6 May 2007

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Sneak preview of a small part of one of the exhibits at the upcoming Open Studios in Norwich – a combined work incorporating my poem, Unable to Find North. Or it may not be a part. The artist, Bronwen Edwards, took a very large number of pictures, of which fewer than 30 will be used, I believe.

Meanwhile Rupert, Lisa and I have installed the Poetry Vending Machine in St Giles Church for the Open Stuidios “taster” exhibition. It looks very good and was quite a hit at the private view on Friday, but it still has operating problems. We can’t rely on it to work if we leave it. Rupert is popping in with some WD40 and a screwdriver tomorrow, hoping to sort it out. Rupert is incurably optimistic.

Dot has been at Caddington having fun with Amy, but she came back earlier than expected, so we went to a poetry reading at Wells together on Saturday evening. Also superb sausage and chips. Wells seafront was idyllic: no wind, dying light. Poetry reading by Alan Brownjohn, who was witty in a very low-key way. Poems not terribly poetic but very amusing and designed for performance. Sarah Law was not really a performer: she appeared not to enjoy it, despite AB’s attempts to jolly her along, particularly in the questions and answers. Some interesting poems, though – many with a mystical bent – but the best were about her father’s death.

Church lunch today: nice community feeling to it. Nice to be among so many friends. Discovered I’d missed the deadline for the TLS poetry competition, but I don’t suppose meeting it would have affected anything. Should I have a go at the play-writing contest? I’ll believe it when I see it.

Apart from Wells seafront, the weather has been quite chilly over the last few days, and we are supposed to have rain tomorrow. Is summer over?

2 May 2007

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A typical Norfolk loke, this one is not far from Felmingham, on the troad to Antingham. There is a possibility that it’s the famous Bunny’s Loke, down which I cycled with Dot many years ago and which features in my story Realm, about a missing girl. However, Dot is not at all sure about this: she wasn’t with me when I took the picture.

It was a chilly day, and I was assessing a trainee in Cromer who has now completed her NVQ portfolio. My visit on Monday this week – quite a different sort of day, sunny and quite warm, but with a brisk NE wind – was my last, and I “celebrated” by finding a part of the town I didn’t know existed. Intending to have a game of putting, I discovered it was shut, so I continued up the cliff path and found a beautiful walk up to the lighthouse and the golf course. Masses of bluebells, and great views across the stormy sea and back to the town, where the church tower dwarfed everything else. I returned back through some woods. Very refreshing.

Dot was spending a day at Salhouse school delivering Philosophy for Children with Barbara – returned quite tired and went to sleep while I played in the John Swan rapidplay tournament at my chess club. I scored 3/5 and was equal fourth out of 14. Lost my first game, then won two and drew two.

Yesterday a guy came round from the estate agent’s to value the house – not that we necessarily want to move, but just to see what it’s worth in case we do. Discovered that our next door neighbour is trying to sell. The B & B market has taken a big hit with new Travelodges in Norwich. We haven’t got a value yet, but will no doubt hear from him in due course. She was given £275,000 but doesn’t believe it. Nor do I.

Last weekend was busy. On the Friday night we had two couples round for a meal – excellent time, but got to bed very late. Then on Saturday we went to South-East London to visit the Hendersons, who we had only seen briefly for a couple of years. In the evening we were their guests at a choral concert (Stravinsky and Haydn) at Blackheath Halls, which I enjoyed a lot and got a poem out of! The school chair of governors and his wife came back for coffee. He was tall, and she wasn’t.

We had a relaxing Sunday, just talking and (briefly) walking, catching up on news. The journey back through the Blackwall Tunnel was surprisingly easy, despite the ludicrous speed cameras and equally ludicrous speed limits. I can’t see any excuse for a prolonged 40mph limit on a three-lane dual carriageway with no pedestrian access. What actually happened was that I tried hard to keep to the limit, because I knew about the cameras, whereas the locals who knew where the cameras where came hurtling up behind me, overtaking on both sides, and then braking sharply for the cameras. I was the hazard, getting in everyone’s way because I was sticking to the limit.

The unrealistic limits actually lead to people driving faster where they can get away with it. A sensible 50 or even 60 would command a lot more respect and compliance, and would certainly be safer. I really don’t know why people can’t see that. Is it just dogma?

Today is pleasant – sunny and warm. We are in the middle of a spell of very nice weather which I suppose I should be making the most of instead of writing a blog. So later Dot and I will go into the city and have lunch, probably at Cafe Italia.

26 April 2007

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Yes, that was a long break. I’ve been plagued by this minor virus which keeps coming and going and sapping my energy. Not that you’d notice, since my energy is pretty low anyway, even on a good day. This picture is of my lovely grand-daughter Amy, who I baby-sat on Monday while Daddy tried to work upstairs. We had a lot of fun – quite tiring fun, but fun. Both children are thriving – Oliver shows signs of being a competent horse-rider after a ride on a pony recently.

