A portrait of Norman

It is almost dark when I get up, but there is a line of brightness on the eastern horizon announcing the imminent arrival of a new day. I follow Norman into the garden and photograph the scene, a touch of frost on the long grass in the meadow and swirls of mist lingering in the hollows. Once back indoors, I set about making breakfast and coffee, the new filter papers from Morrisons are a real disappointment, twice this week they have collapsed, dumping the grounds into the jug. The solution is to use two filters instead of one, but that also doubles the price. After breakfast, the washing machine is loaded with shirts and the shorts and vests, that have been drying in the garage, recovered. They still feel somewhat damp and so are set to air on the radiators, before I settle down to read the Saturday Guardian and finish off my coffee. Felicity phones around nine thirty to say her son is coming to visit and is unsure about the Poppy Seed, he is due to arrive at noon, so I tell her to save her strength and enjoy the visit. We leave the house at ten after hanging the freshly laundered shirts in the garage and loading the machine with this weeks whites. I am picking up my grandsons, Clement and Louis from Sarah's house after the Poppy Seed and so park near Louis' school and then walk with Norman up Bleach Yard and down New Walk into town. On our way we meet Joy, Felicity's sister, who lives a little further along than Sarah, she is letting in workmen, who are fitting a new kitchen this morning, and sends her apologies to the Saturday morning coffee group. We are first to arrive at the Poppy Seed, but Sylvia, who lives round the corner from Fliss, comes in as we clear some plates from our usual table by the window. She is soon followed by Jill and a companion, who are rendezvousing with Sylvia before going to meet Hannah at the Scandinavian Market in Hull. After everyone has settled down and ordered drinks, one of the regulars comes over and hands me a card, with some sketches of Norman, nestled in my arm, that he drew two weeks ago. The card is inscribed as follows:-
Saturday 10th November 2012
A very much loved elderly dog sits
With it's owner in Poppy Seed,
Beverley.
I am both delighted and touched by the sketches and the artist's generosity and ask him to sign it for me. His name is John Geekin, and he has captured Norman's contented features to a tee. We all leave together, around half past eleven, they to the Scandinavian Market and we to Sarah's house. Sarah has already left for her dental appointment, she is having some wisdom teeth removed, so Clement, Louis and I set off to walk through town to the library. I collect the other Simone Weil book I ordered, "The need for roots", and Louis selects a superhero book from the children's section and then we retrace our steps. Clement offers to buy lunch at the Thai restaurant, which we both love, but Louis is adamant that he wants fish and chips from Sullivan's, probably the best chippy in Beverley. We take our meals and sit on a bench in Toll Gavel and watch the market day crowds walk past as we eat our fish and chips. There are a number of Burnley football fans in the crowds, Hull are playing Burnley at the KC stadium this afternoon. Norman is alert, as ever, for donations and when Louis accidentally loses half his haddock from his batter, it hardly has time to bounce from the pavement, before Normy requisitions it. After this al fresco lunch, we make our way to the market, because Louis wants to buy a toy with his pocket money, Clement and I teasing him, suggesting vegetables, flowers or some tea towels, before allowing him to buy some toy racing cars. Louis is delighted that his big brother is home from college and wants us all to go to the swimming pool this afternoon, and we agree, because the exercise will tire him out and facilitate an early night, thus giving Sarah more time to recover. We make our way back to North Bar and then I head home, in order to collect my swimming gear and to leave Norman in his basket, before returning to collect my grandsons and driving to the pool. The inflatable obstacle course is in the pool, for the children to play on, but Louis tires of that and wants to play with myself and Clement, so we invent a game called tossing the chugs, and throw Louis between us. Louis loves the game and can't get enough of being thrown up in the air to land with a splash in the water. The only drawback being his size and weight, it is like tossing a sack of potatoes, and I suspect my arms and shoulders will register the effect tomorrow. After our swim we have hot chocolate in the cafe and then I drive them home. Sarah has gone to bed to recover from her extraction and Clement is making dinner for Louis, before putting him to bed. Despite his haddock lunch, Norman still expects his dinner when I get in, so I open a tin for him, before making my own evening meal of pork chop, chips and salad. I wasn't sure I could eat another cooked meal, but "tossing the chugs", has restored my appetite. After dinner, I read for a while but then the forecast rain starts to rattle against the window, so I decide to take Norman for his evening walk, before the rain develops into the gale that has been forecast for later this evening. The westerly wind, that has brought the rain, has brought warmer air and so it is not too cold as we walk round the village, sheltered underneath my golf umbrella, I let Normy off at the usual place to play "praise and pat", but the old boy, very sensibly, decides to leg it for home. I dry him on his towel when we get in and then settle down with my book again. The wind builds and the rain lashes against the patio doors in the garden room, but my little dog sleeps through it all, his gentle snores in counterpoint to the storm. To bed around eleven.