Patricia, Liz and Jacqui by the pool at Snares Hill Cottage
Tomorrow our furniture is returning, although Amy and Oliver agreed yesterday that they liked the living room as it is: spacious. Dot and I had returned the hi-fi and the television to the room and re-hung the curtains, but other than that we had restricted ourselves to just a couple of chairs, the piano stool and some cushions, plus temporary children’s items.
The children, and David, were with us overnight on Friday so that Oliver could go with Dot to the Norwich City match against West Ham, which was a kind of birthday present, four days late. His main present, also late of course, was a new guitar, which he seemed to like. It is a Yamaha, and has a nice tone. I also bought him a book on the Friday when I popped into the city to buy a new lectionary diary.
The redecoration and roof were finished on Tuesday as scheduled. On Wednesday Dot and I travelled to Duck End in Essex for another Otterspool reunion, at the home of Pete and Liz Stabler. Beautiful house, and a much better day than had been forecast, so we were able to spend time wandering around the stunning and extensive garden. Pete had broken his back falling from a ladder a couple of months ago, but was able to get around wearing a brace. Also present were Alan and Janice, Barry and Pat and Jacqui and Brian – and Pete Stokes, whose wife Jan died suddenly a few months ago. Great to see him; really pleased he came.
We had had a hard time finding the house (though we’d both been there before), but we eventually asked, and got good directions. On the way home we went a more direct but complicated route through Bury St Edmunds (instead of Saffron Walden and the A11) and encountered some of the darkest clouds I’ve ever seen, together with very heavy rain. Still, we made it without incident, thanks to Dot’s calm driving.
We had a lovely day with David and the children. Oliver enjoyed the match, despite the 0-0 scoreline, and Amy enjoyed playing, partly on her own and partly with me: she (we) prepared a Norwich City party for the wanderers’ return, which went down very well. The rest of us all availed ourselves of the table tennis table, newly released from its burden of curtains – best storage space I could think of.
After the service this morning, at which refurbishers of the church hall were officially thanked and we had three unexpected visitors from the UEA, we had a lunch prepared by Carrie and others. Afterwards Dot and I had a game of table tennis, during which I found a box of old chess games and books that I had lost. So quite satisfying really.
Fifty years on, fifth-formers from 1961: Kiddell, Manhire, Lunn, Riches, with organiser Adrian O'dell
It was showery last Thursday. Rose a little early to take the MX5 in for service, MOT and renewal of Mazda Europe Assistance. Dot collected me, and we returned home in time to take Lucy to Dragon Hall for a meeting with Sarah about the November Paston event. We were picked up again nearly two hours later by Dot (it had started raining as predicted) and we left Lucy to buy a ticket at the station while we proceeded to Oaklands Hotel for carvery lunch with Josephine, Paul, Phil, Joy, Joe and Stephen. Food pretty good, but service unexceptional. I showed Paul a letter for him to check, requesting power of attorney for him over Kathleen’s affairs. He did check it: just as well. I thought Kathleen’s middle name was Ruth, for some reason, but she doesn’t have one. In the evening I went to a Paston trustees’ meeeting where we discussed a lease which will probably never happen. Still, it wasn’t too onerous.
Friday started dry but quickly became very wet indeed. Went to Valerie’s funeral in early afternoon: quietly and impressively done by deacon from St John’s Cathedral. Afterwards went to Black Horse for tea and coffee with Roger, Philip, Jessie, George, Fiona, Ray and Janet. Then on to Blakeney, where we booked in and eventually met up with Alan and Rosemary, who were waiting in their room when we expected them to be at the Blakeney sun lounge. I say “sun”… Enjoyed tea and scones with them and then returned to our own hotel to await the arrival of Dave and Julia from a meeting at Ipswich. All got together successfully for evening meal.
After a very bad night (acid reflux) I was awake in good time to leave by eight o’clock without breakfast (hotel breakfast starts at 8; bathwater lukewarm) to pick up Fred from West Runton for morning at CNS reunion. Called in at Aspland Road to pick up Dot’s Scottish skirt – to show to Julia, not to wear at the reunion – and arrived at CNS about 9.30, the scheduled time. Surprisingly, most people seemed to be there already. This was a reunion of boys in the fifth form in 1961, but most of my L-stream seemed to have given it a miss. Few that I knew: Fred, Roger Prince, Adrian Manhire, Clive Monen, Richard Percival, Peter Bussey, Colin Kiddell (who lived in Tuckswood). Tony Plumb (now Friedlander) was one of the organisers. Struck up conversation with Chris Sutcliffe, who had been a chess player, and one or two others during grand tour of school. The east side new buildings were a real mess, and I lost my sense of direction very quickly. The new Arc centre I had been in before, to play chess. The old building was still quite recognisable, and about two-thirds of the field were still there – unlike the hallowed lawn in front of the building, which is now mainly a car park. We ended up in the new canteen, which is roughly where the old one was, but it overlaps into the area where the old School House stood. Here we had a coffee break and then a Speed Updating session that to be honest didn’t work too well, partly because of the difficulty of hearing what each other were saying in a crowded area.
