Friday 30th January 2026

We come to the end of January.

Signs of spring are everywhere, if you look.

Daffodils are beginning to flower, crocuses are close, and out in the fields and lanes, wild flowers are in bud or flowering.

In our garden, the dwarf Witch Hazel has begun to do it's thing. Is it flowering? I don't know.

But I had to snap this in a gap between heavy rain showers, as Friday was rather inclement.

Jools went to yoga as usual. I went back to sleep so didn't hear the car being driven out, but once I did come to, I could hear the heavy rain hammering on the car port roof.

And it was bins day.

That meant once up and dressed, putting on the sou'wester, oilskins and the rest just to drag the brown and black bins to the top of the drive.

Then back down to fill up the feeders and scatter peanuts for the corvids and wood pigeons.

It took about four hours for the rain to lessen, by which time I had got one of the bins back down.

Jools came back, so we had breakfast and a brew before she was out for her craft morning.

Its all go here.

While I stayed behind to make a huge pot of chilli. Jools had requested chilli, so we had bought all the ingredients on Thursday, so all I had to do was combine them, in the right amounts and cook for some time to make six meals for chilli, the other five would be frozen as batch cooking.

Three onions, two pounds of mince, three cans of tomatoes, five cans of kidney beans, seven cans of water, two stock cubes, chilli powder, cayenne pepper, dried chipotle and two splashed of Jesper's special chilli sauce.

Once all was combined, simmer for three hours of so and it was ready. So all there was left to do was boil some rice, and serve.

Some tortillas would have been nice, but it was OK. Good in fact.

Then to the sofa for two more editions of Smiley's People, while between us, Scully slept happily, as her sugars have stabilised and she is no longer desperate for food.

Thursday she ran around the garden chasing a twig for nearly and hour. Not bad for a senior cat of sixteen years.

There was the music quiz, but my knowledge of Sting solo albums was somewhat lacking, so no points for Jelltex.

Playing the old hits!

This was today's front page of the Daily Express:

Let me explain this simply:

1. The referendum asked if the UK should remain or leave the European Union. We left, both economically and politically.

2. The agreement was ratified by the General Election in 2019, as Johnson's "oven ready deal".

3. So happy was Nigel Farage that he stood down every one of his MPs in constituencies where the Conservative Party was expected to win.

4. Johnson won his landslide.

5. On 31st January 2020, the UK left the European Union.

6. This was a "proper Brexit", as this was the one that the electorate backed.

7. This is the deal that Johnson negotiated, Baddenoch as a Minister in his Government backed this deal. And Farage backed by withdrawing his party to ensure a Conservative victory.

8. I don't believe that the UK has the appetite for another Brexit election. In fact, we are all tired of it, all the little things that make life difficult, expensive and time-consuming.

9. A harder Brexit will make the regulatory border in the Irish Sea harder, and leaving the ECHR is explicitlyagainst the Good Friday Agreement.

10. All three support Trump and want to bring Trumpism, ICE, camps and repatriation of migrants that are here legally and have the right to stay.

Thursday 29th January 2026

Being Thursday, it means up at five fifteen, getting dressed, drinking coffee, all before going to the sports centre for some phys.

Each morning I read old blog posts I have written, and the reoccurring theme is my bad back and that it seems to ache most of the time.

Exercise either curtailed or cancelled due to various severity of back ache.

What I can see is that I have not really had back ache for about three months now, maybe more, and being careful with the phys, I have suffered no other injuries. Other than a minor back muscle pull when tying shoelaces back in December, even then, cycling did it good. As did ice packs and drugs.

So, off to the gym where I do a little bit more than Tuesday, which probably means another level increase over the weekend.

After phys, we go to Tesco to gather supplies, rushing round throwing stuff in the trolley.

And then back home before rush hour and the school run peaks. And that was it for the day as far as excitement goes.

Shower, shave, breakfast, put the shopping away, while outside the rain did fall yet again.

For lunch at two, it was leftovers. Or, the remaining hunk of prime rib, sliced and heated in the air fryer, served with fresh roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, veg and gravy also left for the meal on Monday.

A fine meal, lots of vegetables, and this time all crunchy, crispy golden roast potatoes were eaten.

We then retired to the sofa to watch two episodes of Smiley's People, before facing the task of clearing up the plates and washing up.

And another Smiley's People to follow that too.

Night fell outside, and so the final tasks carried out: a brew with a couple of chocolate digestives, put out the milk bottles, close the curtains, before finally turning the heating down.

