Sunday 20th September 2026

And so we come to Sunday, the final day of club football for some 19 days, and all that we have to sustain us is international Nation's League games. England are playing four games, apparently, over the next 16 days, including against World and European champions, Spain.

I was awake before the alarm.

I lay awake in the pre-dawn dark, pondering my life choices of the previous day which included wine, more wine and port.

Once we were both up, I suggested we might not go to the gym, but there was black smoke.

So we would go to the gym.

After coffee the world looked better, if it didn't feel it. But we drove to Whitfield, parked, then walked to the entrance, and upstairs, for once, there was no music playing.

Just silence.

We started our workout. Then the duty guy came in, went into the office and the music came one, with my headphones only just keeping the 123bpm eurodisco and big beats out.

I had an hour of the podcast to go, and I had intended to do the workout to the end. But I got to 45 minutes, I was bushed, and thought that I might get to fifty next time.

That's the plan.

Back home before most folks were up and about, home for a brew and cool down.

Washing was done, and with the early morning rain clearing, should we hang it our or just tumble it.

It was hung out. And we were rewarded with clearing skies and even warm sunshine.

The afternoon was filled with football: a choice of the Auld Firm Derby or the Black Country one. I opted for Wolves v Albion. And by the time that ended, Norwich had kicked off against Bolton.

In a comedy game where neither team could defend, Norwich lost by the odd goal in seven. Again. Thus having conceded 13 (thirteen) goals in the last three games.

Sigh.

The final game was Fulham v Man Utd, which ended 1-1 with Utd scoring via a deflected goal in injury time. It was just about the worse game of the weekend, a weekend where both Arsenal and Chelsea lost 3-0, and Citeh scored five to Sunderland's three earlier that afternoon.

So it goes.

In the evening we have dinner, which turns to night quickly.

We go to bed to read at eight.

Endex.

Saturday 19th December 2026

Out 18th wedding anniversary. And international speak like a pirate day!

A day packed with stuff!

Almost so packed there wasn't time to write the previous day's blog.

Up at half five for coffee, finish the shopping list so to be ready for the gym at ten to seven.

The port is quiet now we're into the tail end of September, so no traffic on the A2, we arrive at the sports centre as the doors open, with most going to the pool, as usual.

We do 40 minutes, then with time already against us, we leave to drive to Tesco, where the renovation is complete, but many items are had to find.

We're out by half eight. Back home to put the shopping away and have breakfast.

We lollygag a tad to much, so suddenly it was five to ten, and our first appointment of the day.

Dover has had a lot of history. And a lot of military history. Not only is there the Castle, Western Heights, The Citadel, there is another fortress, on the other side of the road form the Castle, Fort Burgoyne.

Once surrounded by an Army camp, that has now been raised, or the buildings have, and now just the flattened land showing where one guardrooms, barracks and messes once were.

Beyond that is another of Palmerstone's Follies: Fort Bergoyne.

The Fort is now closed most of the time, but on heritage weekend, it was open from ten to four, so another part of the town's history will be open for us to explore.

We drive along to the Castle, then turn right up on the Guston Road, and for once, the gates to the former camp were open, and signs pointing to the car park.

We go in.

Up the main drag, and on both sides only hints now where buildings once were, all ripe for construction of yet more homes.

We park, are welcomed, then walk to the bridge over the moat, or defensive ditch.

In front of us is the parade ground, and behind that, rows of semi-circular brick-arched buildings, which was the fort itself, and the officer's mess. Below were the junior rank's accommodation and kitchens, wine cellars and so on.

We take shots along the front of the fort, then explore the passageways through it, before taking the steps to the carponiers.

Its all in pretty good condition, though steps were crumbling in places.

Firing portals have mostly been bricked up, but it would have bristled with guns and artillery, but we were to see, even more so above.

Back to the surface, and up the slope leading to the upper levels.

Like Western Heights, this was designed not to be visible from the sea, all that gives it away are the plethora of chimneys and mounds hiding the heavy gun positions.

A good selection of wildflowers too, but most had gone to seed. I ID some, and snap others.

We had come to the end of the battlements, so down the slope and back to the car.

We had two hours back home to fill before we would be off out again, and thankfully football came to fill it, even if I wouldn't see the end of the Spurs v Villa game, though for two teams that had one goal all season between them, it was an entertaining game with Spurs missing chance after chance, mainly thanks to the Villa keeper.

Then in the second half, Villa sore. Score again. And score again. Spurs had a goal chalked off for offside. Then after we had left the house, Spurs score their first two goals of the season, though not enough to get a point.

