Tag Archives: bally

Mother marries son in Norwich

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Ed and Jen
Mr and Mrs Reed exit the church after the ceremony

Busy time since I last posted. Failed to find anyone to accommodate Riding Lights actors, but it turned out not to matter: other avenues had yielded fruit. I’m not particularly good at persuading people to do things that they might find onerous, though when we put up Nigel Forde +1 in 1984 it was actually a lot of fun. Long time ago … the year I became chief sub on the Eastern Daily Press, and the year we moved to Aspland Road, making commuting so much easier for both me and David – walking to work and school respectively.

Rang up hospital this morning to inquire about Andrew, and he seems to be doing suspiciously well. No date yet for discharge, but I also spoke to The Langleys, and they are happy to have him back there, which would be nice, since we have his room nicely set up now.

I had a hearing test at Boots last Tuesday (free offer) and discovered my hearing was pretty much OK, though not perfect. – ie good for someone who’s about to get an old age pension! Have been trying to keep walking, though the weather has been very mixed. I managed a walk back to Eaton from Hethersett when Dot dropped me off there on Thursday (about four miles) and another walk back from Bally yesterday (2½).

The weather was excellent on Friday for the Paston reception to launch their plans for the church extension. We took Howard and Anna, who were impressed. Howard spent a lot of time reading the carvings in the church, and Lucy showed them The Book. Anna is keen to get it into a Castle Museum exhibition, tied in with Paston stuff they already have. The Paston Heritage Society people (Jo, Brigitte et al) were there in 21st century clothes, which was a bit disconcerting. They are usually in costume. When we emerged quite late from the church the sky was still blue, and the whole setting glorious.

By the next day, a complete change. As we arrived for Ed and Jenny’s wedding at Christ Church, New Catton, the lead-grey skies started spitting rain, and by the end of the service it was tipping down, which rather destroyed any chance of official photographs, though I took some informal ones. The formal ones were taken in a marquee after the wedding breakfast at Mannington Hall – a superb setting, even in the rain. The food was high quality, as were the speeches – some of the best I’ve heard. The wedding itself was unusual in that Ed’s mother married him: or to clarify slightly, the couple were married by the Rev Liz Cannon, Ed’s mother, who coincidentally Dot and I know from way, way back. Other friends present: David and Bridget, Vicky (with husband and daughter, very briefly), Tim Mace and Peter Pyke, a former member of our Tuesday group. At our table, with the Archers, were Liz’s sister Christina Potter and her husband Melford. Discovered they holiday frequently on Sanibel, but weren’t able to talk much about it, because it emerged as we were leaving the tables and moving into the bar area for the cake cutting. The cake, incidentally, was strikingly original: a creamy confection on top, with clusters of fairy cakes below.

On Sunday I was responsible for the sermon, and in the evening we invited some people round from church: as one of them was a vegetarian, another could not eat gluten or dairy and the third was a child, this was a bit of a challenge, but Dot surmounted it in her usual efficient fashion. Spent quite a bit of time helping the girl (a very bright six-year-old) to learn chess – at the instigation of her father.

Yesterday we went out for a meal with friends we met in Egypt but who go to St Luke’s. Spent most of the evening telling each other our life histories, which was surprisingly interesting. Earlier in the day we had been to Bally to pick up the picture I’d bought from Martin Laurance. We arrived at the same time as the Archers, who I suspect are stalking us. Introduced them to Annette, and when we left Bridget was considering buying a picture from her. Chatted to Annette, Martin and Rupert, and ran into Dot’s friend Maggie and her husband Malcolm. Now about to go to hear Caroline read poetry and sing in a church in St Benedict’s.

Calm, warm and hardly anybody

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Dot
Dot on the railway bridge at Whitlingham Lane, Thorpe.

Sad news from Coventry this morning: Andrew became progressively worse over the weekend and had to be taken into hospital this morning. Can’t say this came as a huge surprise after seeing him on Friday, but sad nevertheless.

