Friday 27th June 2025

For the last few years, the UK's Offshore HSE Manager (Pete) and myself, got together three or four times a year for what we used to put in our work Outlook calendars as UK QHSE meetings.

These would take place either around Broadstairs where Pete lives, or around Dover or Deal, near to where I live. But more recently in Canterbury as its easier to get there for us both.

And this week was the first time we had met since our retirement, and the location was the usual: The Thomas Becket, at half three.

This gave us nine hours to get our chores done.

The gym is being renovated. Lots more new equipment being installed, so Monday was the last day of the old gym, and the new one ones in about three weeks.

Between then, some machines had been installed in the former dance studio. We got there early hoping to beat the crowds, but the machines I would use were already full, and only one of each.

I said I would wait for Jools, but she said she would bail to. So, instead of phys, we did hunting and gathering at Tesco nearby.

Back home for breakfast, then Jools walked to the library for her craft two hours, while I stayed here, washed up, mowed some more and raked up the clippings before watering the other half of the garden.

With my mobile and earphones, I was able to do all this while listening to a new podcast, and drown out Mulder and Scully's meows and demands for an early lunch.

We have lunch, and then fritter the afternoon away until quarter to three, when its time to drive to the city.

Traffic was quite light, and even with a diversion the other side of Canterbury West Station, we made it to the pub by half three. Pete was held up a bit, but arrived twenty minutes later, so the drinking and catching up could start.

Oddly, for a hot Friday afternoon, at times we were the only people in the pub, so talked and drank.

Talk was of holidays, plans for the future, and how the company is doing.

We eat in the pub: dirty burgers, fries and onion rings. And another beer.

But time was getting on. Scully was at home needing feeding and jabbing, so we bid Pete farewell and walk back to the car. Jools then drove us home so we could do our chores; feed the cats, jab Scully and make a brew.