Tag Archives: paston

Amy scoots into her ninth year

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Amy enjoying her new scooter

My granddaughter is now a year older. It happened suddenly, last Saturday, and fortunately we were on hand to help her celebrate her eighth birthday. We arrived on the Friday night, driving through pouring rain all the way, with almost ground-level  clouds. In the morning I went with David and the children to the swimming pool in Dunstable, where Oliver and Amy had their lessons. Meanwhile, Dot stayed at home and iced the chocolate cake made by David the previous night.

We gave Amy a scooter with lots of street cred, which went down very well, even when she fell off it while executing a tight turn. The children have friends in the street, and they came out to play, so that was good: Thomas and Grace, I think. Not related. After a party lunch prepared by David we played Dixit, a remarkable game  that he’d bought her which involved making up a line of a story to match cards, and then guessing the card. Actually it made a lot more sense than that. Later in the afternoon, Vicky, accompanied by Saskia(?), came to pick up the children, and we left soon afterwards, arriving back in Norwich earlier than we’d expected.

At church on Sunday I “launched” my new worship songs booklet, simply by using it for one of the hymn slots. Seemed to work all right. Howard gave a very Howard sermon, including animal noises, on how OT people might have reacted to Isaiah. In the evening Dot and I went for a meal at Anne and Philip’s in the company of Bernadette and Barry Hutchings, who live in Alpington. Touch of nostalgia there – very enjoyable, though I wasn’t feeling great, a theme which repeated all through the next few days. I took some out-of-date antibiotics, but that seemed to make things worse; so I’ve stopped. The right thing to do, I feel.

Yesterday was the final rehearsal for our Chronicle performance at Mannington Hall, complete with hats. Everyone agreed that mine suited me very well, which is a bit worrying. The hats came courtesy of Rob’s wife Penny, who is a seamstress of some repute, and we rehearsed at Rob’s house, with his grandchildren providing noises off. In the evening, with our vegetarian Bridget away with her husband, I cooked chilli con carne for the Tuesday Group, and I have to say it tasted pretty good. Well, I don’t have to, but I will.

Now I am waiting for the arrival of David, Oliver and Amy. The children will be staying with us for three days, and I am told we have to visit the Iceni village at Cockley Cley, because Amy is doing a project on Boudicca. I feel Amy would make a good Boudicca.

The wilds of Wood Dalling

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Sky at Paston last week

Feeling the usual trepidation before setting off on a holiday abroad. Not sure why, because in this case everything is organised for us. All we have to do is get to St Pancras about 7am tomorrow. But of course there’s concern that we pack the right things (the Spanish weather seems to be taking a sudden turn for the cooler), don’t forget anything crucial, and find the hotel in London. An added complication today is that our hairdresser is coming at 11am: this wasn’t in the original plan, but she couldn’t come earlier in the week, because she’d been in hospital and couldn’t drive.

It’s certainly been cooler here this week. On Monday I met an old friend, Sue Moore, at the Forum and we had tea and a snack in the Glass House for a pleasant couple of hours, catching up on holidays, illnesses, and so on. As you do. On Tuesday we had a reduced Tuesday Group with several absences, and on Wednesday I drove out to the wilds of Wood Dalling, one of the biggest parishes in Norfolk with 14, 16 or 22 miles of roads, depending on who is boasting.

So plenty of scope for error, but eventually I found Katy’s Cottage, which is poet Kay Riggs’ house. Rob and Caroline were equally successful, and so we were able to have a Chronicle meeting at which we slimmed down our Hungate piece for use at Mannington Hall. Kay’s husband David then showed us his recording studio, small but impressive, in case we decide to record the performance for possible sale at Paston events. I also toyed with the idea of recording Far Cry, but I fear he may be expecting a more professional performance than I can deliver.

Rob said he had received a letter from Jo, resigning as a Paston trustee on health grounds, which is a bit of a blow as she takes on a huge amount of work, especially to do with the re-enacting and the possible use of the village hall. My initial reaction was that we need two new trustees just to cover what she does, but I spoke to Lucy last night, and she said that before Jo joined she used to to much of it on her own. However, we were a bit dubious about continuing with the village hall project.

This was at a meeting of the Norwich Record Society at County Hall, where they launched a volume of edited letters by Sir Robert Paston. Interesting introduction to it by a professor (not the author), painting a quite detailed picture of the penultimate Paston. Jo and John were also there.

