Knee-deep in the season’s activities

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David and Bridget Archer – providers of fish and chips

I think Christmas is here. At least, we seem knee-deep in all the activities associated with the Christmas season, and a few others too. Not much time to stop and think since my last post.

On Friday we had the traditional Archant pensioners’ Christmas lunch in the traditional hotel, with the traditional rain outside. Quite a pleasant meal: sat with Su, Brian and Julie Bedson, and we were joined by new EDP/EN editor Nigel Pickover, who was his usual expansive self. I have to admit that I quite like him. I said this to Su, and she retorted that I liked everyone, which is not true but a nice thing to say (I think). I was served tea by my first cousin once removed – Lewis (Kitsune Le’) Lenton, who is Mark’s son, an artist and a bit out there. Still, he was tuned in enough to introduce himself, which was nice.

In the evening of the same day we went to a drinks and nibbles evening at the vicar’s. I spent much of the time talking to Melissa Snell: we are very much on the same wavelength, except that she is in love with Bolivia. Also spoke to her husband Simon and to Margaret Comerford. Quite an odd evening, because there were many people there who I didn’t speak to at all. Dot struck up a conversation with a teacher who may have persuaded her to join a music group where she will be able to play her violin.

On Saturday Dot and I went to see Norwich beat Wigan 2-1. Go0d match, which we deserved to win. Our recent record is now second only to Barcelona in the top five European leagues, and we’re eighth in the Premiership. Ran into Peter Franzen (former EDP editor) for the second day running, which is a bit excessive. Weather was not too bad, but I wore lots of clothes, just in case.

Sunday saw the usual Christmas event at St Augustine’s, designed and organised by myself. We were pretending in a rather halfhearted way to be a radio programme, and there was some appropriate dialogue as well as carols, readings and poems. Everyone was very appreciative, which is the nice thing about St Augustine’s. It was followed by our Christmas meal: most people contributed, and it was very good.

Sue and Roger Eagle came round for lunch on Monday: they are really good company, and we have much in common. Had far too much to eat and have been feeling overfull ever since. As a result decided not to go to the Christmas chess event; flaked out and watched a bit of Battlestar Galactica instead.

It was all go yesterday, and fortunately the weather was fine. We started by picking up Dot’s glasses from Little Plumstead school (her gloves are at Barnham Broom, or possibly Diocesan House by now) and then drove to North Walsham for tea and sausage rolls with Jessie. We then proceeded to Sainsbury’s and bought flowers for the cemetery, from where we moved on to Sheila’s. She seemed pretty well, though a little vague on some matters. More sausage rolls, and a mince pie too. From there we went to Rosie’s, where we had ginger wine. Rosie is in quite a bit of pain with her back but is as determined as ever to carry on doing what she always has: in this instance making 175 wreaths for customers and friends.

In the evening, and far from traditionally, we had Tuesday Group fish and chips, supplied by the Archers but eaten at ours. The usual suspects tucked in enthusiastically. Added excitement was provided by Ian, who had locked himself out and spent much of the evening trying to contact his sister, who has a key. Eventually the Archers gave him a lift to Cringleford, where said sister lives, and deposited him there. It was unclear whether he was staying or whether his brother-in-law was going to be able to (a) find the key and (b) take him home.

Today has been fairly mild. We had our hair cut, and Dot left for Barbara’s. I then almost forgot to pick up Philip to take him for his benefits assessment, but Joy rang and reminded me. This took two trips, because as usual they kept him waiting a long time. In between I posted  a package and sorted out the church cheques for paying in. After picking Phil and Joy up and taking them home (dropping in at Surrey Chapel to leave some cards) I returned home and left immediately for the city, where I paid in those cheques and took a Christmas parcel to Dipples, receiving one in return! Quite chilly by the time I got home. Dot has just rung to say she is on her way back.

In need of an expensive leveller

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Flashback to autumn: Julia, Dot and Dave at the Gunton Arms after a warming lunch.

