Friday 8th May 2026

We made it to Friday.

Again.

And the day was to be as glorious as promised, so what better way to spend it than out in among the orchids?

No better way, obvs.

This did mean I had a lay in, while Jools got ready for yoga, fee the cats, make coffee and the rest, so that when I do stir at ten to six, all I have to do after getting dressed is to drink the already poured coffee.

Jools leaves for Dover and her class, so I put the bins out, then sit on the patio with Scully as the sun rises and gathers warmth.

Fran was due at just gone nine, so I had breakfast, so to be ready when Jools came back, and I could take the car.

She arrived ten minutes late: signal fault at Minster-in-Thanet, apparently.

And our first call was the early Late Spider again, as Fran had not seen it yet.

We park on the lane, then walk up the down to the compound, and on the bank is the single tiny flower. Fran climbed over the (switched-off) fence, got her shot, then came back so we could go back to the car and then onwards to orchid central.

We turn up Stone Street, and go up to Petham, turn off through the picturesque village, then out the other side into woodland.

We park on Pennypot Lane, and waiting for us was our friend, Terry.

So the three of us shake hands, then set off down the track through the trees, the sounds of the modern world a million miles away, and the air full of the sound of birdsong.

Great, Blue and Coal tits, and maybe a few Long-tailed tits as well. It made our hearts sing.

Up the slope to the entrance to the reserve, though our eyes were caught by the half dozen Lady Orchids on the other side of the track, on a low bank.

After getting shots, we walk into the reserve, so Terry could see his first Duke.

We found one in a couple of minutes, and it was easy enough to get open wing shots of the tiny butterfly.

All around were dozens of spikes of yet more Ladys, and the fading spikes of Early Purples, one of a large size, which was a suspect hybrid. I take shots of all parts for ID purposes.

All around too were the understated stems if Fly orchids, dozens of them, and some already fading having been pollenated.

We find a couple of White helleborine in flower, one with open flowers showing the yellow inner lip colour. And a little way further on, a single spike of Greater butterfly had one flower partially open.

It counts. We all agree.

We walk along the top path, me snapping most Lady spikes in flower, until there was just too many.

At the other end we find more Dukes basking, but cloud was building, and by the time we had returned along the lower path, there was just a couple of them still to be seen.

At the largest Duke lek, there was a very robust spike of Lady Orchid, a good two feet or more high. Its rude to point out to a Lady how large she is, so I just took her picture.

And as we huffed up the track back to the car, the clouds thickened and so we tried to redouble our steps in case it turned stormy.

But it didn't.

Time to take Fran back to Hern Bay, going past Canterbury then back along Thanet Way, where the skies cleared and it turned into a fine afternoon.

I dropped Fran off at her house, then back to Thanet Way, taking the road over the fields to Preston so I could call in at the butchers for some steak and sausages.

That done, back over the fields to Ash, then to Sandwich and home to Dover, getting back at two.

Where it was time to start cooking dinner: sweet chilli spatchcock chicken, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, steamed veg and creamed spinach.

It took two hours or so to cook, and by then we were beyond hungry, but the meal was worth it.

I do badly in the music quiz, getting the answer wrong, but its the taking part that counts.

Finally there was the first Championship play off game, which was thin gruel in a 0-0 draw between Hull and Millwall.

Time for bed.

Thursday 7th May 2026

As you might have realised, the orchid season is in full swing now, with the "main" season now upon me, and there not being enough hours in the day to get round all the sites. Though I will try.

Thursday would be a hard phys day, with a session in the gym first, then a walk round the Barham site looking for certain orchids, then to Park Gate Down to check on the Monkeys before an unplanned stop at the cliffs to hunt for the Late Spider we missed on Tuesday.

And the weather was going to partly play ball. Starting off cloudy, then brightening up. But sadly we'd be out in the morning.

We were running ten minutes behind, so arrived at the sports centre at ten past six, but the two bikes were unoccupied, so we took one each and we began to peddle.

I did my 40 minutes, and once done, I waited for Jools outside as I tried to cool down, before we drove round to Tesco for supplies, which involved yet more steps.

Then back home for a shower and change. Breakfast and a brew.

So that by nine we were ready for the off.

Traffic on the A2 was busy as a ferry had just disgorged it's payload, so lorries struggling to the dual carriageway from Lydden onwards. We got through then took it easy, before slowing down to take the sharp turn down to the Black Robin and the woods beyond.

I walked up the bridleway, hoping that there's be Early purples as well as the Lesser butterfly in flower.

