Saturday 5th November 2016

Bonfire Night

And as we say every year, the night on which we celebrate the fact that Parliament was NOT blown u, like it was a good thing. With the events of the past 18 months, I am doubting that. Anyway, more about fireworks later.

We had groceries and beer, so there was no need to go to Tesco, and so the question was what to do with the morning? Initially, we thought of meeting friends in Deal for breakfast, but when that fell through we decided to travel a little further and visit Whitstable instead.

The Kent coast has a wide range of seaside towns, ranging from the faded glories of Margate, the Dickens tinged Broadstairs and so on. But Whitstable is something else again, it is supposedly trendy and attractive to the London hipster set as it is full of great small independent shops, cafes and bars. But what makes it attractive also means on a warm day, it is packed. So, if we wanted to visit, why not go early before the crowds arrive, if they would anyway on a chilly November morning.

For speed, we take the A2 past Canterbury to the start of the motorway, then turn east along Thanet Way to Whitstable. What we were treated to was wonderful sights of the woodland an copses alongside the road, turning from green to gold, looking even more glorious in the early morning sunlight. How lucky we were to be out and about at this time of day to see this. For a moment I considered going back home for walking boots so we could go for a wander in Kings Wood again, or somewhere equally fabulous.

We arrive in Whitstable finding the cheap car is still operating at the school on the High Street, so we leave the car there, wrap up warm and thoughts then turn to breakfast. We may already have had a coffee and some fruit, but this kind of cool morning calls for a proper fry up. And once we had found a bank, got some cash, we walked down to a nice looking place and sit down to ponder what to order: two rashers, a sausage, scrambled eggs, beans, mushrooms and toast all seemed nice. Yes, we'll take two.

And breakfast was as good as it sounds, and better still for not having to wash up.

Out into the cold again, walking down towards the harbour, past all the interesting looking shops, and new micropubs that have opened. Might have to come over one evening on the train I think! We cut through the alleyway to the sea wall, and with the wind in the east, it did bite a bit. But the view was splendid, low tide meant that mud stretched out in front of us, and a few brave souls were out looking for lugworms.

We walked up to The Neptune, and having done that, we both decided we were cold enough so turned round to walk back to the slipway and then back to the main street, past shops just opening for business. We stop for some vegetables with which I could make some soup that evening.

The town was beginning to ill up with people, so we walk back to the school, load up the car and set off for home, taking the road to Ramsgate, then striking out across the marshes to Preston and the butchers. THere is a good garden centre next door, looking for a fire pit for the garden. Anyway, although we didn't buy anything, we got some ideas, not good ones, but ideas all the same.

I walk next door and buy 36 day aged t-bones for Sunday dinner. Man, they look mighty fine. The boys are in good form too, getting near to Christmas so I also submit our order, even not knowing whether I will have the time off or not. Anyway, meat!

We come back home through Sandwich and Deal, back along the coast road to home. Phew.

We are back home in time to listen to the rest of the Huey show, then switch over to listen to the football on the radio. I potter around, and in such fashion the afternoon passes by. Norwich manage to implode again, losing to a last minute goal to Leeds, and so the day feels like a disaster, but really wasn't.

I make pumpkin soup, with a couple of potatoes added to give it body, then cumin and tumeric to make it curryfied. An hour later, it is done, and is splendid. We have been pondering whether to get Netflix or not, but after searching through three letters in the A-Z listings, I find nothing to pique my interest; maybe i just don't like TV any more?

We have the radio on instead, but then it started. Two of our neighbours must have felt that what we all needed was a re=enactment of the barrage before the Battle of the Somme, as for nearly an hour fireworks, bangers and rockets banged and fizzed. They must have spent hundreds of pounds on them, and our poor cats all ran for it, and did not come back until after we had gone to bed. Lets hope with the weather fine on the 5th, and it also being a weekend we won't have a repeat tonight.