Monday 25th May 226

I thought that being retired meant there would be time to get round all sites for orchids, as well as explore new ones.

And I suppose if I went out every day I could, but I seem happy enough with what I do, and on occasion, showing people round sites.

Monday was a bank holiday, and by tradition it is supposed to be wet, windy and cold. Well, this Whitsun Bank Holiday, someone forgot to put in the paperwork, and it was going to be hot and sunny.

How hot? Up to 30 degrees here in east Kent, warmer in that London, where it nearly reached 35 degrees, only the 11th time that has been reached in the UK, and its the last week in May. High summer is yet to arrive.

Europe is suffering much worse, with temperature records being shattered from France through Spain to north Africa.

But Donald, tell us climate change isn't real.

Jools was out early doors walking to Kingsdown again. She left at six, when it was still cool. Coolish.

So I drank tea, checked the internet. And so by the time I went to pick her up at The Rising Sun at eight, I decided I would go straight out for some orchiding.

Traffic was light into Walmer, and back again through Kingsdown. I dropped Jools off at home, grabbed my camera and was off.

Where to?

Well, one of the not so well known sites for Late Spiders.

Traffic was really light from the port and tunnel. I reached Hythe in twenty minutes, turned off and went up Stone Street, before heading off along the narrow lanes and tracks to a nondescript pull off, where a stile was hidden by vegetation.

Here be orchids.

At least over the stile, up the back, through the brambles and up the down.

By now it was nine, and getting warm.

I walked up, stopping to check on orchids and possible orchids.

Several Common Spotted Orchids were out, one fully, so I snapped that.

I failed to find the LSOs halfway up the down, but around the old chalk pit, three cages were out, each with a tiny spike inside, protected from sheep and photographers.

I found at least half a dozen more spikes, so put cages on them once I had taken shots of the tiny treasures.

A short drive away was another site. Better known, and with maybe ten cages out. I check them but don't find the mono-coloured spike I was hoping for, so snap a couple then go on to a third site.

Its a hike to the down. Up a slope, and by then it was nearly eleven, and hot. I had forgotten my hat, so suffered with sweat in my eyes.

But worth it once I had got to the bank, and I saw several large spikes, many with several flowers, and even the first Bee Orchid of the year for me.

I snapped many of them, though seeing through the viewfinder was tricky with the sweat and it quickly steamed up too.

I was done.

It was midday. I had done 5,500 downland steps, I was hot and bothered and needed a cold beer.

I walk back to the car and drive to the motorway, then to the coast, taking the Alkham Valley Road, as I was going to the new Co-Op in Whitfield as it has a big car park, and few still know its open.

I bought four cans and two bottles of lager, then go through Pineham and Guston to home, where Jools pours me a pint of ice cold squash, and we retreat into the coolness of Chez Jelltex.

And so for the rest of the day there was relaxation, and the final play off game of the season, from League 2, where Notts County beat Salford, with Mr Beckham looking on.

Play off games are cruel, but compulsive viewing.

And so ends the domestic football season.

Sunday 24th May 2026

Although it seems to have gone on forever, and Norwich played their last game of the season some 22 days previously, it was the final day of the Premier League season, as well as the League 1 play off final at Wembley.

Despite the season ending, you'll be glad to know that it all returns on August 14th. Abd before that there is the World Cup, though most of the games are taking place in the middle of the night, at least for us.

Not only had summer arrived, it was going to get hotter.

And hotter.

So, up at half five when it was at least cool, then have coffee, feed the cats, and be off to the gym at ten to seven.

It was still cool when we walked to the entrance, but hot when we left forty minutes later having done our session.

Back home for breakfast of strawberries and cream, as its nearly time for Wimbledon.

I had a shower, while Jools took one of the knit and natter ladies to a garden centre for a shuffle round the plants.

I stayed home

And it got hotter.

The football began at two. Bolton thrashed Stockport 4-1 to go up to the Championship and so play Norwich next season.

Then came the final round of PL games, all kicking off at four. Who would go down: Spurs or West Ham?

All Spurs had to do was to avoid a defeat, even then West Ham would have to win.

Just expected, it was a tense afternoon, with Spurs bundling the ball over the line just before half time, and it was then a matter of if Everton could score twice.

They couldn't.

