Tag Archives: dentist

Resisting the abyss

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Amy, David and Oliver, catch some of the light at the Hendersons' house
Amy, David and Oliver catch some of the light at the Hendersons’ house

The days ticked by, and eventually I got to go to the dentist with my broken back tooth. By the time I got there, it felt perfectly natural to have a broken tooth, but Ross quickly (and for only £130) sorted out the problem, cementing the broken chunk back into place. As there was not nerve in the tooth, it didn’t hurt.  Great idea: teeth without nerves.

To accomplish this, I had to get to the dentist’s at 8.45am – a time I had forgotten existed. I had to plough my way through a whole bunch of commuters and schoolchildren. Afterwards I recycled some Christmas cards, courtesy of M&S, then popped down to the bank to pay in a cheque. This took longer than expected, because on this one day of the week the bank opened at 9.45am. I browsed a bit in Jarrolds, then chatted to a couple of people who were also waiting, and a chirpy little mortgage adviser who wasn’t due to start till 10am but had turned up anyway. I was first in, first out. On the way home I paid the newspaper bill.

While Dot was in town supping coffee with Anne, our friend D from church came round to borrow £10. He had to go to Diss to try to get a job, but couldn’t afford the fare. In the evening Dot and I had a meal at the Bicycle Shop café in St Benedict’s with a couple of sickly Greens. The tapas were excellent, as was the wine and the ambience, and we took a look at the room where we’re planning to do some Julian music later in the year. Not entirely sure about its suitability, but we’ll see.

Anna was getting better, and Howard was getting worse. I myself am feeling decidedly below par and slightly achy but hope I can resist plunging into the abyss, especially as I’ve just written a sermon for Sunday. Was perked up somewhat by sorting out the Apple TV with David’s guidance. It is now functioning well on all cylinders.

Yesterday was a beautiful crisp and sunny day (unlike today, which is gloomy) and we drove out to visit Rosie, who claimed to have a bad cold, but it was undetectable to normal senses, or at least ours. She was chirpy and made us tea and provided us succour in the shape of a touch of brandy and some Christmas cake. Very pleasant visit: we resolved to go more often and to keep in closer touch with people this year.

Money, money, walking

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At last everything seems in order for our holiday in Florida. This morning I had to fill in an application for all five of us for a visa waiver. Needless to say, this went wrong in the middle and I had to get back in to complete it, but with help from David it all worked out. I also checked the seat reservations, and they are all OK – even the American Airlines ones.

Looking up the river towards Foundry Bridge, it seems more like late winter than early spring.
Looking up the river towards Foundry Bridge yesterday, it seems more like late winter than early spring.

I’ve spent quite a long time at my desk this week, working mainly on church-related stuff. I’ve written a sermon and chosen some hymns, but mainly I’ve been working on money matters. At the PCC on Monday it was revealed that we had been left quite a large sum of money and given quite a lot more; nevertheless everyone was keen to go ahead with a Paying Our Way day when the Bishop visits at the end of May, which seems to me like flying in the face of the evidence. I eventually mentioned this to Howard, who sees what I mean. Ho hum. I decided not to speak to Nicholas about it, because I don’t want to deflate him!

Part of the church money business did involve some exercise, because I had to go to the bank in Magdalen Street to sign a form and show some identity, then on to the Vicarage in Aylsham Road to get Nicholas to sign come cheques. I then delivered three of the cheques – in Sussex Street, St Giles and King Street – as well as calling in at Howard’s in case he was there to received the new account material. But he wasn’t.

All this amounted to nearly five miles of  walking, and I have done quite a lot elsewhere too, so I’m on target for a record week. Of course I haven’t done any today yet…

We resumed our cinema visiting on Tuesday, seeing Labor Day, which wasn’t well reviewed but which we both enjoyed. In the evening we had a visit from Ed, who stayed for a chat and a cup of tea, and last night another former St Augustine’s friend, Heather Cracknell, called in after I caught her trying to find somewhere to park and lent her a permit. She was going to Prezzo’s with some colleagues, but afterwards she called in and had a drink and quite a long chat, which was nice. Rhianna is about Oliver’s age and like him is preparing for high school. Hard to believe.

Meanwhile I visited the dentist again yesterday and was reassured that the work he’d done last week was OK. He also gave me some antibiotics to take on holiday, just in case (after I asked for them). So that’s reassuring. In the evening I recorded five songs in case Phil wants to do them for the Seagull next time, whenever that is. I’ve also written a few poems, so that can’t be bad.

