Tuesday 5th April 2026

End of Easter Weekend, though us retirees carry on regardless.

It was a Tuesday, so the gym was back to being open at six, and as usual, Jools needed the car from half seven, so I was out of the house driving to Whitfield at five to six.

While all around, Nature provided for those who were awake, a most amazing dawn and sunrise, though that ended at quarter past six, as the sun rose. But by then I was in the gym, on the bike, peddaling.

Like Billio.

As my Grandad used to say.

I do forty minutes, once again putting off the long delayed go on the cross trainer, because I had to get some vegetables and butter from Tesco, so raced round there getting a small trolleyful of stuff, then back home for half eight, as Jools was making ready to leave.

Task for the day was to clean the patio of several years moss and other green things that had turned the one bright slabs a dull greeny brown colour.

For the task we had an ancient steam cleaner, which could be fifteen years old, or double that.

I waited to half nine before firing it up, and after some changing of nozzles, I got cleaning.

Two hours later, I had numb and sore forearms, but half the patio looked OK, from the upstairs it looked fine, though time had faded the slab's colour. It would do.

Jools would do more when she came home, and between us, most of the patio was if not clean, then cleaner than before we started.

I did stuff in the house, then began to prepared dinner, a quick meal of breaded cod, boiled new potatoes and the leftover creamed spinach.

Very nice.

The only cloud on the day was Scully first thing, who was acting strange, like she was blind, and had been to the toilet in the middle of the living room.

Nice.

When we tested her blood sugars it was just 3.7, so she was borderline hypoglycaemic, so we had to get food into her quick.

After a couple of hours her readings had reached seven, and she could see again, and was open to as much food as we wanted to give her.

That we worked out what was wrong, knew how to fix it, and to monitor it was good for us, and Scully.

Some footy on the telly in the evening, and Arsenal at Sporting on the radio.

Not a bad day, all in all.

Monday 6th April 2026

I have written many times on this blog about how the weather on UK bank holidays is usually rubbish, but this does not deter the average British family to go to the seaside, as if to lay eggs.

Or something.

Indeed, over the weekend there was snow and even blizzards in Scotland and Strom Dave blew through Ireland and Northern England as well as Scotland.

Down south, however, the weather gradually improved.

And on Bank Holiday Monday itself, there was light winds and endless sunshine forecast.

On top of that, I saw a post on Blue Sky that bluebells in Sussex were nearing their peak, which spurred me on to arrange a visit to Stockbury with Fran, to our favourite Kentish bluebell wood.

Heck, there wasn't even a gym visit first, as for me it was a rest day, though Jools did go swimming as I lay in bed until after she'd left.

Up for coffee and breakfast, and once Jools returned, got changed, we headed out along to Sandwich Road and Eastry by-pass to Sandwich and onto Thanet, before turning west to Herne Bay.

Traffic was light at ten in the morning, but would get worse, and we were going past Faversham to the junction with the A249, busy even at quiet times.

However, the drive was pleasant enough, and the new junction took us on the southbound carriageway before we turned off onto the minor road, and reversing into the blocked off junction running one side of the reserve.

It would appear that the reserve has no warden, so all sorts of warnings of dangerous fallen trees advised that the paths were closed. We knew better and took our chances.

We could see the carpet of blue from the road, and on the edge a single white Bluebell was found, on the main path through the reserve, before doubling back along the narrow track through Bluebell central.

There really is no finer sight at this time of year than a bluebell wood at peak bluebell, so I took shots and took the sight and smell in.

Only issue was the hum of traffic from the A249 a few hundred yards away.

We walked along the top path, enjoying more Bluebells and a couple of Early purple Orchids just opening, before negotiating the wooden steps down to the lower meadow where we would look for Lesser butterfly and Lady orchids.

The steps are poorly maintained, and care needed to be taken in going down them, but once down I found three Lesser butterfly rosettes, and further on dozens of Lay rosettes, including one that was putting up a spike.

All that was left was to find our way back to the car, the easiest was was through the sparse woodland to the upper track, then through the Bluebells again and down the road to where Jools was waiting.

As I had to be home at one, we took Fran back to Herne Bay, then back to Ramsgate and Sandwich to home, stopping off at a garage for milk and ice creams!

Back at half twelve, ready for the big game.

Yes, the Football League's 72 teams were to play twice in four days: on Friday and Monday, as we reach the business end of the season with just six games to play.

After drawing with Pompy on Friday, Norwich had a tricky away games at Millwall who rose to second after beating Middlesborough last time out, but Norwich had a raft of players back from injury, causing a who new problem for the coach.