We were driving back to the Romney Marsh, as the unique belltower of St Augustine in Brookland was open for just an hour from three.

To Hythe, then Dymchurch, New Romney, before out across the marsh itself almost to the border with Sussex, and the last town in Kent before you reach Rye is Brookland.

OK, its a village. Not a town.

And the church, which has much of interest, also has the triple "candlesnuff" belltower, built of wood beside, so not to sink into the soft ground.

Probably.

I have been here maybe a dozen times, and the tower has never been open, until today.

We park, and see that the door to the tower was open, the doorway, five feet high, had a sign saying to mind you head. Needless to say I hit my head, once inside we find a circle of chairs, and the vicar explaining to half a dozen visitors the history of the tower.

Began as a open-sided structure, with four huge oak columns at each corner, the oldest dates from the mid-13th century. The walls were added, and the roofs of the candle snuffs added too.

Sadly, there is a platform below the bells, so you can't see all the way up to the chamber, but its an impressive space, with ancient wooden beams, some repurposed timbers from ships, criss-crossing to add strength.

I thanked the vicar, and we bid her farewell, walked back to the car for the drive home.

On the radio, Brighton were running rings round Arsenal, and were to score three goals.

We came back the same way, thus avoiding the traffic hellhole that is Ashford.

We got back at ten to five, just time to start cooking.

I rustle up a tagine, boil some rice, and in half an hour went from being behind schedule, to ahead.

I had a beer to celebrate.

Ange and Sean arrived just before six. I opened a bottle of the fancy vintage Burgundy I bought in that France, and we toasted all of us.

After a starter of rolled salami wrapped in cheese, i warmed the tagine, boiled corn, and dished up.

Sean and I drained one bottle of red, then started and finished on the one he brought.

The evening grew old, and the port was opened.

Oh dear.

At some point, Sean was poured into the car, and Ange drove them home.

Time for bed.

Friday 18th September 2026

Friday was two days ago, and with friends coming round last night (Saturday) and wine being partaken, my memories might be a little blurry.

That being said, it was a fine sunny Autumnal day, though breezy not as warm as it looked.

Jill was due to leave soon after breakfast, so Jools took a break from Yoga meaning no early start. In fact I laid in bed until half six, and felt much better for it.

Up for coffee.

Jill came down, already packed, and after two brews packed the car and set off back to Pompy.

Most of the morning I sat outside on the patio with Scully, who, as ever, was rather pleased with this turn of events.

Jools was away for a couple of hours to the knit and natter group at the library.

I walked round the garden, to find plants recovering from the drought: the ferns had put forth fresh fronds, the Everlasting pea was growing strongly, flowers in the beds in flower, and after the shrub near the hedge trimmed, we found several Cyclamen had sprung forth and were in flower.

I got a text telling me a book I had ordered on Wednesday had arrived, so when Jools got back I went into Sandwich, back along the Whitfield and Eastry bypass.

Once I had parked behind the Guildhall, but as soon as I climbed out of the car, I was hit my a sudden and intense ocular migraine.

But all in all it took fifteen minutes to go to the bookshop, then find a place to buy snacks for lunch. Two "artisan" Scotch eggs and a couple of twisty cup cakes filled with blackcurrent mouse came to eighteen of your pounds!

In those fifteen minutes, the migraine had faded away, so I was able to get in the car and drive home without incident.

Once we had eaten, back outside to read some of the book, with Scully back beside me, purring.

I failed in the music quiz until when I did get it, I was outside the top ten, so nul points for me.

Football in the evening, of course, though the international break is coming up, meaning at least half the evenings for three weeks being football deserts!

Thursday 17th September 2026

Between Mulder and my stupid brain, I had laid away for half an hour, so gave up and got up at three. Dressing warmly to sit on the patio and listen to podcasts.

Away above me was Orion, showing so clear now that the year grows old, but soon cloud began to build, offering the promise of rain later.

At five I fed Mulder, tested Scully, then sat with my only coffee of the day with them both sitting nearby as dawn broke and the sun rose.

Once up, Jools and Jill went for a walk, I had warned them that it was due to rain by nine. And at eight minutes past, it came down, but they were fairly close to home, but got damp anyways.

Breakfast, another brew, then out in the car for the quick blast to Canterbury.

We leave for the city, with the rain falling, so we park in Whitefriars which would leave us with a five minute scuttle to the Christchurch Gate.

We arrive at five past ten, when the gates were swung open, and we wait our turn, which was quick as most waiting had failed to buy their tickets despite the signs informing them to.

