Tag Archives: fireworks

Hoping for inspiration from wall paintings

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Looking at the wall paintings, prior to writing. Anna Metcalfe is obscured behind Lucy.
Looking at the wall paintings, prior to writing. Anna Metcalfe is obscured behind Lucy.

Quite relieved because I’ve just sorted out the problem of YouTube going silent. Followed advice on the net and it came back. Anyway… the weather is autumnal, Dot is at Thorpe High School and I am waiting till it stops raining so that I can go up and pay some cheques in.

Last time I posted we were about to go for compline and cake at Judy’s. That went very well: good to have such a nice group of friends. Only Claire didn’t make it. The rest of the week consisted mainly of catching up with a huge list of to-do items, none of which are of much interest. We did have our hair cut on Wednesday (postponed from Tuesday), but that was only moderately exciting.

On Friday we had a delicious meal at Cafe Rouge with Angela and Rodney. It was the city’s firework night; so it was a bit of a struggle getting up there. Several roads were barricaded off (even for pedestrians), and there was a persistent drizzle. The restaurant was packed when we arrived, but it emptied shortly afterwards, presumably with people going to the fireworks or to the theatre, where there was apparently an appearance by a Strictly Come Dancing star, to use the word loosely.

Angela and Rodney were late because they were in a long queue to get in the car park at Chapelfield, but they arrived halfway through our initial glass of champagne. Excellent food and very good service by a smiley Polish waitress. Had a good chat about Auntie Ethel’s remaining money and what to do with it. Angela is very conscientious and efficient. Afterwards they came back for coffee.

On Saturday I braved heavy rain to go out to Mundesley for w PHS writing workshop run by Anna Metcalfe from UEA (organised by Lucy). Fortunately the rain stopped by the time we had to go up to the church to look at the wall paintings on which our writing would be based. Eventually the sun came out, and Anne ran a good session. I was impressed. There were eight of us in all, including Diana George and Naomi.

Meanwhile Dot was watching Norwich beat Swansea 1-0; so that was all good. Neither of us was very hungry; so we had a teacake before walking up to St Andrew’s Hall in the evening for The Dream of Gerontius by Elgar, performed by the Norwich Philharmonic, with Paul Henderson one of the basses. Made you realise what a genius Handel was, but the performance was excellent. I liked the contralto soloist in the role of an angel, but Dot didn’t. Afterwards we went to the Hendersons for a drink and nibbles. Got to bed a bit late.

After the Remembrance service on Sunday I discovered that Howard was intending to step down as churchwarden. Apparently I had been suggested as a possible successor, but Dot has forbidden it. It is in fact no temptation at all – and anyway, they may not ask me. The problem is, no-one wants to do it. Ho hum.

We went to see Jessie in the afternoon and had mince pies. She is very good at mince pies. I had three.

A touch of fireworks and a piece of flint

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IMG_3162On Thursday last week we had a short-notice and very welcome visit from David and the children. They stayed overnight, and we had some fireworks in the garden – though not too many, because we realised that several of them required you to be 15 metres away, and our garden is not that big. So David took some home with him. We lit a fire in the chimenia and some candles and had a generally good time. It wasn’t too cold. Dot cooked some jacket potatoes and chicken drumsticks, plus a chocolate pudding thing.

Earlier David had gone into the city, and over the two days we played table tennis, Dixit (Amy brought her new cards) and Coppit. Oliver and Amy both composed tunes on Garageband. Towards the end it became obvious that Oliver had a bad cold – or possibly a reaction to his flu jab.

Things went very quiet on Saturday, especially as Norwich City lost again – 2-1 to Manchester City. Rather unlucky. On Sunday we went to church and Carrie preached on saints. Dot and I both agreed her mother was one, in the sense that her character was attractive and an example to others. I mentioned my aunt Dorothy.

Later in the day Dot left for Kensington, where she stayed the night before doing her philosophy training for a very large group in a primary school yesterday. For a change they stayed in a nice “boutique” hotel. Meanwhile I took that car in to Wrights to have the back tyre looked at, and Wayne the mechanic found a piece of flint was causing a slow puncture. Hopefully that is now OK; I still have to get the MX5 tyres sorted. I also managed to get the car washed (did it myself at the garage) and filled with petrol, deposited the Humax box at the tip and paid the church cheques in. Not simultaneously. Later I peeled some apples.

Today Dot and I went to the Archant coffee morning; Brian and Tricia, Robin and Shelagh and (eventually) Maryta and Paul all there. Afterwards we walked down with the Hendersons to London Street to see their photographs in Boots’ window (ice and gorillas) and then on through the Close and home. This afternoon we entertained Dot’s accountant and will shortly be going to Judy’s for compline and cake. Slowly catching up on a pile of paperwork.