Sadly, where once were dozens of Early purples, including a good number of var. alba, there were only a handful, as encroaching vegetation had crowded most of them out. And even worse, the Lesser butterfly has put up no spike, so now flower on site this year.

I look nearby but find only Twayblades.

Over the road and there too vegetation is high, hiding most of the Lady Orchid rosettes. And while I was expecting dozens, if not more, flowering spikes, we found about twenty, and no var. alba, and with the season so advanced, that seems it is it.

Nearby I found the desiccated spikes of last year's Bird's-nests, then spot the emerging spikes of this year's plants, with one mostly already in flower.

Happy with that we walk back to the car, drive back to the village and go down the valley before heading up the old lane to Park Gate and the reserve beyond.

We had the place to ourselves for the hour we were there. And while elsewhere the early spring Primroses and Cowslips have gone to seed, at PGD Cowslips cover the side of the down, still in their prime.

Despite being inland, the reserve lies in an orientation so that the westerlies blow along it, making plants here flower a week or two later than elsewhere.

A Monkey is already in flower at the private site to the north, but I could only find three spikes, two of which were a few days from beginning to flower.

We walked to the far end to look for Fly, none seen in flower, but we could have missed the odd one. But did find about eight Greater butterfly spikes well developed.

Walking back Jools snapped a Small copper, and I chased a couple of Small heaths, but found them already too flighty to get close up shots of.

So back down the valley through Elham and Lyminge, back to the motorway and on to the coast, parking in the layby, at least this stop would take no more then ten minutes, if I could find the single Late spider flowering.

We walk up the path, and begin scanning the bank, until I saw what I had missed two days previously: a small plant, with white sepals, not pink, with a single flower.

I climbed over the fence, taking care not to step on any other plants, and get shots of the small plant.

The first of the few.

Happy with that we go back to the car and drive to the A20 and home through Dover, and lunch.

We warmed up the leftover Chinese from Monday, then feasted on the two remaining short cakes along with a huge brew.

Now, to relax.

17,000 steps and my legs let me know about it. My right knee stiffened up so I hobbled around for a while until I was mobile again.

Dinner was Caprese, with some very ripe tomatoes, and then the fresh basil making it most flavoursome. I cracked open a bottle of XV. And had a baguette to mop up the Balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Twas lovely.

There was more football on the radio for the evening, Villa v Forest for a place in a European final. And, and there's no easy way to say this Forest fans, your took one hell of a beating, with Villa winning 4-0.

Wednesday 6th May 2026

Middle of the week.

And I manage to go back to sleep and sleep in until gone seven, waking with Cleo asleep beside me, snuggling up at the back of my knees.

So, in short. My legs were better, but the damaged areas needed air, so I would wear shorts all day and take off the bandage. Only sun dried my skin out too much, so I would sit inside most of the day.

There was nothing planned. And there was rain forecasted. Which didn't arrive.

It is ten years since our trip to Japan, so I am posting my blog of the trip on BlueSky, in 240 character posts, most with an accompanying image, so that takes an hour of the morning to download the images from Flickr and repost them.

Not sure if anyone is going to look at them, but for me a reminder o the wonderful things we did over there with Jen.

In the garden, what is left of the wisteria is in flower, two dangling strings of flowers hang from the remaining half of the twig, and if you get in close, looks fabulous.

Jools went to keep fit, so I stayed home and did Ian things. I listened to the latest Danny Baker podcast and relived Sunday evening's experience.

One of the hardest habits to break is the weekly shop. Shopping for a week when we can go every day. Sometimes it leaves us with spare food that sometimes goes bad, so instead of going shopping, we will have the courgettes as fritters that afternoon, no pizza for us!

It might not have rained, but was cold. Cold enough to turn the heating on after trying to hold out until after nine. Darn it, why suffer?

There's nothing to watch on TV. Even with the hundreds of extra channels we now get on Sky. I still have not learned how to get certain Sky channels, like Sky Arts, just to search for programs. I look at the list of films, and I see nothing I recognise or want to watch.

Dinner, served at two, was fritters with chilli mayonnaise. And as we desired something sweet, I made a half batch of short cakes, which were just out of the oven when Di from over the road came round, with news of a caravan park being planned for along Collingwood, though it might impact us too.

So, I made brews and served Di a fresh and still warm short cake along with a brew, while we talked.

Di is scared of the world, thanks in no small part to whatever right-wing paper, probably the Hate Mail, she reads. And I try to comfort her with the fact that serious crime, including knife crime, is well down year on year and the world, London in particular isn't as bad as some would have you believe.

