Here comes that fuzzy feeling (and it ain’t right)

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robin limmer
Flashback to Adam & Eve: Robin Limmer, with Groucho Marx in background

Feeling a bit fuzzy today: have contracted another UTI and have prescribed myself some antibiotics, which make me feel tired. On the other hand, I haven’t had a full night’s sleep for about five days (no apparent reason) – so it could be that. Otherwise OK: I expect the UTI to retire hurt in a day or two. Today took a trip to Bally to have a chat with Annette and Rupert about the future of InPrint. Turned out pretty positively. We will probably be a tighter (=smaller) group and make more use of the website to publicise individual activities as well as collaborative ones. I think we’re all a bit too busy to take on another big collaborative venture at this point, though Rupert has some interesting ideas about the Great Yarmouth Museum archive. I need to rewrite the “about” page and revise the membership list. I have also landed the job of editing a short novel for a local woman, so I am earning a little money.

Not playing chess tonight, because my opponent called off, but I might wander up to the club later on to see what’s about, as my father-in-law used to say. I did play last Thursday for the C team in curious circumstances. They have five members, but three of them can’t play on Thursdays. So Greg and I were drafted in as guests on boards one and two in a bid to save the team from relegation! I won quite a nice game, which meant we needed one more point from the other three. Greg got a draw, but Norman lost what should have been a drawn position and our fourth member didn’t turn up!! So 1½-2½, and third division here we come. Or there they go, to be ruthless about it. Absent member may not be popular.

Other promotion and relegation issues: Norwich City made sure of promotion on Saturday when they beat Charlton 1-0 away. Cue wild rejoicing, mainly from Dot. Good sport weekend for a change, because Spurs beat Chelsea 2-1, and Button and Hamilton came first and second in the rain-hit Shanghai Grand Prix. More excellent tactics.

Last Wednesday Jessie ventured forth from her North Walsham enclave and came here for an evening meal. I met her at the station. Roger and Jude. Jude is active in the field of red hats, as well as various other fields. She is in fact Queen of the Norfolk Broads. I can’t say more, but we had a very good time. On Saturday, another memorable social occasion: we were invited next door for drinks and nibbles. In view of the amount of food available, I would not like to see their version of a full meal. Started in the garden, which was in truth a bit chilly, and we eventually retired to the drawing room. More good conversation, and a bit too much to drink, which was unfortunate, as I was preaching the next morning. However, it turned out all right.

We’ve had some warm weather over the last few days, but today was chillier. Happily not really affected by the no-fly-through-volcano-ash situation which has seen many, many people stranded abroad – and remain hopeful that the volcano will have calmed down by June, when we’re supposed to fly to Italy.

Extravagant lifestyle

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Ralph at the Adam, with a bit of Bruce

Over a week since I last posted, which can mean only one of two things: nothing much has happened, or I’ve been extremely busy. Reader, it is the former, although it did seem there was plenty happening at the time. In the last few days I have been getting some exercise in a bid to lose weight before Dot’s food-counting regime goes over the top. Have lost a couple of pounds following walks, mainly in the Mousehold area, and a bit of gardening and clambering around in the loft (where, incidentally, there was no sign of water incursion). Today I walked radically back from Joe’s after a couple of hours’ chess. Brisk wind, but sunny. Dot has been at Barbara’s working on her P4C and should be back shortly. Colin is due to come and survey a couple of garden jobs at around 6pm, and then Dot embarks on a Girls’ Night Out at the Greens, which sadly clashed with our Tuesday Group, and the Tuesday Group lost. A certain member of it suggested that the male members of it should have a Men’s Night Out, but as I can’t imagine anything worse than going out with a crowd of men, I was less than enthusiastic and will be having a Tim’s Night In.

Most of the time I have been catching up with financial matters and e-mails, as well as compiling the rota for St Augustine’s, which is a bit tricky as certain people who shall be nameless forget when they’re going to be away, and then remember just too late. I am in the process of selling some shares to fund our extravagant lifestyle, and I have persuaded KLM to send us our e-tickets, which should have arrived about a month ago. I shall soon have to sort Andrew’s money out.

Our former scanner is no more. It is nailed to the loft. It is a dead scanner. Happily, friend Vicky M had given us a scanner she no longer needs, and I am working out how to make it function properly. It is decidedly promising.I decided to follow some advice I saw online and not load the scanner software but use Image Capture on Snow Leopard. Result! Now I am looking out for someone with a VHS player they don’t need. Ours has bitten the dust following an ejection problem. I know how it feels.