Dot’s cousin Roger also called round on Wednesday evening. Dot has had a busy week, much of it in front of her computer sorting out her autumn programme and supplying information for a book, and now of course, as we’re going away for a week, she has to clean the house. I’m not sure why.

Down to the Plantation Garden

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Jessie and Dot in the Plantation Garden (iPhone picture)

At last the furniture has returned, and after a few minor alarms, it turned out to be all complete, including brackets and screws. The bookshelves proved a bit tricky to get right, but everything else was pretty straightforward, if a bit tiring. So now we have a spanking brand new room, and the roof is repaired. And so far we haven’t paid a penny. This will change shortly, 0f course.

After getting everything in order, I relaxed by playing a tournament chess game against Norman Thomas, and won fairly easily. My game score totally vanished on its way home, and I had to reconstruct the game while I could remember it. I even returned to the club in case I’d left it there, but no…

On Tuesday we restarted the Tuesday Group, which went pretty well, with much catch-up talk. Then yesterday Jessie came up by bus for lunch, and we all visited the impressive sunken Plantation Garden off Earlham Road in the afternoon. There was an autumnal wind, but quite a bit of sun, so it was a pleasant excursion, especially as I had never actually seen the garden. Bit of a challenge parking in the area, but still… After tea I drove Dot and Jessie to North Walsham, and Dot stayed with her while I attended a meeting of the Paston Trustees, where I took the minutes. Lucy seemed a bit better, but Jo is very stressed. Rob was calm as ever.

Today I have spent much of my time writing a sermon for Sunday. It came rather more easily than the last one; I’m not sure whether that’s a good thing or not. Tomorrow it’s Joan’s funeral, and I’ve just heard that my “uncle” Richard – the widower of my aunt Vi in South Africa – has also died. I didn’t know him very well, and he was in his nineties, but it’s always sad when someone in your family goes.

Tea at Mannington Hall

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Amy enjoying the sea at Mundesley last week

Have managed to reach Friday in a rather stressful week. The roof has been fixed temporarily, and the ceiling has a tasteful white sheet covering the holes and the damp section. It stayed up at the second attempt. The second surveyor (for the builders) said the asbestos positive meant the whole ceiling would have to be removed and reinstated, which would involve moving all the furniture out and making good afterwards. Haven’t heard the insurance company’s reaction to this, but it leaves us still in limbo, which I hate. I am not good at waiting.

Meanwhile Dot has finished the wall-painting, and I have painted the trapdoor to the loft, because I am taller. Well, to be more accurate, I have painted it once, and I am about to paint it again. Dot is now immersed in improving the look of the garden, and keeps arriving home with a car full of plants. Keep catching bits  of the Olympics, but not always the right bits. Happily the BBC website is quite good on videos of bits you miss. I am as pro-Team GB as anyone, but I did rather enjoy those South African rowers who came from miles back to snatch the gold.

Two further sources of stress: intermittent Broadband connection at the beginning of the week for no apparent reason; and the unexpected difficulty of finding transport for church members without cars who want to go on a boat trip to St Benet’s Abbey on Sunday for the afternoon service. This would have been difficult enough anyway, but Dot and I are taking Phil and going on to Lowestoft afterwards for our third Seagull gig, so couldn’t take anyone. One of our members with a car didn’t know if she was going until Thursday, another (understandably) didn’t want to come into the city to collect people, and the two people at St Luke’s who might have helped were unreachable by phone or email. Howard could borrow a people carrier but couldn’t drive it because he had no insurance. Aargh! In the end I gatecrashed the Vicarage and spoke to Heather, with the result that Nicholas is going to drive the people carrier.

Our church is full of people who can’t drive or don’t have a car, or both. On Thursday Ian asked me to pick him up from the City College midway through the evening, which I did, of course.

Tuesday was kind of a highlight, because I had tea with Lord and Lady Walpole at Mannington Hall. Also present were Lucy, Jo and John, and we were discussing the Paston event at the Hall in October (weekend of 27–28). As Chronicle, the four of us – Caroline, Rob, Kay and I – are going to do two half-hour slots, but we will have to rework The Heroine of Hungate to introduce a Mannington connection. This is not quite as obscure as I thought it was (there is a 15th century marriage), but it will take a bit of working out. Afterwards Jo and John paid for lunch for Lucy and myself (and them) at the Saracen’s Head. Very impressive spot for lunch. Excellent food. Probably the fist gooseberry compote with mackerel I have ever had.