That just left the evening, with more footy on the radio: Bayern v PSG, and the follow up to the nine goal thriller of last week. Bayern had to win by two, but they never really looked like they could do it, and once PSG scored after 3 minutes to make it 6-4 on aggregate, it was pretty much game over.

Kane scored in injury time, but no time for the equaliser, so PSG go through to face Arsenal.

Tuesday 5th May 2026

The Bank Holiday was over, so back to the serious life that is retirement.

Up again at ten past five, get dressed and drink coffee so I can be at the gym again for a session on the bike.

And be back in time to drop Jools off at the Riverside Centre as I was taking friends orchiding.

Once back I have a shower, am dressed and breakfasted when Iain arrives at half eight, so we can drive to Herne Bay to pick up Fran.

Having been caught up in traffic and roadworks last time I went to Fran's in the morning, instead we take the road to Preston, then out through Stourmouth to Monkton before turning onto Thanet Way and back off the Isle.

We arrived at Fran's dead on time of half eight, get back on Thanet Way, then turn south on the A2 to canterbury before taking the turning to Bridge and out across the downs to Hardres, down Stone Street to Yockletts.

And even better, the weather was better than the forecast, there was even some warm sunshine which might mean we see butterflies as well as orchids.

We amble up the path, me and Fran pointing out plants and insects on the way, before the climb up to the lower meadow.

There we see a young college student out snapping plants. We're helpful and show him two Fly Orchid spikes he had missed behind the bench. But, I told him, there's many many more down the slope.

We were here to see the "green" Fly, so at the right point, we dive into the undergrowth, through a clearing and into a thicket, where by a fallen tree I stumble up two other orchiding friends standing beside the tiny spike, showing two green flowers, almost ghost-like.

I chat with Graham about, well, orchids and stuff, then we leave to take to the path, to check on the Greater Butterfly: sadly two blind rosettes found, but one spike had been seen earlier. And the Herb paris, with the eight leaved one still showing well, though a bit crowded.

We turned round and walked back to the car, finding many more Lady and Fly Orchids on the way. But sadly, at the lower meadow, no Green hairstreaks but a couple of Brimstones were seen, but too flighty for photos.

It was nearing midday, so I called Jools and arranged to meet her at Dover Priory, but on the way I sidetracked us in the hope of finding a Late Spider in flower.

Turning off at Hawkinge, I drive to the parking place, pull over. And after a short walk up to the pen, we found just one rosette with a spike just forming.

Back to the car, then turn round and back to the A20, and into Dover where Jools had been waiting some time. But instead of going straight home, we instead went back to Lydden to show Iain the colony of Man Orchids.

A quick hop over the fence, and we find a good couple of hundred spikes all over the reserve, with one spike being as hyper coloured as I've seen any Man Orchid, and hypo coloured is much more common.

And that was that.

We dropped Fran off at the bus stop so she could catch one to canterbury and then onwards to Herne Bay, and once home Iain left in his car.

Which left the afternoon to relax in, as it was near to two in the afternoon, and just four hours from our booked table for dinner at The Swingate, so we ignored the hunger pangs.

At six we drove over to the former pub, where we were greeted with smiles due to us also going on Monday, when they were closed. But they were very nice about it, even though it was my fault!

We had starters and main courses, and as I had just eaten two oranges all day, I was mighty hungry, and at the end, not overly full. Just nice.

We had a table packed with dishes for the main course: three mains, dahl, rice and a naan. All yummy.

Jools drove us home, so I could listen to Arsenal on the radio, and they won to make it to the Champion's League Final.

Monday 4th May 2026

Bank holiday Monday.

Dateline: Lewisham, London.

I had slept poorly under a 500 tog duvet, so was all hot and bothered.

I was in London, trains back to Dover twice hourly, so I could spend the day in the city and galabad about.

But, truth is, London would be packed on a Bank Holiday, so the earlier I left for home, the more likely it was I would get a seat on the train.

I went down for breakfast at ten to seven, had some fruit followed by sausages and bacon.

And coffee.

And it was just a two minute walk up the hill to the station, where I just missed a train to Victoria, so had a twenty minute wait for the next one. Meaning it was touch and go whether I'd make the five past eight train home.

The train stopped at three stations on the way across south London, before turning for Battersea and across the river to Victoria.

I had ten minutes, so swiped out at the gates, found the Dover train was leaving from platform 2, rushed over there and the gates wouldn't let me through.

