Tag Archives: andrew

Goats, piano and a cold cathedral

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Wisteria flowering in our back garden for the first time in a quarter of a century

The warm weather persists. Today we are in the mid-20s: one of those warm, calm summer days we don’t see enough of. We’re trying to resist the temptation to hurtle out in the car, on the grounds that everyone else will be doing the same. Still, we might venture a walk later on. We had expected Andrew to be with us this weekend, but he was not well enough to come. In fact when Phil and I went to Coventry yesterday to move some more of his stuff from Gareth’s to The Langleys, we found him to be in a sad state, and although I was intending at first to bring him back with us anyway, the longer we were with him, the worse he seemed, and in the end we decided it wasn’t practical, either from his point of view or from ours. It was sad to see him so fearful. We did manage to get quite a bit of his stuff moved, including three or four storage cubes which have given him more space in his room to accommodate it. I tried to get him to select what he wanted to bring, but he wasn’t able to do it, and eventually I had to make the decisions, while Phil, with a lot of help from Gareth – Andrew’s former carer, who is talking of moving to Portugal to rear goats – shifted the heavy stuff. Phil and I left for home about 4pm, but because of heavy traffic and a couple of diversions didn’t get to Norwich until 7.30pm. Admittedly, we had a meal on the way …

Dot and I completed our nap hand of Norfolk and Norwich Festival Concerts on Wednesday and Thursday. Dot had been at Overstrand on Wednesday morning, but got back in time to take the bus up to Castle Meadow and walk the rest of the way to the Assembly House for a piano recital by Reinis Zarins, who journeyed from Prokoviev to Liszt by way of Schoenberg, which made for some surprisingly hilly scenery. Amazing technique. I was a little surprised that the hall wasn’t full, but the Roman Catholic Cathedral was packed for our final concert of the festival, billed as Tallis in Wonderland (see what they did there?). This was a group of six singers – British, despite their name,  I Fagiolini – who used a rather innovative approach to 15th and 16th century music. Unaccompanied voices, but a lot of strange presentation, particularly running round the church and singing from different individual positions, with additional words and singing from loudspeakers. I found the concert annoying at first, but eventually liked some of the ideas and movement; however, the overriding feeling was that it was very, very cold and I wanted them to get to the end as quickly as possible. This was made worse by the fact that it had been a warm day, and so no-one was wearing heavy clothing. The temperature inside the cathedral must have been about 15 degrees colder than outside. Felt sorry for the performers, who had to do it all again later in the evening. Felt even sorrier for the people who were going to come to the second, and presumably even colder, performance. Suggested on Twitter that it should be renamed Tallis on Ice.

We walked briskly home afterwards and snuggled up in front of the television for an hour or so. Earlier in the day Colin had come to re-lay a bit of our drive, which was cracking up. He discovered that our downpipe didn’t go anywhere except under the drive, so he changed plans (after discussion) and eventually – after discovering a gas pipe – went for a kind of stone-filled soakaway covered by pebbles. We are thinking of putting in a semi-circular water butt to solve the where-will-the-water-go problem. Meanwhile we now have a large soil-filled, wood box for vegetables in the back garden – but the really big news is that our wisteria has flowered for the first time in 26 years! It has got together with some honeysuckle and looks really good.

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.

30 December 2008

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Granddaughter Amy on the phone at Nottingham to great-aunt Ethel, thanking her for her Christmas present. Tomorrow we will all be together again!

The weather has turned very c0ld – freezing by late afternoon, and the car did not defrost all day. We used Dot’s car to go to the supermarket this morning and paid what I believe to be a record amount for grocery shopping: over £140. Took a bit of time to get it all loaded in the car, of course. The rest of the day we’ve spent in preparation of one sort or another. I put together a quiz for tomorrow night and a bolt on one of the doors. Dot finished the house-cleaning she started yesterday and cooked the meal for tomorrow night, as well as various other tasks.

On Sunday night we had a family meal here, with Phil, Joy, Sam and Lucy joining the three of us. All went well, despite the oven playing up at a critical moment. (It’s still not right.) Then yesterday Phil drove Andrew back to Coventry with me as a passenger. We stopped again at Thrapston, and it was back on form, with the usual staff returned and the food and service quite reasonable. Traffic was fairly light throughout, and we took the direct route both ways, apart from my patent excursion via South Kilworth on the way back – not because it was necessary, but because it’s pleasant, especially the last few miles on empty roads across country.

