Tag Archives: castle

No time to catch breath

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Heather and some other guy
Heather and some guy

Forget what I’ve said about busy weeks in the past. This week just never stopped. On Tuesday Dot was in Liverpool, philosophising very successfully. In the morning I went to the Archant coffee morning and exchanged photos with Brian and Robin. Meanwhile the Hendersons borrowed out permit while they went to Buckingham Palace (on a tour). In the afternoon I was up in the Forum with Rob, Peter, and Karen, discussing the bid for our forthcoming project and becoming more and more doubtful that we would be able to complete the work in time. Afterwards I stayed in the city (bought birthday card and book for Oliver) until the launch of a book at Mandells Gallery: Searle on Norfolk School etchings, published by Susan Currran’s company.

Earlier in the day I had almost sorted out the saga of the MX5, and the photographer came and took pictures at 7pm. The next morning I rang the insurance company to find they had at last done something quickly and had looked at the pictures and agreed the car was repairable. However their nearest approved repairer was in Halesworth (unbelievable).  I agreed to go along with this: said repairer was due to ring me back, but instead they rang Dot’s mobile (unbelievable). She was at Aldborough, delivering more philosophy, but managed to give me their number. I rang back and we fixed a time for them to pick the car up: Thursday the 10th!! (unbelievable) It’s a good job we have another car.

When the man from British Gas came to overhaul our system the following day, he pointed out that one of the tyres on the MX5 was flat! This was a new tyre, and it couldn’t have been affected by the accident. So another problem to sort out. On the plus side, he seems to have done a very good job on the radiators, though there is  weird trickling sound…

While he was working Liz Day came round for a cup of tea and in-depth discussion. All discussions with Liz are in depth. Later Dot went to the funeral directors with Rodney and Angel and took a couple of hours to sort out details of the funeral, before returning home just in time for Linda to cut our hair. Later we went to Morrisons to stock up on food for two lots of visitors.

On Friday I delivered the Paston magazines to Rob’s at North Walsham and then picked up Dot’s pills from the chemist. In the afternoon I called to see poet Joy and her husband Andy, where I had a cup of tea and pleasant talk. Before I left Nick from the printer happened to call round and I was able to tell him how everyone at Paston had admired the mags. At some time that day I believe I had a longish talk with a lady at Coventry about Andrew, during which I agreed to represent him in any discussion about what was best for him.

In the evening our neighbours Bob and Mary and Des and Chris came round for drinks and nibbles, and we demolished four bottles of red wine between us, though I feel that neither Dot nor I had a sixth of the total. Pleasant evening, ending at 11.40, when Des and Chris went home.

Yesterday, with the weather pretty chilly (as it is today) Heather and Simon came for lunch, but not before I had walked to Morrisons and got some last-minute food. Had a really nice time with them, and we ended by walking up with them to the Jeff Koons exhibition at the Castle, which ends today. On the whole, it was better than I thought it would be. Later Anne called round for tea and talk.

Today started with my leading the service, preaching and writing the prayers for Dot, who is feeling a bit under the weather. Afterwards she drove home while I went to a PV at Mandells Gallery by Kate Coleman and chatted with Martin Laurance (and Kate). To be honest, I’m not feeling 100% either, but thought I’d go to the Seagull tonight to round the week off! Dot is staying at home.

Ann and Jim meet Paul

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Ann ventures into the Yare, enticed by a dreadful compulsion
Ann ventures into the Yare, enticed by a dreadful compulsion

My cousin Ann and her husband Jim from Liverpool have been with us since Monday. They arrived at about 1pm, roughly ten hours before Dot got back from her successful P4C visit to Essex and Kent. I’ve been feeling pretty mediocre, but no problem in carrying on – not that we’ve done much. They seem very happy to do a minimal amount, but perhaps that’s not surprising , as they’re 75 and 87 respectively. Suits me! I have booked a urology consultation at Cromer in November.

On Tuesday we went round to see Paul, but he was out; so we drove on to Earlham Park, where we had an ice cream after sitting by the river bank. Ann actually paddled in the Yare  for a while, as she can’t resist water, apparently. The situation would have been idyllic had it not been for a number of rather ugly dogs and their owners frolicking in the vicinity.

Later I walked down to the Rivergarden pub at Thorpe for the launch of Trevor Nuthall’s new history of Thorpe St Andrew. He gave a nice talk, and the book turns out to have a lot of information on Thorpe Hall, a former Paston seat – which is what I had hoped. Also present were EDP photographer Denise Bradley, unbelievably a grandmother now, and Nick Williams from St Peter Hungate. Among others.

