Colin has just finished cutting our hedge – very bravely without the use of an aqualung. It tipped down for the first couple of hours, but it has now finished, and it’s bright but a little windy. Later today Dot is going to the football match, courtesy of Jonathan’s spare ticket, and I shall be off later in the afternoon to Cromer for a poetry reading.

Yesterday the grandchildren returned home with their father after staying with us for a couple of action-packed days. We travelled down in very cold weather (2C) to Caddington on Wednesday afternoon for Amy’s sixth birthday, and after birthday tea we brought them home and put them to bed. No sign of dozing off in the car nowadays. The next day we had to wake early for the piano tuner, and Oliver took a keen interest in what was going on. Later we went for a walk in Lion Wood, where they enjoyed the hills, and ended up in Pilling Park. Oliver was very tired because he’d slept badly, so we returned to the car and drove round to pick Dot and Amy up. However, they’d found a high wire and no children around, so Amy had been whizzing up and down, as had Flopsy. Oliver then had a resurgence of energy and had several goes on the wire and on other equipment. Afterwards drove to Venta Icenorum, because Oliver is doing a school project on Boudicca. Eventually found a Boudicca’s Way sign for him to photograph with his iPod. Most signs were either falling apart or vandalised. Early night for both as they were exhausted and Dot was off to a DCC meeting that I was quite relieved to avoid. I read them a book and they were both reading in bed on their own before going to sleep. Oliver was interested in the Children’s Bible that he found.

Yesterday we took them up to the Castle Museum to view the Boudicca Room. Amy wasn’t keen on Boudicca, or on stuffed animals, as she’s quite a sensitive little soul, but Oliver took some more pictures of coins, pots and notices. We paid a visit to the shop and then had a snack in the cafe before I returned home to dress in a suit for a special Archant reception at the Cathedral Hostry to mark 140 years of the EDP. Just a snack, wine and a chat really, but it was good to reminisce with so many former colleagues for 90 minutes or so. I shall name as many as I can here, starting with the ones I spoke to (more than 20): Keith Skipper, Biddy Collyer, Roy Strowger, Grace Corne and Rex Hancey (columnists); Ian Collins, Rosemary Dixon and Annette Hudson (who had put the exhibition together); Bill Smith (photographer); John Cushion, Richard Batson, Ian Clarke and Alison Croose (current and former chief reporters); current editor Pete Waters and his PA Sandra Mackay; former editor Peter Franzen with his wife Kathy; leader writer Colin Chinery; features editor Sarah Hardy; feature writers Steve Snelling and Angie Kennedy; plus training school head David Paull and David Newham, with whom I had a long chat about writing and putting on plays. Also glimpsed in distance: Peter Hannam, Trevor Burton’s father, Richard Bond and Jacqui Meadows. Notable absentees: Martin Throssell and Paul Durrant. Wine good quality, sandwiches quite acceptable, considering they were taken from packs bought from local supermarket. Afterwards returned home to find kitchen dominated by two dens. Oliver completed his five facts about Boudicca very quickly, and has his pictures in reserve. He then beat me at Tri-Tactics. Still, I had won my chess game on Monday, so I could take it without whimpering.

David arrived around 5.30pm, and at 6 we went to Prezzo’s for a meal. Children both quite tired, but ate fairly well, though Amy found it hard to stay upright. They left not long afterwards, leaving behind only a giant ladybird, a homework book and the melody line to Let it Be. Of course we didn’t know that till afterwards.