Saturday 27th September 2025

I woke up at five to eight, my head full of cotton wool.

How can it be that when you sleep longer than usual, you wake up even more tired?

Anyway, it's the weekend, and we had little planned.

So, a relaxing early morning spent drinking coffee and listening to RadMac on the wireless.

Once I was awake, say, half ten, we drove round to Jen's to take a look at the latest mail from US Immigration.

Not much traffic around these days at weekends, but one thing I do notice is more drivers think the outside lane on a dual carriageway are just for their use, pull into it without indicating, and will not pull in to let people pass.

Are people just greedy and stupid?

Anyway, just before we were to go out, Jools called to come and look at something.

Up in the sky along the line of the cliffs, something like 30 paragliders were wheeling, soaring and generally trying to avoid hitting each other.

The sound was like a large swarm of angry hornets.

One had a flag suspended below, others had smoke cannisters, so were like a small version of the red arrows.

No idea what it was all about, but for half an hour the sky was full and bloody noisy.

The big news from the US is that Jen's electronic visa had been approved, so she can now go on holiday.

Yay me.

We leave and come home. Have "Cornish" pasty for lunch before the footy marathon began.

Football League on the tellybox: Coventry v Birmingham, and the home side romping to a 3-0 win. Then the main batch of games on the wireless, piped through the mobile, while I watched Final Score with no sound.

Then two evening games, and if I'm honest, I was pretty much footballed out by seven, but laboured through the the bitter end, when Spurs scored in the last minute to draw with Wolves.

Friday 26th September 2025

Our grandparents didn't need to join a gym to keep fit. Their working life, and life in general kept them fit.

Pretty much the same for my parents. Though as the sixties turned into the seventies and eighties, life got easier, more money for the good things in life.

Both Jools ad I had office jobs, Jools pretty much all her working life. And for me when I wasn't at my desk I was either in an aircraft or in a hire car.

Sitting down.

And the stress of working life meant that by the time the working day ended, there wasn't enough energy to go to the gym, go for a walk or whatever.

Our slide into decrepitnessis is slow. But one day we could do stuff, the next day we couldn't, and unless we fight against it, it becomes the new normal.

In the last few months I have reversed some of that slide, and feel better than I have for years. Which explains why after a late night looking after Scully and fractured sleep, my alarm, which I thought I had cancelled, woke me up at six.

May as well go to the gym, then.

I get up, have coffee, and with Jools still under doctor's orders not to do much, I go by myself to Whitfield to pump some lard.

I cycle round Barcelona, along the beach then through the town. I am not out of breath, but sweating, and I had done the session.

I drive back home, the rush hour just over, get back home and have breakfast with Jools before she goes off to her craft class at the library.

I was up, then go for a shower.

Life is good.

The day before we had been given more seeds from our neighbours, so I made a new batch of chilli jam, this time doubling the chilli content. I had already de-seeded the peppers, and mixed with tomato and vinegars..

I added 11oz of sugar, brought to the boil and stirred for 40 minutes. Filled three pots, and that was done.

Once Jools was back, we have lunch, then I watch two more railway documentaries, as the day slid by into evening.

After dinner I do the weekly music quiz. I had no idea until near the end, so get nil points.

Then there is football, but at half time of the Leicester v WBA game, I am pooped, so head to bed.

Thursday 25th September 2025

Urgh.

I slept in until ten to eight.

Jools had already gone out for a walk, so I was alone in the house.

And I would have to make my own coffee.

That I did, then texted Jools that I was up, but washed out.

We had a few things from Tesco that needed getting, and Jen rang to say she was having trouble with completing the ESTA for her forthcoming trip to Florida. Would I go round to help?

I would.

Off to Tesco to get the missing ingredients for taco: soured cream, before going to Jen's where she was fed up with modern technology.

Every time I go to the system, she says, it asks for a number: they've never given me a number.

Do you have any mails from US Immigration? She opened her mail app, and the first mail had, on the second line, her application number and instructions that should be used for completing her application.

