Tuesday 9th June 2026

So, back in the jugg agane.

Chiz, chiz.

What I mean is, that after a week when I did no phys since last Tuesday, at the gym at least. But lead two tours, went to Norwich and round Crown Point in the rain, up the downs on Sunday morning.

Then two days rest. Once night bad sleep, one night good. It was time to hit the gym again, so up at ten past five, get ready, drink coffee and ready to go.

I was woolly headed, but was determined to do the full 40 minutes, so had a podcast to listen to, so all was set.

I arrived at a minute to six to find a massive queue waiting to get in, though most were going swimming, so once we were let in and through the turnstile, up the stairs and onto the bike.

Forty minutes seems a lot, especially for the first ten minutes, then the second isn't much better. But the miles stack up, and once over twenty minutes, it was downhill.

In a manner of speaking.

I do the session in full, once cooled down I walk back to the car and drive to Tesco for a few supplies to tide us over.

Tesco was half empty. Literally.

Several aisles and shelving units were missing, creating an odd space in the middle of the store. Not shortages we were told, there are big changes coming to your favourite store!

We shall see.

Back to the car and home, getting back later than usual, but Jools is ready to go, and has made a fresh brew.

So all good.

She leaves, I drain my pint cup of tea, check on the world.

Hmmmm.

I had a shave, shower and changed, putting on another t shirt I have had for several years ,and like the last one, fits perfectly too.

I mess around in the garden. Fill up the wildlife pond and disturb a basking frog. He'll get over it when the water is twice as deep.

To cure my posture, I went into town to buy some new trainers, then once home put the supports for my foot arch in, I would wear them in the afternoon and see if I got foot ache or not.

I sit in the garden and read some Norfolk poetry given to me by Cam, but my eyes grow heavy, and soon rain sweeps in. And despite it not being forecast, there were several rumbles of thunder.

We were to meet friends in Canterbury. Maybe it would be drier there? We take rain jackets just in case.

We drove along the A2 to Whitfield, then onto the duel carriageway beyond Lydden, parking by St Augustine's, then walking along the narrow streets, crossing the inner ringroad, past Christchurch Gate and on to the back alley pub, The Thomas Becket.

I buy a pint of mild, and a bottle of zero alcohol cider for Jools, and wait for Peter and his wife to arrive.

Pete was asked to lave by my former employer. Not for anything he'd done or not done. It seems that some of the better paid middle management were being paid to leave. This came as a surprise to the interim Global Manager of his function to find that he could not do the tasks assigned, as you're paying me to leave on Friday.

Oh.

Its his second week retired. And is getting used to it, but is happier, which I told him.

We make pints of beer and mild disappear, chatting about work, music, football and railways.

Ahem.

After some time and some pints, we walk to the smash burger place and order smash burgers with pulled brisket. I have poutine instead of chips.

Jools helps me eat the poutine, as its was a large bowl. But the rest is good and sits well on at least four pints of mild and Best.

Sadly, we had to go home as we were late in testing Scully, so we hug and say farewell. Them to the station and us to St Augustine's, where Jools pays the parking charge, then drives me home, while clear golden sunshine lights our way.

Scully is sitting on the drive, asking where the heck we had been as it was seven. I test her, give her her jab, then a big bowl of food, before feeding the other three.

I was shattered again, so went to be at eight after a cupper and a chocolate covered shortbread, and was soon zedding away for England.