Highlight, possibly, of the past week was the visit of Ralph and Lynne Martin, back for a month from the Seychelles and in the process of selling their house in Hingham. I warned them about the space-time distortion, but they went ahead anyway. Dot and I met Bruce at the station and we walked to the Adam and Eve, mainly along the riverside path. There we met the aforesaid Martins, together with a late-arriving Robin L, and had lunch together. The landlady of the Adam and Eve is Rita, who used to be at the EDP social club, and she amazingly remembered me. An altogether pleasant hour or two, and not a bad pie.

Leaving aside our haircuts, other exciting events included Dot’s having her MX5 folding roof cleaned (after we had navigated through a massive hold-up on Aylsham Road caused by a man sitting in a van surrounded by cones and traffic lights), which gave her a lot of satisfaction. And of course the DCC meeting on Thursday, at which we achieved a full house. Because Matt wants to come on the DCC, I am standing down and will be co-opted on. This will give me an excuse to miss a few meetings by saying I can’t vote, so I might as well not come. This is different to the forthcoming General Election, at which I can vote, but might as well not come.

Avoided losing at chess last night by getting a winning position and agreeing a draw. Well, you never know what’s going to happen, do you?

Home-grown hunt compulsory

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Oliver's party in celebration of Norwich City

As it turned out, Dot got home comfortably before David and the children arrived on Thursday, and we had a really enjoyable weekend, despite some less-than-perfect weather. Most of it was cold and almost as much was wet too. During a particularly fierce hailstorm on Saturday, water came into the living room via a hole behind one of the wall lights. Nothing very excessive: something similar happened many, many years ago and put itself right without any building work being required. But I’ll keep an eye on it.

On Good Friday we had the compulsory Easter egg hunt in the garden after considering and rejecting a couple of professional events elsewhere. The children insisted that the home-grown variety was what was required, and amazingly we collected as many eggs as we hid. Several times. Amy had a tendency to tell everyone where the eggs were, but this didn’t detract from the fun. The weather failed to dry out, so we played games indoors in the afternoon, and I introduced Oliver to table curling (don’t ask) and Tri-Tactics. He took to both, despite the latter being quite complex. At bedtime he was allowed by his Dad to watch the first 20 minutes of the Norwich game on his iPhone, but City failed to respond and went down 3-1 to lowly Tranmere, thanks to some memorably bizarre refereeing decisions. This rather put the damper on things following a triumphalist party he and Amy had organised earlier in the day to mark the team’s achievements this season. He is probably Norwich City’s biggest supporter in Caddington, if not Bedfordshire.

On Saturday we visited A Ethel for a short while and then went to the Castle Museum. Highlight there was a guy in the keep giving a brilliant talk on weaponry over the years, featuring longbows and the different types of arrow. I learnt a lot (including the revelation that the army that turned up at Agincourt would have beaten the one at Waterloo easily, because the arrows had so much greater range: get that into a song, Abba). Oliver was fascinated, but Amy was keen to keep moving. Some split supervision resulted. Eventually David and I visited John Lewis to look at scanners: an unnecessary excursion, as David later mended my current scanner. He then disappeared in search of other items and I went to pick up Dot’s shoes, which I had taken for repair on Thursday.

Yesterday I was leading the Easter service at church, and Oliver came with me to help set the room up. Dot and Amy arrived later, and there was a reasonably large congregation of 18, including four children. Phil was there; so I was able to concentrate on leading instead of playing guitar as well. Both children were brilliant: Amy played quietly throughout, and Oliver paid close attention. He was invited by John Easton (presiding at Communion) to pour water in the cup, and did so very professionally! After the service we proceed to the Red Lion at Eaton for what has become a traditional meal organised by Birgit. Twelve attended: apart from us there was Birgit and Joe, Phil and Joy, Birgit’s mother, her brother Joe and his wife Ilona. Lasted well over two hours and required some running games outside during the latter stages. Excellent food.

David and the children left around 7pm: Oliver and Amy are heading to Scarborough today with their mother. Dot and I, after some clearing up – mainly by Dot – watched the Bahrain Grand Prix and Match of the Day. This morning the rain relented and Dot and I went to North Walsham to see Jessie and insert flowers into the cemetery. Had some over so visited the Rosary and pout some on Mum and Dad’s grave too.