I copied and pasted that into the field, then added the rest of the data, clicked submit, and the process moved on the step 4 of seven.

So, over the next half an hour, each step was completed, the fee paid, and I finally clicked the send button and off the application went.

Back home then for brunch of burgers and squash. Nether of us had had breakfast, and I had picked up some short life patties in the store.

Once lunch as cooked and eaten, I went into town for a haircut.

It seems in most towns now 50% of the shops are barbers, as its the one thing you can't get done on the internet. So, I chose the one with no queue, just had to wait for one of the chairs to be emptied, then it was my turn.

I was in the chair for 45 minutes. I had the haircut, ears singed, hairs from my ears shaved, eyebrows done, and finally a scented hot towel pressed to my face and my shoulders massaged.

I felt and smelt lovely.

It cost all of fifteen of your English pounds.

Amazing.

Back to the car and back home for an afternoon of watching Tum Dunn's series on Railway Architecture which is now available on the BBC, Scully lay sleeping beside me, and Jools did crochet on Scully's other side.

You know, I have no idea what we had for dinner. Oh yes I can! Fajitas, made with chicken thighs and served with last week's salsa. And soured cream, in flat breads.

Yummy.

We both had sour fruity beer to wash the food down with, and it was pretty darn good even I say so myself.

I had to sit up until half eleven after Scully's reading before her injection was low, and so I had to make sure that it didn't drop below 5 until she reached the nadir at +6 hours.

That happened at half eleven, and I was dog, or is that cat, tired.

Wednesday 24th September 2025

Its not often we can say we achieved something. But yesterday I took five people on the first of our visits to Kent Churches as part of my churchcrawling group.

It is a way to give something back, and to share the knowledge as well as receive the really positive feedback.

For this I chose Ss. Mary and Ethelburga in Lyminge, as it has been a site of worship from before Roman times. And the Romans themselves had a presence here, as a spring is something to be treasured and venerated.

Before then, there were tasks.

Jools had to go to Ashford for a minor procedure, so I had to get her there before half eight.

Between Chez Jelltex and the hospital there is Junction 10 of the M20, where we turn off and above is the roundabout from hell. Its no better since Junction 10A was built either.

So, instead, once we had got through the early rush hour traffic, I went down to Junction 9, doubled back, and then with a simple left turn was on the road to the hospital.

I got Jools there for ten past, so headed back home, through the heavier traffic, and the maze that is Ashford's main road system, that takes you in opposite directions to where you want to go before doubling back.

I got home at then to eight, had breakfast and a brew, and found that all cats were sound asleep.

Even Scully.

Scully's blood sugars were approaching normal, meaning she didn't need all the food put out for breakfast, and after eating slept for four hours at least, no even waking when I came home.

There were jobs to do, books to get out and notes to write.

Scully slept so soundly that I didn't wake her for her +5 blood test, instead waiting for +6 at midday and giving her half a packet of food. Her readings were the lowest we have seen, and showed up green on our spreadsheet.

Amazing.

Then it was out at one, to drive back along the motorway and up the Elham Valley to Lyminge.

I chose this because of the well, which is the source of the Nailbourne, and clearly would have received offerings in pre-history for the locals and Romans. Then there is the remains of Queen Ethelburga's chapel, not outlined in different tarmac on the path leading to the porch, as well as the church itself, its wall containing building material including Roman brick, chalk and flints.

We were to meet in the pub opposite. A situation that came as I arranged the visit. So after parking I walk down the slope, across the street to the pub and order a pint of Gadds #5.

And very nice it was.

I talked to the guy who owned the listed cottage opposite, but had to break off conversation when my group began to arrive.

At quarter to two, we set off to look at the Nailbourne, the well and the water snaking across the meadow, before climbing back up the church.

I pointed out the footprint of the Saxon chapel, and explained how St Ethelburga's remains were found, before going inside.

Having forgotten my notes, I winged it, and explained the different parts of the church, names and significance, and of those details that are missing.

