Thursday 22nd January 2026

It's Thursday again, so up with the larks and cats so to drink coffee and be awake enough to drive us to Whitfield at six for another cycling session.

I won't lie, things are going well. I have a pair of jeans on that a week ago was tight, and now are not so. Small wins, but the weight loss and fitness carries on apace.

Thing is, each morning I read old blog posts from the last seven years, and for the most part they mention having a bad back, so bad at times it stopped me from doing phys. Thing is, for the last three months, no back pain.

Of course you don't notice it going at first, its just after walking for an hour and the lack of pain registers. As does the need I had to take regular stops on benches and walls, they are no longer needed.

When people ask how things are going, or how I am, I tell them, I am in rude health, and feel like i'm getting better every day.

And all it has taken is me getting up early and heading to the gym, to do phys but to listen to podcasts or music.

And then as we finish and are walking to the car, many more are walking the other way to start their phys.

Then to Tesco for some gathering. We seem to get all what we needed and it come to less than expected, which was a pleasant surprise.

And back home for brews and breakfast before quarter to eight.

So, enough of the good news.

Jools has to be in town at nine, so I stay home and do whatever it is I do all day. I do have a shower and shave, and once I am all dressed in clean clothes, I get the vacuum out and give the living room a tickle, and thus upsetting every cat in the house.

It is another of those dull and drizzly days, meaning there was no going out for a walk or flower snapping.

Lunch was katsu curry and chicken with noodles. And there was oodles and oodles of noodles and vegetables.

Which was nice.

And being a phys day meant I could have booze, so finished up the bottle of wine.

Which meant trying to stay awake through the afternoon.

For the evening we started to rewatch Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, with Alec Guinness.

The period details even with low production values are wonderful. Like a fine wine, something to savour.

And that was your Thursday.

Wednesday 21st January 2026

It is the middle of the week.

Use it well.

And a day in which I do not do pys, but Jools does, and I drop her off as I needed the car.

It was a dreadful day, rain falling hard and would most of the day.

In fact I was going to go out with Jools all day, as after her fitness class, she was catching a train to Bromley for her monthly craft group there, and I would visit the parish church, which I check was open.

And then came the call from Janet.

Janet is Jools's aunt, and Janet needed a lift to the riverside Centre for an eye check as she has diabetes, and her neighbour can't go as he was having chemo.

So, I would not go to Bromley, instead I would pick up Jan at midday and take her into town, wait while she had her check, then ferry her home.

So after dropping Jools off, I had three hours to kill, so checked on the boxes of ragu and jambalaya in the freezer and put them back in reverse date order so we would eat the oldest first.

Dull adult stuff.

But I did it, and the freezer got all angry that the doors were open and the temperature was going up.

Bleep, bleep, bleep.

I am done with that. So have breakfast. Listen to more podcasts and watch videos until it was time to leave.

Jan lives in Whitfield, on one of the many post-war developments that make up Dover and the surrounding area. Getting there involves taking the off junction near the Whitfield roundabout and going past the Holiday Inn.

But traffic was light and I get there with no trouble. Jan sees me and comes out.

And starts talking.

She talks all the way into town, then from the car to the centre, and in the waiting room for the 15 minutes while the eyedrops start working.

Then talks all the way back to Whitfield, and sits in the car for five minutes while she talks some more.

I make it sound like I don't care or am heartless. She meant well, and is nice enough.

Even still it was good to drop her off and be able to drive away, stopping at the Co-Op on the way home for a sandwich and bag of crisps.

And a pack of dark chocolate digestives.

Back home I make a brew and eat lunch, then sit with Scully on the sofa to watch another documentary about Pompei and then double Bangers and Cash.

By that time it was four, and still raining outside.

I wait to five, feed the cats and test Scully, wash up and tidy up.

So I could leave at six to drive back into town to collect Jools from the twenty past six train from Victoria.

Once she emerges from the station, she walks over and climbs in, then back home up Jubilee Way, where the cats say they haven't been fed.

Liars, all.

Pizza for supper, then football as I watch Portsmouth as they are one place below us, so make sure they don't win and leapfrog over us.

They don't. But it was a poor, poor game.

Old man shouts at clouds

Yesterday, 21st January 2026, was quite the day.

President Donald Judas Trump had been threatening in increasingly alarming fashion, that Greenland was going to either be bought or invaded, or else. And that two sets f tariffs were to be imposed on the eight European nations, UK included, who sent military personell to Greenland to discuss deployment to defend it.