A goldfinch in Jessie's garden

During Dot’s inspection at Hickling she met my old friend Lily, who now plays piano for the school. During our visit to Jessie today we saw several goldfinches, which I had never met before.

Hoping the wind is behind them

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snow in ontario
Flashback: not the A93, but snow in Palmer Circle, Ontario, last month.

Spent much of the morning editing my most recent pictures, so that they look as good as they can when viewed on Apple TV later today. Yes, son and grandchildren are due to arrive this afternoon. I hope the wind is behind them, because I just got frozen taking some of Dot’s shoes into the city to be repaired. No problem on the way back. I got a hint of the iciness of the wind when I opened the door to the window cleaner at lunchtime and took several steps backwards. Glad to see the recyclists have braved the wind and emptied our brown bin. Nothing to grumble about really: the A93 between Ballater and Braemar is blocked by snow, which is very hard to believe: it is pretty much flat, though not at sea level, of course.

Dot is doing a school inspection today, and it’s 50-50 whether she gets home before David arrives. Yesterday we had our house alarm serviced, and I’ve changed the code so that I can’t get in. Sorry, that should read “so that other people can’t get in”, but I have already put the wrong code in three times. Dot was feeling pretty ropey yesterday until she had a glass of wine, when she suddenly felt better. That was after we’d done a mammoth shop at Morrison’s and she’d spent most of the day working on DSSO stuff and preparing for the inspection.

Wrote a couple of new, shorter Umbrage pieces and sent them to Anne to see if they would be any good for parish pump, but I haven’t heard from her yet. Last time she e-mailed she was not at all well, so perhaps she’s taking a break. Have also prepared the service on Sunday and led the meeting at Ed’s on Tuesday; so I’ve been reasonably busy. I have ideas for three more poems, but they’re just ideas at the moment.

Have now seen the last episode of Married, Single, Other, which is one of the best drama series I’ve discovered on TV for a long time. Beautifully written, acted and directed. Either the director or the actors knew exactly how to put the lines over, which means the writer was very lucky, or very good at telling them what was needed. Lucy Davies was superb, but so were all the others, including the lovely Miranda Raison, ex-Spooks and Norfolk-born. I hope there’s a second series: pity Lucy won’t be in it, unless it suddenly becomes supernatural or has lots of flashbacks.

Pressure problem in the past

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Dot in hall
Lady in red

No sign of a drought. Weather has been very rainy over the past few days, and the forecast is for more to come. Snow in the north: going off the idea of living in Scotland. Dot has been at Diocesan House all morning, and I’ve seized on a momentary dry interlude to put rubbish in the car ready for excursion to the tip. I’ve also tidied up the garden a bit so that the brown bin can be emptied on Thursday. As we pay for this over and above our council tax, it’s vital that we have something to put in it, of course. Dot had intended to do some gardening but is only just recovering from her mugginess, which was combined with a painful leg. Both of us skipped Ambient Wonder on Sunday (not easy with a bad leg). However we did both get to the morning Communion service, which was nice. In the afternoon I called in on a friend whose son has had a really bad time with a virus which won’t go away; he is getting a lot of pain and is feeling very down, understandably. It was his 16th birthday.

Yesterday evening we met Howard and Anna at Beluga, which is neither a whale nor caviar (Facebook comments) but a rather nice restaurant on King Street, opposite the Cathedral. Very pleasant meal, but even better conversation. Extremely efficient waitress, who features strongly on the website (3/17). Walked home afterwards in pouring rain. Earlier in the day Barbara, Dot’s business partner, had been round, as had a man to fix the downstairs cistern which, annoyingly, failed to malfunction as badly as it should have and had been. We agreed in the end that it was a pressure problem: I had seen Anglian Water letting out loads of water on to the street at the end of last week, which may have solved it. Still, our man replaced a bit which should prevent it happen again (the malfunction, not Anglian Water activities). British Gas guy also called to service our boiler: he helpfully discussed the possibility of installing radiators upstairs and asked if we wanted our water hotter. I was about to say yes when it occurred to me that this might cost more. So it stays the same: it’s quite hot enough. Both men were extremely pleasant and helpful: there seems to be a trend in this direction.

It’s now mid-afternoon, and I’ve been to the tip, because the rain unaccountably stopped. You just never know where you are with rain. Tonight the Tuesday Group is at Ed’s, which will be a nice change – possibly the last time he will host before his wedding!