We had a quiet weekend in his absence. Dot and I went for a walk down on the Thorpe side of Whitlingham on Saturday afternoon: calm, warm, and hardly anybody about beside the river and  across the meadow. The next day, however, she had succumbed to a cold that had been creeping up on her and stayed in bed with a very bad throat and cough while I went and led the service at church. Pentecost! Matt’s first stab at preaching, and he was very good.

Annette in wig
Annette tries on a wig found in one of Rupert's boxes

In the afternoon I went to Bally for Open Studios – pretty much a must, as the artists have all had sudden notice to quit by mid-June. End of an era. Excellent main exhibition, but few people there: it was very hot, and I guess many of the potential attendees were on the beach. Spoke to Rupert and Shirley, then Martin Laurance – provisionally buying a painting of his – but spent most of time being shown round the exhibition by Annette. Some good new stuff from her, and if she spent as much time praising her own pictures as she did extolling the virtues of others, she might sell more. Such a nice girl.

Towards the end of yesterday the weather started to turn cooler, but not until after I walked into the city to pay in a couple of cheques. In the evening I drew my final chess game of the season after getting an advantage but not making it count. My 50% tournament score means I stay in the second division next season, though I keep wondering whether to give chess a rest. Dot stayed in bed most of yesterday, but has got up this morning, saying she feels much better. Had a call from Riding Lights theatre company yesterday asking if I knew anyone who could put up some of their troupe who are coming to Norwich next month. We’re going on holiday at the crucial time, but I’ve put out feelers. Nobody has grasped one yet.

28 November 2007

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My lovely grand-daughter Amy is pictured on the trampoline I tripped over a few weeks ago, injuring my ribs. All OK now, and my trips to the chiropractor (actually provoked by something else entirely) are now down to one a fortnight. Cunningly I have managed to switch chiropractors – not because the one treating me was no good (he did the job well and is quite pleasant) – but because I prefer the other one’s less vigorous technique. Also he’s Canadian.

A very busy few days since my last post. As it turned out we didn’t do a poetry reading at the Open Studios event, but it all went very well indeed, despite the very cold weather – inside the factory as well as outside. Several friends came, and Dot and I bought a few cards and a couple of blocks. Coincidentally, when David visited on the Sunday he picked out the same blocks, not knowing we had bought them.

The family were up for the weekend to celebrate Dot’s birthday. We took a bus into town on the Saturday, and Dot and I walked around the close-to-icy streets with Oliver and Amy while David and Vicky did some shopping. We popped into Langleys, the toy shop in the Arcade, and Oliver decided he would like just about everything for Christmas. After lengthy deliberation he got a coach to be going on with, and Amy got two or three smaller things. We stopped for a drink and then got the bus back. Norwich City had won a football match for the first time for months – 2-0 against Coventry.

On the Sunday I was preaching and playing guitar at church, though not simultaneously. We followed this with an excellent lunch at Prezzo’s, and then David and I went to see how the Open Studios were going. In the evening I went to the Ambient Wonder music event at St Augustine’s and wished I’d made the extra effort to perform, because they had all the right equipment. It would have been difficult though, because there would have been no opportunity to rehearse or tune up. As it was I introduced Jackson Browne’s Fountain of Sorrow as one of my favourite songs.

On Monday I avoided losing at chess by the expedient of not playing. My stomach was a bit upset, or I might have gone up for a casual game, but instead I stayed at home while Dot went to a YFC meeting. I finished my short story entry for the Fish competition and sent it off. It was a bit rushed, but not bad. I don’t think it will win anything. Yesterday I completed the St Augustine’s Christmas drama, including choice of carols and readings. I went to the Tuesday meal at the Archers’ (shepherdess pie) and allocated the key roles to David and Bridget. No messing. Dot was at a head teachers’ meeting at Trowse. Wrote a carol.

