Almost springlike today, with blue skies and a distinct rise in the temperature. Sadly, it is all forecast to disintegrate tomorrow, with rain sweeping in. It was lovely yesterday too, when I drove out to Paston in response to a call from Lucy. Afterwards I called at Edingthorpe Church, which is a beautiful spot, then walked a bit down the Weavers’ Way, from the point where the Yarmouth Road meets the North Walsham bypass. Yes, I’m keeping up my walking routine, but not losing any weight. My blood pressure just better be down…
Of course forgetting to take my pills yesterday, and then losing at chess, didn’t help. I played pretty badly against Chris Tuffin until I lost a piece, then pretty well, but it was too late. Unfortunately, he followed the same pattern but didn’t lose the piece.
Still writing tanka with Joy, though I’m a bit late with the final one in the current series. Must get down to it. On Sunday I read five poems at the Seagull, which seemed to go down well. Hope to do some songs next time, if Phil can fit it into his now busy schedule.
On Saturday we visited North Walsham, refurbishing the flowers at the cemetery and dropping off a cardigan to Sheila (she had lent it to Ethel at the funeral). We then spent most of the afternoon with Jessie, listening to Norwich lose 4-0 to Manchester Utd. The tea and cake made it worthwhile. Called in at Waitrose afterwards, and Dot got a refund on some flour – together with more flour. What nice people.
David and Bridget Archer – providers of fish and chips
I think Christmas is here. At least, we seem knee-deep in all the activities associated with the Christmas season, and a few others too. Not much time to stop and think since my last post.
On Friday we had the traditional Archant pensioners’ Christmas lunch in the traditional hotel, with the traditional rain outside. Quite a pleasant meal: sat with Su, Brian and Julie Bedson, and we were joined by new EDP/EN editor Nigel Pickover, who was his usual expansive self. I have to admit that I quite like him. I said this to Su, and she retorted that I liked everyone, which is not true but a nice thing to say (I think). I was served tea by my first cousin once removed – Lewis (Kitsune Le’) Lenton, who is Mark’s son, an artist and a bit out there. Still, he was tuned in enough to introduce himself, which was nice.
In the evening of the same day we went to a drinks and nibbles evening at the vicar’s. I spent much of the time talking to Melissa Snell: we are very much on the same wavelength, except that she is in love with Bolivia. Also spoke to her husband Simon and to Margaret Comerford. Quite an odd evening, because there were many people there who I didn’t speak to at all. Dot struck up a conversation with a teacher who may have persuaded her to join a music group where she will be able to play her violin.
On Saturday Dot and I went to see Norwich beat Wigan 2-1. Go0d match, which we deserved to win. Our recent record is now second only to Barcelona in the top five European leagues, and we’re eighth in the Premiership. Ran into Peter Franzen (former EDP editor) for the second day running, which is a bit excessive. Weather was not too bad, but I wore lots of clothes, just in case.
Sunday saw the usual Christmas event at St Augustine’s, designed and organised by myself. We were pretending in a rather halfhearted way to be a radio programme, and there was some appropriate dialogue as well as carols, readings and poems. Everyone was very appreciative, which is the nice thing about St Augustine’s. It was followed by our Christmas meal: most people contributed, and it was very good.
Sue and Roger Eagle came round for lunch on Monday: they are really good company, and we have much in common. Had far too much to eat and have been feeling overfull ever since. As a result decided not to go to the Christmas chess event; flaked out and watched a bit of Battlestar Galactica instead.
It was all go yesterday, and fortunately the weather was fine. We started by picking up Dot’s glasses from Little Plumstead school (her gloves are at Barnham Broom, or possibly Diocesan House by now) and then drove to North Walsham for tea and sausage rolls with Jessie. We then proceeded to Sainsbury’s and bought flowers for the cemetery, from where we moved on to Sheila’s. She seemed pretty well, though a little vague on some matters. More sausage rolls, and a mince pie too. From there we went to Rosie’s, where we had ginger wine. Rosie is in quite a bit of pain with her back but is as determined as ever to carry on doing what she always has: in this instance making 175 wreaths for customers and friends.
In the evening, and far from traditionally, we had Tuesday Group fish and chips, supplied by the Archers but eaten at ours. The usual suspects tucked in enthusiastically. Added excitement was provided by Ian, who had locked himself out and spent much of the evening trying to contact his sister, who has a key. Eventually the Archers gave him a lift to Cringleford, where said sister lives, and deposited him there. It was unclear whether he was staying or whether his brother-in-law was going to be able to (a) find the key and (b) take him home.