I seem to have been going to hundreds of meetings recently. If it’s not the district church council, it’s the parochial one, and if it’s not the chess club, it’s Archant. The last one scores extremely heavily because of the excellent buffet, plus the opportunity to meet old friends and acquaintances. This year saw an attendance by a number of yompers. Following this, Dot and I wandered over to the Forum to look at a terrific outdoor exhibition of photographs of various parts of the world from the air. Also a giant map of the world that you could walk on. I was so disorientated by this that I allowed Dot to persuade me to buy a new jacket from Jarrolds.

What else? My NVQ trainee Kate did really well in the London Marathon, finishing in just over four hours; and sadly our friend Joyce died of oesophagal cancer – she had been in some distress over the last week. Lovely lady: she was always upbeat and self-effacing.

Last Saturday went to a session about the Enneagram, which would have been better without the questions-cum-conversation from the usual suspects, which disrupted the structure. However, I think I’m a 5 on the personality scale (this is not a score). Of course I may not be…

The skies have been largely blue, though the temperature has been a bit erratic: yesterday was very warm, but today there’s a chilly wind – even some rain at breakfast time. On Monday when I was in Caddington it was cloudy with quite a bit of light rain, but apparently in Norwich it was fine and warm.

14 April 2007

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This is Dot with Oliver and Amy at Stockwood Park, taken last week on a lovely warm day. It’s even warmer now, and Dot and I are shortly going to Dunston Hall for a carvery meal. Some time since we’ve been out for a meal, after all the excess of Florida.

My cough is a lot better, but my throat is now just sore enough to be annoying, and I don’t feel particularly good despite a longish sleep last night. The Green Party called this morning – Rupert Read and a couple of henchwomen – and failed to convince me that their transport policy was anything short of silly. They think there’s a 50% chance of my voting for them, but in fact it’s much lower than that. There’s not much chance of my voting at all.

Dot had a bone density scan this afternoon, and came out as superwoman. Of course I knew that anyway. Well above 100 per cent, whatever that means.

I’ve finished writing my sermon on the persecuted church: not St Augustine’s – the other 200 million. I’ve just discovered that we only have four weekends free till August.

11 April 2007

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This is a drawing by my grandson Oliver, aged four and a half, of a calculator. Remarkable attention to detail. Since the last blog entry, Dot and I went down to Caddington and looked after the children for three days while their parents worked. Dot was just getting over a virus which had made her cough really badly. She was just about OK for Caddington, and I was fine, but now I’ve got it. Very unusual – during the day it’s hardly noticeable, except that it makes you very tired, but in the late evening and during the night, coughing is very severe – stemming, I think, from mucus coming down from the sinuses. No real nasal problem, though my eyes get sore in the evening. No sore throat, either. I’m not grumbling.

At Caddington we took the children to Woodside Farm on the second day: it was very cold, and we eventually repaired to the Play Barn, where the two of them occupied themselves for almost two hours in the Toddler section. The next day must have been about ten degrees warmer, and we went to Stockwood Park, where there was a lot of running around. Amazing place: some beautiful gardens and a very acceptable cafe. Amy had go to the loo two or three times, but mainly to look at herself in the full-length mirror.

The Ambient Wonder Easter event went quite well, despite my worrying about how it was actually going to work. About 40 people visited 12 Stations of the Cross, and I managed to rig up a loop on a combination of IPhoto, ITunes and Garageband – with a monologue I had written for Simon of Cyrene.

The rest of the Easter Weekend was quite quiet: I was feeling a bit rough, so Dot did the relative rounds. Incidentally, Aunt E bought Oliver a radio for Easter that was an immense hit. Yesterday Barbara V came round to brush up on philosophy plans. I did a new front page for the leaflet which went down quite well, but Microsoft Word is very hard to handle for that kind of thing. It won’t do the simple things, like divide an A4 landscape into three even columns plus margins. Or at least, it probably will, but I don’t know how to.

Today I went up to Bally to meet Bronwen and plan the positioning of our joint piece using her photos and my poem, Unable to find North. She then came back here and we selected the images we thought we’d use. She has now returned to Beccles. The weather is very warm for the time of the year, and I’ve had my hair cut. Bit traumatic – L is moving salons after about 20 years.

David has finished the InPrint website, which everyone seems really pleased with.

2 April 2007

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This picture was taken in 1950, when I was five. My father’s car is on the left, and St Andrew’s Hall is in the background. I think I have a faint memory of the event – may even have been in the car as it paraded round the city – but I can’t be sure. When the picture is blown up, there seems to be someone sitting in the passenger seat of the Vauxhall, but it’s too faint to make out.