After 50 minutes we were done, so I bid them goodbye, and news from Jools that she has been discharged.

So back to the car, down the valley to Folkestone before retracing my route of the morning, arriving to find Jools waiting outside, reading.

She gets in, and we head home. Talking on the way of our respective news and adventures.

Once home we have a brew and finish off the last four chocolate digestives, before settling down to relax.

I cook lamb chops for dinner, with more creamed spinach and some Spanish rice I found in the depth of the freezer.

It all came together rather well, even if I say so myself.

There was more football through the evening, but more importantly, as Scully's blood sugars had been low during the day, we were advised to check in the evening. Good job we did as they were below 10, and three more hours until nadir.

We fed her and checked the next two hours until her readings had rose at +5. So we could go to bed.

During the night Scully went out hunting, and caught us two mice, showing she is getting back to her old ways as her body recovers.

Not bad for a kitty cat fifteen and a half years old.

Tuesday 23rd September 2025

We were told that when we retired, we would wonder how we ever fitted work in.

I can confirm this is true.

Tuesday for example: Jools went to her fitness class, I dropped her off at eight.

I had a dental appointment at nine, so had nearly an hour to kill, so I drove up to St Martin's Battery, just to take in the view and see how the filling in of the inner harbour was progressing.

There were fantastic clouds over the Channel. Some clearly dropping showers of rain. Meanwhile, ferries hurried between the docks to my left to Calais just out of sight.

I had the place to myself, I noted the warning signs wagging a finger at the Anti-social" behaviour that has been reported there.

I can say, one New Year I went up there at sunset to snap the scene, only to find men in the shadows. And me with a camera.

I said, loudly, to them. I am here to photograph the sunset and then I will leave.

I escaped unharmed, neither did I see what they had come to leer at either.

On a chilly and damp Tuesday autumnal morning, nothing untoward going on.

Two Electrostars passed the remains of the old Harbour Station, now the Booking Hall, of course, and that was my cue to leave to make my way back into town for the appointment.

It was a cleaning session. Scrub, scratch and polish.

That'll be £60.

I walked along to Chaplin's where Jools would join me for breakfast.

The early rush was over, so we had the lick of tables. Ordered our food and drinks.

The world passed us by outside, quietly.

After eating our sausage, bacon, eggs and hash browns, we walked back to the car, then drove back home.

It was half ten.

Nothing left to do with the day.

No need for lunch, of course, so we read, listened to music, while outside the rain hammered down. I smiled to myself: perfect for the seeds I had broadcast the day before.

Between showers, I filled the bird feeders, so I could watch them from the window when I was washing up.

We then ordered our huge American double-wide fridge freezer, talked to the builder about when it should be delivered.

Its all happening.

Dinner was Chicken Kyivs, creamed spinach and some defrosted tagine. Might have been leftovers, but it was glorious.

After dinner, Jools packed for the morning, and for me, there was another evening of football, with the League Cup taking place again.

I watched Lincoln outplay Chelsea, but the Blues scored twice in four minutes to cancel out The Imps first half goal.

Monday 22nd September 2025

Up and attem at six, and to the gym at seven.

It may be a Monday morning, but there's no rest for the retired.

Having cycled round Dubai the day before, for Monday I chose Athens, and found modern architecture very like what is seen in Valencia.

I also increased the level of resistance by one, so some extra huffing and puffing done.

Then to Tesco for the weekly hunting and gathering. My coffee has three English pounds of it at the moment, so we buy two double packs.

We are being careful what we buy now, so we use stuff from the freezer ready for the kitchen replacement in four weeks.

Back home then for breakfast and a brew, then a shower and change along with a shave so I smell reet nice.

Jen's keep fit class was full, so could not go, meaning we could go earlier for cards.

We all do well, but come the end of the afternoon, we have so many coins our stash no longer fits into the tin. So, we take out the pound coins and silver, and it just about fitted.

A few weeks back we had barely a penny in it, but a month of wins has turned that around.

