Indeed we are. And double lucky as it was the start of GMT, an extra hour in bed, and should have been a glorious day. And would have been if it hadn't have been for the fog. Fog is the bane of this time of year, along with wind, rain frost, now and the such. Anyway, any thoughts of a drive into Sussex to Sheffield Park were scrubbed as we woke to find the dip full of fog, which meant it wou;d be anywhere there was water about too.
So, a change of plans, and a drive up the motorway to Challock and King's Wood. We have not been there for probably two and a half years, but there is a good display of fungi there I have seen, so why not? Espcially if we leave early doors, before the crowds of dog walkers and families arrive.
It was a dicey drive, a ferry had just arrived and the roads were packed. But in order to get ahead of the roadworks on town, we went up and over Military Hill again, and as we mounted the top, I saw that the sun had broken through the clouds so we stopped at St Martin's batter for me to take shots. And it was worth it, I have to say.
I was glad when we turned off the motorway at Ashford, so bad were people's driving, hogging the middle lanes, not indicating and so on, so to get on the country road leading up onto the wooded down was a pleasure, even if it was shrouded in thick fog. I had hoped to get shots of bright golden leaves in the sunshine, there'd be none of that this morning, but more than enough wildlife and fungi to take our attention. And it wasn't crowded, so we could park and then put on our walking boots and set off into the gloom.
Everywhere there was a thick layer of golden leaves, scattered with husks of chestnuts. And all over the place; on stumps, in the drifts of leaves, were fungi. Of all shapes and sizes, with names I can only guess at. And we pretty much had the place to ourselves.
As we walked down into the lane that cuts through the wood, we heard a noise, and looking up the other side we saw at least four deer, making good their escape from us. We collected some chestnuts, to roast later one, but leaving most for the animals of the woods.
After an hour and a half, we were happy with what we had seen, so cut through along an overgrown path, through ancient fir trees back to the car, passing by many people just arriving, just as we planned.We drove back along the motorway, but turning into Folkestone so I could have a haircut; time whizzes by so quickly, I could have sworn I was here only a couple of weeks ago. That done we go to a place to have brunch; pancakes with maple syrup and butter, which was the brunch of champions as it happens.
We call in at the record shop, and I get two nice re-issues of Autobahn and Aladin Sane, which for forty quid the pair, not too bad.
I put on side 1 of Autobahn when we get home, and it sounds fabulous. Hope the neighbours liked it.
Anyway, the afternoon drifted away, I had to do some work, then I made soup for dinner with some left over vegetables, added some curry spices to it, sprinkled some cheese on the top, buttered some crusty bread, and a wonderful dinner.
Mulder seems to have perked up some this evening, but he is still off to the vets in the morning, as Jools is off work and can take him. As for me, I am going to Oostende again, and so back to the hotel and office for me.
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