Saturday 1.

 

The strange creature in the above photo is on a bench end in our South Chapel. It is the legendary wolf guarding St. Emund's head in our East Anglian legend. The wolf, as you can see, is clad in priest's clothing. It is a sort of fourteenth century joke or cartoon - a wolf in shepherd's clothing (?)

Friday 2.

The film was called Topsy Turvey, and it was very good. Just got home. It's ten to eleven. Been a long day. Goodnight all.

Friday.

 

Above picture is of a corner of our garden, where these primula are giving us a last burst of colour, and I include them especially to cheer up fellow bloggers Lori and Gary, who are in the middle of a blizzard.

Went by train to London today (last visit this year, I hope). Spent the morning at the Tower of London, where we also had lunch with friends. Got home just before 4p.m.- going to be a nasty, foggy night, I think. We plan on going out this evening to our local cinema club, to see a film about Gilbert and Sullivan (can't remember the name of the film). It's supposed to be good. We'll see.
More blog later probably. Got to do some work now.

Thursday.

 

Did my usual weekly couple of hours manning the Church office this morning, and as things were fairly quiet took a few pictures of the church interior. The above photo shows our 'Father William' organ, which was built for a large private house in Colchester in 1687, and purchased for our church in 1738, and has been there ever since. It's been repaired and restored a good many times, and I would think that only the case and larger pipes are now probably all that's left of the original organ. It can still let rip, though. Goodnight all.

Wednesday.

 

Been a busy day today. Got up early to go to early service (deaconing). After service, Ann to physiotherapy, self home. Then back into town, picked Ann up, and drove to friend Terry's house (shown in photo above), about three miles away. Been mending a handle from a seventeenth century spice box for her. Returned (and affixed) handle, had coffee, then home, grabbed quick lunch, then bid at auction in afternoon - telephone bidding- got one lot. Must admit, in late afternoon assumed horizontal posture and had quick zizz, as we have people coming in for our monthly shared meal and discussion group this evening, and am going to have to take a stand about a matter under discussion. Just been reading a blog by fellow blogger 'Four Dinners' who is also about to 'take a stand' and his attitude encourages me. 'Come one, come all. This rock shall fly from its firm base as soon as I' seems to be about the right attitude. Must go, fellow diners/discussers will be here soon. Up guards and at 'em, Four Dinners.

Tuesday.

 

View across half a mile of country to Ely cathedral, in whose shadow we lunched yesterday. It's a glorious old pile, been a cathedral, school, abbey and nunnery (though not all at the same times or in that order) there since St. Etheldra's day in the early dark ages, though the cathedral you can see, is a mixture of Norman, and later, work.

Monday.

 

Spent yesterday in London. This is the third time in eight days. Above group photo taken in youngest daughter Lizzie's kitchen. Glamorous creature to my left is granddaughter Georgia. Whilst her brother Matthew and I had been out viewing an auction, she and her sister Beth had been out and purchased the shoes Georgia is wearing!!!! FIVE inch stilletto heels and platform soles! They reminded me of a story my Norfolk grandfather once told me about an incident in the 1930s. My mother (then in her teens) had been into Wisbech and purchased a pair of the then new (and highly fashionable) 'peep toe' sandals. My grandfather had returned them to the shop on the grounds that they were incomplete - no toes in them. He got a full refund, too. Told the shoe shop manager, who had tried to persuade him that 'they were meant to be like that', not to be a £$*%"!!! fool. Forceful character, when he had to be, my grandfather.

Today whizzed over to Littleport and dealt with a long case clock of the 1690s. It has recently been moved, and was sulking over the matter. Took about three minutes to persuade it to resume its full duties. Lunched in Ely at the Almonry- a building of 13th century date, near to the cathedral, and built as part of the cathedral complex. Excellent lunch - I recommend the place. Then on to Swaffham Prior to rerope a Norfolk (Thetford) grandfather clock I last had dealings with thirty years ago. Good to see the clock and its owners again - the clock hadn't changed a bit. Nor had the owners much- all three were recognisable anyway. In fact didn't have to rerope it - old rope was in pretty good shape generally - just had to resplice it. Got a busy week coming up, so will blog when I can.
Goodnight all.

Thursday 2.

 

Having forgotten my camera on Tuesday, here is what Ann had made for the main body of supper tonight. It consists of creamed potatoes with parsley, broccoli, creamed sweet potato (with a little nutmeg) and gammon in a pineapple salsa sauce. I had better admit now that I thought salsa was some sort of line dancing, but apparently it can also mean some sort of spicy food ??? Oh well, we lives and we learns. Goodnight all.

P.s. Should have added, that a very delicious, light supper it was, too. Again: Goodnight.

Thursday.