Back home, and we have to tell the cats to wait for dinner, so that its 12 hours between injections for Scully. Her readings were getting close to normal through the day.

Football in the evening: Millwall v Watford. A dreadful game won by the home team thanks to a peach of a free kick.

Sunday 21st September 2015

Due to reasons, we went to the gym first thing Sunday morning.

The alarm went off at six, and we were out of the house at ten past seven, and I was cycling up a mountain by half past.

I did forty minutes, all the while listening to more new wave, post punk and glorious 80s dance tunes.

The gym was almost empty, just a few of us gym rats there so early.

When we left, the first of the kiddles were arriving for the swimming gala, which had been closed to everyone else for the weekend.

Back home for breakfast, and then the main task for the day: the final mow and scarify of the lawnmeadow before the wind and rain arrived next week.

Sowing the wildflower seeds can wait, but the scarifying needed doing as the ground dried from Saturday's rain.

Jools went to see Jen to sort our her electronic visa for the USA, while I got the mower out and began going up and down.

Every 15 minutes I stopped to sit with Scully, whose readings were the lowest thus far.

And once the mowing done, I got the new electronic scarifying machine, and did the same, but collecting the dead thatch, moss and top soil it removed.

Once Jools returned soon after midday, we were straight back out to Snargate Street down by the harbour, to revisit The Grand Shaft.

The defences at and around Dover Castle are in the open and obvious, but on the downs and cliffs facing it is the Western Heights, or the hidden castle. A series of Napoleonic era defeces built on and in the downs and cliffs.

Barracks and messes and defences were built, but on the chance the French Navy tried to take the harbour, a way of moving a lot of soldiers from the Western heights down to the harbour, quickly, was needed.

A triple helix staircase was built, an amazing design and testament to the skill of the builders.

By the time it was finished, Bony was on Elba then St Helena, so the stair were used by the Officers and their Ladies, NCOs and their wives and by the ordinary ranks and their concubines.

Or something.

I have been several times, but not for a decade and a half, and just wanted some new shots looking up.

Which once I had walked from the car to the entrance and along the short tunnel, I got.

Snap.

Snap.

Snap.

Done.

I walked back via the corner store, getting some things for lunch, and we could go home.

Once again, an afternoon of football lay before me.

None of it any good really, both games ending 1-1.

Scully and I watched an evening of old Sky at Night specials on the exploration of the Moon and Solar System, before heading to bed just after nine.

Saturday 20th September 2025

We had plans for Saturday.

Not big or grand plans, but something. That was to mow and scarify the lawnmeadow and make it ready for seeding before the winter comes.

The forecast gave us a two hour window from nine before the rain would sweep in.

So, after coffee, I went out with the shears to remove the tall grass stems.

A rumble of thunder rolled around the village.

That was not expected.

I went inside to check the storm radar, and saw spikes all around us, and drifting slowly north on the light breeze.

I gathered up the clippings and shears, and sure enough rain began to fall.

Harder and harder, and apparently set in at least for the morning.

I would have to wait for another day to do the lawnmeadow, so that the sun and wind dry the soil out. But it would have to actually stop raining first.

It was so dark inside, we had to have the table lamp on to see breakfast to eat. So, we put the radio on and made the most of it.

The morning slipped by, and soon after midday and Scully's blood test, the football would start.

Scully is much less frantic regarding food now her bloods are getting near to normal. So much so she fell asleep in the sun where she usually is fed.

And would not finish until nearly ten in the evening.

The Merseyside Derby was on the station that says it likes to talk about sport, and so I don't listen, and the TV coverage is on a channel I don't pay for.

So, I watch Leicester v Coventry, which ends 0-0, then listen to the radio as the main batch of games began at three.

Norwich took the lead against winless Wrexham, only to gift them three goals in ten minutes in the second half. So that was that.