Meanwhile Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carny, said that the natiopn's troops would deploy and fight a US invasion and a major Danish pension fund it was de-investion in US Government bonds as it was seen as bad investmets.

This was laughed at by a member of Trump's administration, his name is unimportant as is his views. Because Europe owns trillion of dollers of US Government debt, and were they all to dump the stock it would ruin the US economy.

Trump then spoke, rather rambled, to the World Economic Formum, where he may or may not have said that force would or would not be used in securing Greenland as US.

He then confused Greenland with Iceland at least four times, since denied in strongest terms by his Press Secretary. But its all on video tape.

He then lied on Truth Social that some kind of deal had been done with the head of NATO, though the details would be revealled in due course, but he was happy that his aims would be met. And so tariffs planned for the end of January would be scrapped.

Mark Rutte denied that Greenland had been mentioned in their brief meeting.

But go figure.

Trump is a senile old man who has been made the world's most powerful person, and the gatekeepers of the US Constitution and laws have not carried out their duties, allowing the 80 year old man baby tantrum his way across global politics.

But Europe faced him down, and he baulked. This time.

We must not forget this, and plan for a future without support, or needing that support, from the USA.

Tuesday 20th January 2026

The days and weeks fly by.

Its Tuesday, which means up at silly o'clock to get dressed, have a coffee and be out to go to the gym just before six.

I am aware that our days are falling into a pattern, but that's the same for most people, whether they work or not.

There is going to be some different stuff coming up in the next five to six weeks, so stay tuned.

I get to the gym, and scuttle to the entrance as it was cold and raining.

But I am there and do my session, listening to a podcast, Word in Your Ear from the weekend, and the time flies.

Then back home so Jools can have the car, and she has a fresh brew waiting when I get back. Half an hour later she is gone, and the morning is mine, which I waste.

Though I do have a shower and feel much better again.

Rain eases and the sun comes out. So I go for a walk, just to look for flowers and take shots.

The usual suspects were out, but a single daffodil is in bud at the corner of the road, along with a single crocus, so that means its spring, right?

Right.

Jools went into town, so I get on preparing what would be a late lunch or an early dinner; steak, air fryer chips, garlic mushrooms and corn.

And wine.

I miss up the steak a bit, but its still pretty good, and it all goes down very well. Just a shame there's a pile of washing up to do when we finish.

Football on the radio from six, then football on the TV as Norwich travelled to West Bromwich, and I didn't have high hopes.

But what do I Know? Norwich rattled in five goals without reply. Three in the last twenty minutes to lift us out of the relegation zone for the first time since October.

Citeh lost at Bodo, which was damned funny.

So it goes, so it goes.

Monday 19th January 2026

Monday,

Blue Monday.

And we're not going to work as we don't any more.

Sadly, between my brain and my body, they decide that I should not sleep long and/or soundly, so was awake at half four waiting for the alarm to go off.

That being said, I had nothing I needed to concentrate on, so I would take the day perhaps easier than usual.

Jools, however, is going to the pool for a swim, so I was alone just with a cup of coffee to keep me company.

It was a day which was bright and not that cold, and the first day when it began to fade, that it was obvious that it got darker later.

Or not so early.

Jools takes Mulder and Scully to the vets for their jabs. And whilst there, Scully was weighed, and the good new is she has put on another half kilo and now is 4.2Kg, so is no longer skin and bone.

This is a massive result.

Our main task for the day was to go to Walmer to pick out some stuff for our new shower, as we are having the bathroom redone when we're in Cyprus at the beginning of March, which is all so suddenly very close indeed.

So, tiles or backboards have to be chosen, new flooring and the show tray and glass side as well.

So after lunch we go into Walmer and down the maze of roads of the post war estates where on a junction is the bathroom warehouse and supply place.

We're not choosy, and pick a backboard that matches the kitchen worktops, the rest can sort themselves out.

So we leave.

Happy.

Back home there is a two hour Bangers and Cash marathon, with me sitting with Scully, as she wants that as much as food to be honest. And it keeps me off the computer and internet.

Dinner is katsu curry, rice and breaded chicken. A huge plate of stir fry, but my body needed fibre, so I overdid it during the day.

Anyway.

So, we ate well and then there was football with the two hours of talking about football before the actual football, by which time I was bored, so come quarter past nine, and half an hour from time, I gave up and went to bed.