Now we await half a dozen of the Tuesday Group, who should be providing some food (bring and share). The first one has arrived without any. Hope this is not an omen. Or something.

28 December 2008

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Grandson Oliver takes a break on the way round the Attenborough walk on Boxing Day, which was brilliantly sunny but with a fair ol’ chillin’ breeze, as they might say in Norfolk if they spoke Norfolk as badly as I do. It had got gradually colder as Christmas week went by, and this morning it barely crept above freezing, though there was only a light frost on the windscreen.

Andrew is here for a couple of days. We picked him up on the way back from Nottingham, where we’d spent a very calm and peaceful Christmas with our family at Julia and Dave’s home. Spot the deliberate error in that sentence: yes, it wasn’t calm and peaceful, because Oliver and Amy were there. But it was a lot of fun, and there were far too many presents for everybody. The journey up to Nottingham was very good, but there was a lot of traffic on the way back yesterday, and we eventually diverted off the A14 just after Huntingdon, and Dot navigated a new route through the southern Fens via places like Earith and ending at Mildenhall. We’d stopped earlier at the Thrapston Little Chef, which is usually good, but the service was appalling and the food only passable.

This morning I led morning worship at St Augustine’s. There were nine of us and two children, which is rather more than I expected. Mark Heybourne did a really good talk on Mary, and on bringing light into a dark world. Called at Phil and Joy’s afterward to pick up Andrew, and after a light lunch I took Andrew for a walk via the Rosary (put some winter plants on mum’s grave) and on to St James’ Hill, then back by the river.

15 October 2008

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Pictured are Keith and Mary, who spent a few hours with us during a visit from Canada (see earlier post). They are pictured at Dot’s Aunt Ethel’s house, a temporary centre of reminiscing and nostalgia.

Good news on the diabetes front: I don’t have it. The blood test was clear, as I discovered after hanging on for several minutes while my important call was in a queue (I quote). So nothing to stop me from being really fit, and I do feel much better in myself, though the technical side is not quite as it should be. But it will be soon. Yesterday Phil took me in his Mercedes to pick up Andrew, and apart from dozing off for about 20 minutes on the way back, I had no problems. That wasn’t a problem either, of course, though it would have been if I’d been driving.

Most of Andrew’s clothes have mysteriously disappeared, together with his holdall. The staff at The Langleys say he throws them away, which is quite possible. His shoes had a big hole in them and most of his remaining clothes were defective in some way, so I’ve spent most of a very rainy day re-equipping him. His coat has gone to the cleaners, and I bought him over £300 worth of new clothes, including a jacket, shirts, pants, socks, pyjamas, slippers, shoes, trousers and a belt. Add on a new bag, an electric razor and two toothbrushes, and his account has taken a bit of a whack. But of course that’s what it’s for. I wanted to buy him some more shoes, but he was reluctant, so we put it off. A review may be necessary at Christmas.

We also drove up to the cemetery, but it was raining too much to do anything. The grave is still there. Last night Dot went to a Tuesday Group meeting at Vicky’s while I showed Andrew a selection of our photographs, suddenly realising how useful the Front Row feature on my Mac was for this. Oh, I should have mentioned: I have a new Flip. It seems to work OK. I must give it a thorough test, but what shall I video? Maybe something at the weekend.

9 August 2008

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Haven’t seen the family for a nearly a month, and it will be the end of August before we see them again – must be the longest period we’ve been without seeing them. They’re off to Nottingham today and then to France on the 15th. So here’s a picture of us all together at Fred’s caravan at West Runton four weeks ago. Clearly the food was good.

Weather has been a bit up and down this week – the odd thunderstorm and some quite heavy rain, interspersed with warm and calm periods. Like me, really. One minute I feel very positive, the next I’m quite under the weather and suspect something is going wrong with the catheter. Have odd pains here and there, and my stomach isn’t quite right, though it’s much improved. However, in a good moment I decided to carry on living as if nothing was wrong, and I hope to maintain this attitude for at least the next few minutes – and maybe more, as they say in dating ads. Not that I read dating ads, of course.