Succession of rainbows

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One of many rainbows seen on the way home to Norwich from Coventry.

It’s 10.15pm, and I’ve already put my watch forward for BST, so it seems quite late. Dot has not been well today: it started as a dizzy feeling, then her head was very heavy, and now she has a bit of a sore throat and has gone to bed. I’ve been feeling a little odd myself, but then I am a little odd.

The theatre on Thursday night was enjoyable. Because it was rainy, we drove up and parked just after 6.30pm, then wandered into the Mall – bumping into Simeon Care and a friend of his on the way – and then back to the theatre for a leisurely drink. The play was Enjoy, by Alan Bennett, which was brilliant, especially in the hands of Alison Steadman and David Troughton: at times eye-wateringly funny. The ending was a bit artificial, but you can’t have everything.

Yesterday Phil drove me to Coventry for a meeting with Andrew’s care worker and a couple of other people from social services. This went very well, but it was supposed to include Andrew, and he had gone out about ten minutes earlier – despite being told not to – and never put in an appearance. If I had been on my own I would probably have waited another half hour or so, but Phil was keen to get going, and I could see his point: there was every chance Andrew wouldn’t return till around 6pm. Don’t yet know when he got back (I possibly never will), so I’ve written him a letter and sent him a few photos from the holiday. We got home about 6.20pm after taking a detour to avoid a long stationary queue on the A11 between Barton Mills and Thetford. Quite a bit of rain on and off, and a succession of rainbows on the way home.

This morning after posting off Andrew’s fees (I had forgotten to take them yesterday) I went into Norwich to buy a couple of birthday cards and a book for a friend’s birthday, as well as a copy of The Times, in which Holly’s wedding featured prominently. Beautiful picture and a good article too.  I have a famous goddaughter.

New prospects opening up?

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The weekend bride's parents, Paul and Maryta, outside the church.

Still thinking about the great time we had at Portsmouth, which may be why I lost at chess again on Monday – or I may just be losing it completely. Despite this, new prospects may be opening up: on Tuesday Anne Coomes arrived, and we spent most of her visit discussing the possibility of my doing training sessions across the country for diocesan communications officers.

Anne, as well as being the ex-wife of my good friend David, is in charge of Parish Pump, a web-based organisation which supplies material and assistance to editors of church magazines, and which has grown remarkably in recent years. The idea would be that I would do sessions based on my UEA lectures but adapted to suit the audience. We hope to give a trial to a specially selected group in Norwich, but of course that does depend on the diocese agreeing and supplying a venue. I would be concentrating on the quality of writing, but there are additional possibilities. I was thinking of deregistering myself as self-employed because of my lack of earning in the last two years, but I may now change my mind. We’ll see.

Anne went off to Northamptonshire yesterday morning, after I registered her on Facebook. I guided her to Cringleford and then did a bit of walking. I had the idea of walking home, but found myself looking round the burial ground at Eaton, which I stumbled upon, and then found it was – amazingly – too warm to walk very far, especially as I had woken very early and written a new piece for my website. So I caught a bus on Newmarket Road (I had probably walked a couple of miles anyway), which took me home, where Dot was working hard on her pre-inspection briefing: she’s doing an inspection at Hickling on Maundy Thursday.

Later she walked up to Rymans to buy some paper for the printer and purchased 5 for 4 because it seemed a good deal. The trouble was, it was a very heavy deal, and she struggled down Prince of Wales Road, stopping every few paces. I had gone to meet her, but for reasons which need not detain us thought she had gone to Morrisons, which is in the opposite direction. When I contacted her by phone from Morrisons, she was about a third of the way down the hill, and I eventually reached her roughly halfway down, where she had ground to a halt. By the time we got home we were both pretty exhausted, but she still had to go to Gillingham, where she is a governor, for a 6pm meeting. I watched Spurs beat Fulham 3-1 in an FA Cup quarter final instead, which was slightly more restful, though Spurs were pretty awful in the first half (HT 0-1).

Today she has gone to Kessingland for a DSSO visit, followed by lunch with Anne, and this evening we’re at the Theatre Royal for an Alan Bennett play, Enjoy, starring Alison Steadman, one of my favourite actresses. Then off to Coventry with Phil tomorrow for a meeting with Andrew’s social worker.

Portsmouth wedding

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Holly and Phil
Phil and Holly emerging from the church beneath a guard of honour after their wedding.