Some kind of poetry

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Dot doing her Princess Diana thing at Chatsworth
Dot doing her Princess Diana thing at Chatsworth

And this was the second week in the year we didn’t go to the cinema. Nothing really calling to us at the moment. But we did watch North by Northwest on television  this evening by way of recovering from Norwich losing 3-0 at Swansea and England being ejected from the 20-20 cricket world cup.

Lovely warm day today. Bought some flowers and took them up to the Rosary while Dot was going through the torment of listening to the Norwich match. It’s Mothers’ Day tomorrow. I slipped a couple of little roses on to my grandparents’ grave as well. It’s looking neglected.

Not a very busy week. I managed to get down to my last blood pressure pills and had to beg some emergency ones from the chemist. Also had some interesting laser work done by Ross on one of my upper teeth to get rid of some minor problem at gum level. Bit uncomfortable, but not too bad. Health continues to be up and down. Today I’ve felt tight round the abdomen and odd altogether. So hard to pin down exactly what’s wrong, but something is definitely not right.

On Wednesday went to the last performance of Whistle, by Martin Figura, at the Arts Centre. The evening started with a 20-minute warm-up by Russell Turner (The Vodka Diaries), which was quite entertaining, though not something one would want one’s grandchildren to witness. This was followed incredibly by a 20-minute interval, which probably shows that poetry audiences are very thirsty. Martin Figura himself was good – more monologue than poetry, but he did justice to the story, during which his father kills his mother.  This did actually happen, which just goes to show.

Yesterday I got a call from a woman who wanted to use my poem Some Kind of Lamb in the Wymondham Abbey magazine. She was very complimentary about the poem and said that several of her friends had it pinned up. That is the kind of thing that makes writing poetry worthwhile. That and the writing itself.

I have also written a short piece on Betjeman and Clare for the Parish Pump website, at the request of Anne Coomes. And at last I’ve put together five of my songs with chords for the next Seagull session. Dot and I practised some of them tonight. Sounded good.

Vagueness about place

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Dot near Cockshoot Broad
Dot near Cockshoot Broad

After writing the last post, we were invited round to number 18 for a cup of tea, which turned out to be much more: sandwiches, cakes and so on. An afternoon tea that Phil would have been proud of, apparently. I’m sure she would. Phyll too. Had a very pleasant time talking to a number of people – especially the wife of the RC deacon who had led the service.

We were about to lose our record of going to the cinema every week this year when we decided to go for a walk at the end of Saturday afternoon – and during the walk decided to go to the cinema to see The Grand Budapest Hotel. Discovered at the end that it was from stories by Stefan Zweig, and it certainly had a mid-European feel to it – a vagueness about place but a fascination with unusual sequences of events. Ralph Fiennes was very funny, as was the bellboy, whose name escapes me. The hotel was  funny too.

On Sunday we had Communion followed by a talk by Robert Fruewirth on Lady Julian and person-centred counselling. I spent most of it trying to work out what non-person-centred counselling would be like. I do have an antipathy to counselling generally, suspecting it’s often a kind of addiction indulged in by people who should just get a grip, but are too fascinated by themselves to step outside. He didn’t say anything very interesting, which is a pity, because Julian most definitely did.

Later Dot and I went for a walk at Woodbastwick in weather rather redolent of the previous Sunday, if marginally cooler. Cockshoot Broad is as tranquil as ever, but the dyke seems to have lost its water lilies. Or maybe it’s the wrong time of year. Is there a wrong time of year for water lilies? Bright sunshine, though, and restful.

Yesterday I went to the dentist and got more or less a clean bill of health, though he identified a little hole that he would like to have a go at with a laser. In a weak moment, I said yes. It’s happening next Wednesday. Not sure it’s totally necessary, but apparently it bled a lot. Meanwhile the rest of my body is up and down: last night I felt extremely odd in the middle of the night, but much better as soon as I got out of bed. Still have a funny head  (oh yes) and a tight abdomen.

In the afternoon I went out to Mundesley for a meeting of the PHS trustees, arriving a little early. Not a bad meeting in the sun room, but with the door open. Have just finished the minutes, but it sounds very much as if we are going to get involved with another huge project. I may flee the country.

