Friday 7th June 2024

Friday.

Bin Day.

And last day at work for the week. With added meetings.

An unstructured two hour discussion where little seemed to be agreed, and so minds began to wander and tempers became shorter.

Not sure if the person misspoke, or we heard it wrong or there was a nuance of meaning we all missed, but strong words were heard, tempers exploded, and the meeting ended.

I tried to find out if the others had heard what I heard, they had, so not just me.

It all leant a rather surreal end to the week, so I was glad to log off at two, when Jools came back, so we could go out.

We went to PGD to look for the Musks. Traffic was a bit mad out of the port and along the A2, so I was glad to turn off into the countryside and onto the Elham Valley road at Barham.

Up the valley side, and down to the car parking space, where we were the only ones there. These things happen once the Monkey fade, fewer come here, sometimes we see no one in two or three hours.

My knee is getting better, but it seems I have been overcompensating with my foot, to the point I trained some or all of the ligaments in my right foot, which explains the pain.

However, this I did not realise until Saturday morning, and so for the rest of Friday my foot was painful, and walking up the meadow and down was painful.

The monkey have faded, though one or two were worth snapping still, though this is supposed to be their peak week!

Through the first two paddocks and up the slope of the third. I prepared myself for a long hunt, maybe not finding any at all, and then, just ten minutes in, I found a spike.

Then two, three and a forth.

The first I have seen in two years.

We take shots, then walk along to check for others and different species, before turning back.

At the stile I met a couple. I knew what they were looking for, so knew I would help.

Looking for anything in particular?

We heard there's Musks here, said the couple from Yorkshire.

I found four I said.

Here?

Yes.

In this paddock?

Yes. They are small, have you seen them before?

Are they purple the lady asked.

No, small and green I said. She replied that they had lost internet connection, so would have trouble.

Shall I show you, I asked.

Yes, please.

Now, Musk are so small, there is a good chance of not finding them a second time, but I remember where in relation to the Lady Orchid they were, and within a minute I had found them.

They were pleased, and got down to take shots.

We left exit stage left, or jobs here were done.

I hobbled back to the car, then drove us home. No cards for us as Engerland were playing in the evening, and I still haven't learned my lesson about disappointing football matches.

I cooked chorizo hash, which we just managed to finish before the quiz. And I scored a big fat zero as I got the wrong Tom Waits LP, it was Rain Digs rather than Swordfishtrombones.

And then to the football. England were poor, and Iceland. Iceland were good. Better than England. A 1-0 win for the former Vikings, though it could have been four, and England go into the Euros on the crest of a slump.

So it goes.