Today has been fairly mild. We had our hair cut, and Dot left for Barbara’s. I then almost forgot to pick up Philip to take him for his benefits assessment, but Joy rang and reminded me. This took two trips, because as usual they kept him waiting a long time. In between I posted a package and sorted out the church cheques for paying in. After picking Phil and Joy up and taking them home (dropping in at Surrey Chapel to leave some cards) I returned home and left immediately for the city, where I paid in those cheques and took a Christmas parcel to Dipples, receiving one in return! Quite chilly by the time I got home. Dot has just rung to say she is on her way back.
Andy Martin, of Astral Void, by the Bure at Oxnead Hall
October dawned very warm and sunny, but is now showing signs of slipping into autumn: a cooler feel to the weather, leaves on the ground, a strongish wind, and snow forecast for Scotland. Still quite pleasant, though, and it was very warm for Dot’s Dutch trip, which went well on the whole: it was quite a major event, and their workshops were full. The journey also passed almost without incident, if you overlook their not being able to find the car at Stansted when they got back – a purely temporary aberration.
I have been working hard on a couple of books: finishing off the Norfolk poems book – Words in a Landscape – with David, and getting the material together for Another Country – our next Paston publication. This comes to a head on Friday, when I meet with Rob Knee to decide what it will look like. The artists have suddenly come up with material, so the decisions may be harder than predicted.
Readers will I am sure be delighted and astonished in equal measure to hear that the rogue Humax has been working perfectly for several days. And Dropbox has finished its mammoth uploading of my picture files. Quite a relief.
Went to a concert at St Andrew’s Hall on Saturday. Vicki Ellis was on piccolo in the first two pieces and sat out the third with us. Apparently Dvorak has little use for piccolos. Nice to see her and her parents. Nick and Jan Miller were also there. Aunt E has been proving difficult over the last few days, calling out all and sundry, sometimes several at once. Dot has been out there today and was there yesterday too. E was not strong enough to make the planned visit to North Walsham with Dot yesterday, so I went instead, and had a rather nice meal with Dot’s mother’s cousin Sheila, her daughter Teresa, Teresa’s daughter Anna, and Anna’s son Harry (aged 18 months and very keen on tomatoes). That’s four generations in one room. Teresa (our bridesmaid 43 years ago) made a rather lovely raspberry-flavoured, crispy pastry dessert with almonds to round it all off, the only downside being that I then had to make a meal for the Tuesday Group while Dot went to the Nafpht annual meeting at the Ram, Tivetshall. Didn’t really feel hungry. Don’t know why.
On the way home from North Walsham we stopped to look at the church and hall at Oxnead (Paston connection), and encountered a young musician who was looking for the river so that he could get some songwriting inspiration. We walked down to the Bure with him and had a chat about the Pastons and other things. Turned out he was Andy Martin, guitarist and singer for Norwich-based band Astral Void, who I tracked down on the internet afterwards. Interesting.
On Sunday afternoon I decided to go over to Horsford to catch the end of the Norfolk Chess Championships. Glad I did: always get a warm welcome from chess people, and there were a couple of interesting games and anecdotes. In the end Mike Gough won by boring Mervyn Hughes into making a mistake, thus depriving Charlie Fry of his first overall victory. Watched a fascinating win by Dave Hall over Ron Hughes and was pleased to say I saw the winning moves in advance. Always easier when you’re watching.
Spent much of the day in North-East Norfolk. Weather absolutely appalling: incessant rain, temperature just above freezing, sky heavily overcast. I suspect thousands of people must like this sort of weather, because they all take their cars out in it. It was worth it, however. Visited my wife’s aunt Sheila (who is actually her mother’s cousin), and Sheila’s daughter Teresa, who was our bridesmaid 41 years ago. Had a good time there, featuring a sausage roll and mince pie, then moved on to Paston, where we left a present for the Cares. Doors were open as usual, but shouting evoked no response, so we assumed they were out. Later e-mail on another subject from Lucy made me think she probably wasn’t, however. Back to North Walsham, where we picked up some Philosophy stuff from the printer and moved on to Jessie’s for another pleasant hour or two, this time featuring a kind of cake. We resisted the lure of the cemetery, which would probably have felt like the Arctic tundra on a particularly bad day.