Dot hasn’t been at all well for the last week or so, and had to stay in bed over the weekend, with an unpleasant cough and screwed-up sinuses. She’s up today, but still not really well. Nevertheless, we’re going to Caddington tomorrow to look after the grandchildren for three days: maybe they’ll be a tonic!

I’ve had a very busy few days – seemed to be overwhelmed with things to do. Spent nearly all Saturday working on stuff for Ambient Wonder, then after church yesterday I was at InPrint studios in the afternoon, making plans and influencing people. Have agreed to work on a large piece of work with Bronwen, and a collaborative poem with the other four poets (by e-mail). Am also doing stuff with Annette, who has just returned from South Africa.

On Friday Phil and I drove to Coventry to see Andrew, who is in hospital. He looked extremely gaunt, but was cheerful and very talkative. Quite confused about very recent things, though. Spoke to doctor, nurses and social worker, then called on Gareth. I think Andrew will be in hospital for a few weeks yet – they’re going to do an MRI scan to see if there’s an organic problem.

Some blue skies recently, and the odd warm today, but at the moment the wind is chilly.

27 March 2007

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Sunset over the Gulf of Mexico. The weather here has turned much more summery in tune with the onset of British Summer Time last weekend. Today has been quite warm, with a pleasingly blue sky. I walked into the city to pay in a cheque and came back exhausted. I’m probably still short of sleep after a few hectic days.

I’ve entered a poem and short story for the Fish Publishing annual competition. Both were inspired by Florida, and I was quite pleased with them. The short story was under 300 words – a requirement.

After visiting Caddington last Friday for a spot of children-sitting, we drove back to west Norfolk for an evening with friends, which was most enjoyable. It was hard to calculate the time of the journey, so we were well ahead of ourselves, and had to “lose” some time on the way by taking a more interesting route.

We have cancelled tonight’s meal, partly because Dot is a bit under the weather but mainly because most people couldn’t come. I missed chess last night and went to a PCC meeting instead. Not nearly as exciting.

23 March 2007

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This is the Gulf of Mexico, with Dot and I in the foreground, pretending we’re glamorous and wealthy, or at least that we have sunglasses.

Here in the real world it’s still winter and gloomy. I played chess again last night – a good game in Yarmouth, but I couldn’t quite turn it into a win. We drew 2-2, which ironically could mean that our B team are relegated.

This week I’ve written my EDP page, given away some money, chosen some hymns, visited my aunt, called in at the office, renewed my parking permits, paid some bills and been to the chiropractor. I’ve also found my driving licence, which had been missing for over a month after I thought I’d put it with stuff to take to Florida but it turned out not to be there. After almost giving up, I found it on the floor of the filing cabinet: I must have slipped it past the file instead of into it. Quite a relief, but it still doesn’t explain where Dot’s slippers are. I’m pretty sure they’re not on the floor of my filing cabinet, but I’d better check. No, they’re not.

I’ve downloaded a Jethro Tull album, which has to be a bad sign. In an hour or two, however, we’re off to Caddington to baby sit this evening while D & V go to a party. We also have a dinner date near King’s Lynn on Saturday evening.

20 March 2007

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Parking is extremely restricted on Sanibel and Captiva islands in Florida. I found this sign in the undergrowth, right next to a spot where you could stop and get a great view of the bay. Either someone got fed up with being told he couldn’t park, or… well, they do get hurricanes there. And alligators, come to think of it.

Played chess last night but played a rash move after a good opening and got a disadvantage. Fought on for a long time, but eventually lost.

Today Dot has just arrived back from Necton – one of her regular school visits – and the weather is very cold, blustery, with occasional sleet or hail showers. David says it’s even worse at Caddington, where V is gradually improving, though still not well.

I’m feeling a bit down and directionless; don’t feel I’m accomplishing much. On the plus side, David is doing a great job on the new InPrint page, which looks terrific.

19 March 2007

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Gradually catching up, but I seem to have mislaid my driving licence, and two very large bills are awaiting payment, which is a bit of a downer. Extremely cold today: windy with sleet and hail showers.

Yesterday went to church as usual, then inserted some flowers on my mother’s grave and saw the new grave of Dorothy Spelman, who died a week or so ago. Flowers also to North Walsham cemetery (weather turbulent), and visited J & F. Son R also present: it was mothers’ day. Very pleasant time and cake. Today have just been to see JP, who has been taken into a BUPA home. She is doing well. Her stepson John visited while we were there.

Just to remind me of what it was like a week ago in Florida (and probably still is), I have included a beach picture: Dot and Barbara against the Gulf of Mexico. No bets on who wins.