Sunday 18th January 2026

Sunday.

Indeed, "super" Sunday if we were to believe Sky Sports.

More of that later.

Being a Sunday meant it was gym first thing. So up at six and out of the house at five to seven, and a quick drive to Whitfeld before the crowds.

A quiet day for weather, light winds and milky sun, so we arrive, park up and rush to the entrance, as what breeze there was, was chilly, and up to the gym where there were half a dozen others.

So we do our stuff for forty or so minutes, then am done, but Steve and Sandra, our new work out buddies had arrived, so we chat for a while. And then was free to come home.

Radcliffe and Maconie had just started their show, so we listened on the short drive home, and back in the house as we made breakfast and a cuppa.

We go to see Jen, as we had not been for a week. She had been gardening as it was so nice. Nice maybe in Whitfield, but not in clifftop St Maggies where the wind whistles through the hedges.

We have a brew and chat, fix some more of her phone issues. We're nearly there, fiding out how to turn notifications off, as the bloody thing chirps every thirty seconds or so.

Our job done, we go home as the footy kicked off at two.

And there so passed the four longest hours, as over 180 minutes plus injury time, Wolves, Newcastle, Villa and Everton manage a single goal between them.

And that was that.

Hash for dinner, here is me halfway though cooking it. And with it I drank the last of the Christmas beers.

And so, another weekend over, with Monday to follow. And Blue Monday at that. But we're retired now, so every day is a weekend.

Saturday 17th January 2026

It is the weekend.

Again.

And with the cup last weekend, its back to league action for all teams, and tat means an afternoon on the sofa with Scully listening to Radio 5 Live and watching Final Score.

I can't explain, but its the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

But before then there is always gym.

Yes, another day another session. So after coffee we head to Whitfield, arriving with the car park less than half full, so we go up claim our bikes and off we go.

Only there's something wrong with my phone. When I swipe it, there are no app icons, just a blank screen. No matter what I try to do, I can access podcasts or the internet, so have to listen to the Eurodisco on the speakers, pedal round Chicago and hope the time goes quick.

It does.

Whilst waiting for Jools, I see that there are new termsto agree to. Or guess there are as I don't have my glasses, so click OK and the phone magically comes to life.

To late.

Then off to Tesco for supplies. We don't need much, but still comes to a hundred quid. There is an aisle now given over only to Easter stuff and Easter Eggs.

In January.

Back home where we have a brew, put the shopping away and have the radio on, as the day brightens.

Jools is off to Maison Dieu for a day where lots of volunteer groups and the like are there to tempt people to join crafting, running and all sorts.

I don't go, I stay for a shower, then listen to more radio until at half twelve, the Manc Derby kicks off.

Citeh should have won easy, but United under their interim manager play well and win 2-0, and have three others disallowed for offside, one was close.

Lunch/dinner was the cottage pie I made with the Christmas beef. Defrosted and with more cheese grated on top, baked for half an hour an served with Boston Beans.

Was another triumph and very filling, so much so we don't eat for the rest of the day.

But it seems managing is easy.

Then to the sofa where I keep track on Norwich who win away in Wrexham.

Yay.

Before the evening game I watch Bayern play Leipzig and Bayern romp to a 5-1 win, while on the radio, Arsenal draw with Forest.

Another day done, peeps.

Friday 16th January 2026

Its Friday again!

A rest day. Though for Jools there was yoga and then her art group at the library.

What should I do?

I had an idea.

I believe that all the scaffolding has been removed from Canterbury Cathedral, so why not have a trip over there in the morning, when Jools is either yogaing or arting?

So, I had coffee and breakfast, so that when she came back at eight, I was ready to be dropped of at Priory Station.

At least it wasn't raining, instead clear and bright. And cold. But I told myself I didn't need a coat.

So I buy my ticket and went over to wait on the island platform for the train to roll in on platform 3.

Not may people about. All children had already gone to school, and most were already at work. Only a dozen of us were waiting for the train.

Once it arrives and we get on, there's a five minute wait until the train goes back the way it came, joining the main line before disappearing into Priory Tunnel.

And then through Buckland, River, Kearsney, Lydden, Shepherdswell and so on until we arrived at Canterbury East 25 minutes or so later.

From there it was just a ten minute walk to the centre, then along the narrow cobbled Mercery Lane, past the Buttercross to the entrance.