Meanwhile I have written a song called Farewell to Philomena, based loosely on our dear departed neighbour, but with some other elements of southern Ireland. Quite pleased with it, though Dot has doubts about the tune. She has a pain in her groin too (I don’t think it’s the tune), but has been spending the afternoon at Peterhouse School with her colleague Juliet (wife of Tom Corbett, ibid).

From one hotel to another

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Threatening sky at Holme beach

No sooner were we back from one hotel than we were off to another: this time the King’s Head at Great Bircham. Our second visit: Dot was doing a church school inspection at the primary school down the road, and I decided to accompany her to the hotel because I like the area. I like the hotel too, though it’s a bit pricey. Lovely room with a huge bed and good food in the restaurant, though the service is sometimes endearingly and sometimes irritatingly amateurish. There is a new owner since our last visit, but there was no perceptible change.

While Dot was inspecting I headed for the coast – first at Holme, where I walked over the golf course to the beach and stayed for an hour; then at Thornham, where I walked along the coast path back to Holme Dunes nature reserve, which is run by our next-door neighbours, the Wildlife Trust. Bought a gooseberry ice cream at the visitors’ centre and then walked back, after a brief foray through the dunes and on to the beach. Both walks (together) amounted to about five miles.

Despite some threatening clouds, there was no rain until I was sitting in the car waiting for Dot to emerge from the school – rather later than expected at 4.30pm. Needless to say, she chose to come out precisely when the short shower was at its heaviest. So she, who had been indoors all day, got wetter than I did.

Since then we have been preparing for France – or at least, I’ve been preparing for France while Dot wrote her report. We’ve also worked in two visits to the dentist (one each, neither involving any work) and answering various questions from Phil about how the church hall radiators should be sited. I carefully took a radical view so that I can say “I told you so” when the majority decision goes horribly wrong. I now have to write a sermon to be delivered on Sunday week just after our return from France. I blame the organiser of the rota: yes, me again. It’s tempting to preach on radiator placement, but I shall probably resist it.

After a hot day yesterday, the weather has realised its mistake, and today it’s raining, quite hard in many places. The forecast is not good either, and at least two of our friends are camping this weekend. That can’t be good, can it?

Idyllic time on the beach

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Dot retreating from the rocks at Sea Palling as the tide comes in

Spring broke through at the weekend, and on Sea Palling beach on Saturday afternoon it was not only sunny but warm. We had driven there via the delightful Thurne staithe (a spur-of-the-moment decision) and then Hempstead, past the house where Dot’s mum was born. A narrow road snaked down under the dunes towards Sea Palling: we stopped at the side of the road and took the narrow track over the dunes (taking note of numerous warnings). At the top we were greeted by a truly idyllic scene. The tide was far out, and the coast-protection rocks provided a lovely backdrop to the huge flat beach, populated by only a few walkers. The sky was totally blue.

We walked out to one of the islands of rocks, and Dot climbed up while I kept an eye on the tide, which was on the turn. In the few brief minutes while she climbed to the top it had almost surrounded the rocks, and she had to tread a precarious path to dry sand. We then walked round to one of the other islands and stood watching the speed of the advancing tide. I took a series of pictures over only about five minutes, during which a large patch of sand became an island and then quickly vanished.

Afterwards we returned to Thurne as the sun was getting low in the sky and walked out again from the staithe to the restored windmill, which was casting its huge shadow on to the meadow.

Yesterday was not so delightful, but while Dot visited Ethel I walked over three miles from Hethersett across some fields to Great Melton church, and back by the road. The field section was particularly pleasant, as it was dry underfoot and easy walking.

The previous week was not so strenuous, and not such fine weather. When I walked up to the dentist on Thursday there was a lot of dampness in the air, and it was pretty cold too. Given that I was also told I needed a crown (projected cost over £1000), I was not a particularly happy  bunny. Dot was on a NafPHT day out at Mildenhall, for which I had had to rise early and deposit her at Thickthorn to get the last seat on the minibus. I managed to reorganise my Paston stuff, and in the evening we had a DCC meeting for which Howard provided Guinness, as it was St Patrick’s Day. Unfortunately, I don’t like Guinness. The DCC meeting wasn’t too bad.

Earlier in the week we had the bookcase men round to recut the shelves on one side, because they protruded a fraction. Took them quite a long time, but they did a good job. The previous day (I record this for the sake of completion) I played a dull chess game and drew.