Most of yesterday went on sorting files from the second drawer of the filing cabinet. Contained quite a lot of stuff that brought back memories, which made it slow going. Still bits of it hanging around in the kitchen. Dot was busy completing her inspection report, and about 5pm we abandoned it all and went to the Rushcutters for a meal, using a 2-for-1 voucher that had been e-mailed to us. Superb chicken and mashed potato for me; lovely trout for Dot. Later we went to a PCC meeting at St Luke’s to discuss the proposed change-of-use proposal for their car park which, if it went through, would enable the council to use it for housing at some point in the future. Determined to resist this, though it could be a tricky one. The diocese would like to make some money out of it, and the council doesn’t like cars. Still, we have a clued-up lawyer in our camp, not to mention God – though his views are by no means certain on this particular issue.
On Monday I managed to lose another game of chess. After getting a good opening I found myself lagging in development when my opponent failed to fall for any of the tricks in the position. I then made a disastrous choice of move which gave him all the positional advantages. I found myself with no sensible plan and in due course fell apart.
This is my second cousin Jeanette with my uncle Paul (her grandfather’s little brother), when she visited Norwich recently. She is now at Yate, near Bristol. He is still in Norwich, as am I. Meanwhile my son, his wife, her parents and our grandchildren are about to return from Lapland, where I understand they have met Santa Claus, some huskies and some assorted reindeer. Oh, and some Finns, I should imagine, as they are staying at Yllasjarvi, which as everyone knows is in the north of Finland. To be slightly more accurate, the flight tracker informs me that they are about to take off from Kittila airport. They should be back in England at about 9.30pm.
The days still go by quickly, and not just because we are approaching the shortest day. Everything now seems to be wrapped up, but I suspect this will prove to be a delusion. Dot and I were in the city today (she considerably longer than me), finishing off certain purchases. Tonight we are off to the Higbees’ for the evening. Yesterday was our Italian evening at Menita and Regis’, which turned out to be very pleasant. It started at 9pm and consisted of quite a lot of sweet food and an Italian version of bingo, followed by a sort of auction game involving cards. We made a pound or two, I think. No skill was involved at all. About ten to a dozen of us – all good company. We left at about 11.30 and still managed to stay up till about 12.30am. I blame my wife.
Earlier in the day we had been out to visit Lucy, who seemed a lot better following her visit to hospital at Cambridge. She is on a lot of antibiotics, I understand, and the doctors are worried about her immune system. After that we visited Dot’s Aunt Sheila, who had psychically prepared a very nice lunch for us involving jacket potatoes, ham, salad and boiled eggs. We also went to the cemetery and bought a new ink cartridge. Wonderful what you can get from cemeteries nowadays. They used to be a dead loss.
On Wednesday we had the monthly hair-cutting ceremony, this time supplemented by Linda’s partner Michael finishing off our shower room with some astonishingly tricky tile work on the windowsill. He was not on the windowsill; the tiles were. Eventually.
Dot got an inquiry from Teddington about P4C courses, which is a bit worrying. This whole thing could escalate out of all proportion. I have just finished preparing tomorrow’s alternative carol service, and making a card for Eugenia’s 40th birthday tomorrow. We hardly ever seem to be eating at home nowadays.
Oliver again, who has just broken his wrist in a fall at a friend’s house. We are travelling down to see them all tomorrow and spend Christmas and Boxing Day there. He will not be able to play with the Christmas present we brought him for a while, but we hope to make sure he has a lot of fun anyway. Amy will have to be persuaded to be gentle with him!
Today the temperature has hovered around freezing, and there has been quite thick fog around most of the day. I hope it lifts by tomorrow morning. On Friday the north Norfolk run went very well, except that we ate more than we should, starting off badly at Rosie’s with two mince pies and a beef pasty (me) and 1+1 (Dot). Later we had a salad lunch at Sheila’s, including a pork pie, but I resisted sweet. Also featuring were the cemetery at North Walsham, a present drop-off at Paston and a visit to J & F. All this was done in the MX5 while my car was getting a service, during which they took a seat out to find one of Dot’s earrings.
Yesterday was fairly quiet: I ventured out to pick up a parcel from the sorting office, but the rest of the day was spent catching up and writing most of my column. Today we went to church in the morning and dropped in at Phil and Joy’s for a present exchange. Dot has injured her neck wrapping presents, which should make playing with the grandchildren interesting.
I’ve got a bit further with the family tree following Friday’s tour and will get back to it after the festive season.
