Friday was our 44th wedding anniversary and so we ate at Bolton's Bistro in Cromer. It's part of the Cliftonville Hotel and we have eaten there a couple of times now.
The bistro is named after Tom Bolton who used to own the Cliftonville. I remember Tom well from my two years working in Cromer in the 1970s. I have tried to find some details of him on the internet with very little success. So from memory I believe he was Town Mayor, chairman of the town council and a leading fisherman (that's fishing as a hobby rather than as trade).
On Saturday did one of my favourite walks - from Morston to Blakeney along a bank. It's a walk of about one-and-a-half miles but it gives you a wonderful view of the wide Norfolk skies across fields and water that stretch for what must be 10 miles. People always talk about Norfolk skies and yesterday was a brilliant example of how they can change in what seems a fleeting moment.
It started with bright blues skies and ended on the walk back with some thunderous clouds. We had just started on a walk at Blakeney when it decided to absolutely pee down. A sudden soaking that wasn't part of the menu for the day. Hopefully my photographs will illustrate some of the changing skies that make our county so fascinating.
If you are a member of the National Trust you can park at Morston free of charge. A few weeks ago we parked there and there were just four other cars. Today the car park was almost full and we got one of the few remaining places - just shows how lockdown has relaxed. There was little evidence of social distancing either.
One resident of Cromer told us that, after three months of not going out, he was seriously concerned that North Norfolk might suffer a covid spike due to visitors coming in from all parts of the UK.
On the way to Morston we stopped off at Wiveton Hall Café. This burst onto national prominence when a television programme engagingly entitled "Normal for Norfolk" was filmed there. I have to say that it is a rather zany place and not really Normal for Norfolk at all!
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Was sad today to hear that Fleetwood Mac founder and one of the greatest guitarists ever, Peter Green, has died. I am talking about Fleetwood Mac when they were a true blues/rock band and before they turned to peddling pop music as a trade. Green wrote "Man of The World," "Oh Well," "Green Manalishi" and "Albatross" and many other classics.
Many people will only be aware of the Fleetwood Mac of the Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham era. If that is the case I would urge you to listen to their earlier music which bears no resemblance to their later work.
Here are the lyrics from Man of the World - impressive poetry in their own right:
Shall I tell you about my life
They say I'm a man of the world
I've flown across every tide
And I've seen lots of pretty girls
I guess I've got everything I need
I wouldn't ask for more
And there's no one I'd rather be
But I just wish that I'd never been born
And I need a good woman
to make me feel like a good man should
I don't say I'm a good man
Oh, but I would be if I could
I could tell you about my life
And keep you amused I'm sure
About all the times I've cried
And how I don't want to be sad anymore
And how I wish I was in love