A day of action.
Apparently.
Jools had to work for half the day. Shopping had to be got from Teso. I had to fetch the turkey. Photograph a train. Maybe cook the salt beef. Collect Jools.
It is odd, that now that most large supermarkets are open for 24 hours, that they are ever crowded. But they are. I planned the trip to Tesco like a military operation: make a plan, get in, get stuff, pay, get out. Bang, bang, bang!
Driving Jools to work along the A20, the plan changed, go to Folkestone Tesco, do the shopping before half seven, then drop Jools off, back to the butcher and then home. Yes, sounds great.
Only those on their way to work or the sleepless were in the shop at seven, so we rushed round, grabbing stuff off the list, finding most of the stuff we wanted, or needed. Finally, against my pronciples, we buy vegetables for Christmas dinner, I really want to use local suppliers, but I felt there wasn't time. Maybe I was right. Or not.
Anyway, sixty quid lighter, we load the car up and drive into Hythe so Jools could go to work. All the time I was planning the route across to Preston and the butchers. In the end I decide up through Hawkinge, up past the cattery at Denton. Traffic at Wingham is as busy as ever, people travelling between Canterbury and Sandwich, or the other way round.
Then it was out over the marshes to Preston: the butcher was already busy, I took him a bottle of sloe gin, in exchange he let me have a turkey, some bacon, salted beef and lots of sausage meat, all for just over a hundred quid! I know it will all be great. Anyway, I wish them Merry Christmas, walk back to the car and drive home. The traffic was light enough, even at eight, seems that many had chosen to begin Christmas early too.
Once home I put the shopping away, but I think I should cook the salted beef. So I chop a couple of onions, add various herbs and spices, and put it in the largest pan we have, fill with water and set the gas on full. Whilst waiting, I have breakfast, toast and tea. Soon the house is filled with the fine smell of the beef cooking mixed in with the aroma of herbs and spices. All wonderful stuff.
At half twelve, having remembered to top off the water in the pot containing the beef, I drive to Roman Road to snap the steam tour puffing its way upto Guston Tunnel. To my surprise there were already half a dozen folks there, with more arriving as show time approached. NR had thoughtfully covered all vews from the bridge with thick wire fencing, making clear views difficult, but thanks to physics and optics, a medium telephot lens could focus through the fence and a decent shot could be obtained. Hoorah for physics!
We could hear the hard working locomotives working their way around and up the Dour Valley, until as the noise of puffing grew ever louder, at first a puff of smoke could be seen, and then the first Black 5 followed by the second. No time to think, the camera rattled off the shots as the train drew nearer, until it was too close. So over to the other side to see the train approach the enter the tunnel, leaving behind a thick shroud of smoke and steam. All over for another year.
Jools said she would make her own way home, so I go home, turn the stove off and remove the beef from the water to cool off. I was thinking that we did not have much for sandwiches, but then I thought why not have some of the salt beef? Brilliant idea. So, with lashings of horseradish sauce, I make the sandwiches, with generous portions of beef in each. The beef fell apart as I carved, so tender was it. And it was wonderful. Another triumph.
We followed that by a wedge of Dundee Cake with more tea. Outside dusk fell and the lights on the tree shone brightly.
We rounded up the evening with freshly baked sausage rolls as we watched The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (The directors cut) We last about 90 minutes before our eyes drooped and we made our way up the wooden hill. Next stop is Christmas Eve
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