Pre-Christmas shopping

Norwich was heaving yesterday. Tuesday's are usually fairly quiet, but the city was busy busy busy with people clearly starting their seasonal purchasing. The first indication that the hordes had arrived were the "FULL" signs against the usual carparks. The only choice left was the new Chapelfield Shopping Centre carpark, which is not the cheapest in town, hence there were several hundred spaces. And then out into the streets, threading through the throng, clutching my list and enjoyuing the bustle and the crisp cool air.

It's a good city to go to. It's also the closest from where I live. Ipswich is about an hour, and it's rather vile. Bury St Edmunds is 45 minutes (on a good day and no sugar-beet lorries), but is rather limited, whereas Norwich is only 35-40 minutes and has an excellent variety.

"Cafe Rouge" is always a good lunch stop, as is "Togos" sandwich bar, but yesterday it was "Waggamama" and a bowl of chicken and pork soup with noodles, spinach leaves, and a sliced chargrilled chicken breast. A warming meal just right as the sun dipped and the temperature started to drop.


Next week though I'm off to the English Convent in Brugge for my pre-Christmas retreat. A couple of years ago that first week in December was SO cold there that the canals froze over and I spent the afternoons moving from one cafe to the next and being warmed with a mulled wine. Now that's what I call a Retreat!

Desert Island Films (1)

If I was castaway on a desert island and could take 10 films with me, which ones would they be?

Well, there's have to be this one .... I can watch it time and again.



The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

It's going to have to be one of our study films for Lent 2008!

Rising above it all

When you think the whole world's against you, and you've got problems, take a look at these two. They've risen above their disability and made something beautiful.



(Thanks to Pat who sent me this link)

More images

More images of yesterday's high water surge from the local BBC Gallery.

High waves at Lowestoft



The Butt & Oyster at Pin Mill - anyone fancy salt & vinegar crisps?


Dunwich church

By a hair's-breadth

If the water had been but 8 inches higher our coastline would not have escaped the predicted flooding. As it was, it got damp in various places.

High-tide wave at Lowestoft



Flooding along the river Waveney at Beccles



Pictures are from the Local BBC website

High tide

I had my windows cleaned today, for the first time in six years. That's not to say they haven't been cleaned in all that time, but this was the first time I've paid someone to do them properly. That was this morning. This afternoon it rained - in torrents! The back patio was awash, but the cleared drainage channel worked well. The big new water butt caught a good amount, and it was a real autumnal afternoon, with a fresh wind blowing down from the north.

However, with a Force 8 gale blowing down the North Sea all day coinciding with two very high tides along the East Anglian coast, and there are 6 Flood Warnings in place and numerous other Flood Watches for our area.


There are also several Flood Watches in place for the Waveney river. It's not unusual for our local river to burst its banks in winter. The wide "flood plain" meadows do their job excellently, and the bridge at Homersfield is always a good indication of how high the flood waters are. (Trivia: This was the first concrete bridge in the UK, built mid 19th century).


It doesn't look good for Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft tonight - the peak of the 6ft surge due at around 7.00 a.m. We'll see what the morning brings!

Remember, Remember ...

The annual remembrance of the campaign against, as the Service of Thanksgiving for Deliverance from the Gunpowder Plot puts it ... "the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities".

My... that's a big one!

Local brew

I don't often go there - in fact I haven't been there since the start of August, but St. Peter's Brewery was the destination Saturday lunchtime. I stuck to one brew, the Suffolk Gold (2.9 abv), whilst my companion had the Winter Ale (4.6 abv). After two bottles each it was time to walk home - just a mile down the road .....
it wash a lubberly strowl ..... no wind (*farp*) and clear air ... and once back, the armchairs were deep and soft .... (*hic*)

A gentleman's Gentleman

There are times when I could do with a decent butler .....

He didn't arrive again!

Last night, and the Feast of the Great Pumpkin, and I waited eagerly for him to arrive with goodies and sweets, but not a sign. And I even put out this carved image to welcome him.

*sigh*