After this Fred and I slunk away – I dropped him back at West Runton before proceeding through heavy rain to Pensthorpe and a rendezvous with Dot and the Evetts, who had already done the tour and were eating lunch. Went back into the reserve to look at the exotic birds, and we caught a post-feeding talk from a seasonal warden in the viewing room, which answered several questions (eg What bird is that?)
High water evening at Blakeney: an iPhone picture
Much better night, but Sunday was a very wet day. After breakfast we walked into Blakeney, and Dot bought two necklaces and some garden hooks before we were rejected by one restaurant (“preparing for Sunday lunch”) and found ourselves in the Blakeney Hotel again – downstairs in the Boat Room this time, with tea and coffee. Impressed by decor. Then on to Binham, where we lunched at The Chequers before embarking on a 4-mile circular walk in the continuing steady rain. Ended up at the Priory (once owned by the Pastons): quick look round the ruins, then to Memorial Hall for tea and scones. Was not going to buy any books from sale, but others lingered, so I did. One a copy signed by the author with personal comments, so could be valuable. Back at hotel I found I’d missed a call from David, so drove up the esker where I got good reception and had a Father’s Day conversation with him while he turned the mattress (well, he stopped turning the mattress while we talked…) Another good evening meal, and after drinks three of us (Dot, Dave and me) walked down to the front to look at the high tide. Beautiful evening: took picture with my iPhone.
Monday dawned bright and comparatively warm, though there was a chilly breeze. After breakfast we paid the bills and I had to get some cash to pay Dave his deposit back, having forgotten my chequebook. Meanwhile Dot booked us in at Cookies. The two of us then packed and strolled down the front, where the water was very high again. Called in at art gallery and bought some cards, then bought an ice cream and sat by duckpond like two old stagers to eat it. Then off to Cookies to meet Dave and Julia for a very predictable Cookies meal, which is either wonderful or OK, depending on your feelings about cucumber and beetroot. We then called at Wiveton fruit farm for some (wait for it) fruit and went our separate ways. We arrived home around 4pm and took it fairly easy. Found a lovely Father’s Day card from David.
Today has been dry but overcast. Dot has visited a couple of schools and I visited Kathleen so that she could sign the solicitor’s letter and confirm that her middle name is not Ruth or, in fact, anything. She was sitting up watching the tennis but very lacking in energy. No real change. Afterwards I called in at Morrisons to get food for tonight. I was working on my Writing News session for Bridges when a package was delivered: a “best of” CD by The Band – a Father’s Day present from David. So I’ve enjoyed a three-day Father’s Day, which I have to say is rather nice. Wimbledon has started, so Dot is in front of the TV a lot, and mostly awake.
My grand-daughter Amy at the wheel, pausing for a moment’s reflection. Women drivers, eh?
Welborne is over – an exhausting but fulfilling weekend, with quite reasonable weather on the whole interspersed yesterday by a couple of half-hours of torrential rain which brough a chill as well as sogginess to the air. I think our marquee looked pretty good, and the poetry reading went well, despite meagre attendance today and competition from live music and a town crier yesterday. Very little sold, sadly, though I did manage to get rid of a couple of my original books. Dot came along this afternoon, and we both attended a reading by novelist Tessa West which was excellent (although only six of us were there). Dot bought one of her books, which she signed. Much higher numbers for live music outside and clowns: maybe community activities and more serious stuff don’t really mix. I still love the Welborne Arts Festival, though. Lovely setting.
We spent most of Friday transporting the pictures etc to Welborne, hanging and organising.
On Saturday Dot went to a Wall Hall reunion in Suffolk which I was sorry to miss. I spoke to a couple of the “girls” on the phone – Liz and Jeannie – when I rang to check that Dot had got there all right (through the driving rain). I got myself on an outrageous rump steak in the evening on the assumption that Dot would have eaten, and she had – but she was still back earlier than expected at about 8pm. So we were able to have a relaxing half-an-evening together. Tonight she has gone to an Ambient Wonder event at which she is taking a leading role, but I decided to stay at home because I was very, very tired and because I thought she might do better without me. This evening, I mean. Not generally.
PS There has been an outbreak of very slow driving on the lanes and roads between Norwich and Dereham. On returning from the Welborne Festival yesterday I got caught behind a red Toyota whose driver seemed to think 30mph was a bit excessive, and today I had a similar experience behind another elderly driver on the same road. In each case the driving was so bad it required a real effort not to unintentionally tailgate them on corners, and overtaking was out of the question because you couldn’t believe the driver in front would keep far enough to the left on the narrowish roads. Extremely frustrating and inconsiderate driving. Amy would do a lot better.
