Tag Archives: walk

9 February 2008

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Another picture from Thursday’s walk along the banks of the Yare. Yesterday I repeated part of it, taking a bus to the university and walking down to the Broad and along the path to Cringleford, where I got the bus home. All very relaxing – until the bus was involved in a nasty accident at the top of Prince of Wales Road.
I couldn’t see exactly what happened, because I was sitting sideways on behind the driver, but a young woman apparently stepped out into the road and, despite the driver’s attempts to avoid her, he didn’t. In the process he also hit a traffic sign and smashed his windshield.

No-one in the bus seemed to be hurt, but the woman was left lying half under the bus, which had to be raised to free her. She was taken to hospital, and the EDP reported this morning that she had serious head and lower leg injuries. I didn’t hang around, but did take a couple of pictures, from a reasonable distance.

Last night we went to the cinema to see No Country for Old Men, a Coen Brothers film billed as being better than Fargo. It wasn’t, but there were some excellent performances and many moments to savour. And an abrupt but appropriate ending. The structure of it didn’t quite make it for me: nevertheless, worth seeing.

Today has been beautiful: sunny and actually warm. I went for another walk, this time from Eaton down Marston Lane to Ipswich Road – just over two miles altogether. Discovered Marston Marsh nature reserve, which was too wet to walk on but looks lovely, and Danby Wood, which I didn’t know existed.

8 February 2008

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Dot and our friend Joan pictured during a walk down the Yare Valley from Cringleford to the University Broad yesterday. We returned on the other bank, through some woods and up on to Colney Lane, which has been closed to through traffic – making a rather exclusive and semi-private little community. Can’t imagine how that happened.

Joan, who taught with Dot at Muswell Hill around 1970, stayed overnight on Wednesday, after arriving just after lunch, which Dot and I had enjoyed with her aunt Jessie at Caffe Italia. Jessie was in the city to visit her husband, who was taken into hospital on Monday when his illness worsened suddenly. But he is doing remarkably well there.

Had a cup of tea with Jackie Willis on Tuesday in the massive Sainsburys store at Longwater – first time I’ve been in there. She has set up a company, Care Motoring, to teach driving in a more thorough way, hopefully improving road safety. Many of her clients are people who have already passed the test. We met some time ago when I was writing about road safety in the Eastern Daily Press.

Incidentally, the EDP has finally got round to mentioning that my page has ended after 11 years. They’ve put my farewell page on their website, and it contains a reference to my own website, though they may not have noticed. Seems a bit more satisfying: I had been feeling rather in limbo. I’ve been putting the occasional commentary piece on my website and hope to carry on doing so.

Dot has done another church school inspection – at Salhouse – which turned out to be a bit fraught through no fault of the school’s. She was pretty tired when she got home (Shrove Tuesday); fortunately I was cooking for our normal Tuesday invitation meal, and we all managed to stay awake. Well, more or less. Must have been the pancakes, courtesy of friend Bridget.

Last night we had a very lengthy DCC meeting covering a multiplicity of church topics. Never really enjoy these: I’m not very good in meetings and find it hard to balance between not taking part at all and being more forceful than I mean to be. We have agreed to drop our Ditchingham weekend this year, which will disappoint a few people, including us. Everything is changing, it seems.

Lovely weather yesterday for our walk down the Yare: a bit chilly, but dry and a certain amount of sun. It seems much the same today. An article in the EDP today said we need to get used to not having winter – so stand by for several feet of snow over half-term. Still, a case of wine has just arrived from Cooden Cellars, so we will probably survive.

Have been having an exchange of e-mails with Jeanette Eglington, who is Beverley’s half-sister and my cousin once removed. She also lives in South Africa and has given me more information about the family, which I am about to insert in my tree on Genes Reunited. Great to be in touch with her and Bev, and to find out more about the African branch of the Lentons.

19 October 2007

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The garage is completed, and looking good. The picture was taken about an hour or so before completion, with Colin just having to finish the painting of the floor. Very nice to have it done: Dot can’t wait to get out there and rearrange everything, so further pictures will undoubtedly follow. Hard to contain your excitement, I know. Everything has been painted and tidied up, with strategic wood and shelving installed and a proper door into the boiler room.

While this was going on, I discovered that what seemed a minor problem with my teeth turned into a crown replacement and root canal work, which will cost about as much as the garage. At the moment I have a dressing on the tooth, where it will remain until the fateful day, November 12.

I managed to overcome my excitement by going with Dot to Great Bircham in West Norfolk, where she was carrying out a church school inspection. We stayed overnight in a B & B which was quite nice without being overwhelming, and had dinner on Tuesday night at the King’s Head Hotel opposite. It was absolutely delicious. We had hurried over there in the rain and had to wait about three quarters of an hour before the restaurant opened, but it was worth it: the staff were extremely friendly and helpful, and the chef top-class. I had beautifully done duck breast after a starter of probably the best ceasar salad I’ve ever had. Good wine too.

