Tuesday 25th November 2025

One month to Christmas!

Get your sprouts on.

Being a say that began with the letter "T" or "S", it was a gym day. And as Jools has fitness right after, I have to be back by about seven fifteen, so am out of the house shortly after six, and up before half five.

I am more focussed now I'm retired than when I was at work!

There is another frost, but the wind had dropped, so the scamper across the car park once I arrived wasn't so brisk.

Upstairs to the gym, where it was already pretty busy, and on the bike. Earphones in. Select podcast.

And cycle.

For today's eyecandy, I cycle round Jakarta. Where the main road had been closed for bikes and pedestrians.

The forty minutes went by quickly, so I dry off and go downstairs, and once I had my jumper on, back out to the car.

The sun was nearly up, and the clods over France had a golden edge to them as it rose higher.

I drove back onto the A2, the along the Deal road, early enough to miss the rush hour and school run traffic.

I have a brew with Jools before she leaves, and I can have a shower and dry off again, feeling nearly as fit as a fiddle.

When she returns, we have breakfast, then out to Deal to drop some more books off at a charity shop, then have a coffee out.

I go for a walk along the promenade first, cutting onto the Stand before crossing by the pier, then walking south towards the castle, to snap the fishing boats that had been hauled up onto the beach.

It was cold enough to have a jumper and coat on, the old work jacket now loose enough that I can wear a second layer underneath and still be able to breath.

I walk back to the pier and cross The Stand again, then down over the car park onto the High Street and into the Lounge, where Jools was just finishing off some tapas.

I order a cheese toastie and a pot of tea, then take in the surroundings and décor, and try not to be obviously people watching.

Lunch came and was tasty enough, they had even added some bacon though I did not order it or pay for it.

It was too cold to walk around ay more, so back to the car then out onto the road and back home.

It was nearly one.

I listen to a podcast, while Jools does beading upstairs. The cats sleep until after four as it was getting dark and clearly dinner time. No?

Well, yes.

I cook steak and stilton pie, roast potatoes, steamed veggie and onion gravy. All of which was perfect and delicious.

For the evening entertainment there was Norwich on the telly. Having not won in twelve games, hopes weren't high. But they played well, took the lead before halftime.

But despite peppering the Oxford goal, no more came, and were caught by a sucker punch in the 6th minute of injury time to draw 1-1.

But its not a loss, right?