So, it didn't matter what West Ham did, they were down anyway. They won 3-0 against Leeds.

So, all over.

Between games I went into the garden to chase the Brown argus that have emerged, and were basking on the Yellow rattle.

I got some OK shots of the small butterflies. As it was hot they were flighty.

We have a fridge full of food, so I cooked hash for dinner, which was pretty good as always.

By then it was half eight, the sun was sinking in the west, but it was still hot.

Saturday 23rd May 2026

Would have been Dad's 88th birthday. But he's been thirty years gone.

So it goes. So it goes.

Summer arrived like a 500 tog duvet this week, so getting anything done is best carried out early in the morning.

So, we were up at just gone five, and once dressed I went out to check on the moth trap, the first time I have set it this year.

Nothing large or unusual, but always good to see a Buff tip, doing its impression of a small twig.

We tried to get the moths to fly away once I had snapped them, then back inside to feed the cats and make coffee.

As discussed yesterday, the port was expected to be busy, so checked the traffic heat map, and saw traffic already backing half way up Jubilee Way, so I decided to leave for the gym half an hour early so I could get round the Duke of Yorks roundabout.

So that's how it came to be that I was the first and so only car in the car park. So unusual, I took a shot to prove it.

George tuns up, so we chat about his new house, the work going on and aches and pains, before it was time to go to the entrance for the opening at seven, he went to the pool and I climbed the stairs to the gym.

The air conditioning at the gym is poor in the winter when there's frost on the ground, so now high summer has arrived, within five minutes I am glowing all over, and the minutes and seconds on the time click round slowly.

My podcast ran out at thirty seven minutes, so I bin it with not worth starting a new pod for three minutes.

Jools had texted advising me to come home via the back roads, so I drive to Whitfield then through Pineham to Guston.

And home.

But as we were expecting friends to come down from that London, and the plan had been to walk along Shakespeare Cliff into Dover, taking in the footbridge onto the beach to Dover Marine Station. But the jams put the kybosh on that, so I called Justin and asked if they could get off at Martin Mill, and we could walk into Walmer.

Or Kingsdown to the pub if it was too hot.

Readers: it would be hot, so a walk to the pub would be a great idea.

Anyway, they agreed, so we had three hours to shower, shave and get all clean before we had to meet them at the station at twenty five past eleven.

At least trains aren't affected by the jams in town, and despite being a few minutes late, the high speed train glided into the station, and Justin and Viccy appeared from the subway.

I gave them a choice of things to do, and a walk from the Dover Patrol into Kingsdown was chosen. I drove us up Station Road and through the village before reaching the rough track leading to the car park.

I would text Jools when we arrived in Kingsdown, and we would meet her in the Rising Sun for a drink and maybe lunch.

We three set off along the clifftop path, the ground falling away in front of us.

The ground and cliffs fall away from the Monument, so going would be easy. Though first of was to walk to the place where you can look back along the cliff face, with the sheer drop a couple of feet in front.

And we were careful not to get too close.

It was perhaps too late in the morning to set off, it was very warm and getting hotter. But our pace was easy as we walked north.

On the way I pointed out the plants I knew, and down below on the Channel, boats skimmed about, while there was a dark shape on the horizon, marking the coast of France. Ferries skittled across the water, moving the crowds from one side to the other.

We walked on.

There is a slight hill before the path descends to the beach, and with the sun now overhead and downright hot, it was one step in front of the other.

Past the golf course, then down the steps and onto the beach, walking on the road, dodging past parked cars and the twats heading to the golf course, who have no time for anyone but themselves.

We reached the bottom of the High Street, then down the slope to the Rising Sun. Jools had just arrived, so we all went inside, took a table near the door to the beer garden, and ordered three huge iced Cokes, so to quench our thirsts.

Viccy and I had scampi and chips, Justin had fine looking fish and chips while Jools had a burger, and while the pub filled up, the food arrived and we tucked in.

After paying, Jools drove us back to Chez Jelltex, where we had a brew, and our friends were introduced to most of our cats, and I think its fair to say, blown away by the view from our back garden.

They had to get back to London for their cat, so I got them to Martin Mill for half three, so to be in time for the high speed train back to London.

I came back, poured a beer, and settled down to watch the Championship play off final, which was probably the worst game of the season. In any league.