The following morning our “private” bathroom was invaded by another guest. I was about to contest the word “private” with the owner when she apologised for the other guest not knowing where her own bathroom was and using ours instead.

While Dot was inspecting I did an eight-mile walk taken from the EDP, some of which was on the Peddar’s Way. I hadn’t realised quite how heavy and prolonged the rain had been the night before, and there were a number of tricky points where I had to skirt standing water with the aid of my long pole (first time I’d used it). Halfway point was a tiny village called Fring, with a charming duckpond and a church on a hill. The whole walk was a bit up and down – unusual for Norfolk.

As I’d neglected to take any kind of sustenance, I was pretty rired out by the time I got back to the King’s Head, where I’d parked my car. Had a pint of Adnams (the sort of thing I do only if I’m very thirsty) and plaice and chips with mushy peas in the bar. Could have done with somewhere to clean up and have a bath, but of course there was nowhere available. Went for a short drive and then met Dot at the school around 4.45pm. We drove more or less straight home.

Yesterday I spent most of the day working on my page for Monday, plus putting the finishing touches to some poems, and Dot went down to Gillingham for a fairly brief governors’ meeting while I cooked the meal (which she’d prepared). Today I helped Colin out with unloading his lorry then made sure everything was ready for Ambient Wonder on Sunday. Dot drove out to her aunt’s to get a present for Amy, whose birthday is on Saturday. We head for Caddington tomorrow morning, armed with a pavlova and some wine.

15 October 2007

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Well, it turned out to be Swardeston Church, which I realised just in time. Very pleasant evening: concert by a string quartet, with three poems from me in the middle. Seemed to go well: sold a few leaflets and a couple of books afterwards to benefit the festival fund. Had a drink in the refreshment are and chatted to a couple of people. Nice atmosphere – good weather too – and to cap it all we saw the rugby without knowing the score: England in the final after beating France. They’ll play South Africa next weekend.

Met a woman at Swardeston – Grace Smith – who knew my aunt Dorothy when she was school secretary at Lakenham, before she became matron at Norwich School. She also knew Frank and knows Josephine. She told me my grandmother stayed at Brundall some time during the war, which I didn’t know. Gave her a copy of my poetry book with the poem about Dorothy in it (Coltishall Hall).

Nobel Peace Prize won by Al Gore and the IPCC, which is a joke. Might as well have given him the Nobel Prize for physics. Obviously releasing a film full of scientific holes and making pots of money out of climate change is peaceful in some way. At least it wasn’t the Nobel Prize for Truth.

Spent the evening with the Cracknells on Friday discussing theology over a chicken takeaway and wine, and on Saturday (before the poetry reading) had a brief Creative Day at Bally, though only Rupert, Tonia ands Joan were present. However, got Joan’s password and put her on the web site with David’s help. I’m writing some poetry to go with Joan’s new pieces for the PVM boxes.

Meanwhile our lovely granddaughter Amy gave us all a scare by falling off a high walkway at Woodside and landing on her head. Big bruise, but she didn’t lose consciousness. On Saturday evening she was taken to the A & E on the advice of the doctor after her neck seemed stiff. But it seems she’s OK. She’s three this coming weekend.

Weather has been quite mild. I led the service on Sunday, and in the afternoon Dot and I went to Alderfen Broad, a little-known spot approached down a bumpy track with a tiny car park at the end. No siognposts, so I guess they’re not actually promoting it. Quite unprepossessing but lovely spot: peaceful. We walked down some pathways and looked at a cormorant, some coot and a grebe or two from the hide. Also five unidentified ducks of some kind.

Today work on the garage proper started. Colin took away loads of stuff and came back to fill some holes, make a door work and do a lot of painting – ceiling and walls. Tomorrow Dot and I head for Great Bircham, where we stay the night before her inspection on Wednesday. Hopefully it will be nice enough for me to go for a walk.

Tonight I won a game of chess on top board – about time – and the team won 3.5-0.5, with the help of a default.

Picture is of the lovely Amy on a different climbing frame, but at the same place.

11 October 2007

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At his official birthday party Oliver showed his prowess on the roped climbing frame, going over the top successfully.

Yesterday Dot and I had our haircut at Reepham, and I went for a two-mile walk on a track round the outside of the village but off Marriott’s Way. Very enjoyable. Dot is still immersed in sorting the garage out and (today) doing a thorough job on the house, with occasional input from me. The mail strike is over, but I still felt I couldn’t risk sending the cheque for Andrew’s care by first class post, so I sent it special delivery.

