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.