Another ‘final’ service today, at one of the smaller churches in our benefice (group) of six. There were about twice as many people in church as usual, which must say something. Glad to see me go? Sad to say goodbye? Looking for free eats and wine? No, not really. That doesn’t do them justice, for they’re lovely people and I shall miss them loads.
After the service and all those hugs and kisses at the door, Ed and I were just moving next door to the converted barn for refreshments and what not, when a couple from one of the other churches fetched up with a beautiful purple orchid in a pot and couple of bunches of carnations.
“This is from the Pensioners, to say thank you,” they said, as they thrust the assorted blooms into my hands. I’d given a talk last week to the Pensioners’ Club and forgotten all about it (except that one of the club members turned out to be the brother of someone I was at school with about a hundred years ago and about two hundred miles away.)
Then we all trooped into the Barn together, where there was a sumptuous finger buffet and the statutary wine. After a bit of noshing and chat, someone got up and gave a nice but mercifully short speech about Ed and me, whereupon they presented us with a huge bouquet of flowers, nearly bigger than me, and a lovely, framed aerial photo of the village, with the church in central position. We are so delighted.
Then it was masses more hugs and kisses (and one or two tears, if truth be told) all round and we eventually got away.
Nearly there.
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Today is our thirty-ninth wedding anniversary, so Ed and I tottered into Norwich on our bus passes for a spectacular day out.
The chain on the shower tidy we bought only last week is already rusting, so we took it back to Lakeland. It’s our second attempt at this particular shower tidy. We bought one the previous week but it rusted so we took it back.
“Can’t understand it,” said the very nice assistant. “I’ve had one for twelve years and it hasn’t rusted.”
Our fault, then? Perhaps we have special rust-producing water in our shower. Anyway, she offered us another one last week, ‘just to see’ and urged us to return it if that too rusted. It did so we did and got our money back.
We then bought a couple of suction shower tidies with no chain. Not much danger of rusting there. But will they cling to the tiles…?
Naturally I had to wander round the rest of the shop and spend even more money on baking trays and the like. Haven’t baked for years, but with retirement looming…
We had lunch al fresco at a little café, nicely helped down by a glass of ice-cold Becks, then caught the bus home, just before the football crowds started. Glad we did, too, since at the last count Norwich were losing five nil – and they dropped a division last year. According to the local paper’s website, most of the fans were so disgruntled they left at half-time. And a disgruntled fan is not one I particularly want to meet.
There was a message from youngest daughter on the answer-phone when we got home. She’s back from Belgium (a dig, I think, in the First World War trenches. Sounds highly macabre to me, but she revels in it) and is coming up to Norfolk for a week on Wednesday.
“I’ll call in on you first,” she announced, “before I go on to stay with Al.”
“That’s funny,” I said to Ed. “She’s never been here first before.”
“She hasn’t got a key to Al’s place,” he explained, pragmatically.
Now, just at the moment, we’re both on laptops and tonight we’ll watch the telly.
O.K., you may not be unduly impressed with our spectacular day, but we’ve loved it!
P.S. Got a publisher for my novel. Am thrilled. Should be out within a year, all about life in small English Church of England parishes, strangely enough. Being published in America. I’m finding it really quite exciting.
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…literally. The Council have now collected our old cooker and the fridge which started leaking about three years ago and has lived in the garage ever since, plus two or three beds with mattresses in varying stages of broken springs.
Today, eldest daughter and family came over with a large van which they’d hired. We loaded it with the new fridge/freezer (something of a job as it stands about six foot four and only just cleared the roof of the van. Apparently you have to keep fridges upright, otherwise those nasty chemicals do all sorts of nasty dances with the result that the atmosphere is thoroughly polluted and the fridge refuses to work.) And they took the large computer desk, which we discovered weighs a ton, a bookcase, two filing cabinets and a couple of recliner armchairs, plus two large house plants in pots.
Rachel from next door popped across, but unfortunately the dishwasher is slightly too big to fit in the new house her daughter has bought to let. Still, she’ll take the washing machine (and feed the cat for a week until he’s taken to his new home.)
So now the Rectory has ceased to rock and feels desolate in the extreme. It is devoid of chairs, has one remaining bed, a table, a dresser and a TV, most of which will go on Monday when the Salvation Army arrive with their lorry.
After that it’s chucking out into a skip – and then the Rectory is empty.
Rachel next door said, “It’s losing its vibes already.”
Sadly, I think she’s right.
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Isn’t it an odd feeling when your children become your parents?
Eldest daughter and family popped over for the day last week, just to catch up and share holiday photos. In the course of the day, eldest daughter said,
“By the way, I’ve taken over your birthday arrangements.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. When Bex told me about the roller skating I thought it was quite mad. What if you fall? You’ve a big weekend coming up just after that. You want to be fit for that, don’t you?”
“Er, yes, I suppose so.”
“Well, I think we should do something much quieter.”
“Like a quiet family dinner in a nearby restaurant?”
She beamed. “That would be so much better. I’ll book it all, you won’t have to do anything. Oh, and we’ll come and stay the night. Bex and Al will stay at Al’s place. We’ll have it on the night before your big retirement farewell at the church. That way we’ll all be together and it won’t need a second visit.”
“OK,” I said. “But can I go roller skating some time after I’ve retired?”
“Yes, of course!” she said.
I thought she was going to add, “If you’re a good girl and eat up all your greens.”
But she didn’t.
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Had three farewell services yesterday, which means four down and two to go, plus the final biggie.
The first was also a baptism within communion, so I had fun with bubbles which always go down well. After the service they presented Ed and me with a picture of the church, painted by a local artist.
Then it was on to the second farewell, after which they gave us a sumptuous lunch, with the wine flowing freely. (At this point I had already quaffed the remains of two chalices, you understand.)
After that we fetched up at a Ruby Wedding celebration, held in the garden in glorious weather – with more food and more wine.
Then it was on to Evensong and another farewell. This time with refreshments after the service and – you’re there ahead of me – more wine.
After which Ed and I staggered home to bed. Well, I staggered more than Ed. No, not because of the wine, but because I was wearing a skirt instead of trousers, which necessitated four-inch heeled sandals. It was a bit like balancing on stilts for the entire day. By the end I would gladly have cut off my feet. Well, no, perhaps I wouldn’t. But you know what I mean.
All told, an exhausting day, but great. Ed and I talked to so many people, ate more food than we could comfortably manage and drank some good quality wine!
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