Christchurch Gate was closed, which was not unusual, but there was a sign to the side stating the Cathedral was closed Thursday and Friday due to a conference.

Bugger.

So, what to do?

Have a brew and think about it.

I walked back to Castle Street to Tiny Tim's Tearooms, where I have a brew and a cheese toastie.

There's always people to watch, so a stream of customers come and go, some to find a table inside, some to buy teacakes or buns.

Half an hour passed.

Jools was going to meet me off the train at ten past twelve, so I wandered over to Marks and Spencer to look for a jumper.

Up to the second floor, and finding lots of knitwear, but as yet, none in my size. There were few other customers and fewer staff, unlike the food store on the ground floor that was packed.

I could have wandered up to the local Wetherspoons, but I pass on that, and walked down to Eastbridge Hospital. Its still closed, and further issues with the structure have been found, and hundreds of thousands of pounds is needed to save it.

A shame.

So, I walk back to the Cathedral to see if I could see through the crack in the ancient doors of Christchurch Gate if the scaffolding on the west end had been taken down. I think they have, I couldn't get a clear view.

As I walk up Butchery Lane, I see the Roman Museum was open, so I go in.

In the basement there are displays of finds, discovered around the city, but pride of place is the mosaic floor of a villa, discovered after a bombing rain in 1941.

It was interesting, but steep at £11. But passed half an hour or so.

A dark cloud approached from the west, so it was a race between it and me as to whether I could make it back to the station dry.

I reach Dane John Park as the drizzle starts, but then there is just the bridge over the ring road and I was back at the station.

When I arrived, the smell of fresh coffee from the station café smelled wonderful, so I would have a cup of java when I got there. Only to find it had closed. I suppose just one train in each direction each hour doesn't make it worthwhile to stay open outside peak times.

So I went to sit on the platform, and see if any unusual workings were going to pass.

A Javelin went through, not stopping, I guess on a route-leaning trip, these are seen at Canterbury West, but not East.

Ten minutes later, my train pulled in. Hundreds of seats to choose from, so I sat on the left, so when we passed Kearsney I could have a look at our old place on Crabble Hill.

Truth is we went by too quick to see much. I do miss the views of the railway, but the space and quiet in St Maggies is not something I would swap.

Jools was waiting, so I climb in and she takes us home.

Or was going to, but asked if I fancied fish and chips.

I did, so instead of going home, we went to Deal, parking in Middle Street, but we were amazed by the number of cars about, and we nabbed the only remaining empty space.

We walked to The Strand, and along to the chippy. But they were full, and two groups were waiting for a table. So, we went to the Turkish place along the row of shops, had a choice of twenty tables.

A beer, Falafel followed by a main of Kofte Kebab and salad sure hit the spot. A sweet Turkish coffee rounded the meal off, so happy with that, we walk back to the car and I drive us home.

And that was that, really.

We watch some more educational telly, have a brew at five, so to be ready for the music quiz at six. Which I do poorly at, but only eight guess the album as well.

That leaves football, with WBA losing 3-2 to Middlesborough, in a very entertaining game. As long as you didn't support either teams playing.

C'mon and have a go if you're hard enough

You may have noticed that Trump is threatening to invade and annex Greenland.

Which is part of Denmark.

Trump asserts that the US needs Greenland in case Russia of China siezes it, and that Chinese ships are all over the island.

Ahem.

The US has a treaty with Greenland allowing it to have as many bases as the US wants on the island. And still maintains one of the dozen or so bases it had during the Cold War there.

The US is threatening an ally and member of NATO, and is now going to impose tariffs on any European nation that does not suport his claims, 10% to start with next month, and increasing 25% in June.

A trade war with an ally and fellow member of NATO.

Overnight, Stephen Miller, claimed Denmark was a tiny country with a tiny army and would be worry to US forces.

And yet this show how stupd he and the Trump administation is.

Greenland is not green. It is covered with glaciers, and the eas around it freezes. Getting around is difficult, and care must be taken in supplies that keep the 56,000 people on the island alive.

A US invasion would be mainly fighting the weather, not just fellow NATO troops. And after watching a report from a Finnish Army General last week, I am convinced the US has hardly any Artic combat experience, and once landing on the island, US forces would be open to Guerrilla warfare tactics. Their one base currently survives with three generators, take those out and the servicepeople there would be a few hours from death.

