I am always disappointed by rail journeys. What I mean is that I secretly cherish the idea of them, every time I buy a ticket and then get on board and am frequently dismayed. It's not always the train operator to blame, though overcrowded carriages are infuriating and even if you 've got a seat youbare all too aware of the envy and discomfort of those standing. It's also the total absence of manners and lack of courtesy, from noisy equipment (called personal) to unwrapping and munching hot food.
I arrived late in Norwich and got the bus to my sister Ursula's house on the Unthank Rd. She kindly took me to the hospital after a delicious breakfast the next day. Mr Patel is the upper limbs surgeon and one of the best in the country. He looked at my xrays and explained that the pain I had been feeling all summer was caused by Avuscular Necrosis on the ball of my shoulder. As it was patchy he wanted to wait three months before deciding to replace the shoulder. Suddenly it's like being in a movie. So much information, unexpected and grave and u are meant to process it....
I took the bus into Norwich centre to meet Desmond at the station and then went with him to exchange his underpants and nightshirt in John Lewis....we did get some odd looks as we spouted off about the party in Annabel's.
The NORFOK CLUB for lunch is something I hadn't done since about 1980. DES as usual blagged his way into the car park by racing through behind an elderly lady who you could see thought we were up to something but she didn't know what.
The dining room was half full of people munching through minced steak pie and roly poly pudding.... "Theres NOBODY here....!" says Desmond to the dining room at the top of his voice...
We had sherry, potted shrimps, Toad in the Hole and coffee. Perfect club food in the perfect club atmosphere.
ITALIAN SHOOTING PARTY AT WIVETON HALL
We drove on up to the coast and had a walk on the beach with Desmonds shooting party.
The following morning The duck flighting woke me at 6.00am. 90 shots in total with a bag of 7 duck. After breakfast I joined them and by the time I left to go to Bridget Howell's memorial service at 11.30am. When I got back at 3.00pm they had added 4 cockerel to the bag.....the same ones that had woken them up at 3.00am.
The memorial service was small, moving and dignified. Bridget Howell had been my landlady 31 years ago. St margrave church in Cley is one of the most beautiful medieval churches in Norfolk.....of which there are 649.....yup, 649!
The family held a delightful lunch in the small village hall afterwards and with the roaring log fire, lasagne and ols friends from the past including Bridget Buxton from Horsey, who I first met in Ardtornish in 1973' and Ron and Phyl Buxton from Kimberley who were also my landlords at Kimberley Hall in 1982! Philip, Clare, Rosalyn and Jamie Howell acted as marvellous hosts. Bridget Howell would have been thrilled.
Jamie and I took the train to London, me for an early night and Jamie off to Annabel's.
The following mmorning I met some friends from Texas at the Berkeley Hotel, toured the Cabinet War rooms, the Wallace Collection, Harrods, Erik Lorincz's cocktails at the American Bar at the Savoy, dinner at Nobu and then a flutter on the Table at Annabels.
Quite a mixed bag of a week end.....
I arrived late in Norwich and got the bus to my sister Ursula's house on the Unthank Rd. She kindly took me to the hospital after a delicious breakfast the next day. Mr Patel is the upper limbs surgeon and one of the best in the country. He looked at my xrays and explained that the pain I had been feeling all summer was caused by Avuscular Necrosis on the ball of my shoulder. As it was patchy he wanted to wait three months before deciding to replace the shoulder. Suddenly it's like being in a movie. So much information, unexpected and grave and u are meant to process it....
I took the bus into Norwich centre to meet Desmond at the station and then went with him to exchange his underpants and nightshirt in John Lewis....we did get some odd looks as we spouted off about the party in Annabel's.
The NORFOK CLUB for lunch is something I hadn't done since about 1980. DES as usual blagged his way into the car park by racing through behind an elderly lady who you could see thought we were up to something but she didn't know what.
The dining room was half full of people munching through minced steak pie and roly poly pudding.... "Theres NOBODY here....!" says Desmond to the dining room at the top of his voice...
We had sherry, potted shrimps, Toad in the Hole and coffee. Perfect club food in the perfect club atmosphere.
ITALIAN SHOOTING PARTY AT WIVETON HALL
We drove on up to the coast and had a walk on the beach with Desmonds shooting party.
The following morning The duck flighting woke me at 6.00am. 90 shots in total with a bag of 7 duck. After breakfast I joined them and by the time I left to go to Bridget Howell's memorial service at 11.30am. When I got back at 3.00pm they had added 4 cockerel to the bag.....the same ones that had woken them up at 3.00am.
The memorial service was small, moving and dignified. Bridget Howell had been my landlady 31 years ago. St margrave church in Cley is one of the most beautiful medieval churches in Norfolk.....of which there are 649.....yup, 649!
The family held a delightful lunch in the small village hall afterwards and with the roaring log fire, lasagne and ols friends from the past including Bridget Buxton from Horsey, who I first met in Ardtornish in 1973' and Ron and Phyl Buxton from Kimberley who were also my landlords at Kimberley Hall in 1982! Philip, Clare, Rosalyn and Jamie Howell acted as marvellous hosts. Bridget Howell would have been thrilled.
Jamie and I took the train to London, me for an early night and Jamie off to Annabel's.
The following mmorning I met some friends from Texas at the Berkeley Hotel, toured the Cabinet War rooms, the Wallace Collection, Harrods, Erik Lorincz's cocktails at the American Bar at the Savoy, dinner at Nobu and then a flutter on the Table at Annabels.
Quite a mixed bag of a week end.....