Kate likes to ‘du diffrunt’ as they say locally, so visited a number of places that weren’t on the open churches list, including some ruined churches and non-conformist chapels in her area. Below is Kate’s tale of her day.
“I thought that this year I would walk from Brooke to Saxlingham Nethergate where I am choirmistress at St Mary’s parish church. My usual journey is 6.2 miles, undertaken in my car, but I think I walked twelve miles that day, mainly by small minor roads and over footpaths. I was accompanied by my dog, Jakke, who thought Christmas had come early. With about a mile and a half to go, I received a phone call from my organist, to enquire whether I needed to be rescued. Seldom have I received an offer so tempting, but I resisted, and walked along the valley from Shotesham to Saxlingham, where the organist and friends awaited. I had started at 9.15, and it was now 4.30, but I had called at home for a bit of lunch before starting on Part ll of my Odyssey. Back in Brooke, I had a few cups of tea, and felt marginally better, then fed Jakke, who waited patiently at the back door for his usual walk along the field path and down to the river. I pointed out to him that we had just walked from Saxlingham, and that he was a mere stripling of ten years, but that I was 81, and perhaps it would be better if he came back on Tuesday. . . .
As for next year – what to do next?! I like to do something ‘different’, rather than merely biking around churches. I’ve done that lots of times. I’m wondering whether I could visit every church with a Marian dedication in the South Norfolk area. In a CAR! (There are limits!) How long it would take, and how many churches I would visit is, as yet a mystery. I must rely on my own durability and the reliability of Messrs Volkswagen….watch this space.”
Kate as an octogenarian that puts a lot of us younger ones to shame, thank you Kate for yours and Jakke’s efforts and we look forward to hearing about what you do ‘different’ in 2023.