Andrew seemed to have a good birthday, despite not coming home. I rang him up in the evening, which pleased him, and he was quite bubbly. He got our present and seemed to really like it, and he also got quite a few cards. A friend in Coventry had taken him out for a meal, and The Langleys had made him a cake. Phil has got his car and computer fixed, so quite a good week, sibling-wise. I have been in and around the house, doing some more work on the Paston book for Lucy. Yesterday Dot and I both had our hair cut, and Linda’s partner Mike had a measure-up in the shower room to see what he could offer Dot in the way of shelves, cupboards and surfaces.

Today Dot and I are practising a couple of songs for tomorrow, which is the church day out at Mangeen. I am working on the principle that all will be well, which is an established Norwich attitude originated by Julian, or possibly God.

11 July 2008

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This has been a quiet week, really, in terms of physical activity. I haven’t been out much, except on Tuesday, when Dot dropped me at Richer Sounds on her way up to the garage to purchase four new tyres for the Mazda 3 (over £500 – I blame Gordon Brown, since I don’t think anyone has blamed him for the cost of tyres yet). At Richer Sounds I asked for £80 back, as I hadn’t claimed on my warranty cover for my hi-fi over three years. To my surprise, there was no loophole: they handed it over without any problem, once I had worked out how to get in the building. The front door was locked and no-one had the key; apparently everyone arrives by car and uses the back entrance in the car park. I bought a cable that may or may not be useful. I need to speak to my technical expert, who may also advise me on whether or not to buy a Flip camcorder, which seems ideal for my needs. I am very tempted to go for it immediately, but won’t. Probably.

Anyway, on my walk back home I took the picture above from Fye Bridge before walking through the cathedral and realising I was actually very tired. I sat for a while, then continued home. Later on Annette R called and we had a chat about progress with the Paston project, which seems to be going well, though Annette is a bit concerned about practical aspects of putting the book together. Later on in the week I responded to a collagraph from Sharon Teague with a poem I was quite pleased with, using imagery from jousting and chess. I used a title I have been trying to use for ages: Blue Days, Black Knights. Buddy Holly would have approved. Perhaps.

Later we had a good evening with the Tuesday Group, though I had to take paracetamol before they arrived, as I was getting a bit the worse for wear. Surprisingly, it worked very well. On Wednesday Linda came round and did our hair, following which Dot disappeared into the city to meet Barbara. Pretty miserable weather, and I declined the opportunity to join her there to purchase a new anorak, which I will eventually have to do, much as I hate shopping for clothes. The Tour de France has started, which is always a good sign, and Dot and I are following it closely on ITV4, which gives it an hour a night – or about 40 minutes once you remove the adverts. So of course we always record it and skip them.

Dot has been busy completing a distance learning task related to her school inspections: she has almost finished, but it seems to have taken up a huge amount of time, considering that she’s not getting paid for it. I have started writing an account of my prostate adventures and have completed a kind of prologue – the period leading up to my operation. I am intending to include the poems I wrote while in hospital and just afterwards, but can’t imagine who – other than family and close friends – would be interested in reading it. Nevertheless, I feel it should be done. I don’t know the ending yet, or course.

Last night, while I was watching England do remarkably well at cricket, Dot went to a PCC meeting which must have been one of the shortest on record. Why do I miss all the good ones? Apparently Nicholas is thinking of taking three months off to write a book on Developing Consciousness. I wonder if our joint effort a few years ago will feature or if this will be a completely new book. I may get an acknowledgement, but I suspect it will end up as one of the many pieces of writing I’ve completed and then failed to get published. Or to be more accurate, failed to make much attempt to get published.

I got a surprise e-mail from a guy in Weymouth who knew a Margaret Lenton who turned out to be the grand-daughter of my great-grandmother’s sister. There must be a word for that. Facinating stuff, actually, because she was quite a distinguished composer. The guy may even send me a CD of her music. This is possibly the most interesting Lenton I’ve come across in my genealogical adventures. Unfortunately she’s dead, and neither she nor her only sister married or had children.