Norwich dominated the game, created a hatful of chances in the first half, but failed to covert any. Millwall scored early in the second, then Norwich got back on top and scored twice late on to take all three points, so to rise to eighth in the table.

That was followed by Ipswich against Birmingham, which also ended 2-1, to Ipswich, though Town were poor, but climb above Millwall to retake second place.

And next up for both teams is the Old Farm Derby at Carrow Road Saturday lunchtime.

Eeeek.

Dinner was chorizo hash, just to use up the week-old peppers, but as always, was good, and a vegetable packed meal to end the weekend with.

Finally, we watched the 5th episode of Beatles Anthology, taking the story up to August 1966 as their last concert at Shay Stadium.

Sunday 5th April 2026

Easter Sunday.

Should we go to do pyhs, or take the day off and have Easter egg sandwiches?

We do phys.

I could have easily bailed, but Jools wanted to go, so we do.

It is now getting light again when the alarm goes off, and the sun rises at twenty past six, but rises so far away to the east now, its only just visible from the bathroom window.

We have coffee, get ready, and although I'm not keen we pack as though we'd go to Yocklett's straight from the gym.

Despite not feeling up to it, I do more calories than I have done previously, so after forty minutes am feeling top of the world. Ma.

We walk back down to the car, then to Tesco to fill up, before we drive along the Alkham Valley, now dry again as the Drellingore has stopped flowing above ground, then onto the M20 to the Hythe turning and up Stone Street.

It is early, not yet eight of course, so there were few folks about. I park on the edge of the reserve, and we go in after picking up our cameras.

More clearance has taken place over winter, opening more of the woodland on the lower levels, looks harsh, but already Lady's Smock are thriving with numbers of plants along the track easily four times that of previous years.

Sadly, no Early Purples seen up the slop to the lower meadow, but bluebells looking glorious in the morning light with sunbeams shining through the eaves of the trees.

I am not even out of breath when we reach the bench at the meadow, but I take a shot of my favourite view, before we walk down into the part with mature trees, hunting for Fly Orchids.

We find many spikes, one already having formed a head on the spike, flowering maybe a week away.

We also find several large Lady orchid rosettes, though none with a spike as yet,. but will be at their peak in two or three weeks.

Over the Gogway, and up the path where we find two Greater Butterfly rosettes, one with a spike forming, but having found Early Purples flowering the day before, we don't go up the steepest part to the upper meadow, instead walk back down, then along the lower track to the car.

The air was warming, and filled with birdsong, though being yet cool, no butterflies.

Upon reaching the car, my plan was to go to the bottom of Stone Street to the greasy spoon van for sausage sarnies, but the van wasn't there, so we drive to the junction, then along the motorway back home.

Inside, we have brews and breakfast, then listen to the radio for a couple of hours as Huey spins the best tunes.

We were not hungry, so we have a toasted saffron bun each and yet another brew, and with the radio burbling away, the afternoon passes by. Mostly with us trying to stay awake.

We have cheese and crackers for supper, while outside the shadows strengthen and the day fades to dark.

It might not sound much, but was a great day. Orchids, plants, a walk, and cheese.

Cheese.

Saturday 4th April 2026

Easter Saturday.

Ad with all the football on Friday, it felt like a Sunday, but wasn't.

Not that it matters to us, really.

Up at sic, have coffee, go to the gym, or rather I did, as Jools said she was going for a walk instead. So, I drove to Whitfield and pumped lard.

As I pedalled I thought that once I was done, I should go orchiding.

As this is the start of the madness.

I had to nip home to pick up the camera, and I wasn't expecting for Jools to be back, but she was.

Earley Wood? I asked.

OK.

So, no coffee, no tea, no breakfast, just one with our boots and off to the A2, all quiet as the Easter rush to the port had died down.

Along to Bridge, then through the fields of fruit and coppiced woods to Hardres, before turning down Stone Street for a short blast to Petham, which was still enjoying its lay in.

We park at the gate to the reserve, grab our cameras and strode off along the path to where the nearest colony of orchids could be found.

We find no rosettes, but a new colony of Herb Paris, a rare plant that only grows in ancient unimproved woodland.

Past the bench and into the main part of the wood, where fallen trees had blocked the path, and had the new path not be struck, then we would not have found the first of the flowering orchid spikes.

A single flower open, but it counts!

Anyway, a little way further on, a spike, much bigger, with half its flowers open, showing well against the backdrop of bluebells and Wood anemones.