In the evening Tuesday Group was at the Archers, and another excellent repast – this time sausages and mashed potatoes – was followed by a very tasty video by Rob Bell. This was almost matched culturally on Thursday by a second attempt at a poetry group at the Narthex at St John’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, led by Hilary Mellon. Ten of us present, and it worked much better than the one on Betjeman. We looked closely at three of six Larkin poems that he had read out electronically and without hiccoughs at the start. Found myself liking his work a lot, though not his rather dour philosophy.

Have just made a list of areas for which I am responsible, in an attempt to work out why I never have time to do anything. I am up to 24 at the moment.

Suns on website, clouds in sky

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David and Kristine Coomes during their recent visit. Dot is pointing out local landmarks from St James Hill. At least, I assume that’s what she’s doing.

England duly exited Euro 2012 by managing to stop Italy scoring for 120 minutes but then, as usual, losing on penalties. The guilty players on this occasion were b0th called Ashley, which should have been warning enough. Young hit the bar and Coles’ effort was saved comfortably. Last night Spain beat Portugal on penalties after another 0-0, with Portugal playing above themselves and Ronaldo doing the opposite: he didn’t even take a penalty (one assumes he was meant to go fifth, but it didn’t get that far).

We’ve had some warmer temperatures, but the BBC is having trouble coping, today their website has golden suns all over it for Norfolk, but it’s cloudy and looking as though the threatened “showery rain, sometimes heavy” might well materialise. Hopefully it’s a bit sunnier in London, where Dot and Anne are having fun (one assumes).

Spoke on Sunday about being people after God’s own heart and not worrying about superficial issues: seemed to be well received. Monday night’s PCC was genial and quick, with only Dot and I representing St Aug as usual.

The other major meeting this week was yesterday afternoon: the Paston Trustees. The four of us who made it (Rob was working in London) got through the agenda in about a couple of hours, which I suppose is not bad. Lucy is in one of her rare “quite well” phases, but Jo is looking ill and showing no sign of cutting down on her work: offered the chance of giving the Pensthorpe event a miss this year, she was determined to do it. However, she does want to step down from the not-very-onerous job of being chairperson, so I volunteered Rob in his absence and also offered to help with the newsletter. If Rob isn’t keen, I may get the chair as well.

I arrived early so Lucy took me up on to the roof to see her alpine garden. Impressive, as is the view, especially on a still and warm day. A few inches higher and they would be able to see the sea. Apparently.

 

Sudden death of college friend

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Dot's college friends pictured by Pete Stokes at our ruby wedding anniversary. Jan (Pete's wife) is fourth from the right.

Not a happy start to the week: Liz Stabler rang as Dot was leaving the house on Monday and told us that Dot’s college friend Jan Stokes (formerly Kidd) had died 0f cancer. Huge shock: we didn’t even know she was ill. Apparently she herself didn’t know about the cancer until a couple of months ago.

Then we discovered that our nephew Joe has multiple sclerosis: fortunately the less severe kind – intermittent instead of progressive – but still a tremendous blow for him and Birgit, and for his parents.

Third, and rather less seriously, I got a phone call late in the evening from Lucy to tell us that the consort of viols from Cambridge had decided not to play in the evening on June 9, but in the afternoon, thus making a nonsense of all our publicity. Ironically I had distributed some flyers to the tourist information centre, St Peter Mancroft and several businesses on Elm Hill when we checked the venue on Saturday. Ho hum.

The three of us met (with Kay) at Fakenham today to decide what we’d do about it and – mainly – to rehearse the script. The latter went well – Caroline had written a new song – and we decided to just forge ahead and do our own thing in the evening on the 9th, letting the viols get on with it in the afternoon. Out, viol spot.

Dot hasn’t been well, but is now better. We went to a concert by Duke Special at the Open on Sunday night, and she felt ill on the way there and the following day. The concert was nevertheless brilliant: DS is a great live artist and a top songwriter. The Cracknells and Heybournes were also there. We got there about 7.15, but there were two support acts before DS took the stage at about 9.15pm. One of them was local and not my kind of thing at all; the other was Foreign Slippers, who were quirky and pretty good. Great evening: even made Dot feel better, though she relapsed afterwards.