Had a long phone call this morning from the social worker in Coventry, saying the doctor is quite worried about Andrew, following certain memory tests, and wanting to talk about transferring him to another team and possibly another residence. Phil and I are very much against this, as he seems so happy where he is and enjoys his freedom. A change might result in him having to be accompanied whenever he goes out, and he would hate that. After talking to Phil this afternoon, I will probably write (as suggested by the social worker) and ask for a second opinion.

The weather is calm at the moment, but thunderstorms are forecast for today and tomorrow, followed by much better weather from Sunday. Hopefully this will mean we can use Fred’s caravan early next week.

17 May 2008

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This is an arty picture of my cousin Ann, taken through a Celtic cross in Cringleford graveyard, where I had taken her to see Frank’s grave. All being well, she is now back in Liverpool after a fairly busy week here – most of it in beautiful warm weather.

I am radioactive at the moment, having just had an injection at hospital in preparation for a body skeleton x-ray in about an hour’s time. This is the second of two tests to see if my prostate cancer has spread. Unfortunately it means we have had to delay our trip to Caddington. We had meant to go straight there from the hospital, but I discovered that I shouldn’t be close to children today. I can imagine what Oliver might think of being asked to stay two metres away from me, so we’ve decided to travel down after they’re in bed, which is a pity, but the best solution, I think.

I was thinking of travelling over to Coventry “on the way” to pick up my jacket and glasses, which I foolishly left there yesterday, when Phil and I went to a case conference for Andrew and shifted a bit of his stuff from Gareth’s. (I was feeling a bit off because of a swelling in my groin which is a bit mysterious, so didn’t have my mind on what I was doing.) I didn’t realise I’d left them until I got home. But Halina is going to post the glasses to me on Monday, and in the meantime I’ve bought a pair of reading glasses from Boots, which I haven’t quite got used to yet…

Yesterday’s journey wasn’t too bad, though the good weather had ended with a vengeance and there was quite a bit of rain, as there is today. Traffic was heavy on the way back, and we went across the Fens, which worked out well. We got back about 7pm.

Bit of a break there. I have now had my bone skeleton x-ray, which consisted of lying under a camera for about 20 minutes, then having to have a re-x-ray of my pelvis area because it hadn’t come out quite right. All totally silent, and not an unpleasant experience. They aren’t allowed to tell me the results, but I got a positive feel from the nurse (if you see what I mean). I could be completely wrong about that, needless to say. They may be trained to give positive feels.

While Ann and Jim were here, and while the weather was still summery, we did a bit of driving around. On Wednesday we all went to Reepham, where Ann and Jim went for a walk while Dot and I had our hair cut. Afterwards we all had lunch in Kerri’s, then, while Dot drove to North Walsham to see her aunt, the rest of us went home (those paying close attention will have spotted we must have taken two cars to Reepham). At home Paul came round to see his niece, then I went to the hospital with Dot for my MRI scan. Again, not an unpleasant experience, but very noisy. I was given an injection to relax my muscles, and then laid on a table that went into a huge tube. The scan is by magnets and is very loud – almost as if someone is outside trying to get in. I had to wear earphones, and there was supposed to be music, but it was practically inaudible. It lasted about 35 minutes and, strangely, I actually felt very peaceful in there.

On the Thursday it was still sunny but the wind turned very chilly. In the morning I took Ann and Jim on a tour of some spots which might have been familiar or interesting or both. We took in our grandmother’s house in Hall Road, and the ones on Caistor Lane and in Poringland. It turned out that Ann didn’t know the Poringland one. Her family had left for Africa in 1948, bef0re my grandparents moved there. We also looked at Tuckswood, and the two houses in Brian Avenue where I had grown up. We called at Venta Icenorum and had a short stroll, then had coffee at Dunston Hall Hotel before going to Cringleford and visiting Frank’s grave (and taking a quick look at his bungalow there).

Home for lunch, then we all – with Dot – went to Yelverton to look at our old house and on to Woodbastwick, where we parked by the river and walked to Cockshoot Broad: the boardwalk has been extended rather nicely. Also called at Ranworth and bought some ice cream before heading home in time to pick up Ann’s pictures from the chemist. In the evening Dave Hall came round to beat me at chess: I made a mess of the late opening. Had quite a long conversation with him.

While Phil and I were travelling to Coventry yesterday, Ann and Jim visited a cousin at North Walsham – whose parents coincidentally lived next door to Dot’s parents in Northfield Road – then another relative (I think) at Eckling Grange, Dereham. We had given them the option of staying an extra night, but they called to say they were on their way home and had reached Sleaford.