On Wednesday all four of us walked up to the Castle, hoping to see the Birds exhibition, only to discover that it had just finished. So we looked round generally, had a light lunch and bumped into Caroline and her two brothers. Some drama as a woman collapsed in the cafe. I overheard a member of staff observe that the person dealing with it had two speeds: stop and slow. It did seem to be a long time before she was dealt with.

Dot left early to do some work at home, and I took Ann and Jim round the pretty way over the Julian Bridge – “pretty” being a totally inapt description of the approaches to it, which are still in a disgusting state.

Yesterday we did manage to find Paul in – I had phoned to fix an appointment the day before, but he didn’t respond to our ringing the bell and knocking until I phoned him from outside, and he still claimed not to be able to see us from the bedroom window. However, once he came down we had a good chat for about 45 minutes; so it was worth while.

Earlier we had gone with Dot to Whitlingham, where we had a short walk and then a snack from the cafe. It was very hot again, but once more the setting was spoiled by a huge number of dogs, many of them just as ugly as the ones at Earlham.  Dot walked part of the way home as part of her exercise, and the rest of us continued to Paul’s.

In the evening we went to Oaklands for a carvery, which was a bit of a curate’s egg. Possibly 5pm is not a good time to catch the food right. Coincidentally (or not) I had diarrhoea during the evening, but that could have been a plum that had gone off. I also wrote most of my sermon for Sunday.

Today I went for a blood test, and experienced a world record, in that it was early. That just never happens. Dot then went to give Sam and Jessica Vesey some P4C experience as part of their home schooling: I was due to go to the UEA with Rob, but Karen was unwell; so it was postponed. Instead I took Ann and Jim for a ride on the route they will have to take to reach the A11 tomorrow and then dropped them in the city. They still have not found their way home. Dot is in the city with Anne. I am due to go to Halesworth this evening to read some poetry.

New car after eight years: bit of a shock

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Dot and Andrew at Kenilworth Castle
Dot and Andrew at Kenilworth Castle

A very hectic week started with a delightful barbecue last Saturday at Vicky’s house, to mark her 40th birthday. David and Bridget were there, plus the Streets and the Cumberlands, and of course Vicky’s parents, both sprightly. In fact Derek did most (if not all) of the barbecue meat, which was exceptionally good.

The rain arrived late enough not to spoil things, and the children did a dance in it. Amy and George are growing quickly. Exhibiting similar qualities: Florence and Mabel Street and Emily Cumberland. A further Cumberland was too small to exhibit much growth – a matter of weeks in this world, and not sure what to make of it.

On Sunday we had a special service in the old church to mark the start of world war one, and I read one of my poems, Shadows (available on back2sq1.co.uk). Howard was on the organ. Afterwards Stuart was selling copies of his book They Are Not Dead (manifestly untrue) about parishioners from St Augustine’s who were killed. A couple of people wanted copies of my poem, which was nice. Later Dot and I walked up to our actual parish church, St Matthew’s, to see an advertised exhibition, but this was not as exciting as we anticipated. Still, I bought a CD about the history of Thorpe Hamlet.

The next day we had anticipated taking delivery of our new car, and I had devised a cunning plan whereby we drove down to Caddington in both cars, and then on to Coventry in the new one, leaving David with our old car. This failed because the new car did not arrive; so I had to devise a new, slightly less cunning, plan.

We drove down to Caddington in the old car on Tuesday, catching a last glimpse of the children before their departure for Italy with the other grandparents and their mother. We then continued to Coventry, where we stayed the night at an excellent, friendly hotel called the Old Mill at Baginton.

On the Wednesday – Andrew’s birthday – we picked him up at 10.15 and walked into town, which was a bit of a revelation: it’s ages since I’d been there, and it’s really quite attractive. We bought Andrew a new shaver, some shoe laces, a toilet bag and a coffee. While wondering round looking for the Co-op (Andrew had vouchers) we met a couple of people that Andrew knew.

Afterwards we drove to Kenilworth Castle (via 79 The Chesils and 191 Beanfield Avenue) and spent a couple of hours looking round. I can’t remember ever having been there, and it’s quite spectacular. When everyone started getting tired, we moved on back to the hotel and had a late lunch / early dinner in the attached Chef and Brewer. This was again very good value: Andrew had the full three courses, but Dot and I were more than sated after two (first-class steak and ale pie).