 

On Tuesday evening our good friend, Liz Alport, stayed over with us, in order to visit the Long Melford Antiue Fair on Wednesday, and brought the above roses for Ann. We then, all three of us, went to Sue and David's for supper. Always hospitable, they quite excelled themselves. Sue had cooked what she described as a 'hearty' (and as a one word description I couldn't better it !) casserole - it contained venison sausages, and a great selection of root vegetables. It was delicious. As well as the usual cutlery Sue had put out soup spoons, which was a wise provision for dealing with a 'hearty' casserole. She followed this by desert plates with, on each, four small portions, of different puddings, all subtly complementing each other. The pudding was, in turn, followed by a cheese board with three sorts of, locally sourced, cheeses; all were delicious, but I think we all felt that by this stage, we were quite unable to do justice to the cheese. Even by Sue and David's standards, it was a quite superb meal. Thank you David and Sue (I know they read my blog, although they never comment on it). My one regret about the meal is that I forgot to take my camera. Their dinner table would have made a superb picture, and I know they wouldn't have minded.

I'll have to close now, as Ann is calling me to supper. More later perhaps.

Tuesday.

 

As you can see from the above snapshot of Ann scraping ice from the windscreen of her car, we awoke to the first real frost of the winter this morning. By the time we drove into Sudbury to do a bit of shopping the frost had all gone, and it was a lovely day. Been a very busy one though, and we are now off to have supper with our friends Sue and David, taking our house guest Liz (a mutual friend) with us. More tomorrow perhaps.

Saturday 5.

 

Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus). Although an impressive figure, it seems to me that it says a lot for the courage and hardihood of the younger generation, that they don't flee on sight from this strange figure; but a good many of them stayed and chatted quite politely to him, I suppose in the hope of getting something decent from him in their stockings on Christmas morning. Shows, as I say, courage, and also good sense, and proves that there is hope yet, for the future of Britain.

Good night all.

Saturday 4.

 

The bric a brac stall. To be avoided if at all possible. The danger is that it is possible to have a brain storm, and in a moment of madness purchase something perfectly ghastly. The only thing to be done then is to keep the purchased object for a year, then hope that the person running the bric a brac stall next year can be persuaded to accept the ghastly object as a donation, and foist it onto yet another weak willed recipient.

Saturday 3.

 

The lottery stall. Mother and daughter buying lottery tickets from mother and son.

Saturday 2.

 

The six small Christmas cakes Ann made. Waiting to be taken to church. I am instructed to say that, as they are covered in cling film, they don't look at their best.

Saturday 1.

 

Been a busy day today. A bazaar was held in church. All the ladies have been cooking and baking, partly for the cake stall, and partly for the lunches that were served in the church. Ann baked six small Christmas cakes (all of which sold) and made three large dishes of chicken and broccoli bake, and one of a tuna bake (all of which, again, sold). My job was to get Ann and the Christmas cakes to the Church by ten a.m., and then to return home and get the dishes of savoury bake into the oven, cook them, and get them to the Church by noon (piping hot). I then whizzed round the book stall, bought three books, tried one or two of the other stalls, had a bite of lunch, then gathered round the piano, where we (the choir) sang carols. At the second carol, our choirmaster was approached by two young mothers, who explained that their daughters had been learning carols at school and wished to sing them with the choir. The daughters -both about six- then stood on the stage in front of the choir and sang all the rest of the carols with us, and - naturally- were the hit of the day!!!! Hopefully it may mean we eventually recruit two more young choir members - which we need. Back in a minute with more photoes. Oh, the one above shows part of the churchyard with brambles sporting not only late blackberries, but some very brave flowers. I do admire optimism (however misplaced!

Thursday 4.

 

This, believe it or not, is all that's left of the medieval kitchen of the guildhall. It's separate from the guildhall, so I should think that the food for the Guild Banquets was, at best, lukewarm by the time it reached the tables. All that's left is a massive open fireplace and flooring, and that's fast sinking into decay. The Guildhall itself, though is a glorious early building that is well looked after. More tomorrow, perhaps. Goodnight all.

Thursday 3.

 

Windows of different periods on the High Street. From left to right they are :- eighteenth century, seventeenth century, and fifteenth century.

Thursday 2.

 

Locked Church office at 11 a.m. (funeral at 11.30) and walked home the long way. We've lived here for fifteen years now, and still havn't explored all the lanes in the town centre, largely because I think some of them (including the above one) are probably private driveways. But they do look tempting.

Thursday 1.

 

Did an hour's work in the office of St. Mary's this morning. Repair work to tower is well under way (see photo above).

Wednesday 2.

 

P.s. to below blog. She is known as a 'Spinning Jenny'. There is a very good collection of bone prisoner of war work in Peterborough Museum. Hope this is of general interest, rather than minority interest, and not too specialised.

Above photo is of a Suffolk road, taken this morning (a lovely,sunny morning) on our way into Ipswich to look at a large, handsome, North Country, long case clock, which needs attention. Have booked it in. Had a very good, sandwich, lunch in a redundant Church in Ipswich. Good to see the place in use, and still serving the community. Just been chatting, on 'phone, to youngest daughter about Christmas, and it really is time for bed now. Again :- Goodnight All.