For some reason we seem to be ahead of ourselves in the run-up to Christmas. Most of the cards and presents are ready, if not dispatched. And this despite my illness earlier, and Dot’s being indisposed on Tuesday this week, when she had a sore throat and stayed in bed instead of going to Barbara’s. This gave her a chance to become familiar with her new iPhone5, and she started asking Siri (her electronic friend) philosophical questions. Ah, well.

On Sunday I led the service and Liz preached – rather well, it has to be said. She spoke about righteousness meaning primarily right relationships. On Monday I played my first game of serious chess for some time, standing in as a guest on Board 4 for the A team in the Williamson Cup against Norfolk & Norwich A, the strongest team ion the league. Amazingly I won against a player graded 177, and the team won too, 3½-½.

For all you chess fanatics, here is the game:

White, Tim Lenton; Black, Gabriel Barr.

1 g3 f5 2 c4 d6 3 d4 Nf6 4 Nc3 g6 5 Bg2 Bg7 6 Nf3 0-0 7 0-0 Qe8 8 Re1 Na6 9 a3 (probably not necessary) c5 10 d5 h6 11 Qc2 e5 12 dxe Bxe6 13 Nd2 (Bf4 is probably better) Qf7 14 e4 (looking to strongpoint e4) Nc7 15 exf (planning two self-pins on the strongpoint square) Bxf5 16 Nce4 Rae8 (afterwards Gabriel suggested Ng4 for Black here, with an intended sacrifice on f2; White may be able to play Nf3) 17 Nxf6+ Qxf6 18 Ne4 Qd4 19 Bf4 Qxb2 20 Qxb2 Bxb2 21 Rab1 Bxa3 22 Rxb7 Ne6 23 Nxd6 (Bxh6 is also strong) Nxf4 24 Nxe8 Nxg2 25 Ree7 Bb2 26 Rxb2 Bd7 27 Rxd7 Rxe8 28 Kxg2 1-0.

On Tuesday I kept an eye on Dot and then took Ian, Harriet and Judy to Vicky’s for Tuesday Group. Quite a carful, but fortunately the suspension held up. Yesterday Dot was better and resumed her perambulations around Norfolk schools, while I went into the city to pay in some cash, as well as posting some cards. Today, with the weather still crisp and sunny, we travelled to Mundesley, where we had tea and coffee in the Royal Hotel’s new cafe, combined with an open meeting of the Paston Heritage Society. Not as many present as expected, but all went well. Peter Sissons was there, plus Maria Vincent and Patricia, our new trustee. And, of course, Penny, Rob and Lucy.

Afterwards Dot and I called in at the garage and discovered that, as expected, we need a new automatic headlight leveller, which will set us back in the region of £500.  Onwards to pick up pills from the chemist and post parcels at the sorting office. Then some printing of booklets for Sunday’s service while Dot went out to get a couple of small things for Menita’s children, and to buy some petrol. Oh yes, however advanced you are, it’s still all go.

Rare ventures into the wintry world

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At last I’m feeling better: it was the longest-lasting stomach problem I can remember having, but it seems to be past. And to add lustre to this damp, cold and windy morning, my blood test results are normal, whatever that means. Well, it means that my PSA level is still negligible (0.1) and whatever caused my recent ailment wasn’t in my system a couple of days before, or couldn’t be detected by a blood test. Isn’t medicine fascinating?

Meanwhile, Dot seems to have got nearly all the Christmas presents, making a sweep through various outlets. I went into the city a couple of days ago and paid in church money, then bought a couple of presents, and some Christmas cards from the Norwich Christian Resource Centre. On the way up London street I bumped into Stephanie, who I hadn’t seen for a long time. So that was all good.

On another of my rare ventures into the wintry outside world I visited the supermarket with Dot. I want that noted. Inside, I’ve written a new article for my website and ordered a couple of Christmas things, as well as organising what Nicholas calls the Christmas play. It isn’t, of course.