Extreme cold does strange things to rubber and diesel, meaning storage of these and other supplies would have to be in heated conditions. All of which easy targets for under cover attacks.

Moving around is almost impossible, and taks are useless there. Guns jam, and people would freeze without high arctic kit and warm selter to return to at regular intervals.

All kit and manpower needed to prosecute a war in the high artic on Greenland, European forces have at least ten times the resources the US has, and without training and kit, inexperienced troops will get into serious trouble.

The US might have more troops, planes, ships, helicopters and the such, but such overwhelming forces didn't matter to either Napoeon or Hitler when their forces tried to invade Russia. The Greenalnd summer is about three months long, from July to the end of October, the rest of the year its a white hell.

I'd like to see Trump give it a go, for the disaster it would be.

But go on, if you think you're hard enough, bone spur boy.

Thursday 15th January 2026

For the most part, it is good t have Jools joining me going to the gym, or me joining her, as when one of us isn't in the mood, really, then the fact the other is going means we end up saying, "OK, I'll put on my trainers...."

And so it was on Thursday, I slept deeply until five fifteen and was in a rotten mood as I drank my coffee. I could have quite easily said I wasn't going to go.

But Jools was eager, and all ready waiting by the back door, so I sighed and went to finish getting ready, and drove us to Whitfield.

Once there, and having lined up the latest episode of The Sound of Football podcast, I got on the bike and began pedalling.

After about fifteen minutes I saw I was very warm already, and this wasn't just down to the warmer morning. I saw from the display I was going at 66 rpm, faster than usual, and no matter how I tried to reduce it, the revs kept creeping up.

Which all means that next time I will up the level again.

Apart from the gym, there was little planned. Mainly because the forecast was for eight hours heavy rain, and a yellow weather warning had been issued.

The day before the guys came round to measure up for a new bathroom for us, so we have to go a showroom to pick out a new shower, but not today.

Back home we settle into our usual routine: a brew and breakfast, then listening to old John Peel shows and writing.

We did have to round up Poppy and Cleo, to take them to the vets for their annual jabs.

This is always difficult and stressful, for us and the cats. But we have it down to a fine art now, trap each cat in a different room and them sweep them up.

Once caught, Jools takes them to Whitfield, then once jabbed, back home to be released, fed, and they can go back to bed.

The new WSC was delivered at lunchtime, so in the afternoon I read that, sitting on the sofa with Scully, before watching the last part of the new dig at Pompei.

Outside the clouds delivered the rain. Heavy rain, and it fell for hours. The cats were not happy, as usual.

Also on Wednesday, a new box of wine containing twelve bottles of XV had arrived, the first of the 2024 vintage, so I thought I had better try that.

Good news is that it is as rich and smooth as ever, and will benefit from a year being racked.

Evening we have some Iberian cured ham with the finest Scottish oatcakes, with which I make the rest of the wine disappear.

As you do.

No football for the evening, so I read some, then went to bed early, as the rain continued to fall.

Wednesday 14th January 2026

Days seem to fall into two categories: either phys or non-phys days.

Wednesday was a non-phys day, so it meant that I could lay in bed.

My brain did wake me up at just before five. I heard Jools get up to feed the cats, but I went back to sleep, laying in to nearly seven, fraught with odd dreams.

Jools had a class, and I would go with her so I could go and try to get a hair cut.

We had coffee and breakfast, before we left home just before eight, parking on a side street near where the old Rack of Ale used to be.

Dover is a typical provincial town, with a historic High Street and commercial centre. But due to decisions made by local councils, the commercial centre has moved to either Whitfield or the new St James Centre.

Meaning that what is left on Biggin and London Streets are left fighting over the remaining crumbs.

Half eight on a working morning, the town should be waking up and people come to open shops. But what there was, was mostly abandoned shops, and those open were either vape shops, nail salons or European corner shops.

There are four of five barbers, mostly run by eastern European or Turks, but the one I favour failed to open, so went to the next that opened.

We parked on Park Street, and after a minute or two, I walked down the side of the River Dour, a major chalk stream, through the town to near the bus station, before cutting through to Biggin Street and the place where the barbers are grouped.

Above, the sun rose into a clear blue sky, looking warmer than the two degrees it was. Meaning it was no time to linger and watch.

I go into the barbers and am shown into a chair, then wait ten minutes after being dressed in a sheet by an assistant, then wait for the artist himself to arrive.