I also had my blood tested. Results will go to the hospital, and I’m hoping that the PSA level will be down. Norwich won again last night – 3-1 away at Blackpool. Strange times.

22 November 2007

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Dot’s birthday. I can’t reveal which one, obviously. The picture shows her lovely as ever. We are going out for a meal tonight with friends, which will be a bit tricky, as I am on a weight-losing regime. I’ve lost almost half a stone in a couple of weeks, which is quite pleasing. My stomach was getting much too prominent. Hope I can keep it up (the weight loss, not the stomach). I don’t really know what got me started; I must have caught sight of myself or something.

I went to see the nurse on Tuesday – not because I needed resuscitation after losing yet another chess game on Monday (I’m actually playing quite well, but cracking up at the death) – but because I had to renew one of my pieces of medication and they wouldn’t do it without my seeing a nurse. She was commendably thorough, making sure I wasn’t addicted to steroids and testing my blood pressure, which at 146/94 is apparently on the upper limit of OK. I shall resist any attempt to put me on blood pressure pills, because you can never come off them.

Dot left on Tuesday to do a school inspection in south Suffolk. She had considerable difficulty in finding her hotel in Sudbury, but was eventually led there by a man in a white van. I knew they must be useful for something. Appparently a very nice hotel, but she had to leave too early the next day to take advantage of it.

On the way home yesterday she got lost, somehow managing to get on to the A143 going south in the direction of Haverhill, which is pretty much the opposite of what she wanted to do. She rang me up and after we’d established where she was (not easy, because I assumed she was north of Bury) I managed to get her back in the right direction. Meanwhile the police were parked in our drive most of the day while investigating stuff nearby, which meant that when P & J dropped off Dot’s present, they couldn’t stop. The road was full of cars, probably because it was raining. It’s been pretty wet recently.

Incidentally, the forecast storms are still possible, though happily rather later than suggested. A look at the Atlantic charts reveals a couple of ominous, tight lows hovering in the vicinity of Iceland and Greenland.

On Tuesday I did a meal for four others without the aid of Dot, and it went quite well. Nothing tricky, of course. Just quiches, potatoes and salad, with a few extras. Good discussion etc.

Today I’ve been to Bally to help Joan hang some of her work with my poems. I like her work very much, and I’m quite pleased with the poems too. Rupert, Annette and Mike were also there, and Mike took some pictures of my feet to use as part of his illustrations to my prize-winning poem, The Island Grows on Me. He’s already tackled my head and chest, with alarming results. Can’t wait to see the finished work. Rupert is frantically trying to prepare for his exhibition of his parents’ work at the beginning of December. The Open Studios private view, for which we were preparing, is tomorrow evening. There may be a poetry reading. Who knows? Certainly not us.

15 September 2007 (b)

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Terrible trio at the Braemar Gathering. Front row, of course. Left to right, Dot, Ella and her husband David, complete with kilt.

Holiday was followed of course by a huge rush to sort out post and e-mails and write my page for the EDP (www.back2sq1.co.uk). Also squeezed in visit to dentist before travelling to Caddington late on Friday evening for a family party – Oliver was 5 on the 11th. The other grandparents and uncle, aunt and cousin arrived midway through the following morning, while I was taking Oliver out on his main present from his parents -a rather impressive scooter. He got the hang of it very quickly.

Later in the weekend he watched a mountain bike downhill sports event on TV and got very taken by it. He had to go out and demonstrate technique on his bike: he’s very confident.

His other grandparents bought him a train set, which necessitated a trip to the DIY shop to obtain chipboard to mount it on. I left this to the experts – Dave and David. Lovely party – Oliver and Amy were on good form. We returned late on Sunday, having got diverted on to our old route because of a roundabout being shut on the A505.

On Monday Dot and I went to John Rayner’s memorial service. Lovely man, and a packed Surrey Chapel. He was 74. Stayed afterwards and spoke to his wife and daughter, both of whom I know quite well. In the evening played first game of chess of the new season at a new venue – -the Gas Social Club! Won knockout tournament game against Colin Payne.

