Sunday 19th July 2026

And so to our last full day in England for about a month.

Being a Sunday that meant phys, of course. But it would have been easy not to do it, but we did.

Jools slept through the alarm, as did I, of course, so we rose at six, then did our stuff and drank coffee before leaving the house at five to seven.

As there was a swimming gala on, again, the pool was closed, so there was just three cars in the car park. We joined them, went in and up the stairs to the gym and di our session.

Another hot and humid session, and another thirty five minutes done.

As we will be in either France or Spain the next few weeks, we decided to go to Chaplin's for breakfast, so down Castle Hill and the Castle into town, parking behind the church, and being at their door as it opened at eight.

We had the usual, mine with added fried bread.

It was too much, really, but we wouldn't eat again until the evening.

Back home along Townwall Street and up Jubilee Way, both of which had no traffic at all, though a P&O ferry was just disgorging traffic, so we powered up the hill just in time.

We both have showers, then the last washing down so that we have lots of clothes for the trip. We sit and listen to Huey on the radio, until it was midday and time for Le Tour.

The Tour would reach the Alps by the end of the day, until then there was a punishing course of 180km up and down, ever-increasingly steeper hills.

On the sharp bend before the final climb, Jonas Vingegaard misjudged the corner, hit a kerb and went down on his shoulder breaking his collarbone. Just as his team were mustering for an assault on the hill and launching Jonas to possibly win.

We'll never know.

Supper was Caprese and salad, as we try to use up all the fresh food in the fridge.

And then to the World Cup Final: Spain v Argentina, which started out well, then Argentina retreated into their back third and encouraged Spain to try to score.

Again the referee was over-lenient, and failed to book Argentine players for fouls.

Fernández was sent off for a second yellow, which should have been a red in its own right, and then it was a matter of whether Spain could score.

It went to extra time, and in the first minute of the second period, Ferran Torres volleyed in to win the game and cup.

At the end, Argentine players threw punches as Spain celebrated.

Best team won.