Feeling rotten, lingering on

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I can’t say I’m at my brightest. After my Paston / Dragon Hall meeting with Natasha Harlow on Thursday morning, the slightly queasy feeling I had during the morning accelerated considerably. I had a lie-down in the afternoon, got up for a haircut at around 6.30pm, had a bath and was then violently sick. This happens to me so rarely that I can’t remember the last time. Obviously I felt better immediately and thought that would be about it. But no. The sickness was followed by diarrhoea, and I felt rotten again, retiring to bed.

In the distant past, when I’ve had anything like this, it’s been over within a few hours, or a day at the most, but this has lingered on. I haven’t been sick again, but the other thing has been reluctant to leave me, and only now does it show signs of improving. However, I still feel very rough and at times wouldn’t be surprised if I were sick again. Had to cancel rehearsal yesterday for gig tonight, and have now of course cancelled gig. No church this morning, either.

No idea what the culprit is. Food poisoning? If so, what? Mushrooms and sauce heated up? Lousy milky tea from cafe? Or is it connected with my cleaning of kitchen sink pipes the previous day? Or is it some winter vomiting virus? Or is it, as they say, the symptom of a deeper illness? I should get my blood test results tomorrow, but the blood may have been taken a day or two too soon.

Enthusiastic and full of ideas

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Poor quality picture of top quality girl: Amy in tea cosy and glasses

A couple of visits to the surgery in the last couple of days: the first to see Dr Hampsheir to test my blood pressure, which was up a bit but not too much; the second for an all-purpose blood test. Awaiting results with unbated breath, in a similar way to my awaiting  a dry day – knowing that such things exist but are unlikely to happen any time soon.

Yesterday it teemed down while Rob picked me up and transported me (with Lucy) to the Norfolk Record Office for a meeting with Dr Alban about our planned Paston exhibition there at the end of next year. That went very well, with all parties enthusiastic and full of ideas (no, it doesn’t sound like me, does it?) Tomorrow I am meeting Natasha Harlow to discuss Dragon Hall.

Still raining today (despite misleading patches of blue sky) when I took Dot up to purchase her iPhone 5. This took well over two hours, partly because the guy serving us did not know an awful lot about switching from one phone contract to another, then because we couldn’t open Dot’s old phone to get the old sim card out and find out what the model was, then because Dot couldn’t remember her Apple password …. well, you get the picture. The whole process involved most of the people in the Apple shop at some time or another, but we did eventually emerge into the early evening, where it was – yes, you guessed. It was raining. We picked up a bus outside Debenhams.

This gave Dot a relatively short time before she had to go out again to a governors’ meeting at Little Plumstead. If I were to say she was calm and relaxed, I would be lying. She does seem to have been very busy again this week. But at least she has an iPhone5, and before she went out I managed to switch on her contacts.

Alongside poetic greats

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Julia wonders if she has bought enough drink for the evening.

The gas man eventually cameth at 1.20pm last Wednesday (claiming he thought it was an afternoon appointment) and quickly sorted out the radiators: one had a sticking valve and the other had accidentally been turned off – the movement to do this was a quarter turn, surprisingly. He also allayed my fears about the system staying on because of a pump valve sticking while we were away. Apparently there are loads of failsafes on the system, and the boiler would eventually turn itself off. So that’s all good.

When he departed Dave and I finished our lunch and went to Stranger’s Hall museum, which proved surprisingly interesting: it has a warren of rooms representing different historical periods. Afterwards we continued through the rain to M&S, where we met Dot and Julia, and I resisted buying a jumper. After a pause for afternoon tea we returned home by way of a couple more shops, and ate in.

Thursday was Dot’s 67th birthday, and the weather was much nicer. We took a bus up to the Sainsbury Centre and after coffee in the cafe there (seated at the next table to Charles Clarke) we looked at the main exhibition and then at portraits by John Hedgecoe, which included one of my friend Lisa D’Onofrio, alongside other poetic greats such as Paul Larkin, Ted Hughes and John Betjeman.

