Wednesday 5th November 2025

Wednesday, and the biggest day of the kitchen replacement other than the first day when the old one was ripped out.

Today, Howdens would be coming to fit the stone worktops, having measured everything with lasers, and cutting the stone with water jet cutters, we only hoped they had got it all measured OK.

No gym first thing as I had gone the day before, but Jools went into town for her regular Chinese keep fit class, so I was left to man the fort, looking after cats and listening to the bangs and knocks coming from the kitchen.

At ten past ten, another van reversed down the drive, and two guys began to unload the worktops, then place them on the right frames before gluing them in glace.

Even through the closed door there was a strong smell of solvents, but work continued apace.

Crain fitted the new toilet/washroom door, and bit by bit the work surfaces were fitted.

By one, the work surfaces were in place, then the gas fitter arrived to connect and test the hob before that was pushed into place in the worktop.

We were told that the now installed sink and hob could not be used for 24 hours as the solvents needed to set, so we decided to go out for lunch one last time.

We ended up going to the Lydden Bell, a good place and just a ten minute drive down the Dour Valley.

The Horse Chestnuts down Whitfield Hill were a riot of golds and browns as autumn took hold, sadly the sun wasn't out to make the colours really pop, and with me driving I couldn't take shots.

One parking space at the pub, and we took a table near the back. Jools had chicken with some herbed sauce, and I had twice cooked lamb with crackling and both with season vegetables.

They even had a beer from Norfolk on draught: Woodforde's Once Bitten, of which I drank two pints.

Back home with Jools driving, my head spinning as I also finished up with an Irish coffee, the dull conditions meaning the trees colours popped even less.

I took shots anyway.

Back at Chez Jelltex the oven was being pushed back into place, the hob was tested and again with the heating on.

All good.

With one last coat of paint applied, Craig finished at half five, with the full moon already high in the sky, having cleared the layer of cloud. And all around the first fireworks of Bonfire Night fizzed and banged.

Nothing needed for supper, so we had a brew, then there was yet more football to fill the evening, with Norwich playing the only team below them in the league, Sheffield Wednesday.

A must win game, for both teams.

And Wednesday scored a goal within three minutes of the start, a screamer from Barry Bannon.

Norwich were awful, and could have been three down at half time, maybe should have been.

In the second Wednesday tired, and Norwich played better. Could hardly have been worse. And scored thanks to a fine team goal.

But no winner came for either team, even with City giving the ball away at every opportunity.