Saturday 3rd January 2025

Three days ago, Jen called to say she'd like to come home Sunday, will one of us come up to share the driving back?

Jools said yes.

Tickets were bought on the trains, made harder by the WCML being closed north of Milton Keynes, so travel would be through Derby and Sheffield.

Jools would travel up Saturday, and the cheapest way was to get the first high speed surface out of Dover at quarter to seven, perfect then for me to head to the gym afterwards.

Come Saturday morning, up at five to get ready, pack bag for Jools, all so we could be on the road at twenty past six.

There was quite the frost this morning, but roads had been gritted, I just took things carefully into town past the castle and down the hill.

Jools was dropped off fifteen minutes before the train left, she waved as I drove off. Question was what to do with te twenty minutes before going to the sports centre?

Well, head to the White Cliffs to snap the docks and views over the town. Only thing was I had my gym kit, so wasn't going to stray far from the car.

Back up Castle Hill, then out along Reach Road to the NT place, before turning in at the hairpin bin.

I took a few shots from the mall car park overlooking the harbour, then drove to the exit for shots down East Cliff for views over Jubilee Way to the prom and the town beyond.

On the horizon, the bright lights of the French coast were bright, from Bleriot Plage to Calais, which looked very welcoming.

Away to the north west, the Wolf Moon was setting, still casting enough light to be able to take a shot with my mobile, and so fooled its sensors into making it look like a daytime shot.

I was frozen. My hands blocks of ice, so got back in the car to drive back to Castle Hill, then turn up to the Duke of Yorks, and then to Whitfield to the sports centre.

I had ten minutes, so sat in the car trying to get warm, before I got out and got cold again as I walked to the entrance.

About twenty of us were waiting to go in, and at seven on the dot the doors were opened.

So, up to the gym, and set up the machine, where I have increased the level once more.

Let's rock!

So, I do my session, and so after cool down, go back down and then to the car, getting back at eight.

It was still cold.

I sit and cool down some more, then make a brew and breakfast whilst listening to the radio.

I have a shower, and after, should have gone for a walk to check on more flowers, but decide I was so nice and toasty warm I stay inside and listen to more radio.

Come lunchtime, there is football, Celtic v Rangers, which was an entertaining game, though Celtic failed to show up in the second half, so went from being 1-0 up at half time, to losing 3-1 at the end.

No Football League games today, and just two Premier League games kicked off at three, with Wolves winning their first game of the season, beating West Ham 3-0, plunging The Hammers deep into the relegation battle.

Then it was Bournemouth v Arsenal, which was a pretty good game, Arse ran out 3-2 winners but were hanging on at the end.

So it goes.

Outside, it was bitterly cold. The Wolf Moon rose again, and cast ice cold light onto the Kent tundra. I turned the heating down and so went to bed, soon to be joined by two cats, as Jools was away.