The farce was provided by the Man Utd v Chelsea game, played at the Theatre of Revised Expectations in Biblical rain, nearly resulting the game being abandoned, until the rain eased in the second half. By that time, Chelsea had had their keeper sent off and Utd scored twice before Casemiro was also sent off to level the teams up.

Dinner was defrosted ragu, as we have to thin out the stuff in the freezer before the 20th October when the ripping out of the kitchen begins.

But Utd held on.

Then there was Fulham v Brentford, a much better game, but I was footballed out, so went to bed at half time with Fulham coming from behind to lead 2-1.

Friday 19th September 2025

The Heritage Week(end) continues apace.

Or rather most of the stuff happens on Saturday of the first weekend, some buildings and events linger on longer into the following week.

I had a church on Thanet marked down to visit during the week, as it was open every day, so with time running out, Friday would be the day.

We were up before sunrise, ready for coffee and then go to the gym. But Jools was so tired after her day of appointments on Thursday wanted a rest, and it was so easy for me to agree and not go either.

I will try to make this up next week.

So, on a glorious sunny, warm and still morning, we sat on the bench with Scully between us, soaking up the sun's rays.

When I got up, I remembered that The Sky at Night had mentioned a conjunction between the crescent moon and Venus just before sunrise: so, after getting up, I went to the bathroom, and in the pasted-shades sky, there indeed was the sliver of moon, and moon's width nearby, the single diamond of Venus, the morning star

Jools went to craft class at half nine, while I did the bins, had a shower and the such.

Instead of the gym, I had a walk. Not as long as I had planned, but enough to get me to the other side of the field and back.

I was looking for butterflies and insects, mainly. The hedges are filled with thousands of Ivy Bees, feeding on ivy not surprisingly. The solitary bees have dug numerous burrows in our lawnmeadow too.

There were no Clouded Yellows to be seen, even though the Lucerne was still in flower.

Still lots of Fumitories to be seen and photographed. Some were the Common, but most were the nationally rate Dense-flowered. Common field speedwell has also returned, creating spots of sapphire-blue amongst the green of the Annual mercury.

So, that when she came back just after midday, after a snack of pasties, we were out in the car, once again heading to Thanet.

Thanet was once separated from the rest of Kent by the Wantsun Channel, that silted up, and Thanet was only then an isle in name.

The towns on Thanet mostly spread round the coast: Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Margate, Westgate, but whoever decides on planning, has been filling in the land between, inland, with Westward Cross.

Westward Cross is really an American strip mall-cum-mall, with the once main road now snaking through it over endless roundabouts, all clogged with traffic.

The sat nav took us this way to Broadstairs.

Since we were last there, hundreds if not thousands of new homes, in the form of three storey condos now line the road along what was once cabbage fields. Mothers with prams, walk along the pavement beside the heavy traffic.

We get through Hell, turn into Broadstairs, and on the left hand side was Our Lady Star of the Sea.

We park, and find two ladies sitting on chairs in front of the west door, knitting. They were talking so intently they did not notice us at first.

Then they did, allowed us in, showed us history books, asked if we needed a guide to show them round, maybe buy a book of Stations of the Cross?

Thanks, but no.

I went to take shots, but one of the ladies came up to me to ask that I not enter the apse.

I promised I would not, and wouldn't have anyway.

I take my shots, there was no stained glass, so the big lens wasn't needed, but the church was light and airy.

I pack away, and we say thanks, walk back to the car.

We drive back to Thanet Way, driving once again through the hellscape of Westward Cross, it seeming going on nearly forever.

Then a blast westwards to Whitstable, so Jools could buy some yarn at the craft shop in Tankerton. I park up, and she goes to the shop.

Tankerton is a glorious place on a sunny day, miles of green space with plenty of benches facing the sea. But there is a parking problem, all along the road nearest the beach, cars were parked nose to tail, so there was no space for us to pull into.

We drove on, back to Thanet Way, back over the Wantsum, turning inland at Monkton, then across the marshes to Preston and home.

Friday was our 17th wedding anniversary, so for the evening we went to Jen's for a Chinese. Jools's sister did not come, John didn't either. But Mike did.