Afterwards we walked along the river part of the way to Cringleford, but had to abandon halfway because of the mud. We diverted on to Bluebell Road, had refreshment in Waitrose cafe and helped Dave and Julia buy 12 bottles of Beaujolais nouveau, which I believe is a kind of wine. We then caught the bus home, changing at St Stephen’s. No sooner home than we were out again,up to the craft fair at the Forum, where it was cold, especially outside. Dot bought a ring, and we returned home in time to prepare for our evening meal at Prezzo’s, for which the Robinsons joined us. It proved to be their last evening as non-grandparents.

Yes, Charlie Theodore Smith, son of Sophie, was born at 2.20am, narrowly missing Dot’s birthday and weighing in at over 9lb, which is a bit excessive. On the same day Dot left at 8.30am for Thetford, where she was doing a day’s SIAS training, and the Evetts headed north at 9.45am for Scarborough. It was all go again. For them.

Dot returned just after 4pm, and by 5pm we were heading down the A11 for Caddington, where we were due to spend the night before lunching with much of the Coomes family near Bishop’s Stortford and proceeeding to David and Kristine’s for the rest of the weekend. This was partially scuppered by illness striking DC and Lydia, and we ended up spending Saturday with David, Oliver and Amy, which was very nice. Took Amy swimming in the morning, then on to Sainsbury’s, where we bought food under Amy’s guidance and then washed the car at Amy’s request. David and Oliver returned from Finchley, where Oliver’s school football team had won 6-2 in pouring rain.

Stayed in during the afternoon and played games after watching F1 qualifying, then David made a second excellent evening meal (toad in the hole; the first was salmon) and after the children had had a bath and gone to bed, we drove home, arriving about 10.30pm. It was still raining hard. Dot had been given her presents the previous day – a scarf, some soap, a necklace and a bracelet.

So that mean we were at church for Heather’s visit: she spoke on the disappointing vote which fell short of approving women bishops and got quite emotional, but it was a good sermon. I prefer to think of the vote as overwhelmingly in favour, but not overwhelmingly enough. But then I’m not a woman. Some of you may have spotted that. Ruth played violin with us, which was a refreshing change.

Embarrassing moment in Loch Fyne

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River Bure near Horning, at about 3.10pm on a late November afternoon.

Managed to fit in a load of supermarket shopping and a visit to three banks before Dave and Julia arrived at 1.30pm on Monday. After lunch we went for a walk round the lesser known parts of the city, taking in Rouen Road, Ber Street, Hall Road, Southwell Road, Trafford Road and Brian Avenue. Obviously there is a good reason why these are lesser known, but we didn’t let that put us off. Dot saw Charlotte and Sophie through a window at 81 Trafford Road and shamelessly accosted them. Sophie is on the brink of motherhood but not quite there.

On the way back we called in at John Lewis and that shop on the hill that sells quality furniture upstairs and coffee downstairs. Some very nice stuff, but you can’t keep buying furniture. It was raining pretty solidly by the time we got home, and there was a lot more of it yesterday, when we had hoped to do a walk near Oxnead. In the event we started at Wroxham Barns for coffee, went on to Oxnead Church, then took a brief walk down to the river with our umbrellas up. Didn’t do the bit behind Oxnead Hall because of mud.

Continued by car to the Gunton Arms, where we had lunch (Lincolnshire Poacher sandwich for me, bagel for Dot and rarebit for the Evetts). Really enjoyable, and the setting of course is excellent. On again to Alby Crafts, where I bought a few small things (I had been tempted by a coat at Wroxham, but resisted it). By this time it was getting dark and we drove home. Later we walked up to Loch Fyne, where I tried to use an out-of-date Gourmet card (via iPhone app), which was rather embarrassing. It seems they haven’t renewed my subscription: I can’t find anything taken off my credit card.

Very tired last night. Still tired this morning, partly because I had to get up at 7.30pm in case the gas man came at 8am. Of course he didn’t. It’s now 11.12am, and I’ve heard nothing. Meanwhile another radiator seems to have bitten the dust, this time in the kitchen. Dot and Julia are out shopping (aaargh), and Dave has gone to the station to get a Motor Sport magazine.