He did arrive and began to do his stuff, but then another arrived, and piece by piece reclaimed his scissors and clippers from the desk in front of where I was being trimmed.

I have no idea if this happened every day, but it was very awkward and was happy that once shorn, I could pay and escape.

Jools was done with her class, so we arranged to meet back at the car before driving up through town s we could call in at Tesco for some supplies, and then head home.

Lunch was bacon and sausage butties, perchance a tad too much for a lunchtime snack. So it was that come supper time we were still not hungry.

Then it was time for the first meet of the year for the churchcrawling group.

To make things easier for me, I chose a church under the cre of the CCT which knew would be open, so no need to liase with a keyholder or warden. That church was St Mary at Capel-le-Ferne, one I havenot been back to for about five years.

No one to pick up this time, so a short drive through town and onto the A20, turning off at Capel, then once in the village turning off down hapel Lane, back into the high downland that lies between Dover and Folkestone, away from the coast.

Light was flat, and the subdued hues suited the month. At the church, there was parking now suggested on the access road to the farm, then walk up the muddy track to the church. I slithered up to check that the church was open. It was, and so disturbed two workment who were digging two new graves.

In ten minutes the group arrived, four of them, so I lead them back to the church, and inside, where the stone walls had done nothing to keep any heat in, so was like standing in a fridge.

I showed them the triple-arched chancel wall, unique in Kent, and the reason for the visit.

We talked about the isolated site, and why the village centre is now a mile away near the coast.

And that was it.

So to drive home before the light faded totally, and before the school run really began.

We watched more archaeology through the afternoon, and by the time that ended, darkness had fallen and it was time to wait on the cats as dinner time approached.

Turns out we were not hungry after all, so made do with a handful of peanuts and a beer or two before the evening of more League Cup football between Chelsea and Arsenal, which was pretty good entertainment, and the visitors winning 3-2.

Are you ready to Brexit. Again?

Like an aging rockstar doing one final tour presenting his greatest hits, Nigel farage is getting ready to Brexit again.

Apparently, COVID meant it was never done properly, so it seems this will be his election pitch.

On top of that, his old "party", UKIP, have a new logo and tagline.

For the last few months, his current party, Reform, has been welcoming defecting Conservatives into the party, giving another meaning to Reform.

Let us not forget that Farage stood his then party down from standing against Conservatives in the 2019 election, so sure was he that this was the BREXIT deal that he had saught. But it seems this is not the case, or he was lying then. Or now. Who knows? Or cares?

Whether the country is ready to litigate BREXIT again, after the referendum result was carried out in that the UK left both the economic and political parts of the EU as well as the SM and CU.

This comes after Starmer says he is looking to strengthen ties between the UK and the EU as America slides into totalitarianism and/or civil war, with Europe cut adrift.

The country, I believe, is tired of Brexit, tired of the small problems of Brexit, and just want to get on with ther lives. There are those who will blame all ills on immigrants, and will only be happy if and when all migration stops.

But the country is mired in stagnation. Productivity has flatlined since the Conservatives took power in 2010, and no cutting benefits and welfare will make the country richer. Austerity has moved more money to the top 10%, as it always does, leaving the poorer 90% with less to spend.

But if you tax the rich they'll leave, we're told. Well, its not that the pay their way in tax anyway, and if they're not willing to pay what they should, then let them go.

Meawhile, America threatens to invade and annex Greenland, and sees liberal Europe as its idealogical enemy to be defeated.

These are dark days, caused one orange man baby and Congress and the Supreme Court not doing their constitutional duty on restricting the executive's power.

Liberty wept.

Tuesday 13th January 2026

No one ordered fog.

I certainly didn't.

Most other weather can be dealt with, mist and fog doesn't seem that big a deal for some drivers, neither does being seen apparently. During the day at least.

But at six in the morning, traffic is light, and those of us who are out have our lights and fog lights on.

Later, as well as fog we would have heavy rain too, quite the combination to make you think it better to stay inside and look at the raindrops racing down the outside of the window.

But before then, there is gym.

I arrive safe, only for there to be a line of cars leaving, and the carpark half full. Seems something in the pool broke and so swimmers were being turned away.

Nothing to affect us gymrats, though. So I go in, and take the stairs up again, rather than the lift to the first floor. Then on the bike and line up a podcast to listen to.

And off I go.

And forty minutes later, I am done.

And hot and glowing.

