Friday 3.

More vivid autumn colours seen from the Churchyard. Met up with Ann (and a good many of our friends) and had coffee and croissants (sort of flaky French buns). Heard from Hilary that Eileen has been involved in a road accident and written her car off - she herself got away with a broken sternum. Went to High Street and bought some (very) early tulips for Eileen. Walked round to Eileen's, and to my surprise she answered the door herself. At least she is vertical and mobile, but warned me that she might scream at any moment- this would be due, not to my presence, but to very painful sternum. Gave her tulips and assurance that our car and one of us as driver was at her disposal as necessary. She's a game old bird (it's alright- she hasn't a computer, so is unlikely to read this blog). Walked home, and on way popped into Barber's shop and had a (much needed) haircut, so feel rather shaven and shorn now.

Friday 2.

The chap who runs this place is a well known chef and teaches cookery. I think the bike parked outside (and laden with vegetables and fruit) must belong to one of his students.

Friday 1.

This morning at 9 o'clock Ann took the car into town and parked near the Church. It was her turn to clean the Church, and she had to take our vacuum cleaner and general cleaning tools. At ten o'clock I followed her on foot to meet up at cafe church. Took photos along the way. This one shows the Autumn colours on our High Street.

Wednesday 4.

About a fortnight ago I had a 'phone call from someone we'd never met, but I'd been recommended to her (as an horologist) by a mutual friend. Her long case clock had been misbehaving -losing time but not even at a regular rate. She described the clock and I asked her if there was a maker's name on the dial. She believed there was, but didn't remember what it was. The clock had been in her family for a century or so, and had been (until recently) a very good timekeeper. We went (as per our appointment) and looked at the clock this morning. It was a very handsome, London made, clock of circa 1720, in its original beautifully figured walnut case, and by a good London maker. Asked for my usual requirements (newspaper to work on- and a cereal bowl or a soup dish to put the bits in as I dismember it) and took the clock apart on the kitchen table. The problem (as I'd half expected) was in the brass clutch spring under the dial behind the hands - the spring had weakened with age. The problem with this is that the hands have to come off, the dial has to be removed, as does most of the under dial work, before the clutch spring can be got at. Then the spring has to be reshaped (by hand) and retempered (by hammer) before the movement can be reassembled and put back into the case. During this time (about two hours) our hostess kept us supplied with excellent and copious coffee; and whilst I worked on the clock she and Ann discussed offspring and travel (in order to visit offspring). Passed a very pleasant morning before clock was up, going, and (I hope) now behaving itself, by keeping good time again - time will tell (please excuse poor pun).
Then drove on to Sudbury, where we lunched, Ann bought groceries, and I bought printing ink for computer, wine, and gin to make sloe gin. Got home about 4p.m.
Been a long day as we got up in time to go to early service. Plan to go upstairs, grab a drink, and what's left of an early night.
Goodnight all.
P.s. Took above photo this morning of autumnal Suffolk scenery.

Wednesday 3.

Apple pie mentioned in previous entry - one of even Ann's best efforts, served up with custard and/or cream. They stayed to tea and went back to Felixstowe in the evening. It had been a lovely day.

Wednesday 2.

Ann gave Tia the job of putting all the furniture back in the doll's house (which had recently been emptied) and Tia complied with alacrity and obviously thoroughly enjoyed the job. The doll's house is Victorian and lives under the stairs in the hall. We had a lovely day. They arrived before lunch. We had a roast chicken, followed by an apple pie.

Wednesday 1.

On Sunday our son Jonathan, his partner Jude, and Tia (who were weekending in Felixstowe and motored over to spend the day with us).

Tuesday.

Took this snapshot in the undercroft a few weeks ago when daughter Ruth was home (she's the one on the left). I think she was about to do the 'Alas poor Yorick speech'.

P.s. I should have said 'She's the attractive one on the left' (You creep Horner!!!)