Hull scored near the end of the second half, so Hull were promoted instead of Middlesborough, who had been reinstated after Southampton were kicked out.

It was a messy end to the season, but Hull go up.

It was a hot and humid evening, we had the windows open all night, so didn't sleep too well, tossing and turning in the high temperatures.

But it was the end of another one of those great days.

Friday 22nd May 2026

Friday.

And for a change, I sleep through until ten past six, woken only when Jools drove the car up the drive and the loose drain cover clanging.

Oh well.

I lay for ten minutes before getting up, to find Cleo waiting for me to vacate the bed, so she could go to sleep for the day.

Outside it was already a warm and sunny day, too warm to do much, though a walk might be in order.

But first: coffee and do the bins.

Scully is hungry, but then she is every morning. So, looking at her test result, I see its too high to be of concern, so try to ignore her.

Jools does yoga, comes back, has a brew and breakfast, then is gone for knit and natter at half nine, going round to pick up the ladies in the car, leaving me home alone for a couple of hours.

I do go for a walk, just across the field to look for flowers and butterflies, but out in the field, the wind was stronger than it looked, probably too strong for them to be on the wing.

The orchid at the end of the street still isn't in flower, but I convince myself its close. Though its clear its not an Early spider, and is almost certainly a Bee.

I come back for a brew and sit under the parasol and read more of WSC's preview of the world cup with Scully in close attendance.

The plan had been to go to Pegwell Bay in the afternoon to look for orchids, but the build up of holiday traffic put that in doubt, but by one the Duke of Yorks roundabout was clear, so we could go that way and turn up towards Whitfield before taking the Sandwich road.

It was a downright warm, if not hot, afternoon. The car park by the Viking Ship was over half full, cars and campers spread out as people ate ice creams of sun bathed.

We parked and walked to the steps and down onto the old hoverport.

Due to a series of dry winters and springs, the Bee Orchids, Southern Marsh Orchid and yellow Man Orchids have all died out, and the only two orchids we did see where two Lizards not yet in flower.

In fact there were few flowers out, just stonecrop making a go of things on the dusty soil, and that not in flower either.

On the way back we stop at Monk's Wall for me to check on the Lizards there, and beside the main road I found a dozen spikes, and two partly in flower already.

This is the back up if going to Sandwich bay isn't worth it when I lead the HOS trip in twelve days.

Back in the car for the drive back home, going via Deal and Walmer to miss the jams building up for Dover port, which was going to be a problem as we had friends coming to visit on Saturday, and we were to meet them at Priory station, which might be impossible.

We shall see.

Oddly, despite having summer weather, traffic was light along The Strand, so we made good time back to St Maggies and Chez Jelltex.

Time to put the kettle on for a brew, and due to the heat, skip a meal and snack instead.

As the football season is now almost at an end, no games on the TV, and I was pooped again, so we went to bed just after nine, after I checked Scully and fed her one last time.

Summer is here.

Thursday 21st May 2026

Another week has nearly flown by. Summer had arrived the day before, and for the next week and a bit, at least, it would be warm and sunny.

What better way then to spend the morning, than by climbing up and down downs hunting for orchids?

And so phys before at six in the morning. Then go to Tesco, where due to the fact we had not used our money off vouchers, we had £88 off the shop which included some Belgian beers.

Of course.

Phys was hot and bothersome, but I did 38 minutes until the podcast ended, and not enough time to get a new one started, so I stop and go outside to cool down.

Then to Tesco, and back home for twenty to eight for a shower, shave and get dressed. Have breakfast and a brew, so we could meet Fran off the train at quarter to nine.

There was barely a moment to catch our breath.

Fran was waiting outside Priory Station, so once she had climbed in, we headed up Old Folkestone Road to Capel, then on the A20 to the motorway.

Some sites are more secret than others. This is fairly secret, and the second time I had been here this week.

We park, then walk up the track which then blends into the meadow as it climbs, then into a valley between two downs, where on one side is a small colony of Late Spiders.

I say small, this year it is thriving. Fran said she wanted to visit, so after making our way through the long grass, chasing butterflies as we walked, we reached the foot of the down, and there a few feet up was the first of the orchids.

We saw more and more as we walked along, and then I spied a smaller orchid than the rest, its lip a different shape and with patternation not quite right for a pure Late Spider: a hybrid between Late spider and a Bee (orchid).