We eat well, and talk about life. Our illnesses, or wins, and those who no longer with us from our wedding pictures. Meg is the hardest to bear, of course.

Jools drove us home at half nine, met at Chez Jelltex by four hangry cats. Scully being the hangriest.

Thursday 18th September 2025

It feels very much like autumn.

Especially on cool, damp, misty mornings, doubly so now that the sun does not rise until gone six.

The TV weaterperson said this week is when we lose more daylight than any other week, and over the month its over an hour and a half.

But it does mean that as us in the Old World head into autumn, on the other side of the world, Tony will be seeing the first shoots of spring in New Zealand.

Thursday was a day of appointments. One after the other.

OK, the gym isn't an appointment, but needless to say we were in the gym on our machines by twenty past seven.

Meaning 50 minutes later when we left, it was rush hour at the A2 was jammed, so we went cross country through West and East Langdon back up to the Deal road.

Our wheels may have kept moving, but it took twice as long, probably, as being in the traffic.

There's just time for breakfast before Jools is off out again to see a clinic in Deal. Leaving me to tidy up and have a brew.

I pack away the second Christmas cake, wash the tin up and put it away for another year.

We have lunch.

Then she's off to Ashford for her pre-op meeting, as she has a minor procedure next week.

I was told no need for me to go, so I sit with Scully and watch several episodes of The Sky at Night.

Jools is back before five. I prepare Caprese which was served with a cheap pizza and beer (or cider).

And then she was off again, this time to a craft group the other side of Deal in Sholden, so I stay and listen to the football.

Scully had her best blood sugar results so far, and so we are feeling positive about her.

Wednesday 17th September 2025

Its the middle of the week.

Apparently.

Wednesdays is one of Jools's fitness things, so up at half six, drink coffee and be awake enough to take her through the rush hour traffic into town.

On the way back along the cliffs, I stop at the monuments to RAF Swingate that stand in the shadow on the two remaining radar towers, a reminder how quickly technology moved forward, from the sound mirrors on the thirties to the Castles in the Air of the Battle of Britain less than a decade later.

I come back home, have breakfast and then get the now cold Christmas cake out of the oven, feed it with more Madeira, wrap it twice in silver foil, and again in cling film before putting it away in a tin.

I check Scully's blood, before out again, this time back to Walmer for more bridge action.

Eleven of us turned up at the host's house, two table set up, and off we went.

We chat a bit during play, but it seems not to be encouraged, so we play on.

There's a break at half ten for coffee and sugar free delicacies. Before another hour's play.

Phew.

Two hours gone.

After her fitness class, Jools had gone by train to Faversham for a wander. I would collect her from Dover later.

So, back home for lunch, and then get cracking on Christmas Cake: The Sequel.

For some reason the second always comes out better. Maybe I am not so rushed, but beat the sugar and butter longer, add a bit more booze.

Whatever the reason, by the time half five comes round it has risen amazingly well, and smells delicious.

Whilst the cake was baking, Jools called, so I went to Priory station to pick her up. And once back home, most stuff for the day was done.

Phew.

Jools had bought a small packet of chocolate digestives, which were perfect with a fresh cuppa half way through the afternoon.

We had a quick dinner of leftovers, steamed corn and creamed spinach, all eaten and packed away in time for the start of football at seven.

More Champions League on the wireless, but I watched Swansea beat Nottingham Forest in the League Cup.

Plans and the suchlike. Update

Our builders-cum0kitchen fitters have left, and we now have a confirmed date for the start of Operation Fancy Pants Kitchen.

They arrive on 20th Ocotber for the "rip out", and most of the frames should be in place by the 25th. On the 29th, the worktop fitters come to take exact measurements, and the tops should then be fitted in early November.

In the meantime, the old tops could be places on the new units.

Three cats are going to kitty prison, while Scully will remain here so we can monitor her blood sugars.

And next year, I can conirm a double holiday, over three weeks in July into August.