Friday was almost entirely taken up by the visit of Joy and Phil, who came round for  coffee at 11 and ended up staying for lunch and afternoon tea. Much discussion about their situation: Joy very upbeat.

Revived by a burial ground

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Notice at Colney Wood
A notice near an exhibition of children's work at Colney Wood. Perhaps it's just me, but it seems to have an element of 1984 about it. Is it possible to be enthusiastic and not be happy?

Very cold recently, though thankfully dry. Opened the month with a Tuesday Group at which I felt strangely lethargic, though I had been feeling quite inspired earlier. Was revived the following day when I took a walk in a burial ground. Dot dropped me off at the junction of the Watton road and the southern bypass, and I walked over to Colney Wood, which is used for burials rather in the manner of the Rosary, but in a more random way and without headstones. I suppose it’s taking the Rosary idea a stage further, and it works really well. Beautiful hilly setting, and natural-looking memorials. I had hoped to be able to walk through and then across the water meadows to Bowthorpe, but unfortunately the burial ground is fenced in pretty thoroughly. So I returned to the entrance and was about to walk down the road towards the university when I got a phone call from Dot, whose meeting at Diocesan House had been cancelled. I invited her to join me in a further walk round the wood. I think she was equally impressed.

In the evening, while Dot was at a governors’ meeting at Brooke, I went to a poetry event at King’s Centre, which consisted of a talk by Lex Loizides from South Africa, interspersed with readings by actor John Carson from some of my favourite poets, including T S Eliot, Dylan Thomas, W B Yeats and Robert Frost. Surprisingly, it included a complete reading of The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock, which may be my favourite poem. There was also some excellent food, and happily I ran into Mark Ulanowski, who invited me to sit at his table (we took him to Greenbelt a couple of years ago). I didn’t know anyone else there. The idea of poetry as prophecy appeals to me greatly.

Yesterday a visit to the dentist for a filling demonstrated yet again that the  advances in dentistry are a strong argument for living in the 21st century. Despite it being a fairly long procedure, I think I can safely say that there was no pain at any point. Of course it could just be that my dentist is highly skilled. On an unrelated topic, we are now on one of Dot’s diet regimes, which I am joining in on a fairly but not completely committed basis in an attempt to shed a few pounds.

Eccentric in more ways than one

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OK, this is for the chess enthusiasts among you. Right, so that’s just me, then. This is a position I reached in a rapid game (15 minutes each) last night at a club tournament. I was pretty proud of my next move, which was Kh1. Black is pretty tied up, so played Rd8, allowing me to carry on with my plan, which was Ng4. If I hadn’t played Kh1, he could now play Nxg4 check, but now this move, without check, would lose to Qxe7. So he is doomed. He played Rxd4, and after Nxf6 he retreated Kh8. Probably the neatest move now is Nh5! but the clock was ticking fast, and I played Qe5. He played Qd6, and I immediately played what I had planned, namely Ng4+, which wins after Qxe5; Rxf8+, but not as prettily as the alternative to Ng4+, which is Nxe8+, Qxe5; Rxf8 mate. Rapid chess, eh? Who needs time to think? Eventually ended up with 2½ out of 5, which is not bad for me. Boringly predictable, in fact.

Have just edited another couple of chapters of the book, which had more examples of eccentric English, mirroring the eccentric behaviour of the lead character. Really strange. About two-thirds of the way through now. Later today I have to do the meal for the Tuesday Group, because Dot has to go to a church school in South Norfolk as a representative of the Diocesan Office. They are choosing a new head teacher, and Dot is there to advise. I am glad one of us has done really well in their career.

Yesterday went to the dentist for a quick clean round, so of course my teeth are uncomfortable today. They really don’t like being disturbed. Like their owner, I expect. After the dentist, I went for a walk and probably did about three miles altogether. Ought to go out now, but it really is pretty cold and unpleasant, though it seems to have stopped raining. The owner of the end house on our road seems to have moved back in again, following the tenants moving three houses down for reasons that need not detain us. The couple opposite seem to have disappeared, probably temporarily.

Had a pleasant meal on Saturday with the Higbees. It turned out to be an egg curry, because some other friends who are vegetarians were supposed to be joining us, but one of them was ill. Not usually mad about veggie, but this was quite nice, I have to say. Well, eggs are almost meat, aren’t they?