We all got shots of that, and of other more robust spikes, as the weather turning warm really suits this mostly southern European species.

We don't go far up the slope due to nesting birds, so happy with what we saw, we walk back down to the car, and then drive to the next site.

A short drive away is Park Gate, and a blast down the Elham Valley then up the six-foot-sixer brought us to the reserve, and no other cars or visitors about.

From experience, Park gate is a couple of weeks later than other sites, even after my visit two weeks back, there hasn't bene much movement.

The Early purples are still OK, well, some of them, and just a handful of Monkey spikes were to be seen. Though a couple of them looked like they were already going over due to the "dirty" colour of the flowers, but I could be wrong in that.

We snap all the Monkeys, then look for Fly and Greater butterfly.

Most of the latter were still just rosettes or the spikes had been damaged, the one partially in flower had deformed blooms, and looking very sad for itself.

Jools found a single Fly on the slopes, and that mostly burnt to a crisp.

The lone Lady has shown again this year, but no spike is showing, so will probably be blind.

Because of the above, no point in looking for Musk, as it would be way too early!

Next up it was back to the Bird's-nests in the wood. But on the way we stopped at Barham post office and village shop for ice cream and a sit in the sun.

Then into the woods. Parking at the crossroads, and walking along the path before climbing the bank, into the greenness under the complete canopy.

And there, among the Dog's mercury was dozens of splendid, nay perfect, Bird's-nests, just there.

In groups of four, five and more, scattered among the green, odd brown spikes, leaching off others for their sustinance.

Back to the car for the long drive back to Herne Bay to drop Fran off. But on the way we stop off in Barham to check on the colony of White helleborines I found two years back, but driving round the car park there was no sign.

On a hunch we went to Woolage, and in the tri-angular wood I hoped to find more Bird's-nests, but White helleborines too.

For the last two years there have been no orchids in the wood, but this year, hundreds of White helleborines have returned. Many in flower, and some of large size, one nearly 18 inches tall, and full of flowers.

But no Bird's-nests.

Maybe next year....

So then to Herne Bay, cutting across country through Wingham, Preston, Stourmouth to join Thanet Way to Herne Bay, then along narrow streets to Fran's house. Drop her off and back to Thanet Way.

On the way up I noticed a greasy spoon, and realised how hungry I was. Should we call in for lunch? I asked Jools as it neared two.

Yes.

So, in the longest lay-by in England, we pulled up beside the van.

I ordered sausage and bacon roll, whilst Jools had a cheeseburger.

We ate sitting on an old tree trunk, a kind of bench, talking with the owner about walking, Orchids and life.

From there it was a slow drive to Ramsgate and then to Sandwich and home. Getting back at three and so putting the kettle on for a well deserved brew.

Phew.

What with the snack at the greasy spoon, there was no need for dinner, other than the half pack of biscuits we dunk in a fresh brew.

It was a glorious afternoon, I tried to sit in the garden, but it was too hot, even if sweet Cleo did jump on my lap and lick my arms.

I pour a bottle of La Chouffe and take it to the bottom patio, but a fly tried to get in the glass, and I'm not sharing my beer with anyone, so I down it. Making my head spin.

There was no football on the telebox, so off to bed at eight, and asleep by half past, too pooped to read or listen to a podcast.

Wednesday 20th May 2026

We made it to the middle of the week.

I get to lay in. If, my brain and body lets me. But I was awake before five, so use the bathroom and lay in bed snoozing until just before six.

Jools was up. The cats were fed and the coffee was brewing.

This was the Wednesday of the month when Jools travels to Bromley for another knit and natter group, so I would drop her off in town at eight, then rush back home for a guy with a ladder to come round to fix the guttering.

It was a cool but bright morning, but the promise was of warmer weather "soon". In fact it would come quite soon.

After dropping Jools off, I went into town to go to M&S for some bread when it opened, so was there to witness the local soaks sitting outside the church tugging on cans of Special Brew and letting out rasping laughs.

Others crossed the road to avoid them, but 'Spoons opened at eight too, so they wandered off up the alley beside the church to get their first rounds in.

I go to St James and into M&S, and find that a pack of chocolate covered shortbread rounds also fell into the basket.

With my swag, I scarper to the car and drive home for a cuppa and breakfast.

