Saturday 11th January 2025

The cold snap continues.

Up at half six for a coffee before going hunting and gathering, and was treated to this stunning dawn, with the garden all crisp and even.

Jools's employer had given everyone working there a Sainsbury's gift card, and we had partly used before Christmas, so in order to use the remainder, instead of Tesco I drove to Deal instead.

It was clear at dawn, but a mist soon rose, giving the whole landscape a winter wonderland effect, with tyre tracks through the frost, even on the Deal Road. At least traffic was light.

Sainsbury's was almost empty. A contrast to before Christmas when it was like the eve before the zombie apocalypse, with empty shelves everywhere.

Much better this time, with all a much less frantic. With the card, and despite buying three bottles of porter, the bill came to eleven quid.

Turning onto The Strand, I stopped to take a shot of the pie and up and down the coast, as a weak sun tried to break through.

I drove back home carefully, making it back by half eight, so we enjoyed a lazy breakfast and a fresh brew.

For the morning, I made a pot of lentil dahl, so the house was soon filled with the fine smells of Middle East spices.

We don't have that for lunch, instead we have a pasty followed by the last of the Christmas Cake. So, the festive season is officially over!

That being said, I have mincemeat so will make mince pies at some point, or like last time, just save it for next Christmas.

It was day 3 of the FA Cup 3rd round weekend, with Norwich playing host to Brighton, and all was going well until they kicked off. Once Brighton scored, Norwich fell to pieces, and so lost 4-0, at least two coming from mistakes.

We finish of the last of the Christmas cheese for supper while we listened to Craig and I watched Citeh thrash Salford 8-0.

Outside, temperatures plunged again, and a thick hoar frost covered all surfaces.

Brrrr.