On Tuesday Phil and I went to Coventry to take Andrew to look at a possible new home for him – The Langleys in Stoke Green. He reacted very well, and I liked the people in charge. Now it seems he will be moving in on Monday, which is pretty fast-moving after months of doing nothing much. Got back in time for our regular Tuesday meal – six of us.

Dramatic new haircut on Wednesday. Number four razor. Quite amazingly short on top, but I think I like it. Most people have made favourable comments, but they may be afraid I’ll hit them, as I look a bit hard. Also on Wednesday a church meeting at Horsford which went very well – oh, and England beat Russia 3-0.

Went to Bally on Thursday to meet Annette and Rupert to discuss InPrint matters (www.inprintartsandpoetry.co.uk) following the relaunch of the poetry vending machine. It seems that something concrete may be about to happen. In the evening we went to the Archers to give them some information on Normandy, whither they are hasting in a fortnight. In return they gave us a meal, which is more than fair, especially as they had to look at our pictures.

On Friday I wrote some of my sermon for Sunday and generally caught up on my in-tray and other things. Walked into city to pay in a cheque and almost went to the cinema, but instead stayed in and watched England lose 36-0 to South Africa at rugby. Could easily have been 50-0.

And now today, here I am finishing my sermon, catching up on my blogging and scanning in some photographs. I shall shortly install some new software. Meanwhile Dot is visiting her gang down at Metfield and is having such a good time that she is staying longer than she meant to. I am about to check the football results.

31 May 2007

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These are my grandchildren, Oliver and Amy, taking part – albeit unwittingly – in an InPrint art installation at the Open Studios. The installation is called Shaded, by Rupert Mallin and Tonia Jillings: more can be seen on it at www.inprintartsandpoetry.co.uk. The children were just having a rest while we all chatted at the private view on the 20th.

I’m just back from a St Augustine’s LMT meeting at Horsford. LMT members: at least 10. Number present: 3. Clearly a priorities problem, except for Dot, who is in Caddington looking after the above grandchildren. I shall be going tomorrow. Today I cleared up a few outstanding things. After months of dithering I went to see about an improved gravestone for my parents’ grave, and I followed that by going to see a former colleague who is in Aylsham Hospital – hopefully recovering from cancer. Bit odd being in the place where my mother and father-in-law died. Good visit, though. J was very upbeat and looking quite well, though in a wheelchair. Her sister was also there.

Lovely day today for a change: some sun and warmth. Yesterday popped down to Bally again in between writing Monday’s page. Lone vigil by Annette. Piece appeared on my poetry prize in today’s EDP Art, Antiques and Collectibles supplement. Not sure which category I fall under.

29 May 2007

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Just my kind of path. An especially lovely section of a walk just outside Halesworth in Suffolk: almost like a way into another dimension. Taken on a beautifully warm day in April. Now, as we approach June, we have had rain almost non-stop since Sunday morning, and a particularly cold kind of rain too. Waiting in the Bally Art Factory for visitors to show up has become a bleak affair. On Bank Holiday Monday, when we might have expected a few small crowds, there were 20 all day: considering there were four InPrint members there, this was an unhealthy percentage. Not to be put off, we did a poetry reading, recorded by Rupert’s camcorder and played back on a laptop afterwards.

Saturday, when Lisa and Annette did a poetry print workshop, was bit more healthy, and so was Sunday. On the Saturday, when I was patrolling outside the workshop, I managed to sell four cards with my poetry on and a couple of books, which was a bit embarrassing as it looked as I had been pushing my own stuff. I am psychologically incapable of doing this, but still… It’s very nice to hear strangers say they like your poetry, though.

R is stepping down from being secretary of InPrint because of pressure of work, so I am taking over temporarily until it’s discussed at the June 10 meeting. I foresee a rather intense discussion as I know that different people have different ambitions concerning the group.

