Wednesday 12th August 2026

In any other year, with maybe an average year's weather, we would have been in northern Spain enjoying the total eclipse.

But you know the story already.

A year with already five heatwaves, and our first day out of the Alps eight days ago, driving into temperatures approaching forty degrees, and the thought of seven more such days of maybe even higher temperatures as we drove south, meant, instead, we headed north.

So, the morning of the 12th dawned, and I slept on to half six, and opened the curtains to reveal clear blue skies.

We had bought filters for our cameras, and the ISO certified glasses for the occasion. IN fact my filter was from the "Great American Eclipse" of 2017, but was still good.

During the day we checked our cameras, lenses, filters, did test shots, and so were ready for showtime before just before six.

Before then Jools went to her class, and then knot and natter, before going into town to look for more crocks for me.

At half nine I was video-called by three former colleagues for a catch up chat. I have been feeling a little abandoned by them, but this more than made up for it, even if the company hasn't changed.

So it goes.

Lunch was hash, which I prepared through the morning, then cooked up once she came back home at half twelve, so that we sat down to eat with ice cold beer/cider at about half one.

We are working our way through the three hours of the Proggy Proms, which is pretty good and still on the i player for several weeks, worth seeking out.

I tried a new beer, 7.9% tripel aged in rum barrels. I went for a snooze once we had washed up, so that come half five I was fighting fit and ready to go.

We decided to go to the top of Station Road, near the transponder beacon, and once up there at ten past six, there was just one other car, though they had no glasses, just welder's masks to share between the six of them, so we gave them our spare eclipse glasses so the kids could get a good view.

Soon after, first contact happened, as the disc had a slight bite taken out of the right side, then the moon slid further over, taking an hour to get to about 92% hidden.

By then the area beside the road was full of cars, families and three boy racers who thought we needed a techno version of Kylie's hits.

We didn't.

But the cosmic dance played out to the west, getting lower as more and more of the sun was blocked out.

The bright sunlight had that odd texture to it, not its usual Technicolor, something flatter. Not sure if the birds stopped singing, I do know the techno didn't stop.

Once maximum had passed, we packed away and drove home, on the way seeing people set up with deckchairs, tables and various binos, cameras and picnics to enjoy the show.

We got home, poured the last of the drinks left from lunchtime, had the rest of the cheese, before settling down to watch PSG v Villa in the Supercup.

Football is indeed back, if ever it went away.