Tag Archives: weather

Weird weather

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I believe it's called an acer. It's in our back garden.
I believe it's called an acer. It's in our back garden.

Odd feeling in the air. Dot is still under the weather with a cold and cough, but not enough to keep her in bed. Yesterday she went to see her aunt in North Walsham and had lunch in a pub at Gunton before going to see Carrie in the evening. Then today Barbara came round, and there was some pretty  intensive work on Philosophy4Children going on. Now she’s tired out again, unsurprisingly. The weather has been weird too. The weather man was rhapsodising about the mild weather, but because it’s been so damp and overcast, it’s seemed chilly, and we’ve had the electric fire on upstairs as well as the central heating. Haven’t been out today at all, but will have to step out of doors in a minute to put the rubbish and assorted recyclable material out. Tonight’s Tuesday Group was cancelled because of Dot’s indisposition. Friend in Henley on Thames was going into raptures about the glorious autumn weather.

Yesterday afternoon I did venture out for a walk and found a road less than a mile away where I had not been before: unmade-up, but not private, cutting down from Cotman Road to Thorpe Road, with good views over towards Whitlingham, which seemed very close. It’s outrageous that there isn’t a way to walk to Whitlingham from Thorpe: it would only need a bridge over the railway and the river, and you’d be in the country in no time. Ho hum. In the evening played chess against Broadland and managed to score the full point after my opponent tried too hard to win a drawn position and put a knight en prise.

Managed to write a few pages of a new Little story for Oliver. At the moment she’s on a sand dune near Blakeney. Or is she? In that case, where did the dolphin come from? I may have written myself into a corner, as Snoopy used to say.

Hot and cold

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Licensed reader Bridget Archer
Licensed reader Bridget Archer

Bizarre behaviour by weather. Yesterday it was probably the hottest it’s been all year. The car thermometer registered 29C as we passed through North Walsham on the way back from a visit to Lucy’s at Paston. Today at least 10C cooler: I made the mistake of wearing just a shirt and light pullover for a train trip to Wroxham, which meant I was decidedly chilly when I got there to wait for Dot and Jessie to arrive by car. So I started walking, and we coincided very quickly. After that I avoided standing around outside. We visited Wroxham Barns and had a meal (cheese baguette), then on to Jessie’s for a chat and further refreshment. Dot had driven out to meet Jessie at Frank’s residential home in Wroxham, but I wanted to get a bit of work done, so took the train. On the way back from North Walsham we got stuck behind a painfully slow Clio the whole way, with a persistent stream of cars from the other direction. Where is a machine gun when you need it?

Just kidding. I say that in case this site is being monitored  by the Government, who might mistake me for a terrorist. I am not a terrorist. I do not like terrorists. Or very slow Clios.

Been quite busy, actually. On Monday, Dot was in a high-level P4C meeting with Barbara at Metfield and got back almost too late to have her hair done. I decided to forgo the whole process, as my hair has not recovered from last time, when I went very short, and instead toddled off to the Norwich Print Fair PV in St Benedict’s, where I met Harriet, then Lisa, Annette and Mike. Oh, and Sandra. Had quick chat and look round – some good stuff on show – then on to the chess club for a Quickplay (10-min). Won the first two games, which is always a mistake, since you get paired against better players subsequently. The clever method is to lose the first game. I ended up playing all three of the best players in the club, and losing to them all. However, I did get another win, so ended up with 3/6, which is about what I usually end up with. Very good game in Najdorf Sicilian against Merv Hughes (not the Australian fast bowler).

Lunch with Lucy at Dayspring was followed by a very pleasant Tuesday Group gathering at the Archers’, featuring scrummy raspberry cheesecake left over from Sunday. Have just read The Royal Game by Stefan Zweig. Impressed. Not just with the story but its accuracy as regards chess.

26 March 2008

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As well as snow over Easter, we had flooding too. Here is Oliver at Pull’s Ferry in Norwich, where the River Wensum came over the pathway.

