The river rose further overnight. When I went to feed the cats yesterday afternoon, the beck was high but contained, but it had flooded by the morning. The bridge hasn’t quite gone floatsies (as my mile and a half away neighbour Louis de Bernieres puts it) but Christophe, who slipped from it a week ago, would certainly have been well wetted today.

I’d arranged to go and see my friend Jan, who lives in Mendham (Alfred Munnings country) this morning but I wasn’t sure if I’d get through. I turned back on the first road I tried – I wasn’t sure how deep the water was, but I wasn’t going to risk it, especially in the electric car. The BMW wouldn’t have been better, it rides very low. The high road was okay though. The Waveney couldn’t be distinguished from the surrounding fields, there was a great big lake, but the road rose above it. Jan was in a nursing home for a long time, having just gone for respite care and now she has a live-in carer as she can’t walk any more. She’s 91, her mind is absolutely sharp and agile, but her body is failing her.

I’m turning out my study, which is not well timed, but necessary. I feel harassed, but it’ll all get done. My poor cleaners will be asked to blitz it and the further dining room, tomorrow. I’d rather have those two rooms really well cleaned than anything else – they tend to give a quick whizz through the whole house, but in-depth cleaning is absolutely needed. I’d like to wash the carpet, but that will have to wait.