Back home then so Jools can have the car to go into town for another class, and I will relax at home with a brew and catch up on podcasts and the like.

I have a shower and so am all nice, clean and fragrant when Jools comes home, so we can have breakfast.

There is nothing we need, and outside heaving rain is falling from the fog. Its an impressive thing, two types of weather at the same time, but not nice to be out in it.

So we hatch stuff on the i player about Pompei and more Digging for Britain, between reading and drinking brews.

Lunch was pizza and beer. Jools had been into town and been to M&S, so these weren't just pizza....

They were OK, but probably not as good as Tesco's, if I'm honest.

For the evening there was football: League Cup semi-final between Newcastle and Citeh, which Citeh win 2-0, but was a good game, and closer than the score suggests.

Kept me awake, anyway.

Monday 12th January 2016

Welcome to the unworking week.

Yes, it was Monday, and nothing planned, though Jools was out and about, going to aquafit and ten swimming and then fixing more on Jen's phone.

I wish I could say I achieved more than getting up and putting my trousers on, but that was about if for my achievements that day.

Outside the weather had indeed changed, winds now swept in from the west, leaden with moisture, which tippled down on St Maggies.

I could have laid in all morning, but instead of my stupid brain waking me up, it was my stupid bladder.

As I was up I may as well get dressed, before Cleo pinned me to the bed.

I cleaned out the feeders as the rain had started the seeds to rot, and so the birds had been ignoring the feeder.

Then breakfast, and begin the preparation for lunch/dinner.

I peeled potatoes, let them soak.

We eat the main meal middle of the afternoon now, so we only eat twice, and so on Monday it was steak and ale pie, roast potatoes, vegetables and gravy.

I tell Jools we shall eat at three, so she leaves, and through the morning the potatoes were boiled and drained, then left to dry.

I have found a channel on YouTube that has old John Peel shows on it, so have spent the last four days listening to the Festive Fifties of 1985, 1984 and now 1983.

Like I was eighteen again!

Time slides.

The potatoes were put in hot fat at half one, then basted every half hour so they were perfect at three. The pies in at half two, same with the vegetables put on to steam. Finally swede boiled and mashed with butter and pepper added.

We ate at three, Jools got back in time and had fixed most of the issues with Jen's phone.

And then when we had eaten, we lazed around for half an hour before we wash up.

Then feed the cats, make a brew and its nearly time for bed again.

Liverpool v Barnsley on the radio, which was close until the last five minutes.

Oh well.

Time for bed.

Boing!

Sunday 11th January 2026

Day two of the weekend. Even if every day is now the weekend for us.

You get what I mean.

And being a weekend, I start the day with a trip to the gym alone, as Jools was having a day off.

So after cofffee and checking on the world, I leave the house, and despite it being nearly two degrees above freezing, here was still a frost, and Dover Road past Wallett's Court had not been gritted, and looked like the Cresta Run.

But I make it to the sports centre safe and sound, and being dawn, on the horizon, Mother Nature was showing her new season colours, so I take a shot of the sky and clouds.

Then inside and walked up the stairs instead of taking the lift, and onto the bike with an old podcast to listen to, as I had run out of new ones again.

I don't need a video of some city to bile through now, just me against the clock and the calorie counter. I even up the pace to something akin to a sprint at the end.

Done.

Back home as the kiddies arrive for their swimming gala, happy to have done my bit.

And once we had eaten breakfast, I had another shower before we went to Jen's to sort out her new phone.

She switched from an ancient i-phone to an Android, and the leap in technology would have been the same had she stayed with Apple.

More data to transfer, the find out if the apps worked, and then how to get her pictures moved across.

Hardest thing was Facebook, with having to log out and back in on her old phone before it recognised her new phone and credentials. But the added complexity was Messenger, which as a part of Facebook with no clear way of logging out, so that despite logging out she was still logged in.

I hope this makes sense.

Two and a half hours we tried, then had to bring her old phone back here so we could download her pictures before they vanished in a puff of unsmoke.

That was the morning gone, and so that meant the football was due to begin, but all on the radio for me. Including Norwich, playing at home to Walsall.

A potential banana skin, but as it turned out, a cake walk and a 5-1 win for City.

Dinner defrosted and reheated jambalaya, which was good enough, meaning very little washing up and a ten minute prep for me.

And that was it.

Not much in the evening, other than overnight the winds would swing round to the west and it would be ten degrees warmer in the morning.