P.p.s. Well - she sometimes reads my blog.

Friday.

Suffolk farmhouse, seen from a distance earlier this week.

Just a quick blog to place a recipe on record. We've just had an early-ish supper because we're going out to cinema club. The pudding we've just had consisted of the best baked apple I've ever tasted, and I wish I'd thought to take a photograph before I demolished it! The recipe Ann used is in a hand written cookery book that came from her Great Aunt Beth:-
Core the cooking apples and cut round the middle. Take warmed butter, brown moist sugar, dried fruit and a good pinch of cinnamon. Stir them together, and fill the core cavities with the mix. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes at 200c. and serve in the apple liquid from the pan.

I think the cooking apples used today were Bramleys. Must go. A film awaits -called, I think 'The Boys are Back. Will report on it later - if good. Probably will anyway, to warn you off if bad.
Cheers, Mike.

Thursday.

Took this photo of pink cosmos and late rosebuds in the garden yesterday. This morning we had the first frost - a sharp white one- so I think the leaves will soon be falling.

Wednesday.

The trees are beginning to show autumn colours. Not too bad for 20th October. It's been a mild autumn so far.

Tuesday 2.

A stormy sky in South Suffolk.

Tuesday 1.

Had to nip over to Colchester this afternoon, and went by the back lanes. About half way there we came across about twelve couple of the East Anglian Bloodhound Pack being exercised. The pack were slowed, we pulled into a handy gateway, enabling the pack to pass us, photographs to be taken, and courtesies exchanged. The pack don't hunt animals, but hunt by human scent alone; a track is laid down, and the pack follow it (usually from four to six miles). Aren't they a fine sight ?

P.s. Sorry about the slightly 'soft focus'. I think this was due to picture being taken via the car windscreen.

Saturday.

Had a very full (but very enjoyable) day yesterday. Went to cafe church in the morning, then motored across to March in Cambridgeshire, where we met up with daughter Kerry, and had lunch at the Oliver Cromwell hotel. It's a good, modern hotel in the town centre. We've stayed there a couple of times, and were given clean, commodious rooms, and excellent service. The food is unpretensious (that word doesn't look right - I've tried it with a 'c' and that looks even wronger), but good, fresh, and sourced from local ingredients (or ingreediments as dughter Ruth used to call them when younger). We had tea (Kerry), coffee (Ann and I) and sandwiches. Sat and nattered for a couple of hours or so, then drove over to Welney, where we put flowers on Gran's grave, then called on our old friend Marlene (must reword that - ungallant- our friend of long standing - Marlene). Hadn't seen her for some years, so, over tea and biccies, spent a very pleasant hour picking up the threads.
Then drove across to Ely, where we met up at the Fire Engine House (a very good restaurant), see above photo. Left to right :- Ann's older brother, Mick, Tim's wife Sue, Tim, who's sixtieth birthday we were celebrating, Ann, Maureen, David's wife, meself, and Ann's middle brother David. The photo was taken, at my request, by our quite charming young waitress. We astonished the staff (and other diners) by singing, quite unrehearsed and at David's instigation, our old school grace 'Be present at our table, Lord'. It was completely spontaneous, and sounded very good. No actual applause, but murmurs of appreciation (very English !) from our fellow diners. A coincidence here recounted :- sister-in-law Sue and I had a roast partridge each for the main course (rather a favourite of mine, but hadn't had one for a year or so) then this morning, when reading Pat's blog- Past Imperfect- found she had published several close ups of a partridge taken in her garden.
Altogether an excellent evening, although during the last year or so we have lost two of our usual number :- Mick's wife, Erica, and Gran, the mother of Mick, Ann, David, and Tim. Gran had expressed a wish, after the last family get -together she attended, in the summer, that her family continue occasionally to congregate and eat together, after she was gone. I think we shall continue to do so.

Wednesday 6.

Ann at entrance to (as stated) best garden centre in Suffolk.

