Tag Archives: grandchildren

Many years from now

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Now I’m 64. Son and grandchildren came up to help me celebrate, and we had a good time, despite my feeling rather weak and lacking in energy. On Saturday I rested on the sofa while they went up to the fair on Chapelfield Park, but on Sunday, after eating a good lunch at Prezzo’s, we all went to Winterton and had fun on the beach and in the dunes. Amy was pretty lively, but Oliver was clearly a bit under the weather. In the picture above he is taking a breather with Daddy while Nana and Amy (and Grandad, for a while) went down to the water’s edge. We had had a bit of a run in the dunes first. The weather was really warm and pretty much perfect for the beach, with a refreshing breeze that even Barbara wouldn’t have thought was chilly.

I was fortunate to receive many lovely presents, including a lovely leather bag from Dot and a stack of books that I’m looking forward to reading. One (from David) contained the last stanza of Bob Dylan’s She’s your lover now, which I had been looking for for a while. It was sadly never released officially, and the bootleg version breaks off in the middle of the final verse. Great song. Today Dot has gone to do Philosophy at Ditchingham school, though she still isn’t completely recovered from a really bad cold. As I write I’m listening to the Waterboys, another present (from Phil and Joy, who came round on Saturday morning: it was their wedding anniversary yesterday). I intend to take it easy for the rest of the day.

England performed a small miracle by avoiding losing to Australia in the first Ashes Test, with our last-wicket pair hanging on by their fingernails. David knew the result but kindly didn’t tell us so that we could enjoy it on the highlights.

30 December 2007

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Yes, well, it’s been a bit busy. Can’t think why: must be the time of year. The picture is a clue: Dot with two lovely grandchildren enjoying Christmas in Bedfordshire. Oliver making light of his broken wrist and Amy making light of anything that moves.

Drove down on Christmas Eve. Traffic heavy, but no hold-ups, and we were there for lunch. Oliver had his arm set in the afternoon, and we amused Amy. She also amused us. Christmas Day and Boxing Day were a cornucopia of delights of different kinds: delicious food, exciting presents – a really lovely time. I got several books and a camera, plus an electronic sudoku from Dot. When I ordered the camera, I neglected to get a memory card, so was restricted to only six pictures before I had to download them to Dot’s computer. Why don’t they tell you need a memory card? I eventually got a 1G card from Comet on Friday, when I was back in Norwich and had been to chiropractor. Good news there – I am back to a monthly visit. Dot and I also had our hair cut at Reepham. I had none off the top but warned Linda I might have to come in for an emergency appointment… While Dot was having hers done I went to Aylsham to deliver the Potters’ presents from D & V, and had a cup of tea and a chat with Kevin. Lisa and Matthew were out shopping. At least, Lisa was shopping: I suppose Matthew might have had his eye on something. He’s nearly three.

Then Dot and I went to Waitrose’s in Eaton, had a sandwich and a drink and then did the shopping for the evening, when Phil and Joy came round for a meal, bringing Andrew, who had been with them all day. I forgot to mention that on the 27th I had picked him up from Coventry and brought him back to Beds for lunch and to see the children. He got on well with them, though it’s quite a while since he saw them.

Yesterday we went into the city and did some shopping. The duck from Waitrose was superb on the Friday, and the lamb was equally good yesterday. The longshore cod off the market rounded off three excellent meals, so not a bad week really, gastronomically speaking! We bought some cheese to take to Nottingham and one or two other things.

This morning I preached at St Augustine’s on the subject of Jesus wanting to hold us and sustain us instead of judge us, as many people seem to think. DA was leading for the first time, and the atmosphere was terrific as usual.

This afternoon we took Andrew out to Rosie’s to deliver a present from Bedfordshire and had a cup of tea and some cake. R was in good spirits, as was A. Very pleasant hour and a half. Must take grandchildren out there next year.

A couple of irritations on the financial front. Got an e-mail from British Gas to say our electricity bill was overdue, though my bank statement showed we’d paid it more than a fortnight ago. Then I tried to renew car insurance on Dot’s car, to be told by Zurich that the insurance on it had lapsed a year ago – despite my having a certificate in front of me showing we were insured up to Jan 2, 2008. The call centre could offer nothing except repeating that we weren’t on their computer, so I told them I’d take my business elsewhere, and I have done so.

