Friday 10th January 2025

Friday.

And its cold.

And bin day.

So, after coffee, on with the shoes and coat to take the bins up in the pre-dawn light, turning round I saw this sight, and I know I used this for a shot of the day last year, but the house looks so welcoming with the lights on, and steam from the central heating boiler floating to the sky.

Jools didn't do yoga as her wrist still aches, but is getting better, and on top of that the cold/cough we have been suffering seem to have taken up squatters rights on our chests, so we bark through the night.

That being said, I am feeling better, and Jools noticed my sense of humour has returned, though not sure if that is a good thing or not.

And so to work, with the unusual situation of being up to date, travel expenses submitted and approved, so just mails to monitor and arses to kick in a couple of meetings.

The morning slips by quickly, and with an afternoon of chores to do, I wrap up, go up for a shower and shave ready to head off into the bright lights of Dover once Jools had returned.

I had new glasses to pick up, and then a dental inspection. So, two hours in town, maybe with time to do something else or have a pint.

I parked up and walked to Vision Express, my glasses were ready and fitted after some adjustments.

I came out of the shop and had sixty five minutes to kill.

I walked past one barbers with an empty chair, pondered whether to go back, then came across another, so went in and told the guy what I wanted.

It was a Turkish place, not much different other than they use wadding, immersed in some spirit to literally burn the fluff and hairs from customer's ears.

There is no warning of this, just dipping this wadding, setting it alight, then wave near the side of your face and the room fills with the smell of burnt hairs.

It was OK and I had no burns, so they must know what they're doing, but probably their insurance company doesn't know.

I walked back to the car as the sun sets, the castle is lit in a warm golden light, so I take a shot from the car park and then again looking up Castle Street. Then up the stairs to the torture chamber to the dentist. In fact, he's a brilliant dentist, and is always interested in our adventures, so I told him about our visit to the tombs of Henry II and Richard the Lionheart.

Despite going against what Pam Ayres advised, I have good teeth, jammed in so there is little room for food to get caught, so I have no fillings once again.

I say thanks and leave, find Jools waiting in the car, so I climb in and drive us back home up Jubilee Way as dusk fell.

I defrost some ragu, cook some pasta, so that within half an hour of getting home, we were sitting down for dinner.

Cheers.

And with the five days of FA Cup weekend only at day 2, there was yet more footy on the box for the evening.

Meanwhile, outside, temperatures fell to minus four.