Sunday 27th September 2015

Saturday

As you may well remember, I have an allergy problem. But thankfully for the most part of this year, it has been under control, which is a very good thing. Something like 75% of the time, it is dust that sets it off, and away I go sneezing and reaching for the drugs. Despite blood work showing I had no other allergies other than dust, I know that 25% of the time, it is deodorant and aftershaves that will set off an attack. As it stands, I can only use one brand of deodorant, Sure, the rest cause me to have sneezing fits; and I gave up on aftershave about 18 months ago, and have felt much better since. I have also been very lucky with colds and flu, free of both the whole year. But when Jools brought home a cold this week, there was always the chance it would get passed on. But for the allergy sufferer, when the sneezing and sniffling starts, which drugs to reach for? I go for the safe bet and take drugs for colds and allergies.

It doesn't really matter, as Saturday progresses, I get more and more congested, which bode not very well for a decent night's sleep Saturday night, but before then, life was for living and doing stuff. And listening to football. And before that, there was the delight of heading into the naked city, Canterbury, for some shopping and cathedral action. As you do.

Before that, as is almost always the case, we had shopping to do, as there appeared to be little beer and cider left in the cupboard, which, as you can imagine, is a disaster! So, once up and having drunk the first coffee of the day, I drive to Deal to scour the shelves for fine ales and cider, whilst Jools stays home to sort the washing out and put the first load in the machine. Once back from Sainsbury's, we pack it away, and instead of eating our usual cereal, we decide to drive to Canterbury right away to find a place to eat. And why not, it was pay day after all!

There was more than enough traffic, and most of it heading for Canterbury, but as we park near St Augustine's Abbey, we turned off and were soon parking up in a not quite deserted car park, but one that had a choice of empty spaces. Walking down the lane towards the City Centre, we pass a new sandwich bar, so call in; we look at the menu and both decide the cranberry and bacon pannini with chilli jam sounds nice. Which is was once it came, along with a side salad.

It is just after then, and so the crowds of tourists are not that thick, but groups following guides with umbrellas or rolled up newspapers are massing outside the gate: so, I have to admit to pushing through whilst the groups are sorted out, I reach the booth, pay my ten pounds fifty, and find there is no year-long entry any more. When I tried to ask the guy in the booth, I found he could hardly speak any English, and responeded by holding up one finger at me, which could have been rude, I guess. So, I walk across the Cathedral Close to the main door and I am in.

I walk round the cathedral, snapping anything of interest to me, I mean I have been in before, but I see so much more detail and features. Down into the crypt, where photography is banned, but flks with i pads are snapping and flashing away. I resist, just, but do take one in one of the small chapels down there.

Back up to the main part of the cathedral, I switch to the wide angle, and go round again, taking in the scale of the cathedral and the increasing crowds inside. At eleven, with a small service about to begin, I take my leave of the cathedral, and walk to the Buttercross to meet up with Jools again. We have to go in a cookware shop for some new plates as we are butterfingers when washing up, and down to just two plates now. So, that done, we can return to the car, drop off our shopping before making our way to the Abbey.

In 597 AD, St Augustine set out on a mission to England to turn it back into Christian: that the northern parts of the realm had remained Christian notwithstanding. He landed on Thanet and established his See in Canterbury. Over the centuries many buildings, churches and cathedrals were built, and what is now the Cathedral and the area what is now called St Augustine's Abbey, mean that religion took up a large part of the city. After dropping the shopping off, we walk over the car park to the entrance: Jools had seen it before so sat just inside reading, whilst I went round snapping.

An abbey, a church, another church, cloisters and other associated buildings make it a large site; of course, good old Henry VIII made a good job of demolishing the Abbey, but with what is remeaining, you can see the layout of the buildings and where Kings, Queens and Archbishops, including St Augustine himself, were laid to rest. All this ancient history, just there.

I get my shots, speak to some people, as I do, then go back to meet with Jools so we can go back to the car and home.The city was by now very crowded, no spaces in the car park, and the streets of the city were jammed with people. So, much better to go home so I can chill out on the sofa whilst the football plays out.

Back home, I put the radio on, look at my shots, but I am pooped. On the radio Spurs are being played with by Citeh, it seems they were in for a spanking. Bob from over the road comes round and we chat for a while: now when he arrived Citeh were winning 1-0, but once Bob left, Spurs were 2-1 to the good and follow that with a third! Where did those goals come from? Citeh were so much in control. Spurs also add a fourth to ease to a huge win for them, and give the blue, well, the blues and second defeat in a week.

Norwich were away at Wet Sham, and anything could happen. We take the lead. Are pegged back. Then re-take the lead with 8 minutes to go, would be a huge win. Only Hammers equalise two minutes into injury time, which although disappointing not to have won, still getting a well-earned point there still seems a good result. With better defending, we might have won easily.

I walked outside once the final results were in to hear the sound of farm machinery: they were havesting the dried beans in the fileds at the end of the road. So Jools and I take a wander to see them and for me to snap the harvester in action, as due to work, I missed the wheat harvest back in July. It was already chiily, and we had to wait 20 minutes until it emptied its hopper of beans so was ready for another couple of runs. And as it drew level with us, the sun even came out to bathe the scene in warm light.

That evening, England played Wales in the Rugby World Cup, and should have been easy for England, at home, ten points to the good after half time, but they go to pieces, and a stirring Welsh comback was completed in the final three minutes, so, England are now clinging on to stay in the competition. How did that happen? Time for a whisky before bed, just so I could nod off. Phew, I feel like crap warmed up, as Dad might have put it, but then he was a poet.

Not really.