Gradually fading light

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On Thursday we voted for a police commissioner, and he got in. Not many people can say that. In more exciting news, two of the radiators in the house are cold, and the Evetts are due tomorrow. In addition, the heating failed to turn off last night when it was supposed to, so when the gas engineer eventually turns up (Wednesday is the latest offer) we will have a few questions to ask him. Hope he can answer them.

Meanwhile on Friday we went with the Robinsons to the world-famous Poringland cinema experience and saw The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which much to my surprise was both brilliant and inspiring, despite being set in India, which is probably the country I least want to visit.

On Saturday, while Dot got rather over-excited watching Norwich City beat Manchester United 1-0, I attended a birthday celebration for Bridget, who was 52. This took place on the Southern Comfort, which started at Horning, set off down the Bure and visited Ranworth Broad in gradually fading light. Atmospheric: really enjoyed it, especially as the forecast had been for constant rain.

Amy Myers in party mood

Spent quite a lot of time talking to Amy Myers (5), who has developed a lot and is fun. She had  a small admirer called Emily (2).

I drove Howard to Horning (and back). Anna, like Dot, had intended to come but had mistimed her return from Derbyshire. The cake was good, and I also had a chat with Bridget’s mother, Joy, who I’ve known for a while. She writes short stories. By today Anna had a stomach upset, so didn’t make church. Dot did make church and seems to be pretty healthy, which is just as well in the circumstances.

Phil came round and lent me a booklet by Paul on the life of Mollie Wurr, who I knew way back in Surrey Chapel days.

Old songs in new settings

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Amy, Oliver and Nana at Elveden during a recent visit.

Busy times continue, hence the delay in posting this. Dot is now working on her inspection report: she was at Linton infants’ school in Cambridgeshire yesterday, having stayed the night at the Crown Inn, where she was presented with a massive breakfast at 7.30am. Fortunately the school was a very good one, and so the report should not be too hard to write. But it may be her last inspection: the effort is becoming incommensurate with the reward, and the new system of organisation has made it less flexible for inspectors.

While she was away I attended a PCC meeting (Monday night), at which Nicholas’ plans for a new Sunday evening community were discussed and generally approved, and a lengthy meeting of Paston trustees with Peter Stibbons (yesterday afternoon) about a planned Paston DVD. I was also able to talk to him briefly about a copy of my Norfolk poetry book that I had sent to him some time ago (he is also a publisher), and he recommended someone else, who I will try. A slow process.

Dot got back from Cambridgeshire in time for a Tuesday Group at the Archers’ last night. The Group has settled into a fairly constant eight: the Archers, Dot and I, Vicky, Judy, Ian and Harriet. Last night we watched a Rob Bell Nooma video, about bad reasons for attending church (among other things). He does that sort of thing very well.

Before Dot went to Linton on Monday evening we went shopping and I bought some slippers from M&S that turned out to be too small. Yesterday I took them back and changed them, which turned out to be remarkably easy. Later I did some shopping at Morrisons: I had mistimed it somewhat and it was a big rush to get to the Paston meeting, but I did just make it, despite the usual ditherers doing a constant 45mph on the road to North Walsham and even less between NW and Paston.

We had actually been to North Walsham on Sunday too, calling at the cemetery before taking tea and mince pies with Jessie and showing her how to work her new Samsung tablet. To be fair Roger had already shown her, but apparently rather too quickly. Earlier we had been at a Remembrance service at St Augustine’s, where Stuart gave a talk on a parishioner who died in France shortly before the end of the war, having experienced little fighting in the Middle East up to that point. Fascinating stuff, despite being delivered in a less than charismatic way. This was followed by some more of Carrie’s legendary soup, which again gave me heartburn. I mean, soup?! How can that happen?

Incidentally, I have recorded my new song, Woman at the Window, and given a copy to Phil. We may use it on our next Seagull visit.

