Sunday 11th December 2016

I slept long once again, waking up after MOTD had begun on TV. I hoped out TV had recorded it, or more accurately, I had set it up right so it would do as I bidded it, not just ignored me. Cats covered the stairs who only agreed to move once I had carefully stepped over them, their func complete, they could have enjoyed my uncertainty of stepping over them in the dark, so they could now run around my feet as I went down onto the living room.

I fed the mogs, made coffee, checked the interwens, and finally sat down to watch the football. Lots of action to catch up on, but there is always the prospect of bacon butties. And once I had watched the best of the games, and Jools had finished her shower, I grilled the bacon long so it became brown and crisp. Then did it again for my breakfast, returning to the sofa with a plate of steaming sandwiches and a pot of hot fresh tea, to watch the final action from Saturday.

Outside it was a fine and sunny day. Not a hint of cloud spoilt the clear blue sky, so it seemed only right we should go out to enjoy it. But what? Drive to Dover Patrol, walk down the cliff edge to Kingsdown and back? OK. done.

THe road approaching the monument is somewhat mocking the term. Being mostly made of holes and gravel, but signs assure us the council is on the job, with three days of the next week given over for repair. I tried to pick a smooth path between the holes, mostly did so successfully, but occasionally, I dipped into a hole. But in the shadow of the monument, there wasn't one car or camper van to darken to tarmac. I stop with the nose of the car pointing out to sea, towards France, and after grabbing my camera, we walk to the cliff edge, to the empty bench and then to the place where it is possible to look back to the cliff face.

From there we walk down to the next bench on the boundary with Kingsdown. Not much to report, just steep white cliffs falling into the sea, cloudless skies, great company from Jools and exercise. What more could you ask for?

And after a half hour down hill walk, what followed was a half hour uphill walk, back up the the car park. Sadly, Bluebirds has closed, so no tea of shortcake for us, just hop in the car to drive home where we could brew up and have half a Twix and save ourselves ten quid. Which was nice.

There is nothing but football on the radio that afternoon. Or that's what I told Jools anyway. So whilst I listened to the wireless and the football, JOols worked in the garden. I decide we should have en early dinner, so I pop the beef joint in the oven, prepare the vegetables and mix the Yorkshire pudding batter. All is done by half two, so with a bottle of fizz between us, we demolish the dinners I prepared.

My goodness, that was fine food. And what else to do other than to lie on the sofa. Molly laid between my knees, and Mulder laid on my tum. And I fell asleep. Until Mulder pressing on my bladder forced me to the bathroom. Oh, and I suppose you want me to feed you at the same time?

There was just time for one more episode of Planet Earth II, rather brilliant as it usually is.