We then returned Andrew to Minster Lodge and sorted him out. They all seem very pleasant helpers there, and well organised. Drove home, leaving Coventry during the rush hour fairly successfully. I did that bit, but Dot drove most of the way. Not a bad journey: brief stop at Cambridge Services.

Phil was happy for us to do the birthday honours, because he is too fatigued and in pain from his legs to be able to drive to Coventry. During the journeys I fielded calls from Elaine, Andrew’s carer, who was trying to set up a meeting about Andrew’s finances (we eventually did so, for early September) and on the way back from Jenny Baxi, who had called on Andrew just after we left. This was tricky because of the poor reception.

At last (Thursday) we could take delivery of our new red Mazda 2. Dot took me to the garage and then left to go to the dentist. It took about an hour to sort out all the paperwork, but I was home by about 11.30, having filled up with petrol at Morrisons. After Dot’s return and a brief lunch we left (in both cars of course) for Caddington. Dot went ahead in the old car, leaving me at the traffic lights, and I also stopped on the bypass to ring David. But I caught her by Thetford – she was moderating her speed – and we continued together, arriving at Caddington just after 3pm.

Stayed for a cup of tea and a chat (Chrissy was on the line) and then drove home –  Dot first, then me. Haven’t quite got to the bottom of the satnav/radio/music combination, but it was a nice drive, though the engine is notably less powerful. Still, it’s a light car, and very nippy.

After fish and chips I rang up the Hendersons because I felt bad about not being in Norwich when they were moving in. They had just had fish and chips too; we ended up going round for a glass of champagne: took them a card and a house-warming bottle. Impressive house, but a nightmare to get sorted.

Today has been notably calmer. I’ve caught up with a bit of paperwork, posted some stuff to David and the city council (re our parking permit) and called in at the printer to give the go-ahead on the Oxnead book. David rang to say his garage man said the car needed a new pair of tyres and its rear brake discs fitted, but otherwise fine.

Motorway magic

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Andrew at Happisburgh
Andrew at Happisburgh

Summer seems to be approaching, at least for a while. Sunny and warm today, and we sat in the garden and drunk tea after Dot got back from one of her schools this afternoon. Earlier she came with me to the doctor’s, and  I think he was intimidated into giving me a pretty thorough going over, though I think he believes nothing is wrong. So do I really. Nevertheless my blood pressure is still a bit high, and I have to return for a check in about a month. Meanwhile I am having a chest x-ray at the hospital, which apparently you can do on a drop-in basis, as long as they know your doctor  is sending you.

While there Dot mentioned her heart did a funny sort of beat-skipping thing, with the result that she had to go to a clinic this afternoon and is booked in for something else. I don’t know the details, because she is now at a governors’ meeting at Little Plumstead, but she sounded pretty upbeat on the phone. So is Phil, who was at the hospital yesterday and has been promised some treatment to reduce muscle pain from his Parkinson’s.

The previous three days were taken up by Andrew. Phil drove me over to Coventry to fetch him on Monday, when it rained quite a lot, but not at the critical times. Because of road works we got on to the M11 going the wrong way, but were able to reverse that quite quickly. However, we mirrored the adventure coming back, when there was a huge hold-up approaching Cambridge on the A14, and I decided (as navigator) to continue down the M11 to Duxford and then go back up the A11. It seems a big diversion, but I think it was the right thing to do.

Before that we’d had a meal at Thrapston Little Chef, where Andrew was disconcerted to find no steak on the menu, but settled for barbecued chicken followed by (you guessed it) a sundae.

On Tuesday the weather was much better. Andrew and I walked into the city, heading for M&S, but discovered Peacock’s in the Mall and bought him a new jacket, new trousers, shirts, pants and socks, as all these seemed to be in short supply at Coventry (except the jacket, which was just in very bad shape). He declined my suggestion that we get him a haircut, and instead we had a coffee in the Arcade. Nasty moment there as he left for the toilet in the middle and (a) couldn’t find it and (b) took a long time to come back. I had visions of him wandering around Norwich (because the toilets were oddly outside the restaurant).

Anyway we found ourselves in the Castle Museum instead. Then after lunch Dot visited a school at Corton and I took Andrew to Barton Broad, which promised more than it delivered, then on to Walcott, where we got an ice cream, and Happisburgh, where we surveyed the recent surge damage and walked along the cliffs to see where the path had fallen into the sea.

