A blue, sunny day, but a very chilly wind. I am ready for some real spring weather now. Dot is already on her second trip out, this time to the chiropractor, and I am sitting in a much tidier study than usual, having decided spontaneously yesterday to sort it out – with Dot’s enthusiastic support. The amazing thing was that it was my idea: I am normally reluctant to start big projects. If it were not so, I would have written several novels by now.
We spent the previous day at Caddington, arriving almost simultaneously at noon with David and the children, who had been to the opticians, discovering that Oliver has 20-20 vision. We had intended to join them at the Harvester, but Oliver had been a bit below par. However he brightened up during the day, and we had a couple of games of football in the garden. Amy was in good form too, as was David. Dot cooked roast chicken for supper – with all the trimmings, of course. We left late, but Dot drove fast, and we got home just before midnight.
Other events this past seven days:
Monday 7th: won a hard game of chess against Lowestoft. I was winning out of the opening, then almost lost, then winning again. I scraped home with minutes to spare.
Tuesday 8th: Spent about 90 minutes with Lucy at Dragon Hall with its enthusiastic events organiser, Sarah Power. Arranged to put on a week of Paston-related stuff in November, including a Paston walk or two led by me and an art and poetry workshop (Annette and me). Need to learn a lot more about the Pastons before I do the walk. Also took Annette’s laptop into Byte for repair (picked up Friday, cost £360).
Wednesday 9th: Haircut in afternoon, followed by an evening meal at Bishop’s with the Higbees. Excellent food, with price to match. Still, if we’d got an electrician to put lights in our loft, it would have cost a lot more, and we wouldn’t have got the meal, or the pleasure of the Higbees’ company.
Friday 10th: Stunning day for Phyllis Todd’s phuneral at St Augustine’s. Church pretty much full, and lots of the congregation turned up with food and drink for the wake afterwards. I had to give a brief talk on what Phyllis meant to the church. Sad but also pleasant occasion, which Phyllis’s daughter Janet much appreciated. (By contrast, tiny congregation on Sunday to hear Mark Heybourne: single figures, if you don’t count the music group and the service leader.)
Later we picked up Jessie from hospital, where she had been having eye tests (she may have had a minor stroke). Brought her home for tea and then drove to North Walsham. Left Dot with her while I went to a Paston Heritage Society Trustees’ meeting at Dayspring. Found the meeting quite frustrating. We need to sort out membership and avoid getting lumbered with a church that will fall down if we don’t raise huge amounts of money.
Have been watching horrific pictures of Japanese tsunami, which has devastated huge areas and must have killed many thousands. If you’re in its path, there’s no way of avoiding it. The ultimate feeling of helplessness.
• Since writing the first two paragraphs above, have been out for a short walk and to book us in for a performance of Under Milk Wood at Dragon Hall next Wednesday. Went with Dot as far as the wonderful Hobbycraft, where she bought some boxes to aid her in sorting some old pictures uncovered in my room.