Wednesday 1.

Up at six a.m. today to go to early service. Then bite of breakfast in Church, home to brush teeth, before going to my dentist for a filling to be replaced. Then drove, via Ely, where we stopped at the antique centre, purchased two pair of brass eighteenth century ember tongs, and on to Welney (in Norfolk) where we stopped at the above pictured hostelry, the Lamb and flag for a quick sandwich lunch.

Above picture shows the gateway of Welney Church, where I was, for a few years during the 1980s, Church Warden.

Then drove across the fen, via Marshland Smeeth, to Ann's youngest brother Tim's home (pictured below). The photo above shows Sue, Tim's Wife, Tim, and Ann. Tim has had two major operations in the last month, and now faces chemo treatment and radio therapy. Tim is facing this prospect with his usual courage and aplomb. I've just looked that word up and the original meaning is 'perpendicularity'. I'm glad to report that Tim is indeed perpendicular, but I intended the word in its second meaning of coolness and self possession. At the moment the thing that seems to be bothering Tim most is that he's been forbidden to do any work until the operation scars have healed. He is, by profession a silversmith (and an entrepreneur - hope that's spelled correctly). I know how frustrating it is to be forbidden to do anything. For those of you who are in the habit of praying, please pray for them both.

This is the house that Tim and Sue built - on the site of and using a good deal of material from - the original farmhouse on the site which was dying from subsidence.

Being called upstairs now for a (well deserved I think) grumbled egg and cuppa. More later perhaps.