And so the 29th day of January drew to an end.

Nigel, the rag n bone man

Here is a list of former Conservative ministers, MPs and current MPs who have defected to Reform:

Robert Jenrick

Danny Kruger

Andrew Rosindell

Lee Anderson

Suella Braverman

Nadhim Zahawi

Nadine Dorries

David Jones

Lia Nici

Jonathan Gullis

Andrea Jenkyns

Jake Berry

Adam Holloway

Ben Bradley

Chris Green

Sarah Atherton

Maria Caulfield

Anne Marie Morris

Ross Thomson

Alan Amos

Marco Longhi

Aidan Burley

Lucy Allan

For the most part these are not the sharpest knives in the drawer, nor do many have any apparent talent. I'm looking at you, Gullis. Many were Ministers at one time or another in the various Conservate Governments from 2010 onwards, or blowhards for Brexit, in love with Boris, but all part of the same former political party that Governed the country, which they now claim is a broken Britain.

Note, not UK.

Jenrick and Braverman were Home Secretaries, and Jenrick was the Home Secretary that had the bright idea of stopping asylum applications to create the crisis of hotels overflowering with asylum seekers.

Something he now seems to have forgotten. And people who could have executed whatever policy thay wanted, certainly after 2019 when Johnson won a lanslide, so could have fixed the issue, had it have politically beneficial to do so.

Instead he and Braverman played politics and the racist card with the most desperate of people, because it made them look tough. And cruel. Though cruel is what they are.

So, Farage has filled his "Party" with Tory rejects, the people who created the situations through Brexit and failed immigration, who most of them claim the party they left, The Conservative and Union Party, broke Britain, which they were members of.

We can only hope that the electroate sees it the same way, failed politicians for a failed party trying to enact failed policies.

Wednesday 28th January 2026

Wednesday.

Hump day.

Unless you're retired.

We have both been a couple of leisure for ten months now, and there was a time, soon after we did finish, that we both thought we might not enjoy retirement, and might go back to some kind of work.

But as time went on, and through the long winter nights, we have come to really love our lives, and there then is zero chance of being tempted back.

This week has seen brighter days, so lighter in the mornings and late afternoons, and with the sunshine yesterday which shone until well after four, it felt and looked like Spring.

After I dropped Jools off at her class, I was going to go to Canterbury to visit the cathedral to snap the now completed renovation work. But a check online meant I found out that it doesn't open until ten, and with the churchcrawling in the afternoon, really didn't leave me with enough time to go to the city.

So I didn't.

Jools took the car and I lollygagged around the house. Had breakfast, washed up, did the bird food and listened to podcasts, and watched videos.

I wasn't bored.

Out in the garden three Winter aconites were in flower, and now the sun was out, one of the flowers just about opened, so I went out to snap it and other flowers that were showing.

I also broadcasted the seed packs that Fran had given us for Christmas, making sure that they were in contact with the soil.

The wisteria is showing signs of waking up, and the lilac has had buds for most of the winter, while rosettes of Cowslips, Pyramidals and other perennials were showing well.

Spring is coming.

We had tasted hot cross buns for lunch when Jools came home, giving me half an hour to faff around before leaving the house so I could pick up Martina from Deal, en route to the church at Nackington.

It was like a spring day driving from Deal to Worth then past Ash and Wingham. At least in the car with the heater on.

Along the A2 for a bit, then turn off through Bridge, where the road to Stone Street was closed. Or had road closed signs showing.

So instead it was back onto the A2, turn off at Wincheap, then through Chartham and to Hardres and back onto Stone Street.

We got tere at ten to two, one car was already there, and soon four more joined, as we turned the quiet dead end lane into rush hour. A face showed at one of the windows of the end cottage as the lady tried to see why there were so many folks about.

The warden arrived, so after introductions, we walked to the porch and inside.

I read from John's book, and the words of Hasted from the 18th century, of the descriptions of the parish and church.

I had brought them here to see two of the oldest stained glass windows in England. Which the warden told us were brought from Canterbury Cathedral at some point, for some unknown purpose. Try to understand Hasted, it seems the windows were there at the end of the 18th century.

The windows are of early 13th century manufacture, and so old that the craftsperson who made them might have been alive when Thomas Becket was Archbishop. As it is, the windows have probably the oldest representation of Becket.

We talk for nearly and hour as I describe the church and the fittings. And we were done, meaning we should just about get home before the schools runs on our route home.

I drove us into canterbury, then up the Old Dover Road and back onto the A2 before going back through Wingham to Sandwich and finally onto Deal.