Just back from Portsmouth – new territory for me – where we witnessed the wedding of my goddaughter Holly Henderson at St Ann’s Church in the Royal Naval Dockyard. She is a lieutenant in the Navy, and her groom, Phil Dennis, is a lieutenant-commander, which is one rank higher. We stayed in the Queen’s Hotel on the seafront, which was excellent. Our large room had a great view of the Isle of Wight and of the ferries and occasional Navy vessels entering and leaving harbour: it was also extremely comfortable, and the food (we had dinner there on Friday) first class and reasonably priced. The staff in the restaurant were brilliant too, but all without any fuss. Pretty much my perfect hotel, except for some bizarre plumbing in the bathroom, but that was a minor issue.

The journey down started beautifully but gradually deteriorated after I took over the driving at Thrift Farm, near Buckingham, where we’d stopped for a cup of tea, only to find that it was shut – a fact they did not feel it necessary to reveal until we’d parked and walked about a quarter of a mile to the tea room door. We snatched some sandwiches at the next service station and progressed through ever-worsening weather until on the approach to Portsmouth you could hardly see where you were going. The traffic was very bad too: several hold-ups and particularly severe as we entered Portsmouth. I played it by ear and got to the hotel by a slightly roundabout but relatively traffic-free route. Took us about five and a half hours altogether. Roughly 230 miles. Looked at other guests keenly to see who might be attending the wedding, and had a chat with Maryta’s best friend Barbara and her husband Tim. Otherwise it was guesswork.

The wedding went very well, despite the frequent rain showers and overcast sky. Being inside the Dockyard was a fascinating experience, driving past huge ships and eventually finding the church, where we discovered Barbara and Tim again, as well as Celia from Cambridge, who turned out to be Holly’s other godparent. We were very early, but the church was packed eventually, and we watched the guard of honour practising. Afterwards we all drove to the Royal Marines Museum, east along the seafront, which was an impressive setting for the reception. There was the usual delay, but the gap was well filled with bubbly and canapes, followed by speeches and then a fine meal of lamb. We were on a table with Barbara and Tim, Celia and other people from Norfolk, as well as a couple from Mottingham Lane. All got on well, and my only regret was that I had to curb my drinking of the abundant wine, because I was driving. After the meal there was a live band, disco style, and I danced briefly with Dot and Maryta before we went back to the hotel around 9pm. There we saw the end of the rugby, France beating England and taking the grand slam.

This morning, with improving weather, we strolled over to the seafront after breakfast and then had tea in the bar with Paul, Maryta, Holly’s brother Joe and his American girlfriend Chessie, who was charming. Chatted for well over an hour, and we eventually left at about 12.45. The drive back home was much better, though still marred by the apparently permanent road works after Milton Keynes at the M1 junction and beyond – about 10-15 miles at 40mph. Got home about 6pm. It’s now 10.10pm, and I’m feeling very tired. I don’t know why.

Extra shot with room

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yompers
Bruce, Shelagh, Brian (with Marian), Robin, Cynthia, Brian and Marian before setting off on a short walk at Caistor St Edmund

Hazy few days: think I’ve just about got back on to an even keel, but never quite sure. We had a fun evening with Menita and Regis – the continental way of eating, which lasted all evening till after 11pm – and just about made it to bed before going to sleep. On Monday I had my temporary crown replaced with a permanent one. Sad, really. The temporary one was doing really well, and the replacement process turned out to be painful. Two lots of anaesthetic needed to drill away the cement, leaving my mouth sore. Happily, the effects only lasted the rest of the day. I gave chess a miss.

On Tuesday we had a large group of ten, and Dot cooked roasted vegetables to go with my fried bacon and some goat’s cheese. Good meal, and fruitful conversation. Earlier Dot and I went out to North Walsham to leave flowers in the cemetery and to visit Jessie. This was after calling at the garage, where they managed to fix Dot’s defective door release by reprogramming it very simply. The mechanic also told me how to sort out my problem with the electronic windows; so a useful visit. I managed to leave my mobile phone at Jessie’s (it fell out of my pocket), so had to return yesterday to pick it up after going into Norwich with Dot to buy a suit and tie  from Marks and Spencers for the wedding. Went for a grey one for a change: I think it works all right. Afterwards called in at Starbucks on The Walk, and Dot asked for a tall americano and an extra shot with room, thus fulfilling a recent ambition. They knew what that meant, but when she asked for half-and-half, the assistant thought she wanted to pay half cash and half on card, which is a bit bizarre. Another assistant, however, was able to supply the half -cream, half-milk required. Boringly, I had a boring tea, which was boring. Ran into Adrian busking on London Street and bought one of his CDs.