Saturday 10th January 2026

It is the weekend again. And what better way to start Saturday than a session at the gym?

What indeed?

At least at weekends, there is an hour's lay in as it doesn't open until seven, so up at six, though my stupid brain had me awake before five. But I wasn't going to waste a lay in, oh now, I lay in the dark listening to hear if there was any rain or sleet falling.

There wasn't.

So, up and dressed, and after drinking the only coffee of the day, it was off to the car and then drive into the dawn as light crept over the horizon.

Another session on the bike, which went quite quickly, though my end my thighs were complaining, which I am lead to believe is a good thing.

Traffic is still light at eight, so back home safely, then once inside put the kettle on for a brew before we thought about breakfast.

Jools was going out to help Jen to buy a new phone, as her old steam-powered i-phone won't charge any more, so they went to Folkestone to window shop all the second hand shops.

I stayed behind. Washed up, then went for a shower, followed by a change of clothes, so smelt and felt much better.

BBC has chased another great DJ off 6 Music, but a random post on BlueSky revealed that Huey is now on Virgin, so after searching online I found his new show. And even better is that the show is four hours long, AND on Sunday too.

Shame about the ads, but a small price to pay.

It was FA Cup 3rd Round weekend too, and sadly the FA sold rights to most games to TNT Sports, leaving just three games on free to air BBC, putting "the people's cup" behind a paywall most can't afford.

But Macclesfield v Palace was on, and it delivered perhaps the biggest shock of them all with the Macc Lads wining 2-1, knocking the holders out.

Then to watch Final Score whilst listening to 5 Live, and at least the goals from the nine games kicking off at three were shown soon after they were scored.

I sat on the sofa with Scully, while Jools tried to transfer Jen's data from the old phone to the new one.

Darkness fell, and the games played out. Followed by Spurs v Villa which ended up 2-1 to the visitors, and the thought arises as to if we'll ever see Spurs win again?

We ate garlic chicken, Indian grains, creamed spinach and sprouts cooked in bacon and bacon fat. A lot of flavours, but good.

Friday 9th January 2026

Each day I start the day not just with a coffee, but to read old blog posts. And I realise that a lot of my posts in January lament or note the lack of light, and dreaming of when the days will become visibly longer.

Well, that hasn't happened this year. Not that I don't miss the longer days or the warmth of the sun, its just that life is full with fun stuff now, and we know that come February days will be longer, and maybe warmer.

Anyway, at the end of February we fly south chasing some late winter sun and orchids.

Which will be nice.

Friday was the day the Storm Goretti blew through. Here in east Kent it brough heavy rain, strong winds, but that's it. Through the day we had some snow, but it was too warm and wet to settle. Meanwhile the coast from Folkestone to Hythe was battered, with parts of the promenade destroyed, roads and houses flooded and tons of shingle from the beach washed up.

Jools went to yoga first thing, while I donned a rain-proof coat to put the bins out and to fill up the feeders.

Rain was blowing horizontal, and mighty cold. Jools was delayed coming home by an accident on the A2. Not sure what happened, but a single car had a bad accident, and the road through Whitfield to the port was closed for six hours, causing massive jams down Whitfield Hill and into town.

Jools would have missed it, only she offered to get bacon and sausage butties from B&Q on the way home, and got stuck in the jam. It took her an hour to get back, with the just still warm butties.

And then she was off to her craft morning at the library, followed by a late Christmas party in Martin at one of the member's houses.

So I stayed here and waited on the cats. Tested Scully and fed her, while outside the rain turned to sleet and then snow.

I was happy enough inside.

Having bought a whole cheek of guanciale, it needed to be cut into portions. So, I sharpened my knives and set about slicing it. The skin made it tough going, until I remembered the trick of cutting down through the skin holding the cheek vertical.

We got something like two pounds of guanciale which is now frozen and will be brought out whenever carbonara is on the menu.

When Jools came back, we settled down to watch two more episodes of Digging for Britain, which to our delight featured regular views of our village during the spoken links.

Supper was defrosted ragu, pasta and garlic bread cooked in garlic infused olive oil, which made bread tasty enough to ward off the most persistent of vampires.

I did poor in the quiz, only getting it right at the end, so nil points for Jelltex.

And no football on TV, as the FA Cup is now on TNT Sport, which is one subscription to much. So I went to bed early to read.