Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday

Monday morning dawned cold but bright. I still had two days of the holidays left, and so after dropping Jools off at the factory, I headed off to the cliffs overlooking the harbour to photograph the dawn.



In the end, dawn was a wet squib, too much cloud over France, but the light did creep over the channel. I took pictures of ferries arriving from France, and as I was getting very cold, went back to the car and drove home for breakfast and warm up.

I had been given a reference book on Kentish churches for Christmas, and the picture on the cover was very picturesque, and it being out on the Romney Marsh, and the sun being out in a clear blue sky, headed out along the M20 onto the marsh.



Heading inland from the coast at St Mary's Bay, the narrow road was sheet ice as it turned and twisted through the fields. I kept my speed low and got in no trouble. St Mary in the marsh is picturesque for sure, even more on a crystal clear winter's day. Parking up next to the church, I realise I have already been here, although it was on a gloomy afternoon about 15 months ago. The light seemed to make the grass a vivid green, standing out clear against the clear blue sky. I snapped away. I tried the door, and it was open. Inside was wonderful, box pews and a simple stained glass window. I snapped some more.



Out in the churchyard is the grave of a famous author, E Nesbit, the write of The Railway Children and Five Children and It. A simple wooden sign was all that marked the spot. The original had been carved by her second husband, who was an engineer of the Woolwich Ferry.



I drove to a nearby village, Newchurch, and recorded their church, St Peter and St Paul. The tower is at an alarming angle, nearly a rival for the one in Pisa, but not so beautiful I think. Sadly, this one was locked and so I headed back to the main road and onwards to home for lunch.

Cloud came over as the afternoon wore on, and so photography was curtailed for the day. I spent the afternoon processing pictures and listening to the radio.

Although Tuesday was even more glorious, I stayed inside, as I had a telephone interview in the afternoon, and I thought i need to swot up on the company's history.

When the woman from Eurostar rang, all went well until she asked the first question, explain how you have sold an item or idea to somebody. My brain stalled, out of my moth came burblings. I didn't really recover, although the rest of the interview went ok. But it came as no surprise when that evening I got an e mail saying they would not be taking things any further. Damn. One question, and it's all gone to pot. Oh well.

Our friends, Matt and Dadi came round for dinner, with Dadi's parents who were visiting from the Czech Republic. I made paprika chicken, ginger and turmeric rice and spicy potato bread. It came out rather well, and is quite easy. We had wine, and talked, although it was difficult as Dadi's parents could speak no English, but we managed.

They left at seven, and soon after they drove away, snow began to fall. Soft powdery stuff, it wasn't much, but promised to make the trip into work in the morning, interesting.

Back to work today; not much else to say about Box Idol; no training took place for me, I helped making boxes for the Folio Society, I was able to talk a little to others, time crawled, but I got through it.

And now were home, cooking lamb tagine, whilst outside, heavy snow is expected; it may even arrive.