I stopped writing yesterday before I’d quite finished, because we had to dash out to a meeting of our church ministry team – beautifully chaired by Bridget, who not only created an agenda on the spot but got through it in good time. The lunch at the Red Lion on Sunday was good, although hardly anyone got through it, except Joe and Ilona, who devoured some very English fish and chips. They were on good form and clearly enjoying their holiday despite the weather – or maybe because of it: Joe said it was colder in Germany. Afterwards our family went to St Augustine’s, where I had promised to clear up, but found it had been done. Instead the grandchildren got a lot of pleasure out of running up and down the hall. Clearly what we need is a running service. I must suggest it to the vicar.

Monday was the snowiest day, and Oliver and Amy had fun outside with Nana (see yesterday’s picture) before (a) it melted (b) they got so cold they had to come in. Later we debated what kind of expedition we might try, but ended up with a short walk up to the Red Lion and back on the Riverside Path (see today’s picture). The wind was bitterly cold, and we were glad to get back.

Over the weekend Oliver showed off his expertise on the computer. He now has an account on mine and can initiate chats and send e-mails, among other things. When they all went home they encountered a blizzard on the A11 just outside Norwich and nearly turned back (about 7pm), but carried on and found much calmer weather beyond Thetford, arriving safely. Oliver, who fell over and banged his head before Easter, is still feeling a bit fragile, which is probably the result of mild concussion.

On Tuesday I cooked a chili con carne for Ruth and Steve, two friends who have a new baby. We took it round, admired their house and baby, and then visited the nearby lighting store, where we bought four sidelights and two other hanging lights – one for the study and one for the kitchen. On unpacking them today, Dot has decided the sidelights are wrong (blueish and not white, as we thought), and so they will go back. Ho, hum. They were the only ones I felt sure about.

The weather is still unpleasant – grey, cold and damp. Dot is about to go in the city to meet some friends. I decided to stay in and get some stuff done for Sunday’s Ambient Wonder. Besides, the vicar is coming at 2pm to discuss the church website.

6 December 2007

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Grandson Oliver goes round his home crazy golf course at breakneck speed. Meanwhile I got through a chess game at breakneck speed, agreeing an early draw in a sterile position against Fakenham on Monday. My grading is plunging, and I’m due to play for the A team tomorrow as a stand-in.

Oliver’s other grandparents have been with us during the last three days, and we’ve had a great time despite some really dismal weather, which seems set to continue. On Tuesday we took them to the Bally Art Factory studios, and to my surprise they bought three of Annette’s pictures, plus one from another artist as a bonus. We then had lunch at the Assembly House, which was good but slow, and followed it up with a walk round Norwich. Unhappily the continental fair had packed up early because of wind and rain in the morning, but by afternoon it was quite pleasant. We bought some cheese on the market, plus one or two other things.

In the evening we went to the Theatre Royal to see Comedy of Errors: a truly excellent performance by the Royal Shakespeare Company. The new theatre is mostly impressive, but I don’t like the long rows in the Circle, with no centre aisle. You won’t catch me in the middle of one of them.

This morning the Evetts departed after breakfast, and Dot and I went up to the church hall to unpack some furniture for the upstairs room, which Heather C had brought in a van. We also unpacked a Christmas tree and installed it in the corner, with some help from Liz and support from Rosemary. Looks pretty good.

I checked on my blood test results, and discovered my PSA level was up quite a bit, which is disappointing. Now 12.7, which is equivalent to about double that, because I’m taking a drug to reduce the size of my prostate. Rang the hospital, and Mr Sethia’s secretary said he would be in touch. My symptoms are no worse – better most of the time – but I wasn’t feeling particularly well when I had my blood taken. Whether this is relevant is another matter.

Dot is just off to Gillingham School where she is a governor. She has just heard that they are having an Ofsted inspection next week. On the Atlantic chart, a series of lows are lining up against us.

26 April 2007

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Yes, that was a long break. I’ve been plagued by this minor virus which keeps coming and going and sapping my energy. Not that you’d notice, since my energy is pretty low anyway, even on a good day. This picture is of my lovely grand-daughter Amy, who I baby-sat on Monday while Daddy tried to work upstairs. We had a lot of fun – quite tiring fun, but fun. Both children are thriving – Oliver shows signs of being a competent horse-rider after a ride on a pony recently.