We meet up with Jon and Richard and the rest of the tour in Lyon, before a drive to the first of our bases in the foothills of the Alps. Target species is the Ghost Orchid, which our two guides found in the area this year (2025).

We then have five days to travel down through southern France, cross the Pyrenees to our hotel for the eclipse later in August.

As with last year's trip to Tuscany, we're going to drive there in the Audi, and have three weeks of the high life, rare orchids, good company and the finest wines known to mankind.

On top of that there is the trip to Cyprus in early March for yet more orchid action.

And so this afternoon, we ordered our "American" style double wide fridge/freezer, which the whole of the kitchen and utility room were designed around.

Tuesday 16th September 2025

A lot of history has happened in Dover. And a lot of historical figures, royal and otherwise, have arrived here to claim thrones or crowns.

Its easy to forget that, and sometimes we take that all rather for granted.

In 2019, Maison Dieu closed for substantial repairs and renovations, and only has partially reopened this summer. One of the first events was the Dover Proms we went to back in July.

It is, of course, Heritage Weekend. Or week, really, and it is open each day for six hours to welcome visitors to see how it looks.

I decided I would go today, mainly to take shots of the stained glass as they have all had a very good clean.

I slept long, woken by the kettle boiling, so up to have the first and only coffee of the day.

Jools was off to a new fitness class, so I was alone left to tend to the whims of the cats.

After checking online, I go to sit outside, and am joined by Mulder who is very happy indeed to lay beside me in the warming sun.

The sun is now sweeping on an ever lower arc across the sjy as the year grows old, shining through leaves and petals, making plants and flowers look like they are illuminated.

Jools comes back, and we have to go straight out to Tesco as we were out of her "unleaded" coffee, and we needed fruit for breakfast.

So off we went back out, now that the rush hours is over, we are of the age when we can shop when we want.

I decide today is going to be the day I make the first of the Christmas cake, so remember the ingredients as we go round.

We get round and are heading back just before ten, time to check Scully's bloods, and then pack away and make breakfast and a big brew.

I could lollygag, but go straight out after breakfast, down into town parking behind Maison Dieu in Ladywell, walking round and in the new entrance.

"Go straight up", I was told.

So I did.

I took two photographs, and a lady comes up and asked:

"are you a photographer?"

Of a kind.

"we're putting a play on here in February, would you take a few shots?"

Sure.

"What do you change?"

I'll do it for free.

The six large stained glass windows each depict the arrival on a Monarch in the town, some met with swords and arrows, others with cheers and banners.

They are really very fine.

I take nearly 400 shots, by which time I was hot, even on a September morning.

Back home with an armful of warm savoury pies from Greggs, rush back home to have them with Jools and Scully sat on the patio.

Then it was time for Christmas cake time.

Due to the alcohol in it, these fruit cakes keep for months, if not years, and so the flavours of the spices, fruits and madeira matures, once baked it is kept in a airtight dark container until the festive period.

Its the recipe um used, from an ancient cookbook that came with her first Belling electric cooker.

Once mixed in, the cake takes four and a half hours on low to bake to perfection.

And while it does, the house fills with the festive aromas and if feels quite like Christmas.

Scully had her lowest blood sugar readings, so was dozy for most of the day, sleeping two hours in the morning and three in the afternoon.

We dined on fajitas, made with seasoned chicken tenders and a salsa of my own recipe. The sour cream cooled it down.

And there was beer: fruity thick and sour beer. But was very nice and went well with the Mexican food.

Football in the evening: Champions League and League Cup. I watched Grimsby beat Sheffield Wednesday 1-0.

It was twenty years ago today

In fact, today is a double anniversary, as is every 17th September, as your service in the MOD/RAF is based on your enlistment dats, so I joined 35 years ago, served 15 years, and was demobbed twenty years ago.

I had always planned to do 22 years, which was a full pensionable engagement. But beyond 15 years, you had to be invited by the MOD either by promotion to Corporal, or be offered an extension of service.