The sun was about an hour from setting, and was still full daylight. And looked all the world like Spring.

I dropped Martina off, battled through Deal town centre and its new roadworks, then took the Dover Road through Walmer to home.

I got back at ten past four, where it was time for a cuppa.

Supper was minted lamb and stir fry with noodles. It worked. And increased the amount of fibre we both ate compared to the day before.

And there was minimal washing up, which is always a bonus.

For the evening there was the chaos of the last round of Champions League games, all 18 games kicking off at the same time to see who would would go through to the round of 16, and those others who would either go into the play-off round or just go home.

After seven dreadful rounds of games, the excitement is pretty much save for this night, and at times it was exciting. That it takes eight rounds of games just to eliminate 12 teams is a result of the "need" to reduce the risk for the biggest clubs and mostly to ensure those biggest clubs are the ones to progress to the knock out phase.

Money talks, always had, which is why five out of the eight who go straight through were Premier League clubs, or 62.5% of teams in the top eight were PL teams.

I kept listening in the hope that one of the biggest clubs would fail in some way. In the end it was both Real Madrid and PSG who in failing to win must now play two extra games in the play-off rounds.

It matter not a jot to me as a football fan, or the club I support whether any English club wins loses the Champions League. Very little money comes our way now, as domestic players are not seen as value for money.

So, the circus now moves on to the play off round where its not quite sudden death, but there is real peril for the biggest clubs.

Tuesday 27th January 2026

A day of wind and rain.

Rain which began to pass from being merely rain to heavy rain at about five in the morning, and would continue until three in afternoon, throwing rain at the house in the teeth of a gale force Storm Chandra.

The south west got it bad, worse than us. Although there was flooding in some parts of town, and in some villages.

All I had to do was drive to the sports centre. The heavy rain had been falling for just an hour, so the drive wasn't so bad.

But then had to scramble from the car to the entrance so not to get too wet, before walking upstairs to the gym and doing my session, listening to another podcast from A Word in Your Ear.

The time went quickly, as I stepped up my RPM, so that I did 330 calories, and yet wasn't out of breath.

Then back to the car and drive home, it was still almost dark at seven, and the rain fell ever harder. But I got home safe, time to have a brew with Jools before she went to her fitness class.

Jools even decided it was too wet and windy for a walk, so drove right to the Riverside Centre.

Back home in Chez Jelltex, it didn't really get light until well into the afternoon, as the rain and thick cloud kept the sunlight to a minimum.

The cats were upset at not being able to go out, or when they did, they rushed back in, so used the litter tray.

After the huge meal on Monday, we just had cold pigs in blankets and stuffing sandwiches for lunch, which were very good indeed, especially with some home-made chilli jam.

Jools watched two of the Hunger Games films, while I read, wrote and made brews.

Just before sunset, the clouds cleared and the wind dropped, and once dark, stars came out turning the night very chilly indeed.

I tried to watch Cambridge v Shrewsbury, but couldn't get into it, so went to bed at half time.

Monday 26th January 2026

The past is a different country.

For the last few days we have been watching both the original BBC made Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy as well as a film made to commemorate The Clash playing the opening night at The Roxy, New Year's Eve 1976.

Both films showed how grim the 1970s were for most, with the wealthy and professionals driving around un luxury cars while the plebs slummed it in little ore than slums whilst working back-breaking long shifts in factories or down mines.

One section of The Clash film showed how Covent Garden market was closed down, and the communities around it withered and died, the precursor to gentrification that we saw in many parts of London, with the working poor pushed further out.

The Royal Opera lived next door to he market, and dancers mixed with costermongers in the pubs and bars around the market.

What life was there for the young and disaffected? Not much.

Play some rock and roll, live in a squat. Mick Jones described how if he wanted to continue to claim the dole, after four weeks he would be sent to a working "camp", where regular hours would be taught, all leading to the discipline of a working life. Schools taught many of us to be nothing but monkeys for the manufacturing machine.

But then the machines were closed.

But to Monday.

And to start the day, I had an appointment with a podiatrist.

I have type 2 diabetes, though I am trying to fix that with lifestyle changes, and may be on the road to that goal, but the condition means taking care of your feet.

Diabetes results in the deadening of the senses in the feet, and so you may not feel cuts or injuries sustained, so I go there now so Siobhan looks at my feet, cuts the nails and removes dead skin.