Andrew was quite keen to go on a train, for some reason, so yesterday he and I took the train to North Walsham and walked through the town to the cemetery, where we met Dot, put flowers on the graves and drove home together. (Dot had  meanwhile dropped in to see her aunt.)

After lunch we set off for Coventry and made quite good time, arriving at Minster Lodge at almost exactly 5pm, which was not the brightest thing to do. All well there – staff very pleased to see him back, or at least gave that impression – but then I tried to drive through the rush-hour traffic while avoiding the numerous road works. In the end I arrived by chance at Cheylesmore and sat in Dawlish Drive eating my chicken sandwich in the sun.

Afterwards I eventually found Binley and got some petrol at Morrisons before heading back to the A45 and home by the longer but easier route (M45, M1, A421), doing it in well under three hours. At Newport Pagnell services I was approached by a woman who was driving the wrong way down the M1 (bit of a theme, this) and wanted to know if there was any way she could turn round. I told her she would have to go on to the next junction, which was not far away. She was heading for Oxford, using “heading” in a completely different sense.

I arrived home about half an hour before Dot got back from orchestra rehearsal.

Happisburgh lighthouse from the now accessible pill box near the cliff edge.
Happisburgh lighthouse from the now accessible pill box near the cliff edge.

Going back a bit, on Friday last week Dot and I went to another Julian Week lunchtime  talk – this time by Dr Sarah Law on Julian and the Poetic Process. This was another really good one, despite the rather pathetic introducer, who seemed never to have seen a microphone before, let alone know how it worked. She propped it limply against the podium, where it was no use to man or beast. Fortunately the speaker overcame her ineptitude. That’s the trouble with these mystics: they don’t know how the world works.

Not true of Julian, of course, as former Archbishop Rowan Williams made clear in a much longer talk at the Cathedral the following morning, starting at 10.30am. Not much would get us out of bed that early on a Saturday, but he was well worth hearing, talking about Julian’s anti-theology and much else that I wish I could remember. Happily, I believe the talk is being printed, so I can go back and check. Many friends in the packed audience.

But I am leaping ahead. Friday contained more – starting with my picking up the St Augustine’s accounts file from Sarah, continuing with delivering some old videos etc to Stuart to sell in a sale at The Stage and ending with a concert at St Andrew’s Hall by the London Philharmonic. We had a front-row seat; however, it was strategically placed so that we couldn’t see the soloist and could only catch a glimpse of the conductor. Yes, dear reader, we were behind a pillar. I knew the pillar was there when I booked, but figured we could see behind it. Unhappily, the plan I consulted was inaccurate. On the plus side, we were perfectly placed for Dot to study the second violins in action. And the music was really good.

It was the first event of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. The second, on Saturday morning, was erecting a cardboard copy of St Peter Mancroft outside the Forum. Unfortunately, it was very windy.  The result was described by a friend as “underwhelming”. Harsh but fair.

Touch of deja vu, this time with children

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Chilly trio atop Ranworth church tower

Certain amount of déjà vu this week. It’s just as cold, but thankfully remaining dry. And again I found myself at Ranworth and the Castle Museum in Norwich (though not simultaneously). This time in the company of David, Oliver and Amy, who are staying with us for a few days.

We went to Ranworth on Easter Monday, and I managed to fulfil my promise by buying the map I had looked at with Andrew. This time it was priced! We spent some time at the visitor centre and then had something to eat at the church tea rooms. We caught the second shift coming on duty, and they kept telling us they had no idea where anything was, or indeed if it was at all, which suggests a certain failure in organisation. However, they were very friendly, and the tea was good.

Afterwards we climbed the tower – a steep process made even more difficult by the need to pass some people coming down. The children took this in their stride and made the summit easily. Needless to say the wind was blasting across, but the view was even clearer than last week.

On Tuesday we took the children to Winterton while their father did some work, and we had a good time as usual in the dunes while becoming increasingly aware of our advancing years. I fell over almost immediately while executing a body swerve, and then wrenched my arm while tagging Amy (or, looking at it from her point of view, not tagging Amy). Meanwhile Dot also fell over, though not so dramatically, and we discovered later that she had lost one of her earrings.