The weather has been milder this week, and today I joined some former colleagues for a yomplet at Venta Icenorum. Not exactly strenuous, but a pleasant hour before I had to hurry back home to take a call from a hospital nurse about my recurring technical problem. Dot meanwhile was at Park Farm and then at her aunt’s. I’m still catching up with mail and other things. We are off to a meal with the Robinsons this evening, and tomorrow we head for Portsmouth and the wedding of my god-daughter Holly. Of which more later.

Entropy on a large scale

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End of the day: sunset over the Gulf of Mexico

We ended our stay in Ontario with a delicious fillet steak sandwich lunch (B Murray), then were driven to the airport, where everything went smoothly again – in fact even more smoothly, because Canadians are less up themselves than the English. Through security very quickly and without taking our shoes off. Coffee at Tim Horton’s, then I bought a wallet (because my other one was falling apart) and a thriller to read while enduring the endless waiting that is synonymous with airports. Plane took off on time, and despite the lack of a tailwind, was only late at Heathrow because it had to circle a couple of times. Scheduled for 0625, we eventually landed about 0640, and then had to wait ages in the plane for buses to take us to the terminal. The plus side was that when we eventually reached the baggage hall, our luggage was already there. Food pretty good on plane again, and I watched Angels and Demons, though of course you don’t get the full impact on a small screen and with interruptions. As I’d read the book, this didn’t matter much. It was OK.

Heathrow Express, Paddington station, and £25 for a taxi through the rush hour to Liverpool Street, with a driver who really had a lot to complain about. He must have been happy about something, but we didn’t discover what. Basically, too many roadworks in London, and most of them cosmetic. I paraphrase. Still he was kind enough to drive us right into the station (another £1 or so). We grabbed a baguette and tea / coffee, and then made the mistake of getting on the 9am to Norwich. It turned out this wasn’t off-peak – although I would have thought all the rush-hour traffic was coming the other way – so we had to pay another £26 each or get off at Shenfield for an hour. I couldn’t face Shenfield for an hour, but this added about 50% to the total return fare. Grrrr. Got revenge by not buying anything from the refreshment trolley. Arrived Norwich just before 11am, which meant TM was not really ready for us and hadn’t quite finished clearing up. Entropy had taken place on a large scale: the oven had become totally messed up and took well over an hour to clean; the car battery had gone dead, and we had to call out Mazda Assistance; a brick had fallen out of the wall on the steps for no apparent reason; the milkman hadn’t delivered the food we thought we’d ordered; and neither Tweetie nor Apple TV was working (both now fixed).

After the Mazda man fixed the battery, I took TM for a 40-minute ride to charge it up and then delivered him home with his various parcels. He is moving to a new place tomorrow. Later I delivered Phil’s birthday present. I was in pretty much of a haze all this time, but we did manage to unpack and do a few essential things before falling into bed about 8.45pm – which, if I’m not mistaken, was roughly 32 hours since we’d got up. Yes, I did manage about ten minutes to half an hour’s sleep on the plane…

Got a good sleep, unsurprisingly, and got up on Saturday  about 9.30 to have our hair cut. Did not do much else all day except start to go through the post and answer some e-mails. Oh, and I watched a couple of rugby matches: an exciting win by Ireland against Wales and a tryless bore draw between England and Scotland. Plus a little more TV. Dot went to the shop and cooked a delicious salmon meal not unlike one we had in Canada, but closer to home. To our astonishment, it was suddenly 10pm. It felt like about 6pm. I wonder why.

Another reasonably good night, but woke up feeling tired again, though with an improved head (not before time, some might say). Happily both cars were working, so I went early to church to fix everything up, and Dot followed. Very small congregation – not dwarves, just few people. The Rev Peter Varney was guesting, and Dot and I were the music group. Rather strange service – still feel a bit disconnected from reality, and we’re off to evening meal with the Medionis in an hour’s time. As they’re French and Italian, it probably doesn’t matter. Oh, yes: we’ve booked a plane to Venice for June. Dot did the research, and it seemed the cheapest option as well as the easiest. We fly from Norwich and change at Amsterdam. Coming back, same thing, but from Florence instead of Venice.