Sunday 16th June 2024

What should have been a great day.

A perfect day, if you will.

Having done 16,000 steps on Friday with no real downsides other than being really tired, I thought for Sunday I would go back to Sandwich Bay for the peak of the Lizard Orchids.

On the way we would visit three other sites for orchids, then a walk over the golf course and back again.

In the end, it went all well until I set off across the meadow to the golf course at Sandwich Bay.

Before then, there was coffee, breakfast and another coffee.

First stop was Whitfield where last year we had noticed two spikes of Common Spotted Orchids, on Saturday we noticed more spikes, so went back and found close to 30 spikes, some starting to go to seed and so turning brown at the bottom of the spike.

Passing cars looked at what I was doing, out of curiosity rather than pity.

I hope.

Next it was a return to the council offices for their display of Bee Orchids, of which about a decade ago I gave the facilities manager guidance on how to look after them.

It is working,, as the little golf flags marking each spike are now spreading not just across the area beside the road, but now down to the offices themselves and even spread across the road near to the council tip.

I went round to snap each spike, and was lost in my tasks so unaware of a figure approaching.

You're trespassing, he said.

I showed him the orchids and explained.

He went from being official, to amusement and then actual interest.

Tristan, as that was his name, asked about the rare variant I had just seen, so showed him the usual colour form, and then the partially yellow one.

He was really interested, but as I said, I have been coming here at least six years, but now with the spread meant venturing onto private land, so anyway, he was happy and asked to post shots to the manager.

Next onto the building site on the edge of Deal where I went to look for the elusive yellow Bee. This time I parked on the road so not to set off the automated trespasser warnings, and with Jools remaining in the car to read, I went hunting.

One massive spike of Bee beside the path, and on the roundabout about twenty more spikes, though some already going to seed.

I take shots and make our getaway before security or worse come to investigate.

And finally onto Sandwich Bay, where the centre was all locked at nine in the morning, so we made our way over the meadow and then the slacks to the golf course and to the Strand beyond.

I have strained the ligaments in my ankle now, now that my knee is pain-free, and shoes press in on the painful ligaments on the outside of my arch, so that soon walking became painful.

The struggle was lit by the site of a male Marsh Harrier taking off from its nest, making all sorts of raptor noises as it flew off like a pale ghost.

Then onto the golf course and over the two fairways, which were deserted, pausing halfway for the first colony of Lizards.

We reached the beach, I snapped plenty of orchids, found the remains of the Man Orchids, now just a stem with swollen ovaries. Jools looked at me and asked if she should go and fetch the car.

Yes, I said.

Walking just too painful. Though it must be said, once home and the shoe off, life and my leg much less painful and bearable.

But the day was done. Jools drove us home, then after a brew, she sat outside to read and I messed around on the computer until the first game kicked off at two.

A few weeks back, I was persuaded to buy a côte de boeuf from the butchers, and they had, at my request cut it in half, though once home I had frozen both halves together, and once frozen there was no getting them apart. So, we invited Jen and I would find a recipe of griddling and oven cooking it, and add to that Hasselback potatoes and chilli stir fry, and a bottle of best red plonk.

I just had to schedule it between the football.

Only the potatoes really took any time, the steak being oiled, seasoned and smeared with horseradish, left to defrost and then cooked.

Once cooked, the meat was sliced and put on a platter, and we could eat as much as we wanted. Even then there was a sizeable half pound left for lunches during the week.

We ate well, and drank deeply.

Jools took Jen home, while I got ready for the evening's entertainment, England v Serbia.

Not a good game, but England won, scoring at the end of the best move, while Denmark and Slovenia drew 1-1 in their game. England will get better, but so will the opposition.

Onwards and upwards.