Weather is quite good. Tonight we’re out to one of Dot’s school colleague’s for a meal. I’ve been improving and printing a small leaflet on Edith Cavell, featuring my poem Edith and the Glacier. Will probably read it at Mulbarton Church on Saturday night during a concert (and during the England-France rugby game, annoyingly).

25 May 2007

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Well, I managed to draw with DH on Monday, though I probably should have won: wasn’t confident I could pull it off with not much time remaining.

Today the weather did an amazing thing. I went into Bally at 2pm, wondering whether I should really be wearing a jumper on top of my short-sleeved shirt. Two hours later I emerged to be very glad of it – the temperature must have plunged about ten degrees while I was in there, and there was a very chilly wind. However, we did have one visitor to the exhibition – a guy who seemed very interested and said he’d be back over the weekend.

Earlier the gas meter reader called and told me I had a flat tyre. It turned out he meant my car. It wasn’t totally flat, so I drove it round to Kwik Fit, who kept it for two hours, mended it and didn’t charge me. What nice people. Dot was out for the day at Brome (just into Suffolk) for a SIAS training session (church school inspectors) and is now out again for a girly night at Vicky’s.

On Wednesday and Thursday we had an excursion to Cambridgeshire, where Dot was inspecting a school at Oakington. We booked into a B&B in Landbeach, a few miles up the road. Very nice place with a pleasant landlady who did an excellent breakfast. After leaving Dot at the school at 12, I drove to Coventry to see Andrew. He was much better than I expected, and we went out for a walk.

The journey there had been easy, but returning was a different kettle of HGVs, most of them trying to overtake each other – which is not easy in a kettle. Coupled with two hold-ups, this made me a little late back. Dot rang me just as I was leaving the Huntingdon roundabout, and at precisely the same moment, a car two in front of me swerved violently, causing the one in between us to jam on his brakes. I just managed to do the same in time, despite the distraction.

In the evening we went to the Bridge restaurant near the River Cam at Clayhithe, and I had a pretty good steak. We walked along the towpath and saw an eight and a four (from Gaius College) practising. The eight were girls and the four were men, but in each case a (different) female coach was cycling along the towpath beside them, shouting instructions. Back at the B&B, had a bit of a rough night: found it hard to sleep.

Next day, while Dot was in school again, I did another walk down the Cam from Clayhithe, probably about four miles in all. Finished with a cider at the Bridge, then drove back to Oakington to pick Dot up. We called at Ely on the way home but failed to find anywhere to park and continued across the Fens.

Spent part of today booking up various things, including a hotel in Bantry and a slot on Eurotunnel. After I’d booked the time, they revealed that we had to be there 75 minutes earlier than that, which will make it quite tight if my hospital appointment overruns. Very helpful – not. Why can’t they warn you abou tthe waiting time before you book?

The picture is of InPrint stars Rupert Mallin and Lisa D’Onofrio moving the poetry vending machine into St Giles Church for the Open Studios “taster”. Clearly we should have gone for something smaller – a poetry vending carrier bag, for instance.

I’ve borrowed an intriguing book from TM – an interpretation of the Lord’s Prayer as it was in the original Aramaic. Fascinating language, with a much smaller vocabulary but many more meanings per word. Throws lots of new light on what Jesus actually meant, I think. Lots in common with poetry, with the ambiguities and (especially) layers of meaning.

25 February 2007

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Enjoying a fairly quiet Sunday, if a day that starts with a seven and a half mile walk can be described as quiet. We processed along the strip of beach from Sunset Captiva, where we’re staying, to the bridge on to Sanibel, the neighbouring island. In fact, since the hurricane a couple of years ago, the islands are joined, and the short bridge between them has nothing but sand underneath. Apparently there are plans to dredge it again.

The beach is nothing special – just a strip of off-sand-coloured sand about fifty yards wide: sea on one side, expensive homes on the other. Lots of shells. Lots of birds – western sandpipers darting in and out of the sea, pelicans diving for fish offshore, the occasional osprey and many, many others. You can occasionally see dolphins leaping out of the sea. It’s not crowded, but there are quite a few shell-seekers. In the easy-access spots (not many), there is a sudden blooming of chairs and umbrellas.

On the way back – the tempertaure is around 80F, but there is a cooling breeze – we called in at the Chapel by the Sea, which has a little graveyard in the shade of palms and other trees.

Yesterday was also reasonably quiet. We went to the video store and then to Andrea’s again, because it had a wine-tasting. And butter and ice-cream tasting. We bought over 100 dollars’ worth of exotic food, which we’ve been eating ever since.

Afterwards the girls read on the beach. Roger did some painting, and I walked over to the dock and took some pictures, mainly of pelicans and a heron. Idyllic spot. I’ve read one book already – John Grishom’s The Broker. Pretty good, but not great. Much of it was taken up with the main character learning Italian, and it tailed off a bit.

The picture is by Dot, taken at the north of the island.