The cathedral reflected in the wet cobbles, but the porch warmly beckoned, so after taking shots, we walked inside, and were warmly welcomed, and asked if we needed a map.

I have nearly a thousand shots in my album of the cathedral, so I said we were good.

We headed to the crypt first, so to be there before the crowds, enjoying the cool interior, and marvelling at the columns that support the weight of the Sanctuary and Chancel above.

No photographs allowed down there, but back in Nave we walked through the small door into the Quire, and the view of the Sanctuary opens up, filled with wonderful light and colours.

Into Trinity Chapel, taking shots as I always do, then a walk round the outside of the Chapel to look at the tombs and Chapels, stopping longest at the Tomb of Edward Plantagenet, The Black Prince.

We stopped to talk to a guide about the cathedral, churches, memorials and so much beside. And she told us about the Bell Ceremony outside the Chapel of the Kent Regiment, where a page in the book of remembrance is turned, and prayers said as always takes place daily at eleven.

A final walk round the Cloisters and into the Chapterhouse, and 90 minutes had passed and it was time to meet up with Jools.

She was in the Buttercross Inn, drinking a non-alcoholic cider and reading.

By now the rain had stopped, and the sun was even trying to break through.

As I had dinner planned, we needed just a snack for lunch, so we walk to Tiny Tim's Tea Shoppe, where we squeezed round a table and in time ordered our food: something called a Kentish Huffkin, which was really a flowery bap, containing crispy chicken.

Sadly, their iT system had gone down, so all had to be done manually, so it took an age for the food to arrive, but was excellent when it did, and the waitress apologised several times for the delay.

Which was nice.

Back to the car and out of the city before the afternoon rush began, I was going to stop off at Barfrestone anyway, but an accident blocked the A2, but there was just room to get onto the small exit to Woolage, and the sat nav then got us to St Nicholas.

We managed to park near to the five bar gate, but not block it. Then Jill and I walked back up to the church and found that repairs are being done in the churchyard, apparently filling in holes as the church and churchyard continues to slide towards the east and the road.

Inside the church were ladders showing repairs are ongoing, but the east wall has fallen down once, a second would be a disaster.

Jill loved the carvings and the chairs, she took many photos, said he who has taken over 300 shots in and outside the church.

Back to the car, then along narrow lanes to Eythorne, up the hill and onto the bypass, to the roundabout before doubling back to Whitfield, then home via the Duke of York's roundabout.

Once home I went for a lie down as I was so tired, and had been up already 12 hours.

Two hours later, I get up, feeling better, so I make caprese and warm the bread up bought from Canterbury.

It was all rather wonderful, with a bottle of XV.

For the evening there was Citeh v Norwich in the cup. Both teams made changes, but Norwich were poor, and Citeh 2-0 up at half time, and frankly we didn't deserve nil. Once the forth goal went in on the hour, Jill and I gave up and we went to our beds.

Wednesday 16th September 2026

Wednesday.

Its the middle of the week, and we to have a visitor.

So, there is the extra cleaning of the house so it looks spick and span. And when Jools was at her class, I stay behind, hang out the washing and vacuum the living room.

So all is ready.

Jill is someone we were friends with, or I was friends with when I used to go through the football back in the noughties.

Her husband was also an armourer as well as a Norwich fan. And then his drinking got out of control, and his life went crazy, got himself a young far eastern girlfriend, and then his drinking caught up with him.

So, at his funeral, we reconnected with Jill, and so she comes to stay with us once every couple of years, and was due to arrive mid-morning.

At least the sunshine had returned, so Jools and I were in the garden when Jill pulled up.

We had a brew outside, catching up on our news. And once we were reacquainted, the thought was what to do with the afternoon.

We went to Sandwich.

I couldn't remember taking her there before, but we had.

Anyway. We parked behind the Guildhall, then into town to the old bus station, where there is a good café now, so we have a snack and another brew.

Coming out we found we had spent an hour of the two hours of parking we had paid for, so we went for a wander down the streets and alleyways, looking a the old buildings and walls made of a right mix of materials.

I bumped into my friend John, wo arranged the tour to India. Do we want to go to Zimbabwe and Botswana next year? It would be expensive, and money we don't have.

I caught up with Jill and Jools, we walked back to the car, and then head home via Deal and Walmer so we could see the castles and the towns.

But back home, where it was time to feed the cats and have dinner. Dinner was aubergine and pasta salad, which is something we haven't had for maybe a year, but with Jill being vegetarian, it seemed a good meat-free meal.

We talked until it was dark, at which point sleep overtook us, so bed at half eight.