Knockdown crown

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Buses
Castle Meadow, Norwich, today: most of the city's buses seem to be sheltering from the snow and have achieved an almost total gridlock.

Mouth has been thoroughly battered on the right-hand side, and I have now taken possession of a temporary crown at a knockdown price of just under £300. If you think that’s expensive, wait till you hear the cost of the actual crown, which will be inserted on my return from Canada. Or rather, don’t wait, because I shan’t tell you. Lying with your mouth open for over an hour is not a lot of fun, especially when your total tooth area is being drastically reduced. I exaggerate slightly, but I can still feel the after-effects, which is not surprising. No doubt it will soon calm down. I did manage to eat an evening meal afterwards – one of Dot’s specials for the Tuesday Group. A reduced group on this occasion: only five of us. It’s nice to have a smaller group sometimes.

Blizzard
Small blizzard at Paston: the garden of Dayspring

Have just returned from a visit to Lucy’s. She is in the last lot of chemotherapy and feeling good at the moment. Our arrival there coincided with a small blizzard. Several hefty snow showers today, but the only lasting effect is on our road, which is very slippery. However, we did make it down and up again, using the “traction control off” technique. Lucy’s father is not at all well.

Before going north I went into the city to get my second lot of currency – Canadian dollars this time – and got myself a pair of waterproof walking boots from Venture Sports on Westlegate. Wore them today. Quite pleased with them: they’re Scarpa – waterproof with Vibram soles. Bought them after consulting with Roger on what footwear would be needed. May buy some white running shoes while I’m over there. After my first (diagnosis) visit to the dentist yesterday morning did a longish walk round Lakenham (Brian Avenue, Hall Road, City Road, Meadowbrook Close) visiting houses I or relatives once lived in. Meanwhile Dot was in the city with Sue Eagle.

Have been asked to write a piece for the Drivers’ Alliance website. Must give it some thought soon. Am also due to look at some writing my nephew Sam has done and give him feedback.

10 December 2008

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Winter sunshine shot of St Peter Mancroft Church in Norwich, taken from outside the Forum during my swift guided tour of the city for Jeanette and Graham, who are now in Liverpool, or possibly Southport, and thinking of buying a car, which is hardly surprising, given the size of their suitcases and their lack of any permanent hall to leave them in. They sent us a nice message thanking us for our hospitality and inviting us to Cornwall when they (a) get there and (b) find a house. They seemed quite happy with out cold winter weather: apparently Jeanette, at least, “likes the cold”.

Meanwhile things have quietened down a bit. Today I spent quite a lot of time making Christmas cards and then addressing envelopes. I surmounted the problem of replacing two ink cartridges while Dot was away with Barbara working on P4C in Metfield, though I did lose it momentarily while trying to use of one of those cheaper cartridges where you have to switch the electronic tag, or whatever it is. Definitely not worth saving the money. Incidentally the P4C website designed by David with content by Dot and Barbara is now up and running. Proof-read by me, so any mistakes are my fault. I’m hoping there aren’t any.

Dot finished her inspection at Carleton Rode on Monday morning. I took some stuff up the tip. That pretty much sums up our different roles. In the evening I played a really good game of chess against Colin Payne, then lost it through one bad move late in the evening. Unaccountably, I have been feeling down ever since, though I don’t think it’s entirely the chess. I’m not sure what it is.

Dot went to the dentist yesterday and apparently needs some work doing, despite the dentist’s admiring both the quality of her teeth and her general fitness and stunning appearance.. Apparently she would never be taken for a woman of 63. Tell me about it. We had a mammoth number of people round in the evening, and Dot and I ended up sitting at the breakfast bar. Still, the carrot soup didn’t run out, and we had a good session. I may not have mentioned (yes, I could check) that we also went to Ambient Wonder planning on Sunday, and tomorrow we have the big AW adventure, when we take over St Stephen’s Church just outside Chapelfield Mall and try to entice passers-by into talking to us and seeing what we have to offer. There is some excitement about this (quite rightly), but I find it difficult to cope with the chaos of it. This is a character defect. I have just been reading Jack Earl’s autobiography (he is in his late 90s), and it is amazing what he has done in his life – on a purely geographical level, apart from everything else. I put this down to his enjoyment of camping, which I could never get enthusiastic about. Oh, and the war.