I seem to have been going to hundreds of meetings recently. If it’s not the district church council, it’s the parochial one, and if it’s not the chess club, it’s Archant. The last one scores extremely heavily because of the excellent buffet, plus the opportunity to meet old friends and acquaintances. This year saw an attendance by a number of yompers. Following this, Dot and I wandered over to the Forum to look at a terrific outdoor exhibition of photographs of various parts of the world from the air. Also a giant map of the world that you could walk on. I was so disorientated by this that I allowed Dot to persuade me to buy a new jacket from Jarrolds.

What else? My NVQ trainee Kate did really well in the London Marathon, finishing in just over four hours; and sadly our friend Joyce died of oesophagal cancer – she had been in some distress over the last week. Lovely lady: she was always upbeat and self-effacing.

Last Saturday went to a session about the Enneagram, which would have been better without the questions-cum-conversation from the usual suspects, which disrupted the structure. However, I think I’m a 5 on the personality scale (this is not a score). Of course I may not be…

The skies have been largely blue, though the temperature has been a bit erratic: yesterday was very warm, but today there’s a chilly wind – even some rain at breakfast time. On Monday when I was in Caddington it was cloudy with quite a bit of light rain, but apparently in Norwich it was fine and warm.

20 March 2007

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Parking is extremely restricted on Sanibel and Captiva islands in Florida. I found this sign in the undergrowth, right next to a spot where you could stop and get a great view of the bay. Either someone got fed up with being told he couldn’t park, or… well, they do get hurricanes there. And alligators, come to think of it.

Played chess last night but played a rash move after a good opening and got a disadvantage. Fought on for a long time, but eventually lost.

Today Dot has just arrived back from Necton – one of her regular school visits – and the weather is very cold, blustery, with occasional sleet or hail showers. David says it’s even worse at Caddington, where V is gradually improving, though still not well.

I’m feeling a bit down and directionless; don’t feel I’m accomplishing much. On the plus side, David is doing a great job on the new InPrint page, which looks terrific.

18 January 2007

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Very strong winds today – and heavy rain. The Wensum is extremely high. The picture is of a spot near the Bure at Coltishall, taken when we were staying at the Norfolk Mead Hotel in November, in much calmer weather.

January has been exceptionally unsettled, though reasonably mild. On Tuesday I went with Dot to her church school inspection at Hilgay, near Downham Market. I had originally intended to walk in the Fens, but there was a lot of rain on the way, and although it stopped around lunchtime, the mud remained – and the forecast led me to believe that more rain was coming (though it wasn’t). So I contented myself with parking at Denver Sluice – a remarkable spot where several rivers or cuts meet, and eating my sandwich before venturing out to take a few photographs.

I then drove down to Ten Mile Bank and continued down the narrow road to the west of the river as far as Littleport. The Fens give the impression of being sparsely inhabited, but this is an illusion. Almost everywhere the road widened or there was a place to park, there was also a house of some kind – often quite impressive and usually with its row of protective trees. Sometimes the road was on the top of the bank and you could look down on to the Ouse; sometimes it was below the bank and probably below the surface level of the river. Some new houses were being built along there – not the place I would want to live, with the constant risk of flooding.

I drove back along the A10 and stopped in a layby to read, then back to the Little Chef near Downham Market, where I intended to use the facilities – only to find it was shut. So I drove back to a turning to West Dereham and went for a short walk, then parked a layby just outside Hilgay, with a view of the River Wissey and its line of forlorn-looking boats.

There is something seductive about the Fens – I think it’s the openness and maybe the feeling that you’re just outside civilisation.

On the way home we drove through Necton and down to Watton so that Dot would know the route when she travelled from one school to another next Monday. Since then, however, one school has cancelled. Still, it was a route I hadn’t travelled before – so worth doing.

Today we picked up the MX5, which had been scratched and dented by someone when it was parked outside our house. We also find that one of our guests has broken a tap in the bathroom and left the water running, which is a little annoying. I’ve stopped the water running, but not sure I can fix the tap.

Because Dot had my car yesterday I walked to the chiropractor and back into the city to do various chores – a total of just over four miles. Nothing exceptional in that, except that I was carrying a box of suspension files for the last mile and a bit. Pretty tired when I got home. Dot is now writing her report, and then we shall go to Park Farm for lunch.

Oh, and I should mention that England have won a cricket match – not against Australia, of course, but New Zealand. Only just, and after a valiant attempt to lose, but nevertheless a win.