The previous days had also been much concerned with church, of one sort or another. We had one of our visiting speakers at St Luke’s on Friday and Saturday – this time Cyprian Consiglio, a monk and musician from California. I didn’t hear an awful lot of what he said, but what I heard was extremely interesting, and his guitar-playing was brilliant. Phil, who is much more of a technician than me, was extremely impressed.

Phil was actually organising the volunteers for CC, and I gave him a hand on the Thursday (preparation) and nearly all Friday, when I had a chance to chat to the delightful Archie and Cathy Cameron, from Agape, who record the speaker events. Turns out they were born in the Gorbals, Glasgow, at almost the same time as Dot, and they spoke glowingly of the community there, where they also grew up. Dot’s Mum had also said how kind the people were.

Meanwhile on the Friday Dot was leading a Nafpht conference at Mangreen on Philosophy4Children. She had been extremely nervous and spent loads of time on preparation. She did the morning sessions entirely on her own, and Barbara came in the afternoon. Needless to say, it went very well, and she has got some good feedback, plus a possible booking at a Yarmouth school.

On the Saturday I popped up to St Luke’s at lunchtime to see if Phil needed help, and I assisted in clearing away the tables downstairs. I had intended helping at the end (5pm), but suddenly remembered that Dot and I were due to attend a thanksgiving event for Norwich Youth for Christ, of which she was formerly a trustee. This included a buffet at 6pm, much earlier than I had thought. It was at the Gateway Vineyard church in Nelson Street (formerly Mount Zion) and was very enjoyable. Spent some time talking to Don Guyton about Surrey and related things. The service was pretty far removed from the contemplative approach of CC, but was very well done, including contributions from choir and an excellent worship band. Interesting how they used old songs which I knew from my childhood – but in new settings. Lovely atmosphere. NYFC do a great job.

Way back last Thursday I attended a meeting of Paston trustees without Peter Stibbons, and we went through a lengthy agenda which included attracting new trustees and allocating new roles following the departure of Jo Berry and Lin Pearman for health reasons. I am now the secretary, and managed to produce some minutes which approximated roughly to what was said. Not as easy as it might be, as Lucy is difficult to follow at times.

Well-travelled wife

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The nature trail at Cockley Cley Iceni village

It’s gone very quiet as far as I’m concerned, although the accountant is talking quite noisily to Dot in the kitchen at the moment. For Dot herself, life is very hectic. She went to Gateshead with Barbara on Friday (I took her to Scole), and their Saturday session in The Sage for the BBC Radio 3 Free Thinking Festival – following a comfortable night in the Ramada hotel – went pretty well.

They arrived back around 10pm on Saturday, and on Sunday (after a rest instead of church) she was off again in early afternoon to pick up Barbara for a drive down to Islington, where they stayed at the same Travelodge we had used before our Treyn holiday to Switzerland a few years ago. Just inside the Congestion Zone, so that was £10 to pay for the Monday, plus £15 for the parking. I paid the CC online, and it was very straightforward.

Dot and Barbara then took their P4C to Vittoria School, which was quite hard to find because it was more or less barricaded in. Very impressive, however, and the session again went well. They then drove home, and Dot arrived about 6pm, feeling a “little” tired. I hadn’t done very much over the weekend: the weather was not good, and my energy was not high, for some reason. But I had taken church money into the city on Monday morning when the sun came out, and I had not reached the top of Prince of Wales Road before it started raining.

Since then Dot has been working hard on various upcoming projects, almost without a break, so I am looking after the cleaning and cooking. Fortunately Judy supplied soup for the Tuesday Group last night, and all I had to buy was bread. Needless to say, it rained all afternoon. Still, I have managed to write an article for my website and have made inroads into the Christmas event, as well as writing prayers for Remembrance Day on Sunday. I’ve entered a poetry competition, finished my song based on a Dali painting and assisted Dot with some quotes, laminated for her P4C session on Friday. Perhaps I should charge her…