It doesn't look much here, but it goes on for ever - well, there's lots of it, anyway.

Wednesday 5.

Herewith as promised.

Wednesday 4.

Stopped off at roadside plant stall on way home whose hand written labels usually repay study. Today, as you see, she was offering Handy Cycle men at £1.25 a pot. Bought a Dianthus and something else (can't remember what ). Then on to Sudbury and to the best nurseryman in East Anglia, whose knowledge of his subject is extensive, his advice and information are free, and his stock not expensive. He lives in a bungalow with at least half an acre of garden, all of which is set out as a richly stocked garden centre. Bought six trays of purple and yellow over wintering pansies, for use in the hanging baskets and urns. Crazy Gang joke, circa 1950 :- "What's a Greek Urn?" - "About three drachma a week".

Seem to have lost accompanying photo - will try to put it in next entry.

Wednesday 3.

Pie and pastry stall on Market -resisted!

Wednesday 2.

Had coffee near Cathedral then walked to Bury Market Place (Wednesday is Market Day in B.S.E.). The Market is a good, well attended and active one. Bought some tools and drill bits from a tool stall - the stallholder seemed to know his subject. Pottered around town for a while then back to Refectory where we both had venison for lunch; very good it was, too. Garage bloke picked us up outside the Angel Hotel (where, according to Dickens, Mr. Pickwick once stayed), then picked up car, payed, and drove home.

Wednesday 1.

Up early this morning and to early service where we both read a lesson. After service to Bury St. Edmund's and left car at garage for its service. Garage bloke ran us into town whilst service was done. Took above photo on Angel Hill. The Abbey Gate (just left of centre) has been in situ for around seven centuries. The Cathedral Tower to the right of the picture was finished a couple of years ago. Although it's taken us seven centuries I think we finally got the Cathedral right.

Monday 3.

Same lane, showing another couple of thatched cottages, one of them being rather well rethatched. I'd guess the thatcher (and the owner) is thanking The Lord for a fine autumn. We really are very fortunate in Suffolk with regard to pretty villages and fine old buildings. Being called upstairs now to an early supper as Ann is out this evening.

Monday 2.

Photo of a row of thatched cottages taken in a side lane about a hundred yards from the Church in the previous entry.

Monday 1.

This morning drove over to Bury St. Edmund's for Ann to have an eye test, and to book the car in for it's service. Had lunch at the Refectory (part of the Cathedral), as we usually do in Bury (and it was as good as it usually is). Drove home through a lovely sunny, perfect autumn afternoon, trying to retrace our steps from a similar drive home when Matthew was last with us, when we got lost in the lanes and found a fine medieval farm house that we'd not seen before, and seem fated not to see again, as we couldn't find it, this time (and have looked once before). I now rather regret not stopping to take a snapshot (it was fairly late in the evening). We are now starting to doubt our own memories of it. Perhaps it was an apparition that only appears once a century. Please ignore those last two sentences; we are practical rather than imaginative types. Anyway, we did stop to take the above photo in a tiny village about half a mile past the back of beyond.

Saturday.

Dead heading the late roses in the garden this morning and brought these two beauties into the house for Ann. Drove up to the school this morning to have my 'flu jab. Ann's recovering from a cold, so decided to have her jab in November. Came home and did the Telegraph prize crossword- took me just under half an hour. Sandwich lunch then to scrabble club. Played three games. Won the last. Middle one was best - three of us got a seven letter word, and a good close score. Called in at library on the way home -took out two books, and bought, from the 'surplus to requirements' table, a book on 'Life in Ancient Rome'- some useful stuff in it. Must get on in workshop. Got a Quaker clock waiting for me.

Friday 1.

Ann just called me out into the garden to see 'a beautiful spider'. I don't know much about spiders, but isn't he/she a beauty ?

Wednesday 2.

And just to be fair - Your blogger with two of his grandsons. All funerially garbed.