Spent the first part of Saturday writing my sermon, which went more easily than I expected, though there were only 11 people there to hear it yesterday. Norwich City again played brilliantly but failed to score, drawing 0-0 at home with Cardiff.
On Sunday afternoon we went to visit Geoff and Sophie at their home. Geoff got up when we arrived about 3pm, and is making pretty good progress, but Sophie is feeling the strain, to put it mildly.
The support for her from the NHS has been minimal. It appears that the better you seem to be coping, the less they are inclined to do for you. I suspect that if she had appeared to be near a nervous breakdown, everything would have been done for her; but because she puts up a brave front and visited Geoff every day, they assume she will be able to sort everything out. I felt very sorry for her. Happily she is getting much more help this week (which she arranged herself).
A massive storm predicted for the rush hour this morning failed to materialise in Norwich, though I believe other areas have been harder hit. It has rained a lot, and it’s windy, but that’s about it.
I have more or less finished the tanka book and am hoping that things will get less hectic now. David is back from Canada, landing ahead of the storm. He seemed to have a really good time.
Gainsborough stands proudly in the centre of Sudbury.
All in all, we agreed the Mill Hotel was a Good Thing. Although the evening meal was only average, and I didn’t sleep well, the setting and service were very good. While Dot went to inspect her school the next morning after an early breakfast, I returned to the hotel and had a bath while taking a good bite out of The Snowman, by Jo Nesbo. I also managed to write the start of an article for my website, but couldn’t do much about the sermon because I’d written it in a late version of Pages that my laptop couldn’t open. I could see it (on Quickview), but that wasn’t really enough. If I had been more determined, it probably would have been.
Instead I left the room at 11am and went for a three-mile walk on the meadows. The weather was not quite as warm as the previous day, but it was very pleasant. Afterwards I had lunch back at the hotel (cheddar sandwich with generous leaves and crisps) before wandering around the town for a bit. The hotel had its second wake in two days booked into the bar for the afternoon, so I couldn’t go back there. Discovered that the town was famous for its association with Gainsborough but didn’t have time to explore the Gainsborough House. Picked up Dot around 4pm and drove her home.
Food shortage at home, so drove to Morrisons and drove round for five or ten minutes before finding somewhere to park. Then had difficulty finding things in the store because it has been redesigned and filled with shoppers, most of whom had no more idea where anything was than I did. In the evening recovered by going round the Kerrisons for delicious meal of fish kedgeree and a pleasant chat. Thea passed through our room: she has grown almost out of all recognition.
I had managed to finish off my sermon on the Saturday, and so I was able to deliver it on Sunday to a very small congregation (ten). It was, however, a lovely service – not surprising as Howard was leading it. Phil, Dot and I stayed behind to rehearse our songs for the evening event at the Seagull Theatre in Lowestoft, and later Phil came round for one of my chillis before he drove us to Lowestoft. The event itself went really well – even better than last time. When I had this ambition in my 20s to sing my own songs with a band, I little thought I would be 66 before it happened. It’s never too late. It was a big thrill for me.
The event ran late because it had the most performers and the largest audience in the two years it had been running. So we didn’t get home till after 11pm. We got a good response and felt we’d made a reasonable job of it. If we carry on like this we’ll have to give the band a name. I rather fancy Esker.
Thrush on bird table: a rare visitor in the snow.The road outside our front door earlier today.
Plenty of snow fell last night, some during the morning and a bit more this evening, but during the day the temperature hoisted itself above freezing, and I was able to drive to the chemist for my repeat prescription. Quite a pleasant little outing, in fact, as there were so few vehicles on the road. Hard to get warm, even inside the house, though the heating is functioning normally enough. The Broadband connection has also miraculously reasserted itself and all seems to be well. Spent most of the day writing my sermon for Sunday: have also been asked to write and present an appreciation of Rosemary – from the church – at the funeral, which is a bit of an honour. Dot has been sorting out her schools, but of course they’re all closed, and her intention to fix up visits has been frustrated. Usual complaints about closed schools from those who regard schools as child-minding institutions. England held on miraculously for a draw in Third Test in Cape Town (just round the corner from where we stayed at the Vineyard), which means we’re leading 1-0. Could easily have been losing 2-1. That’s sport for you. Have booked hotel in Portsmouth for Holly wedding, just before realising that Portsmouth is very, very close to Southampton. We could call in and see my nephew. David Kett is also close by. This is a part of the country I rarely visit, so it would be handy to drop in…
Dot with David and Kristine Coomes on riverside walk near Pull's Ferry
Satisfying weekend, and I don’t mean just the 5-2 win by Norwich City, 2-1 by Spurs and the Ashes regained by England. Warm but windy weather throughout. Took some clothes up to the charity shop on Saturday morning, and on the way back Dot dropped in a 99th-birthday card for Phyllis Todd. In early evening we walked up for a meal at Caffee Uno on Tombland: we both had first-class salads and a sweet, with a glass of wine. Just right.
Sunday was much fuller: I preached at St Luke’s in the morning as part of the Nicholas bring-the-churches-closer-together master plan. Found it quite difficult to prepare, as I was given not only the readings but the subject, but I enjoyed the actual presentation. Felt very relaxed, though as usual afterwards felt I could have done better. I do enjoy speaking in public, which is ironic as it was the very thing I hated at school. Got home to find David and Kristine Coomes had just arrived and were drinking Pimms in the garden with Dot. Had a really enjoyable day with them, including a walk along the river and through the cathedral. Have arranged to stay with them in London in October.
The street light saga is nearing its conclusion. The old pole was removed by a threatening-looking lorry on Sunday morning, and the hole was nearly filled just before 8 this morning, causing miniature dust storms and leaving a rectangle to be completed with tarmac, presumably. Much brighter outside at night: may need thicker curtains. Spoke to the grandchildren on webcam this morning: they seem to have had a good time in France with Dave and Julia. Just finished an excellent book: Spanish Fly, by Will Ferguson: a novel about con artists in the 1930s and 40s, and beautifully done.
Granddaughter Amy in her ballet outfit, performing a few pas de deux ou trois while staying with us last weekend, and looking stunning while doing so.
My second cousin Jeanette and her husband Graham left us on Friday by train for Liverpool, arriving at my first cousin’s there by early evening. Before they left we had fish and chips after a visit to the Rosary to see some family graves. The previous day we visited Paul and had a really good 90 minutes with him. He had a lot to tell Jeanette, most of which I’d heard before, but I did discover that my mother had been desperate to have a child (I was born eight years after they married) and made herself ill over it. I had always thought that they deliberately put off having me till the war was over. Jeanette was impressed by Paul, who is in his mid-eighties and still extremely fit and healthy.
I also took Jeanette and Graham for a drive round a few key spots, including our cottage at Yelverton, taking in my grandmother’s former homes at Queen’s Road (demolished), Hall Road (still there), Caistor Lane (changed out of all recognition) and Poringland (hardly changed at all).
I stayed in yesterday, writing a sermon on John the Baptist for this morning. I think it was too long, but three or four people said they liked it. In the afternoon yesterday I proof-read Dot’s website and completed the Ambient Wonder material – or would have done if the laminator hadn’t wrapped film around itself. Tried to fix it this afternoon, but couldn’t even get it open. I think it’s had it. I will get a new one tomorrow.