Earlier we had had baguettes and rolls in the cafe, which was packed – possibly because it had featured in a national newspaper recently as a top food spot. We always knew that, of course, but we had previously benefited from the fact that it doesn’t look it at all. Quite unprepossessing and lacking in style, but hey, the food is great, and so is the tea. Afterwards we drove to North Walsham and had even better tea with Jessie, followed by a visit to the cemetery.

Yesterday we took in the Castle Museum with Oliver and Amy and half the population of Norwich – presumably because it was still so cold outside that the beach was out of the question. Some interesting items for the children to tackle, and games to play, but the battlements were out of order and the dungeon trips full. We ended with some tea and cake and a trip to the shop before meeting Daddy in M&S and buying Oliver some trousers.

Then Dot, Oliver and I took the bus home while Amy, after some indecision, stayed with her Dad for further shopping. They arrived home just in time to join us for a meal at Prezzos and chocolate dessert at home. Meanwhile part of our rear containing wall has fallen down into the Wildlife Trust car park, but it was not hit by a vehicle. Oh no. Actually it may well not have been. We await a conversation with the NWT people.

On Easter Sunday we couldn’t persuade any of our guests to join us at church, which was a pity, because it was a nice service, led by Geoff, and quite well attended. It also featured some chocolate eggs at the end.

Bit of manipulation

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Andrew wrapped up against the cold at Ranworth

It isn’t getting any warmer. It snowed briefly this morning, but the main factor throughout the week has been the biting east wind, which as my friend Sandra would say is a lazy wind, because it can’t be bothered to go round you – it goes right through you. Despite this, life goes on: I guess you’d get used to living with it eventually. As another friend, Kevin, said, it’s not bad weather, it’s the wrong clothes. Not sure that’s entirely right (puts on extra jumper).

On Monday another Paston trustees’ meeting at Dayspring. I went a bit early to chat to an afflicted Lucy, but not sure I helped much. The meeting went well, and I agreed to help at the Paston Day at the end of April, organising some Chronicle stuff, or as we prefer to put it, reading out some poems and letters.

Drove to Coventry to fetch Andrew on Wednesday. Phil is having a bad time at the moment, so he couldn’t assist. No real problem in the driving, and A was much better than expected. On the Thursday we braved the wind and cold and went to Ranworth: had a sandwich or two at the staithe and then walked to the revamped wildlife centre on the edge of the Broad. Pretty much on our own there, which was quite nice in a way. Good views; but the staff had spent the morning unpacking and weren’t really in full flow. I wanted to buy a map, but no-one knew how much it cost. In the end I said I’d leave it and come back next week (which we might do, with the grandchildren).

Andrew and I then climbed Ranworth Church tower and found ourselves on top with a family of four: grandparents and two young children. We took each other’s photographs, but didn’t hang around long. Earlier I had walked over to the Riverside shops with Andrew and bought him two pairs of new shoes as well as some other items of clothing. On the way back from Ranworth we called at the Rosary, which he didn’t recognise for some time as we were approaching it from the wrong direction.

On Good Friday we walked up to the Castle Museum and spent a couple of hours looking round, starting with the wildlife section and proceeding to the basement by way of the keep. After lunch at home Phil walked down to see him. Andrew and I left for Coventry at about 3.303pm and stopped for a meal at Thrapston Little Chef before reaching The Langleys just after 6.30pm.

Unusually he wanted me to help him unpack and sort himself out; so I didn’t start for home till well after 7pm. But despite being delayed by alleged animals on the road near Newmarket (the police stopped traffic and were searching along the edges) it was a really easy ride back , and I was home by about 9.45pm.

I have omitted to mention that while Andrew was in Norwich I had my first session with Sharon Gibbons at the Oasis, when she got a life history and did some manipulation of my shoulder, which is quite painful at times. Not sure what caused it: she suggests a problem with a complex of muscles in that area. Sounded convincing, and the manipulation felt good.

The whole appointment took longer than I anticipated (over an hour) and I was late back for our meal, which made Dot late for her visit to Carrie. Oh well. (Fleetwood Mac again).

Today we enjoyed an extensive bit of shopping at the supermarket, and I checked one of my car tyres again that I thought might have a slow puncture. It probably has, but it’s very, very slow. Now anticipating the artival of David and the children late this afternoon. According to our tracking device, they have arrived safely at the Co0omes’ house in Bishop’s Stortford for lunch.

Dot has a new job as an RE Quality Mark assessor. It remains to be seen how much more time this will take, but it shows how highly thought of she is. Not surprisingly.