Monday 28th July 2014

Sunday.

And another Sunday come round in which I do not have to prepare for a week away. In fact, other than the fact the house is going to be ripped to bits on the morrow, it’s a pretty normal kind of Sunday. We lay in bed so long the cats give up demanding to be fed and head back to wherever they came from to wait.



But it is still mighty hot and humid. We lay in bed until gone half seven, then spring into action and make some coffee. And feed the cats. The forecast, as always will dictate what we do, is poor for the later part of the day, but for now the sun is beating down, already too hot to sit on the patio.



At eleven, Jools drops me off in Shepherdswell, for a railway gala at the EKLR. As this is one of many events happening over the weekend, we drive along country lanes via Eythorne to get to the station, thus avoiding the country fair at Coldred, which is a good day out, but the traffic would be hell on the A2.



Much to my surprise, the platform is heaving with people, more than I have seen before here. The star of the gala is a class 205 “Thumper” DMU, which used to run on the Hastings line, but has now been preserved. It is its first run on the line, and so is popular. At Eythorne, there is a beer tent, a hog roast and classic car rally.

I pay for my ticket and take some shots of the rollingstock which is slowly rusting away. With a screech their other DMU rattles in and then, once emptied, moves out so the Thumper can move into the platform, and the passengers take up their positions to grab a seat in the two train unit. In the end, there is no worries as there is more than enough seats, and slap bang five minutes late we roll off.



It is just two miles down the line, but is pleasant enough, and the most important part is supporting the line, which always seems to be strapped for cash. Anyway, at Eythorne, we get off, and I soon see Jools is waiting for me, having done a trip run. So, rather than spend money we don’t need to, we head to the car and then back home for lunch, before we decide what to do for the rest of the day.

The promise is for thunder, but a quick look at the storm scanner shows very little activity over the Channel, so we head to visit the old folks, and return home when we find the house deserted.

The thunder and monsoon-like rain arrives at six, and pours for two hours, turning day into twilight. I cook chorizo hash for dinner, and so we sit at the table with the lamp on as the rain hammers down outside. At least it spared us the chore of watering the garden.