It was too cold for butterflies, but a few queen bumblebees buzzing around, slowly in the cool air.

Shall we go down this path, I asked.

We did. And as all good hobbits know, short cuts leads to long delays, but we did find more flowering orchids. All was well until we came to the edge of the wood, where the wind had decimated the trees, most falling onto the path.

We knew that if we went left for long enough, we would join the path we were on earlier.

What could go wrong?

What went wrong was the path petered out, so we had to climb and scramble through undergrowth, over fallen trees, and still no clear path was found.

I checked the "maps" app and saw that we were nearly level with the car, so the path should be here. Somewhere.

Suddenly, the vegetation cleared, and a short walk further on, there it was. And in a few minutes, past more flowering orchids we missed earlier, back to the car.

Back down Stone Street to Hythe, hoping the greasy spoon would be open. But wasn't there, as a backup, we drove along the motorway and turning off at Hougham we went to he Little Farthingloe Farm for breakfast.

Great food, and in a converted barn, was a really good thing to do, and there would be no washing up.

Traffic had begun to build along Townwall Street, so we drove into town, up Castle Hill before turning along Reach Road along the cliffs to St Maggies and home.

Oddly for a Saturday, there was little football, and the two cup games on BBC were taking place in the evening when we would be entertaining or preparing dinner.

Back home we had a brew, a shower and felt human again.

I had two sauces to make: one, a flavoursome one for crispy chilli beef I was making as a starter, then a Moroccan flavoured marinade for the two rack of lamb I would be serving as a main course.

Then there was vegetables to prepare, spinach to wilt and chop, beef to cut into thin strips and so on.

No football to listen to, or thare was, but I was never going to concentrate, so missed Citeh spanking Liverpool 4-0 in the cup.

Sean and Ange arrive at quarter to six, so after hugs and handshakes, I get on coating the beef, frying it before the sauce was poured and mixed in a bowl.

Not perfect, as the beef wasn't crispy, but otherwise was fabulous. And the remaining sauce was used to coat the baby new potatoes once they were cooked.

The lamb was roasted for just twenty minutes, and that and vegetables, creamed spinach was dished up, carried to the dining room.

Phew.

That all done, I could relax and enjoy the meal. Which I did.

We walked for hours, and in the kitchen the washing up called. I went to start, and the pots, pans and plates on the worktop looked like a disaster area. But bit by bot, it was washed, dried and put away.

We could then have the tiramisu that Jools had made, as Sean and I drained the second bottle of splendid red wine.

They left at eleven.

I had a brew before going to bed. Well fed and tired.

Friday 3rd April 2026

Good Friday.

A public holiday. Apparently.

And being the first day after schools broke up, most of Britain headed to Dover to get out of the country. Its the busiest day of the year in the port, and due to roads being jammed, most Dovorians stay home rather than risk be caught in jams.

We don't go out.

Jools did have yoga, so was up and about at five, but I went back to sleep, and felt better for it.

So, when I cam down I did the bins, then made a coffee and checked on the world.

Sometimes I don't know what I do all day, but it takes all day sometimes to do it.

But this Good Friday, like every Good Friday, I am to make saffron buns.

Its an easy enough recipe, but after the first part in getting the dough mixed and kneaded, its a question of waiting around for the next step.

Once the dough is rising, we go to Jen's to see how she is. We're not playing cards now for reasons, so with being retired, the days and weeks slips by, so we have to remind ourselves to go round once a week.

Nothing much to report. The A2 was quiet, as traffic is routed along the A20, so we can get around.

Back home as it was time to beat down the dough then form them into buns for the second rise.

Being a holiday weekend, there was Football League games on Friday and again on Monday. And being an FA Cup weekend, there's no Prem on Saturday or Sunday either, so those days will be quiet, and so I will have lots of free time.

After an hour of rising, I put the buns in the oven, have a batch in each. The bottom oven bakes them fine, but not so good in the upper, so once the lower ones were done, take the others out and relace them in the lower oven.

All done.

Ten minutes to cool on a wire rack, then cut two open, smother with butter, and serve with fresh brews.

Lovely doesn't cover it.

Norwich were on the tellybox at three, playing Pompy. I settled down to watch, which is when Steve from next door came round carrying beer.

Did I want to share?

Yes, I would like.

So, we drank two of his Belgian tripe/quadruple and one of my smoked beers. The game passed in a blur.

Norwich took the lead and were playing OK, but never killed the game off, and an own goal gave them a share of the points, so any faint hopes we had of making the play-offs died.

Once Steve goes back next door, we have cheese and crackers for supper. And another beer.

