to Lucy, but haven’t heard anything since.
Yesterday Norwich City knocked another nail in what might turn out to be their coffin when they lost 3-2 to Ipswich, thanks to a wrongly awarded penalty. Earlier I preached at St Augustine’s, mainly on forgiveness (a good and underrated thing), and spent the rest of the day watching too much television, interspersed with popping outside to make me feel better. Watched F1 Chinese Grand Prix, then quite a lot of football. Not sure why I was pleased Man Utd lost on penalties to Everton: my natural penchant for the underdog, I suspect, since I am one.
This is Amy in our garden on Easter weekend. Following the egg hunt came egg demolition…
In the last couple of days I’ve managed to complete the section of Lucy’s Paston Guidebook that I’m responsible for, but I’d like to check a couple of the walks before signing it off. Today I followed the Norwich one and had to make several changes and additions. I was relieved that I felt OK after walking two and a half miles, though. While I was doing that, Dot went to the shop and returned home to find she hadn’t got a key, so she sat in the garden for a while, then walked to meet me. Happily it was a beautifully sunny day, and in the garden she was sheltered from the cold northerly wind. Later, after I finished my sermon for tomorrow, we drove to Wymondham to look at the picturesque station as a possible eating place, then parked and walked a bit near the abbey. Dot has painted one of the gates a slightly different shade of green. Our gates, I mean. Not the abbey’s.
I now have a completely new course of antibiotics (or anti-bacterial drugs, as I believe they’re really called), which will last a fortnight and hopefully see off the persistent infection down below. I do feel much less tired, though things are still not as they should be. I had a talk with Dr Hampsheir on the phone and feel rather more reassured. I’ll be seeing him again in ten days’ time. David had a recurrence of his kidney stone pain today while he was on his way home with Oliver and Amy from the London Eye and Aquarium, but by the time he rang us the pain had gone. Apparently the children did really well.
Dot went down to Metfield on Thursday to prepare for another day of philosophy at Yarmouth on Monday – at Anne’s school. And we had our burglar alarm serviced. Just thought I’d mention that.
Photograph of Stella and Dot at Cringleford by the River Yare, during a tour of the city (by car). Stella stayed with us overnight and has just rung to say she got home safely. Very pleasant interlude: we had lunch at Prezzo’s. The previous two days were also fun, with David and the grandchildren joining us on Easter Sunday for a family meal at the Red Lion in Eaton. Also present: Phil, Joy, Joe, Birgit and Birgit’s brother Joe, his wife Ilona and Birgit’s mother. It was a long meal, so I took first Amy and then both children for a walk down to the river. Really enjoyed that. They’re lovely to be with.
Dot and I had just been to church, where I led the Easter Communion, with John Easton presiding. The next day David and I took Oliver to watch Norwich play Watford, and Norwich won well, 2-0. Meanwhile Amy went with Dot to Wroxham Barns and had a great time on various rides, showing lots of confidence.
I went to the doctor’s on Tuesday morning, because I’ve been feeling very tired, and all is not well in the usual area. All sorts of odd pains, queasy stomach, headaches. Just don’t feel I’m getting any better. Doctor not particularly confidence-inspiring. Water sent off for testing again, and a blood test fixed for ten days in the future. Some sort of urgency lacking, I feel. I wonder if falling over would get someone’s attention.
Anyway, the taps are now beautifully fixed and the chairs beautifully covered. The oven’s bust, though. Always something… Last Wednesday the Paston evening at the Grapevine went really well. Stephanie showed up unexpectedly, and we gave her a lift home. I read a couple of poems, Lucy and Annette spoke, and there was some medieval singing. Only two problems: no media interest, and very, very few sales. Still pretty confused about what Lucy wants me to do with the Paston Guidebook. She also asked me to do a poetry walk on May bank holiday weekend. It would give me £200, but I really don’t feel like it at the moment. Not sure how far I could walk, for one thing. Lisa may well do one.
On Maundy Thursday we had tea at Morston Hall by way of research for the Murrays’ visit in May. Very pleasant, but we were the only ones there, apart from a couple of flies. We also tracked down a yacht charter company at Morston and have booked three hours’ sailing. Lovely warm weather in North Norfolk. David texted to say it was pouring with rain at Twyford.
On Good Friday an excellent and very moving Ambient Wonder event at St Luke’s attracted about 50, including about ten children. I did the opening and closing liturgy, if it can be called that. Some short responses might be more accurate.
Have struck up a relationship with Ellie, who lives nearly opposite. She’s two. Very sweet.
Another picture from the Grapevine exhibition, this time showing members of the Care family in the vicinity of the refreshments. Drummer Simeon and student Naomi are standing on Lucy’s right: Jonathan is at back right, talking to medieval role-player Jo Berry, from the Paston Heritage Society. Lucy is talking to Joan Murray, one of the InPrint artists, whose husband John is partially obscured by a pillar. We’ve known Jonathan and Lucy since before they were married, 30 years ago. Preparations are now being made for the Wednesday night Grapevine session next week, which seems promising.
I finished my second lot of antibiotics yesterday, and I guess I feel better, though certainly not 100 per cent. Just walked up to Carrow Road to buy tickets for the Easter Monday match against Watford, when David and I will be taking Oliver. Tickets went on sale today at 9am; I turned up at 11am to find only the back row and about four other individual seats unsold. We are in the back row: the nice lady has sat us as far away from the visiting supporters as possible “as we have a child with us”. Felt pretty tired when I got back, but it’s a very pleasant day, and Colin is here doing some stuff in the garden involving shingle. He’s created a very nice space under the kitchen window.
On Thursday night it became obvious that water was seeping out of one of our drain covers. After a bit of hesitation, I rang the insurers’ emergency helpline, and within half an hour a guy was at the door. We had a lot of trouble getting the drain cover off (not the leaking one – the next one down: it takes a professional to know these things), and before we did we tried next door (out) and Phyllis, whose drain we decided was not connected to ours. When we eventually got the cover off, there was an obvious blockage, which the guy cleared, and a rather unholy mess, mainly liquid, tumbled through at high speed. Something very satisfying about removing a blockage. I can think of somewhere else an improved flow would be welcome.
Julia and Allan came round last night. Dot did a very time-consuming but delicious mousaka, which was appreciated by all. I have reorganised my website so that the beginnning of new articles will appear on the front page, and the updating should be obvious. Also added another article and changed the bottom of the front page to include a selection of quotes, which I will also change regularly. Quite pleased with it.