I showed the guy manning the gates my ticket.

This aint Lewisham he said.

I just come from there, I had to go through the barriers from platform 8 to get here, as there's no direct way.

He shrugged, and let me through.

I got onto the train, asking the guard if I had to sit any specific part of the train to get to Dover, as sometimes they divide at Ashford or Tonbridge.

This has only four coaches, all going all the way to Dover.

So I got in, made it with four minutes to spare. So, settled on the right side of the train for the hour and fifty minute journey back home.

We rattled out of Victoria, up the slope to Battersea, then retraced the way I had just come before passing by London Bridge, so on the tracks we should have been.

From there it ran fast to Sevenoaks, and stopped at the usual places as outside, the sun tried to break through.

Loads got on at Sevenoaks, families taking their children for the seaside on a Bank Holiday, even though it was downright chilly.

Soon we were passing Marden, and the familiar meadows, still full of orchid colour from the thousands of Green-wings. Before arriving in Ashford, then on to Folkestone and home.

Jools was waiting, so I climbed in, wearily, and she drove us home up Jubilee Way.

Home for a brew and some chocolate covered ginger cookies.

Lovely.

Should we g to The Swingate for supper? Yes, we should.

I book a table online and get confirmation mail, which I don't check.

Jen was to meet us there, so at five to six, we both arrived and I was surprised not to smell curry cooking from outside.

Worse than that was the fact the door was locked. The owner came out and said they were always closed Monday, so I checked the reservation, and it was for Tuesday.

We tried to find somewhere to park near to the restaurant at Whitfield, but all spaces were taken by those going to the chippy.

We could park at Jen's and walk round.

So we drive to Jen's, and as we talked before going to walk back, Jools said or we could have a Chinese delivered?

Yes, that's much better.

In fact, Jools went to collect the meal, so by quarter to seven we were filling our plates from the foil containers.

And there was enough left over to take home for another day.

Back home Citeh were on TV playing Everton, but seemed an easy win, so don't watch. But after seventy minutes Everton had fought back from one down to lead 2-1, so I put the TV on in time to see them score a third.

Citeh score a second to be one goal behind, and level with the last kick of the game to make it 3-3, but advantage Arsenal, who can be champions if they win their remaining three games.

Sunday 3rd May 2026

I have followed Danny Baker's career for nearly 40 years, and yet not being from London missed most of his early radio career, it was only when he got onto Radio 1 and then Radio 5 did I really listen to him.

I know he's not everyone's cuppa, but he has always worked, and sometimes done things on impulse without thinking, and so suffered the consequences.

Radio 5, for example.

Anyway, I am a subscriber to his podcast, The Treehouse, and have written in several times and been interviewed at least twice in the last year, as well as having been on his Radio 5 show a few years back.

His podcast has an active group of fans/subscribers, and there is a part that overlaps with A Word in Your Ear. So, when tickets went on sale for a live show of the podcast, I wanted one. But was away when the sale went live and could not get tickets.

Then on Tuesday, three tickets were returned. I got one, booked accommodation near to Blackheath, in Lewisham when I last went. Arrangements were made to meet friends before the show.

Was good.

Sunday.

And you know what's coming: up early, to the gym for a session.

Jools did swimming, while I did my cycling. And as drinking might be involved later in the day, we went out for breakfast. To Chaplins in town, ordering our usual in an already packed café at ten past opening time.

Stomach lined. We came home, I had a shower, then got ready my few things I would take, until half eleven ticked round and it was time for Jools to drop me off at the station.

Due to engineering work, Charing Cross was closed, so all bar the high speed trains were going to Victoria, even the ones through Ashford, and the journey onward from there was via Maidstone East, then the Darent Valley line to Bromley, then back across south east London to Crystal Palace and then to Battersea.

The train was fairly quiet, at least until Maidstone, and its always nice to see unfamiliar countryside roll past the windows.

It was a fine day for travel, and no real hurry to get to London, so I sat back and enjoyed the ride.

Entering the London suberbs, the train snaked from junction to junction, crossing other lines to get onto the main line into Victoria near Peckham Rye.

I had ten minutes to find my train back out to Lewisham, and had to find a way from platform 7 to 8, which meant walking almost to the end of the platform before there was a way though, where the train was waiting for departure in just four minutes.

I got my seat, then sat as for the first ten minutes were went back the way I had just come, before turning off and again, snaking through London, in tunnels and through cuttings until it screeched into Lewisham.