Thanks to the first appointment, my feet are much better, but more to go. But having a half eight appointment in Deal meant being out of the house early, in the middle of what counts for rush hour here, and getting into Deal, finding a place to park so to be on time.

Jools went swimming first thing, while I laid in bed. Up for a coffee, so that when Jools returned, I could leave and take my chances on the road.

Traffic was slow, but I was parked up by quarter to eight, so had time for a wander.

A change from a few months ago where I would park as close as possible and walk a less as possible.

I parked near the castle, then cut through up to the promenade and along to the pier, past the small fishing fleet all dragged up onto the beach. Not a soul about in the pre-dawn gloom.

Then walk to the High Street, and back along to the clinic, where she was already there, so I was called in early.

The verdict was, indeed, my feet are better, so after the clippings and filing, I left to walk back to the car and home.

Back home for ten past nine. I have a brew with Jools before she is off out again, to take one of her crafting friends for coffee in Deal, where she will meet friends and chat, and forget about her husband for an hour or so.

I stay home to begin preparations for our delayed Christmas lunch with Jen, as she was away when it was actually Christmas.

Potatoes peels and left to soak; beef seasoned and allowed to come to room temperature; stuffing mixed and chestnuts added; vegetables prepped and left ready to cook.

At quarter past twelve, the beef went in the oven. The joint, nearly nine pounds of prime rib (with bones, mind), just fitted in the new tin, and was soon filling the kitchen and house with glorious smells. It would take nearly three hours to cook.

Potatoes boiled, then steam dried, before being put in hot fat and cooked for nearly two hours, with regular basting, so were all golden and crispy.

There were pigs in blankets too, so once the meat was done, the vegetables put on to steam, the Yorkshire puddings put into cook, and Jools went to pick up Jen.

It was all ready at ten past three. I carve the meat and dish up the food. There is a jug of beef gravy, wine, beer too.

The ribs were done perfectly, and the outer edges crispy and full of flavour.

Due to us eating less, I couldn't eat it all, and left a Yorkshire pudding, some stuffing and a roast potato.

We were all full to bursting.

But it were good.

Jools and Jen cleared up, and then Jonathon from the builders turned up with two electricians, to finalise plans for the bathroom.

Work is now confirmed, along with colours for a walls and the new walk in shower unit.

Jools took Jen home, and once ack we sat down to watch the last two episodes of Tinker, Tailor, along with Scully asleep between us on a blanket.

That gave me half an hour before the start of the Norwich game, v Coventry.

A lot has happened since we let at their place in September. For us, a long losing run, sacking the coach and now we have a new one, and are on a roll. Coventry, meanwhile, are top of the league, top scorers, and favourites for promotion.

But they are wobbling.

Their manager, Frank Lampard Jr, wanted to be our manager back in 2021. He was interviewed, and two days later TalkSport announced he had been offered the job, other newspapers thought it a formality.

Its not that I don't like Frank, it's just he is the story wherever he goes. And instead of being Coventry City, it's Frank Lampard's Coventry City. I didn't want that for my club.

Norwich played well in the first half, though had just one shot. And shortly before half time, Cov scored. A well worked goal, shot on the turn and under our keeper.

Second half started, and we levelled straight away, and twenty minutes later scored what turned out to be the winner.

Norwich played well in and out of possession. Pressing well, and passing the ball well, sometimes riding their luck, but in the second half, so did Coventry.

Norwich had a run of four tricky games, and have won the first three of them, with Middlesborough away at the weekend. From seven points adrift from safety in November to four points above it now.

An astonishing turn round with Philippe Clement at the helm, seeing and guiding all.

Sunday 25th January 2026

Part two of the weekend.

And we begin it with getting up at six, having coffee and then heading to the sports centre.

I was going to do more cycling, but Jools had an hour's session in the pool, so once we arrived at a minute past seven, we walked briskly to the entrance then parted ways.

Me up the stairs, in through the swing doors, and I find I was third person in, so I go to my instrument of torture, set it to the new level, line up an old episode of the Parallel Universe, and off I go.

Time goes go quickly for the first and last ten minutes, but the middle twenty can drag.

I watch out for two times: 06:17 as the Dambusters were at Marham when I was there, and 21:12 for Rush.

With the second of these, coming just after halfway, I tell myself its all downhill from there.

Not quite.

I get the session done, then wait for Jools in the entrance hall, and once she had showered and came out, we walked to the car for the short drive into town.

It had been a while since we had breakfast, so a trip to Chaplins was agreed, as they opened at eight.

So it was we were third group of the day, so had a table by the window and ordered our meals.