Pretty annoying, as both companies had been very good up to that point. Must be something in the air.

Tomorrow we head for Coventry and then Nottingham, where we’re spending the new year. R says it will snow on Thursday, but we should be back by then. Grey and a bit soggy today.

4 August 2007

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Yes, it really is 4 August, and this is a gratuitous picture of Honfleur. Note the absence of licorice ice cream.

Following our return from Ditchingham we had a day at home before travelling down to Caddington to look after the grandchildren for three days: the journey down on Monday evening was a record – about 1 hr 50 min, largely because of the absence of any problems, unlike the journey back.

David was away working up north, and Vicky was leaving home at 6am and returning at 5pm; so we had charge of Oliver and Amy from when they woke (earliest 7.15am, latest 8.30am) until Vicky’s return. The first two days were warm and dry. The children didn’t really want to leave the house until the afternoon in each case. The first day we went to Stockwood Park; the second Ashridge Forest, where Oliver did some mature riding on his bike up a road used by cars all the time, and we all went further into the forest than we meant to, so that O and A got a little muddy. Visitor’s centre there was surprisingly good, but the toilets were surprisingly bad – pretty disgusting, in fact. Still, fun was to be had with ponds and logs. On the Thursday it rained, and the fair didn’t open till 6pm (!), so we paid a late visit to Woodside Farm. Because of the small number of people there, the children were able to take advantage, and Oliver spent some time in the bouncy castle on his own. So much fun that we were home a good half-hour later than Mummy, who was cooking us our third lovely meal in a row. Children were lovely, and made it easy for us.

We left for home about 9.15, anticipating an easy ride, but the Newmarket bypass was closed, and we got in a long queue of traffic diverted through the town (Dot driving). As the Highways Agency couldn’t organise their way out of a paper bag, there was no provision made to allow all the extra traffic to drive throught the town easily, but we eventually crawled through and made it back home by about 11.45pm.

Yesterday Dot and I both had a blood test and caught up on paperwork. Very warm, as it is today. Decided to have a meal at Cafe Rouge, which was superb as always. Discovered that Andrew was ill, possibly the result of anxiety at being under the impression he was about to be moved. Spoke to Julia, his social worker, a couple of times. First she hoped to get him into a place in Coventry, but this turned out to be not possible. Then there’s one at Leamington, and she wanted me to take Andrew to see it. However I rang the hospital, who said Andrew was too ill to come home this weekend as planned. I rang again today to check, but he’s still bad. I hope to go on Monday – his birthday – and maybe take him out for a meal. Dot is at present in town having a meal with the gang of four from Alburgh.

6 June 2007

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Just back from a four-and-a-half-mile walk. The weather has turned cooler again, and grey overhead. Threats to rain have not materialised so far. Over the weekend it was sunny and warm, and we spent Friday and Saturday indulging ourselves with the grandchildren at their home and at Woodside Farm, a favourite spot, where Oliver steeled himself to feed the animals and succeeded! Amy dragged me into the play barn to go with her into the “scary bit”. As far as I was concerned they were all scary bits, because it was built for someone about a quarter of my size. But she needed me to, actually, so that was all right. Oliver is way beyond needing anyone to accompany him, and is on the verge of riding his bicycle without stabilisers: in fact he did a pedal or too while we were there. He also understands the difference between “need” and “want”, which is pretty amazing.

On the Saturday the Coomes came to visit, hence the picture of Phil and David. Their children are growing up fast, and Phil has reached an age we can’t mention.

Went into Bally on the Sunday afternoon (following church lunch) and stayed when Rupert had finished cleaning up from his paper-making workshop the previous day. Few visitors, and the Open Studios were not a success as far as numbers were concerned. But we produced some good work. On Sunday we meet to discuss where we go from here (after Welborne, that is).

Dot is busy working on her Oakington report, following a game of pitch-and-putt yesterday and a long session with Barbara on philosophy on Monday. I’ve had messages from various people following my unexpected appearance as poetry award-winner in the EDP Art, Antiques and Collectibles supplement. Amazing how many people read it from cover to cover.