Had our hair cut yesterday, and in the evening Steve Fiske came round to sort out the worship songs for June 10, when the Archdeacon is paying a visit and we have a joint service at St Luke’s. Brought back memories of when we used to play together at St Augustine’s.

After several days of warm sunshine,today is cooler, with rain promised.

Wind from the north ends warm spell

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View of the Wensum from the Jarrold Bridge while the sun was still warm.

Spots of rain on the window this morning, and now a decidedly cold wind from the north. Our early summer is apparently over. And we have a fuel crisis to go with the cold wind. Or should I say a “fuel crisis”, because it’s entirely created by a stupid announcement from the government that it might be a good idea to stock up in case there was a tanker drivers’ strike. So of course the usual suspects queued at petrol stations to put in £2 worth while those who genuinely needed it for things like travelling were given unwanted deliveries of stress and frustration.

No, this is not the anger of a man with an empty tank, surrounded by closed petrol stations. As it happens, I’m not in dire need at the moment. But I do sometimes despair at how stupidity seems to thrive in this country, at every level.

Nor is a lack of fuel the reason Dot and I took another long bus ride this week – travelling to Cromer in the sun on Thursday for lunch at the Rocket Cafe and a visit to the town museum (travel and museum both free). We did venture briefly on to the beach, but despite the sun the first signs of returning chill were already evident, and although we succumbed to an ice cream, we had to find a warm spot out of the wind to eat it in. The journey was very easy and pleasant, and I suspect more bus trips may be in the offing. We have also renewed our railcards…

We resorted to the car last night, however, for the annual meeting of the Paston Heritage Society, held at the Ship Inn in Mundesley with chips and chippolatas, plus a talk from Dr Richard Hoggett and a few remarks from myself on the future events we have planned. A convivial and quite brief occasion: we were home by 9.15pm. Good to see all the supporters out, and Brigette and Ruth resplendent in something other than medieval dress.

On Tuesday we did a little bit to support Norwich Christian Resource Centre, which is at risk of closing. The Tuesday Group (or six of us) went up to one of their evening events instead of having our usual meal and heard a story of how one woman escaped from the genocide in Rwanda, and the unexpected forgiveness she subsequently felt. We bought her book (Miracle in Kingali), published by Anthony Gray, who had himself been held hostage in China. Strangely I had heard Robin Limmer speak about him quite often: I think he formerly worked for the EDP.

Trying to help CRC again by donating secondhand books, but Joy is coming round this afternoon to see if she wants any of them. Having quite a clearout: our friend Carrie has just collected my big old desk to give to a family of asylum seekers from Egypt, and she has also taken one or two other things, including a camp bed and some bookshelves. Dot has managed – with a little bit of help from me – to lay our old kitchen carpet in the garage and get things much clearer in there for when the grandchildren join us next week.

I was the only St Augustine’s representative at the PCC on Wednesday, which I suspect just about kept it legal, and I put forward a motion (passed unanimously) to enable us to obtain cash from a charity which has been lying dormant for years and use it to pay for hall repairs. Now I just await the minutes to carry it all through. I hope. Dot, incidentally, was at Hopton, helping on behalf of the diocese with shortlisting for a head’s post. She is keeping pretty busy, so I have tentatively arranged some time in Scotland in France, in addition to our Devon holiday later this year.

TV breakthrough and owl at Paston

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Owl of anguish: beautiful bird that was a big hit at the Paston weekend

Seem to have spent the first three days of the week dealing with money, one way or another. Partly our own (lots of outgoing at this time of year) but mainly the church. Don’t know why everything seems to be happening at once there, but think I may have caught up with it at last. I have just filled in Gift Aid claim forms to be sent off tomorrow. The weather recently has been pretty awful, with high winds and huge amounts of rain, and I’ve been feeling below par: my entire head seems to be silting up. Still, not bad enough to actually stop me.

The big Paston weekend was an unqualified success, despite appalling weather on the Sunday. Richard Hoggett dug his hole, and the church received well over 150 visitors to see the re-enactors and an exhibition of maps and photographs which certainly impressed me. No idea where they all came from. There was an owl and a falcon too, and rather lovely refreshments from Ruth and Brigitte. What more could you ask for? TV coverage?