When the sun shone, it was almost warm, so had the back door op. But when it clouded over, I closed the back door to keep the warmth in. So, the morning passed with me opening and closing the back door.

I texted the guy with the ladder asking what time he might be round. Be there in forty five minutes he chipped.

So I made a fresh brew and found something to listen to. It was just before one, and it looked brighter.

He turned up at quarter past one. He looked up at the guttering and said "your swan's neck is loose!"

He got his son to get the ladder out, selected the tool, put up the ladder and was up like a weasel in a rabbit hole. But up.

Three minutes it was done, he came down and filled in the paperwork, and was gone.

I sat in the garden ready the WSC World Cup Guide, with Cleo fussing around me, jumping on my lap and grooming me.

Its just cupboard love.

Summer, it turned out, arrived some time between three and four, as the wind changed and became warm, so temperatures soared.

There was a railtour coming through, so at half four I head down to Martin Mill to take position up on the platform, snapping a Dover-bound Electrostar as I arrived.

I went over to the up platform, and took position opposite a mother, grandmother and child, he barely four years old. But excited.

I told him to listen for the whistle as it approached Cold Blow Lane, that meant it would be in sight within a minute.

We heard the distant whistle.

Show time!

Despite was real time train times website said about it being on time, she appeared some four minutes late, Braunton making a whole load of smoke.

She was working hard up the bank, so the camera motor went Whrrrrrrrrr, as I rattled off 200 shots in about ten seconds.

And so was past us, into the haze of a summer evening, the train soon lost in the haze and its smoke.

Job done.

Back up the hill in the car to home so to test and feed Scully, then the rest of the posse.

Jools got back on the six fifteen train, so I was at Priory station to meet her, and whisk us home up Jubilee Way. Dinner was Caprese with warmed up focaccia from M&S and for me, red wine.

Cheers.

For the evening there was European football, now part of our TV package, so watched Aston Villa win their first European trophy in some 44 years, and former Norwich midfield genius, Emi, score a worldie and set up another goal.

Tuesday 19th May 2026

Water! Falling from the sky!

These are the last few days of "spring", with, according to the Met Office, summer will be arriving on Friday, and by Saturday it will be 29 degrees.

By which point we can all complain about how darn hot it is.

But until then, it is cloudy, with frequent heavy rain showers, a keen breeze, and we need the heating on.

Not that it was cold, just felt cold.

Anyway, it was Tuesday. Which means getting up at ten past five, getting dressed, making and drinking coffee so I could leave the house at ten to six to head to the gym.

I know I do this every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. But repeating it shows how committed I am in keeping pumping lard, and not wanting to slide back into bad habits.

I do my forty minutes. Chat to a couple of blokes I see from time to time, and discuss health issues and how mad we are to be here before seven in the morning.

The pool was crazy busy, with lots of school kids probably preparing for some gala or swim or something. The carpark was rammed, with kids in dressing gowns and shawls wandering around heading to the entrance.

I drive back home, and Jools had the kettle boiling so I could have a brew, she could make a coffee before she heads into town for her keep fit session.

Jools leaves, so I am alone. I have a shower, get changed and feel 100% better. And smell better too I suspect.

The rain continues outside, so I listen to podcasts and somehow spend the morning in a generally unproductive manner. Which is pretty much ever day now, if I'm honest.

Lunch/dinner was garlic breaded chicken, pan fried asparagus, peas and and corn, and some grains for carbs.

Cheers.

Jools nearing the end of her second cardigan, so heads upstarts to do more crochet. I put a New Order CD on the hi-fi, so the house is filled with the sound of euphoric yet mournful electronic music.

There is football in the evening. Bournemouth v Citeh, and if Citeh failed to win, Arsenal would be crowned champions.

Bournemouth ran rings round what looked like a very tired Citeh, and the home team took the lead early on. Then missed a hatful of chances. Citeh levelled in the 94th minute, but the winning goal wouldn't come.

Pubs around the Emirates and Islington exploded with joy.

Meanwhile, Spurs needed a draw to send West Ham down, playing at Chelsea. But managed to slump to a 2-1 defeat, so it all comes down to the last game on Sunday.

And then there is the Southampton and "Spygate 2" drama, the Saints being kicked out of the play off final.

Good to bed, football. You're drunk.