16 March 2008

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Andrew taking a look at our parents’ new gravestone on Saturday morning. An unusual aspect of the picture is that it shows the Rosary open to High Green following the demolition of the fence by high winds. We had a good look round the cemetery and found several friends’ graves.

After lunch we drove to Hemsby, which we found shrouded by a thick mist. There can’t be a village anywhere more totally desecrated by cheap and tatty holiday development, but still you can walk along the valley toward Winterton and find yourself quite isolated in an area of wild beauty. The feeling of isolation was heightened by the mist, and as it was not at all cold, the walk we did was very pleasant. We climbed over on to the beach to find that what used to be gentle dunes had become a sand cliff practically all along the beach between the two villages. I still find the area magical, including the Glebe area behind the second row of dunes where we used to holiday when I was a child. We looked for the two bungalows we used to stay in, and may have found them – but there have been quite substantial changes, including a tarmac road where there used to be an earth track. I remember the greengrocer’s truck coming round regularly.

In the evening we went down to the Nelson for a meal, which was very pleasant, though I think the restaurant is aimed at a somewhat younger clientele – and of course at the residents at the Premier Inn, which adjoins it. Not much we could do today outside because of the abysmally wet and unpleasant weather, so we watched a couple of videos. Norwich and Spurs both lost this weekend, and Wales deservedly won the rugby grand slam. Delighted to see Hamilton took the Australian grand prix.

Last week Dot did a school inspection at Eccles, near Attleborough, and the governors took her for lunch – at her cousin’s restaurant: Peter Beales Bistro. I’ve been busy devising and writing invitations to a party we’re holding in August to mark our ruby wedding anniversary – this one for friends rather than relatives. Also writing an Easter Communion service. All very hectic. Oh, yes – I also went for a pre-op check-up at the hospital and found I was probably fit enough to withstand general anaesthetic. Of course by the time they actually administer it – April 16, incidentally, and not the 17th as previously reported – it could be a different matter.

Ruth and Steve have had a baby girl – Beatrice Norah.

8 November 2007

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Dramatic action picture of Oliver being chased by a dinosaur. You can see the terror in his face.

Meanwhile, I have just returned from the chiropractor, who told me my back would probably be a bit sore tomorrow but should improve over the weekend. As it was extremely painful before I went, this wasn’t as bad news as it might have seemed. It does seem to have eased a bit at the moment. I see him again on Monday, shortly before a 90-minute stint with the dentist. O happy day!

The back probably got worse because I drove to Mansfield on Tuesday, then on to Hull and back home on Wednesday. Why Mansfield? you may ask. Was it because my grandparents used to live there? No, it was because the Premier Inn at Mansfield had a room spare at a fairly convenient spot between Coventry and Hull. Quite comfortable, too.

I’d called at Coventry to take some property from Gareth’s house to Andrew’s new home – mainly clothes and photographs. Andrew seemed very well. I also retrieved a letter to him that explained he’d left some stuff in the hospital safe, which may explain where his building society book is.

After assessing the reporters at Hull I spent a bit of time down on Hessle foreshore, on the banks of the Humber under the bridge – a spot I’d previously visited when I took David to have a look at Hull University, probably 17 years ago. Very beautiful sunset to accompany my cheese and onion sandwich.

Drove home by the shortest route over the bridge and via Lincoln and Sleaford, which was pretty dire as far as queues and slowness were concerned – not to mention the thousands of speed cameras in Lincoln – but it still got me home quicker. Stopped thirty miles short of Lynn for a Little Chef mushroom omelette and chips.

Today Dot has been at a head teachers’ conference at Mangreen, just outside Norwich. Weather is very unpleasant: quite bit of heavy rain and unrelentingly dull and wintry. My computer was offline for most of the day, but I managed to persuade it to come back eventually.

Almost forgot to mention the most significant event of the last couple of days: the Ballater cottage is being sold after 17 years of its being a home away from home for us. I think we’ve stayed in it almost every years since 1990 or 1991. David and Vicky stayed there with us; so have Anne and Philip and Roger and Barbara. What will life be like without it? Certainly a major change.