So, the churchcrawling group is going well. We have done four visits, and most of the group are enthused and amazed at the history and wonders on their doorsteps.
So, the 5th visit is next week, but one of the group will be away visiting her family, and for the final visit of the year: so would I take her to the two churches before she left?
I would.
And Wednesday was the day.
I backed out of bridge, so the morning was clear. Jools just had to get to the station before quarter to ten after her Qigong class.
But, she said, the station was just a five minute walk away from the Riverside Centre, so didn't need a lift.
Just dropping into town before eight.
Which I did.
And already the wind was blowing and the rain falling. But Mother Nature had barely got started.
Back home via Tesco where I bought some carrots, celery, bread amongst other things, then back home by half eight for breakfast before going to Walmer to pick Carol up.
By then the sun had given up on the day, thick clouds hung just above the tree tops, wind blew, and sheets of rain fell.
You can never book the weather when arranging meetings or trips, so today proved again.
She climbed in, and I drove through Deal, out over the railway line to Worth before doubling back along the Sandwich Road to Whitfiled, then along to Waldershare.
All Saints is a small estate church, a 17th century Chancel with 18th century side chapes and a 19th century Nave.
Despite being just a mile from Jen's, its situated down a lane, and only the brown "historical church" sign pointing down it to show there is anything worth seeing.
As it is, as you pass the old stable block, it feels like you're trespassing, but the lych gate is in front with a small muddy are for parking in front.
The triple gable end appears through the bushes, so we walk up, past the sad grave of a 14 year old miner who died in Tillmanstone at the beginning of the 20th century, and to the porch where the door swung open.
The church is cold and austere, but to the east the Chancel is tiled richly and glistened once I found the light switch.
But then there are the chapels.
To the north, a 17th century tomb with a couple carved in marble holding hands for eternity above.
"It contains the tomb of Susan Bertie. The same tomb also commemorates Montague, Earl of Lindsey, who was loyal to Charles I, and is noted as 'having attended his sacred Majestic to his grave and giving him a Christian burial at Windsor after his barbarous and horrid murder"
To the north, a memorial so large that the chapel must have been built around it.
Four life sized statues of young ladies, each in mourning, and above two more layers each with winged cherubs. There's another layer above that, with an urn, but that is so close to the ceiling.
"The north chapel was built in 1712 to accommodate the monument to Sir Henry Furness who built the present mansion house in the park. This monument only just fits into its chapel and rises in stages like a wedding cake, with four life-sized broken-hearted ladies at the base for starters. As a conversation piece it is unrivalled in a country church."
They make a remarkable pair.
Back outside, the rain had stopped so we could explore the churchyard a bit. I pointed the family vault of the former owners of Waldershare Park, but with more clouds gathering, we made our back to the car.
Two villages along the Sandwich Road is Eastry, the road now bypasses it, just as well as its narrow streets and five way junction are not 21st century friendly. Not really 20th century friendly either.
We drive into the village, up Church Lane and find a place to park, but the rain had begun again.
As we walk to the west door under the tower, I point out some things of interest, but the rain made us dash for cover.
Inside the tower, in through the inner door and down some steps into the Nave, and in front over the rebuilt Chancel Arch is the famous wall painting: 35 round paintings in medallions, the lily representing the Virgin Mother.
There is a perpetual calendar on one of the south columns of the Nave, and much more beside.
I speak with a warden and agree on a visit with the larger group in three weeks time.
Outside the rain is hammering down, and day had been turned to twilight.
For safety, I took the Sandwich road back to Dover, then along the Deal Road, but some new roadworks had been put up in the 90 minutes since I drove up, clearing blocked drains, so that we were held up for twenty minutes.
It was now almost dark, at midday, amazing really.
We get through the roadworks and into Walmer, so I drop her off at her front door, then to avoid the roadworks, I go back out through Deal to nearly Sandwich before doubling back to Dover again.
The rain had eased, and traffic was going slow, but I thought it now safe to drive at seventy, so made good time as it was half past lunchtime.
I reversed the car down the drive, opened the back door, then had to test Scully, give her some more food before thinking of my own needs.
I butter two seeded rolls and spread Ardennes Pate on them, then spread the contents of a packet of cheese and onion crisps to make a lunch fit for a Bishop.
I have a huge brew too, then go to listen to a podcast while I eat.
Too cold and wet to go out, so I sit on the sofa and watch two episodes of Gone Fishing with Scully, while in the kitchen a huge pot of ragu I made bubbles away for four hours and would be my dinner.
Or two spoonful's of it would.
I cook some pasta, ladle the ragu on it, mix well, add pepper and grated Pecorino, open a beer and tuck in.
Delicious.
And with no football to watch, I listen to podcasts before heading to bed at half nine, as I had to be up early in the morning.
And outside the scattered showers forecasted, turned out to be heavy and frequent, and clouds dark enough to have the table lamp on most of the day.
We left at half eleven, and indeed it was bouncing down, and on the Deal road where it weaves through the wood, so dark it seemed like night.
Good news was that my favourite, skate wing, was on. So I ordered that, and Jools had a medium haddock. So, we sat and waited, sipping our brews and people watching.