In January 2003, Myself and Barking Mad Dave Boxhall were selected to be part of the advance party for what was to become the Invasion of Iraq. First day back from Christmas leave, we were told to report to stores for our war kitting.

There was almost no war kitting left, but we were promised it would "be in theatre when we arrived".

Anyway, whilst this was happening, it was annual assessment time, and my SNCO promised me he would look after me with it, and just concentrate on the (war) job in hand.

A year later, my colleagues from our fitters course were being picked up by the promotion board, and I asked where I was on the list. The SNCO was surprised I had asked. He checked and I wasn't on the list. Due to he low assessments he himself had given me.

I can't remember his exact words, but it was something like I would have to put the effort in.

What he had done was give me average grades, not bad enough to be able to appeal, but bad enough to kill my career. I tried to appeal, and my CO remarked he thought I had been over assessed as it was.

It was the first time he had spoken to me.

The upshot of all this was that I had 18 months notice I would be leaving the RAF.

I had a house, with a tennant. So I had to begin the process for her to move out, then move in myself.

For the last year of service, I commuted from Oulton Broad to Coltishall in my nearly brand new VW Passat four wheel drive monster.

The military put the onus on the serviceperson to arrange resettlement. There are grants, classes and experts to guide you, but its all just a gamble and faff. I did an HGV C+E course, which I enjoyed, but the examiner failed me for a minor error, and with no appeal, that was that.

I used the rest of my resettlement time and grants to fund a trip to the US in prospect of moving to Arkansas. Along with my annual and terminal leave, I had 12 weeks off during the summer of 2005.

The trip to America I have posted on here before, so I won't repeat that now. But I returned home in early September to my final RAF pay cheque, my savings. And my house.

In a few weeks I got a cat.

But work wasn't something I stressed about.

I spent a month writing up my time in America, watched sports, drank coffee and beer and whisky.

Christmas came and went, and I still wan't working.

I grew concerned, so I stopped opening official mail from the DWP, the Bank and local Council.

I had been living the high life, but in early summer there was insufficient funds in my account to pay the mortgage, and had Mum not bailed me out, I could have lost it all.

I got a job hauling chemicals out of a shitty yard in Great Yarmouth, until they had the cheek to sack me.

First day looking for a job, I fell into the deep sea survey industry. Had an interview for a job I did not understand or have knowledge of, and got it.

I was soon earning more money than I knew what to do with.

Paid Mum back.

Saved up for our wedding and honeymoon.

Travelled the world.

And went to Hull and Grimsby.

But it all went well, and I ended up here. retired. House paid for. Happy.

Monday 15th September 2025

Life is going well.

We have been going to the gym for about nine months.

At first it was a bit stop start: once a week maybe, and any excuse not to go.

But then I realised it was time to get serious, so once back from Scotland in July, it restarted.

From small beginnings, building up a minute or two more each time, increasing from twice a week to three, so that now I do 45 minutes, still not much, but it has done so much good.

My body, and my legs especially, was retaining water, they were huge legs. Someone else's legs, and they damaged easily, took weeks to heal, and made wearing socks painful, and walking was troublesome.

My legs are half a big now, my trousers loose, and maybe thinner in my face.

So this is a real spur to do more.

Monday began with coffee and then the gym. Beating the rush hour and school run, on the bike by half seven, and up mountains with another post-punk soundtrack as I pumped lard.

Jools had a pain in her leg and so bailed early, she was waiting in the car. So we headed home for breakfast and a shower.

We had a quiet day. Jools did crafts and watched her TV series, while I wrote and caught up on podcasts.

At meals we ate leftovers and stuff from the fridge, so that by tea time there was just pasties and a steak slice in it.

We listened to the Funk and Soul Show from Saturday as we ate and did admin.

Amazingly, my MOD pension arrived at least, some 22 days after my birthday.

No football in the evening, so I spent it hunched over England's 1000 Best Churches, studying the great parish churches of Nottinghamshire, as I am off on trip later this month.