And although I tried to stay awake for the late game, I couldn't, so went to bed with Coventry leading 1-0.

So it goes.

Thursday 2nd April 2026

It is Thursday.

Again.

Which means phys early doors.

Which is fine.

And yet, after the sorting out of the loft, we have a box full of stuff.

1950 seems a lifetime ago. And it was.

The war was won, and Britain liked to pretend it ruled the world in technology, when the reality was something dofferent.

Eagle comics began in early 1950, and my Dad collected every edition form the first, and these were save in his wardrobe, all the way through the 50s, 60s and into the 70s.

At which point I found them, and was allowed by my Grandmother to take out the exploded drawing in the centre of many editions of how steam locomotives work, or how the new Piccadilly Circus Station would work underground.

The upshot was that many of the rarest first editions were destroyed, when they were worth a small fortune.

Would some 52 editions of the first three years copies be worth anything, especially as they had been kept in wardrobes for the best part of six decades.

I did a Google search, and found a comic shop in Hythe, so that is where we would head later in the day.

First off was a session at the gym, as usual for a Thursday.

Then back home for a shower, shave and change of clothes, before driving to Hythe.

With schools still in session, the roads were clear, so we drove along the M20 before turning down to Hythe, then to the parking area.

I took the plastic box of comics, not just Eagles but also Marvel comics from the 60s to the shop.

I knew enough how much these're worth, and so being offered 50p per edition, other than one comic having the first time the Human Torch had been seen, and even though in poor condition, was worth £40, though with their cut was offered twenty.

So, twenty five quid all in, I accepted.

But the Eagles were too old for them to take on, and in reality they were too fragile to be hawked much more.

I took them and saw a British Heart Foundation, ad they accepted the Eagles, the Simpson's Halloween toys, no questions asked.

So, I gave them all to charity.

All I had left was an empty box. I met Jools at the car park, she saw the box, empty, and was happy with what I had done.

The charity might make a fiver, or fifty, or five hundred quid, whatever, I am sure its the kind of gesture Dad would have approved of .

We walked back to the car, then drove back home hover the down to the motorway and home.

Lots less to deal with.

Through the afternoon we watched three more Beatles Anthologies. All good, and maybe an understanding of of how they became the biggest group in the world.

Makes you think how four guys from Liverpool took over the world.

But they were pretty good.

I listened to podcasts in the bathroom while sitting on the chaise longue, and took a shot of the sky.

It was pretty magical.

The evening faded to the usual, so I read some, listened to the radio, and so Maundy Thursday drew to an end.

Easter next.

Wednesday 1st April 2026

And just like that, it's April.

First thing is to turn over the three calendars, see what the month has to offer by way of appointments.

And set about making coffee and feeding the cats.

It is bright and almost warm first thing, but that was to change soon after ten. So, the plan to go to Earley Wood for some orchiding was postponed for 24 hours, mainly because due to other stuff, there just wasn't enough time.

And being retired means there's always another day. And later means more chance for more orchids being in flower.

Jools leaves at eight for her class, and so I am all alone. I have breakfast, tidy up and do the feeders, as usual.

But it is warm enough to sit outside and read, so Scully joins me. But by ten the sun was covered with passing clouds, and each time it, the temperature dipped.

I had got shots of flowers in the sunshine before then, so back inside and upstairs to look through more boxes of stuff.

I found the assessment reports from my fitter's course in the RAF, as well as my signed oath of allegiance from the day I took the Queen's shilling, and my life changed.

Other than that: more family photos to be sorted and put into albums, postcards from Grandad when he was fighting his way across Europe from northern France, postcards from when he joined of the place he did basic training.

What to do with it all?

And magazines too. Dad's Eagle comics from 1950 to 53, Marvel and other comics from the 60s, Picture Posts from King George VI death and Queen Elizabeth II's coronation.

What to do with all those too?

But the box of things to keep has less space, but it is just one box. And most of that is Dad's collection of tram and bus models he started collecting in the decade before he died, and his electric train model of Sir Nigel Gresley.

I'll keep those.

There's also a Biggles novel. All about a German invasion of Essex, quite jingoistic, but they had just come out of world war of attrition, so to be expected. This was covered in Dad's writing, so I don't really want to throw it away.

So is kept.

When Jools comes back, we have Caprese with fresh bread I bought when I went to Tesco that morning. I finish the wine Jen and I left on Sunday.

And that was the afternoon, after which we watched three more episodes of The Beatle Anthology, and it is quite wonderful.

Another day without Alien Earth.