The hotel was at the bottom of the station approach road, so I walked down, only to be told I couldn't get in my room right away, I'd have to wait a few minutes.

Turned out to be fifteen minutes, during which I was told I could have a coffee from the breakfast bar. I checked in and went to my room. Clean enough, a double bed and a single. I had a wash, took some stuff out of my bad so not to have a toothbrush in my bag all evening.

I walked back to the station, waited ten minutes for a train to carry me the three miles to Blackheath.

I had agreed to meet friends at The Railway near the station. Makes sense to have it there. And found they had Titanic Plumb Porter on draft, so had one of those, then another with an early dinner of loaded nachos.

And once Keith and the rest arrived, two more pints of porter were supped as tongues loosened and we chatted and swapped stories.

At seven, we walked up the hill to the halls, where we met fore friends and contributors. Hugs were shared, hands shook and the rest. Already well lubricated meant I didn't have to queue for the bar, so went into the hall to find my seat.

Danny was joined by Pep and producer Phil, and talked, laughed and more for three and a bit hours, until it all came to an end at ten fifteen.

The three of them stood on stage to take their curtain calls.

Keith invited me to join his heading backstage.

This was fun.

So, past the queue for the toilets, through a big security door, up some steps, along the edge of the stage, a 18 degree turn and down more steps, through two doors, before arriving at the dressing rooms.

It was all a but unglamourous, but Danny's family was there, as was Louise's, all milling around, and the thin rider was already all gone.

I spoke with Danny, shook his hand, and spoke then to Peps. I realised I really only knew Keith, and was feeling left out.

And tired.

So, made my excuses and walked back up to the lobby and onto the street.

Back at the station I found the next train had been cancelled, so we had half an hour to wait. So I put on a podcast and listened to that until the next train arrived at two minutes to eleven.

Ten minutes later I was back in my room. Had a wash, listened to the rest of the pod and crashed out, as train passed a few metres from my triple glazed window. Soundlessly.

Saturday 2nd May 2026

It is the weekend again.

Saturday was supposed to be dull and cloudy, but we were treated to clear blue skies at sunrise, though the sun did rise out of sight away to the east. As it does this time of the year.

Despite the alarm being set for six, I was awake at half five, so got up and pulled on my shorts for a session at the gym.

We drink coffee, check on the world, then am ready for the short drive to the sports centre, where we were all confronted with a total software failure, so none of the scanners worked, so we were let in through the open gates.

I did my session, though Jools decided to go swimming instead. Giving me time when I was finished to pop to Tesco for a few things we had forgotten, then be back outside the centre when Jools was done.

Back home for breakfast and then a shower, so come nine we were all ready to do some plant shopping.

First stop was Edible Culture in Faversham, so a quick blast up the A2 past Canterbury and into the town, where at the sports centre next door, music boomed out for some kind of dance fitness class.

We bought ten plants, paid and then drove back out of town, over the roundabout before turning off through Boughton to Dunkirk.

Not Dunkirk in France, but a small village in Kent, with another garden centre.

Tucked away at the back of a residential estate, was a good place, so we buy another fifty quid's worth, load the car, then drive home.

We call in at Lydden on the way home, to check on the Man Orchids. This would be a test to see how my fitness and weight loss had gone, because last year I struggled for half an hour to get over the style.

After parking, we walk over the road to the fence. Jools is over easily enough, so it was my turn.

One foot on the lower rung, big step to the middle one, swing my leg over. Climb over, other leg follows, and was over.

Easy.

We find about a dozen spikes in partial flower. Not bad for this time of the year. I took a few shots, then we walk back to the style, both of us climb over at first attempt, and so back in the car and home.

Back home for eleven, giving me time to make salsa for nachos later in the afternoon, tidy up, so to be ready for the last matches of the season in the Championship.

Norwich were playing at Hull, and City dominated the first half, but over and over again, the final pass just wasn't good enough. City scored with a picture perfect goal, only to give away a penalty two minutes later.

A lot more even in the second half, with Hull scoring the winner from an unmarked header.

Meanwhile, Ipswich were promoted after thrashing QPR 3-0, so, sigh.

Later, West Ham hit the woodwork three times and had a goal ruled out for offside, just, and so lost to Brentford 3-0, so are teetering on the brink of relegation, hoping Villa can beat Spurs on Sunday.

We watch Arsenal beat Fulham, also 3-0, while we eat nachos laden with extra cheese and some leftover bacon, which really took it to the next level.

And that was the weekend half done.