Tuesday 4th November 2025

When two events clash!

Just under a year ago, we arranged and booked to stay in Battle for their fireworks and bonfire night.

Two nights way, fried breakfasts, pyrotechnics and pyromania!

Then earlier last year, my old RAF trade asked for volunteers to take past in the Remembrance Day parage past the Cenotaph.

I volunteered.

So far, so good.

Its so rare we plan anything far in advance that we need to put it on the calendar.

You can see where this is going.......

So, at the end of October we filled in the dates for November, and sure enough both were taking place the 8th and 9th.

So, it was agreed that Jools will go to Battle on Friday evening, and I will stay home so I can get up to that London, and in the meantime I will cat sit Friday and Saturday.

So it goes. So it goes.

So, to Tuesday.

And I was up at half five, got dressed and Jools had a brew waiting, then off to the sports centre just after six, so I could be back in time for Jools to have the car at quarter to eight to go to her new fitness class.

I seem to be one of the new hard core folks, on the machines and weights before it was light outside.

I get on the bike, do forty minutes cycling round the Champagne region of France, whilst listening to podcasts rather than music.

Time flew.

I was done after forty minutes, so down the stairs and back out into the chill morning air, to drive back home arriving at quarter past seven.

There is something satisfying about leaving the sports centre having done your session as the lollygagging bleary-eyed late risers arrive.

And then the usual stuff.

Have another brew, then wait for Craig to arrive to beginning day 12 of the kitchen replacement. We can nearly see the end of it now!

I read some of the Map Men book, mess around online and generally make the morning vanish.

Jools comes back, so we have a pasty to eat, then with the kitchen out of bounds, we go into town for a coffee and cake at the new place near the Market Square.

There's always parking downtown now as there are very few actual shops, so past St Mary's where there is a fine knitted display of poppies, and across the road to the café.

I have an americano and a large slice of lemon tart, and we sit at the table in the window watching the world go by.

Back out, and with nothing else to do, back to the car to drive home via Reach Road along the cliffs, getting back at half two.

And then the struggle to stay awake on the sofa as I tried to read, but my eyes began to droop.

Craig worked to half five, all was now ready for the delivery and fitting of the worktops on Wednesday, and we could carry the microwave to the temporary counter to heat a pot of soup for our tea.

Dinner.

Supper.

And that was that.

An evening of European and domestic football, with one of them on the radio and the other on TV.

Norwich didn't lose, as they play Wednesday.

Deep Joy.

Liverpool beat Real and Ipswich drew with Watford. Both good games.