Autumn Thoughts

More friends, more visits and more weather. Just a couple of weeks ago friends from London ended up staying in Wells whilst visiting their daughter at UEA and celebrating their wedding anniversary. Taking pity on them following a typically tiresome journey up, I collected them from their B&B, The Old Custom House on East Quay, to go out for dinner. It was only the following day, when they popped into the gallery on their way to Norwich, that it transpired the view from their room was pretty much the same as one of our best-selling cards.

I have to say that this fact had escaped me the night before. My only defence was that it seemed very dark and I was concentrating on parking on the quay and not in the harbour.  Anyway, the dinner was good - vension from Stody - and well worth a drive through darkest Norfolk.

Following a brief trip to London for a fantastic Charity Event - www.adamshats.org - and a rare day at home, it was back to Norfolk for the opening of our latest exhibition in the Norwich Gallery.  This features the work of ALAN BENNETT - not that one - but a very talented artist now living here who paints trees and heathland. If you get the chance its well worth a look.  On previous occasions we have shown his bigger works, but this time there's something for all walls and budgets.

My return seemed to signal the true onset of Autumn here. Monday was foul by common consent.  It was improved considerably by a visit to the wonderful DUCK INN just up the road.  Fantastic food accompanied by music from NICK HAYWOOD who has also been known to make beautiful buildings for your garden and can also turn his hand to painting.  The transformation from the Duck's previous incarnation as the idiosyncratic Crown is remarkable.  This the first of music/casserole nights on Mondays looks like a must for the next few weeks!

Perhaps prompted by a weekend of indulgence, the delights of Brancaster Beach are back in my schedule on a semi-regular basis. This week I have been rained on, hailed on and yesterday almost blown over. So much better than sunbathing I always think.