Dot has been working hard on school reports and has just about finished two of the three. This afternoon we took a break and went to look at a house in Thorpe End. Lots of pluses: intriguing nooks and crannies and unexpected rooms; large garden; excellent kitchen; good location. But I was put off by the proximity to a busy road and the evidence of eastern religion: grotesque statues and artefacts. Then there was the enormous dog… I guess if someone came round and gave us £400,000 for this house tomorrow, I would put in an offer, but this is unlikely.

21 May 2007

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Extremely busy few days has just come to an end. Weather has turned rainy again, but over the weekend it was sunny and warm, which was excellent for two reasons. One, it was my son’s 35th birthday on Friday, and he and his family came up over the weekend. This meant the children could play outside, especially on the Sunday afternoon, when Oliver was having a lot of fun on his tractor on the pavement. Amy unfortunately was a little under the weather, but she hung on in there bravely.

The second reason was that it was the InPrint Open Studios private view on Sunday. This meant that I was spending all day Thursday and Friday at Bally, doing all kinds of moderately heavy work, including moving around the most crazily designed screens I’ve ever come across. Also of course hanging the artwork. Brought Bronwen up from Beccles on the Friday morning, and we hung her superb photographic piece, Unable to Find North. Tricky, because three heavy long and thin pieces had to match up. Dot brought me up some sandwiches and took Bronwen home after we’d hung her other pieces. I remained at Bally to help Mike hang his and Annette’s pictures, which was OK after we got a rhythm going! In the evening Dot and I went to hear Jacqui Dankworth at the Playhouse. Excellent seats for watching the musicians in action, which was fascinating. Not my sort of songs, really, but they were just an excuse to show off the musicians’ – and the singer’s – virtuosity. Most enjoyable. Dot accosted Jacqui afterwards because they’d met at a headteachers’ conference.

On the Saturday I had to write, design and laminate some notices, then rush them up to Bally before the family arrived just before noon. Then on Sunday, after I delivered some boxes of wine and juice to Bally at 8.45, we played music at Finnan’s dedication at church before I had to rush back to Bally for the private view. Meanwhile Dot was preparing lunch for the family, who had been to see one of Vicky’s bridesmaids at Easton. Then they all came down to hear the poetry reading just after 2pm.

That went pretty well – about 30-40 people. The picture above is of the four of us about to set off, with Caroline in pole position and Bronwen’s piece-de-resistance behind us. Over 100 people came to our studios altogether.

Today has been a little calmer, though I did pop up to Bally with some more notices, filled the car up with petrol and took a film in for processing. Speaking of films, Rupert filmed the poetry reading, which should be interesting. I’m going to play DH at chess this evening, which probably won’t be relaxing.

14 May 2007

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Weather has been pretty unpleasant – lots of rain, although fairly warm. Finished off my last trainee (could be better phrased, I guess) – this was E at Dereham, who I had taken over when her assessor became ill.

Had the Greens and the Higbees round on Friday evening – good time, though I was feeling under the weather, as I have been for several days: head and stomach not right. I had been thinking of driving to Coventry today, but decided against it. Instead went to Bally to use the long-arm stapler on my new book, but couldn’t get through the second set of doors. Got as far as the picture, which is the selling floor, but no further. Must be a trick to it. No-one else there, so no good trying to attract their attention.

Dot is away tonight, in the middle of an inspection at Cavendish, on the Suffolk-Essex border. I had been intending to go with her, but Joyce’s funeral is scheduled for tomorrow, and one of us had to go to that. Indeed, one of us wanted to. More precisely, both of us wanted to, but you can’t really postpone school inspections. I am reading Psalm 24.

Dot has just rung to say she loves the school and the B & B, so I may not see her again. She is lying on the bed, relaxing. I am cooking a lamb chop and wondering whether to go the chess club.

11 April 2007

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

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

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

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

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

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