They came quickly, and were very good indeed, but huge. So much so we didn't have another meal that day, just a slice of the lemon drizzle cake I made and some peanuts in the evening.

We waddled back to the car, and I drove us back up Jubilee Way to St Maggies.

It was just nine o'clock.

So we had another brew, listened to some music before putting the Huey Show on, now he's on Virgin, he has two four hour shows each weekend, and is wonderful, as there is no playlists, just his mighty fine taste in music.

After a shower there is football.

Always football.

Portsmouth v Southampton first, which ended 1-1. Followed by Newcastle v Villa, which Villa strode to a 2-0 win. Before what used to be the title decider, Arsenal v Man Utd, which was a stunning game, and which Utd won 3-2 with a late winner over what looked like a very tired Arse.

So it goes.

Finally, we took to the sofa for two episodes of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

And by that time it was half eight and time for bed. Said Jimmy Spring.

Saturday 24th January 2026

Hey! It's the weekend again.

And you know the pattern by now, right?

Up at six. Have coffee. Get dressed, on with the trainers, and out by five to seven to the sports centre for forty minutes pumping lard.

Or cycling.

And this morning, it was time to up the resistance one more notch, so that done. On we go.

Outside there was a wonderful dawn and sunrise, which I watch the reflection off in the plastic glass on the wall in front of my instrument of torture.

But it was done after forty minutes, so we could walk back to the car as most people were arriving. One small lad was so excited about going swimming, he undressed to his trunks in the queue to get in, and then packing his clothes in his backpack.

Back home. I put bird food out, then inside for a brew and breakfast.

It was a glorious day, almost springlike, but cold in the wind. It would be a shame to waste it with football.

So, after a shower and getting dressed, I put on my trainers again and jumper, and walk down to the end of the road and along the track to the fields.

The reason for this route was to check on the Alexanders, in case one was in flower. As it turned out, one was very close, but not quite out.

The recent rain and several tractors using the track had churned it to mud, and made for slippery going. So, instead of going over the field, I walked up the track to Collingwood and then turned left towards Station Road.

I did find a single Primrose in flower, the first of the year, but the crocus I had been hoping to snap, bright yellow and in bud it was on Thursday, had been pecked by birds and was now wrecked.

Oh well.

But another 3,00 steps done on top of the cycling, so not bad. I would feel less guilty about sitting on the sofa all afternoon.

Jools made mackerel paste for her lunch, I made pasta a limone, which was very good indeed.

And then football.

Middlesbrough thrashed Preston 4-0, before taking to the sofa to listen to 5 Live and watch Final Score.

I think this is my favourite time of the week, and there was commentary on Burnley v Spurs, while going round the grounds getting scores updates.

And then Bournemouth v Liverpool, which was a stunning game, Liverpool coming from 2-0 down to draw 2-2, before Bournemouth nick it with the last kick of the game.

Wow.

And that was Saturday.

Friday 23rd January 2026

We have reached the end of the week, and its time to slow down so we can really enjoy the weekend.

Because we live life at 100mph or something.

Or not.

Friday isn't a phys day for me, but Jools does yoga, and the class starts at half six, so she is up and about at five. I heard her get up and thought I was never going back to sleep.

An hour later I woke again to hear Jools driving out of the car port, leaving for the class.

And she had done the bins.

So all I had to do was make my coffee and check up on the world.

We're still screwed.

I take things easy, ready and listening to podcasts, then make sure the kettle had boiled when Jools came home, so she could have a brew and breakfast.

For her art group at the local library, she took the car as the forecast was for yet more rain. I would stay home to make curried butternut squash for our lunch.

Whilst working in the kitchen, I take part in the great bird count, and see plenty. But no goldfinches, which was a shame.

Squash was peeled, cubed, and tossed in oil, seasoned and put into a medium oven for an hour to soften and get a nice dark colour.

I add them to some softened onions and garlic, top up with stock, pop in some curry spices and simmer for half an hour.

Man that was some good soup.

We have it when Jools returned at one, with some buttered seeded sourdough bread.

More spy action in the afternoon, then switch to Bangers and Cash at two.

Rock and roll.

At least the rain eased, and late in the afternoon the sun came out, so casting long shadows in the golden light.

For the evening there was the Hamburg derby: St Pauli v Hamburg. Should have been a great game, both teams in relegation trouble as well as being city rivals. But it was a poor game between two poor teams. A hard watch, and a 0-0 bore-draw.

Oh well.

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.