Well, we had that too. Shortly after my tardy arrival on the Sunday, following Communion and lunch at church, I was seized upon by a camera crew putting together a series for the BBC on local history: apparently it will be in eight parts and broadcast around May/June time. I was interviewed together with Lucy and Rob, and had to think up a “favourite Paston letter” on the spot. I think I was just about coherent. Dot arrived a bit later and was also involved, probably because of her photogenic qualities. She was asked to read out some excerpts from the letters. One or two others also took part, and no doubt it will all be edited out, but it was fun at the time.

Dot and I then called in to see Jessie before hastening onwards to a new evening Communion service at St Luke’s. This is a brainchild of Nicholas’s and involved drumming and much striking of the gong, but despite that it was pretty good. Nearly 50 people there (no small feat) and a good atmosphere. Had a chat with Annette Vergette of blessed memory and her friend the spiritual healer, plus the Barrells and Val Kibble. So busy chatting in fact that I didn’t get to the cup of tea. Oh, well.

Out again in the biting rain on Monday night to Dragon Hall for the official culmination of the King Street Community Voices project, to which I had contributed a few poems which seemed to have vanished. Well, they may have been there somewhere. I bumped into Suzi Heybourne and a much older colleague from the Magdalene Project, so the evening wasn’t entirely wasted. There was quite an interesting film and lots of old people – former inhabitants of the street.

Another voice from the past last night, in the middle of a depleted Tuesday Group meal. Pauline Oldroyd, a former Alpington friend, rang from Wales to say she knew my aunt, and was I aware of her situation?  I was, of course, but it was a surprise to discover that Pauline knew her so well (from the time she taught at City College). Had quite a long chat, in a nostalgic sort of way.

And today we had our hair cut.

Working up a head of steam

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Our Sudbury hotel bedroom (open window), with getaway boat

Paston is working up a head of steam leading to the Big Weekend atarting at 10.30 tomorrow. On Leap Day (Feb 29) I attended the last library session and was astonished to find 18 people attending – far more than the other three sessions put together. I didn’t hang around for long – just checked with Lucy that the quiz and survey I had put together for this weekend were OK.

Then yesterday evening it was out to Dayspring again for a trustees’ meeting with an additional member – Rebecca Matthews – who I believe is from the local tourist organisation and who might become a trustee. She certainly knows a lot about funding. We discussed forthcoming events for the year, which left me feeling rather exhausted. I need to get writing monologues, dialogues, songs and poems. Meanwhile we have to hope the weather tomorrow and Sunday is as good as it has been these last few days.

Yesterday I visited my aunt Josephine in her temporary abode at Cromwell Court on Cecil Road, and after taking her for a short walk we sat on a seat in the sun for a while. She’s keen to get home and independent again, though it will be difficult for her. The sudden loss of her friend Joyce means that she’ll be on her own for more or less the first time in her life. She’s a strong woman, though, and good to talk to.

Today I made my second visit to Sudbury in a week because my brother Phil wanted to pick up a bike he’s ordered online from Halfords. He doesn’t like driving on his own. Took us some time to find the shop, because it was wrongly marked on the map, but we eventually tracked it down. Not too bad a trip really, though I’m not feeling 100 per cent. Think I may have a slight infection. Again.

Wonderfully unseasonable evening

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The Mill Hotel, Sudbury: our bedroom overlooked river and meadows.

Unseasonably warm and sunny day: we have just been sitting out by the river at the Mill Hotel, Sudbury, on one of those wonderful still, clear evenings that usually happens in late summer or early autumn, drinking white wine. We arrived at about 4.30pm and walked up to look at the school Dot is inspecting tomorrow. Our room is small (as advertised) but pleasant and right by the riverside. We have booked a meal for 7pm.

Earlier today we had a long chat with the Murrays on iChat after Dot had gone into the city and bought a new watch under the pretext of picking up her restrung necklace from Dipples. I confess I had put the suggestion into her head  and was delighted she went for it.

Yesterday I attended another Paston library session, this time at Mundesley. I gave Lucy a lift. The new maps website has come online (http://historic-maps.norfolk.gov.uk/) and this makes a big difference to to our researching Paston because of the much improved detail. Took Lucy home and discussed what we needed to do for the weekend exhibition on March 3/4: it now seems remotely possible that we may have enough material for people to look at. But can we get it ready in time? It all depends on whether Lucy’s health holds up.

We’ve eventually got Dot established in the the office, and it seems to be working OK, though we may get Gary to move the filing cabinet by removing an unnecessary sliding tray. I’ve written most of my sermon for Sunday and chosen the hymns, but I have quite a lot of writing to do for various things.