Lino cuts

I thought we’d sleep well given the long journey down here but I had at most 4 hours with waking spells between. Maybe my podcast on Labour leaders since 1945 was too engrossing.

Today is #3 daughter’s 15th wedding anniversary. They all went to Tynecot war cemetery and Vladslo to see the Kathe Kollowitz grieving parents statues that we went 20 years ago with Carole and Dennis when they were a couple.

We left our hosts to await delivery of a new washing machine while we drove to visit an old colleague of mine and his wife who has dementia. I was apprehensive, not sure how she’d be. I’m not convinced she knew who we were but we had a jolly time. I remembered stories she’d told me about her childhood. (Her father worked for the British Council in Venezuela and Pakistan) and of course she has clear memories of that time driving up the Indus and over the Kyber pass to Afghanistan so we chatted about that and she seemed to enjoy it. It’s so sad as Nigel is feeling the weight of being her carer. What was particularly upsetting was that both Mr C and I thought he too was getting a bit muddled and forgetful but maybe it’s the stress. He was a bit tearful when we said goodbye and thanked us for making the effort to be in touch as he admits he is hopeless at that.

On returning to Ipswich Carole and I popped into Christchurch Mansion to see a print, painting and Lino cut exhibition. It was interesting - some artists in Suffolk’s collection - a Giacometti, a Hockney, paintings by Constable and Gainsborough of course, with contributions from living local artists like Lily Hammond. My blip is linocuts by Dale Deveraux Barker. He was resident artist at Crown Pools in the 1980s and I love the movement and shapes in these. Carole is very knowledgeable about art.

We had a stroll in the park - it was warm and sunny but not oppressive.

Dennis called for us with Tish his new partner ( met by him when we were all in Madagascar almost 2 years ago) and we went for an Indian meal. Ruth, a lovely ex-colleague of mine also came. Luckily Carole arranged that I sat by Ruth so we had a good catch up. Dennis’s new woman is very nice and chatty when asked about herself, showing photos of her children, but never asked back. Dennis says they want to visit us for a few days so we’ll see.