Thursday 19th October 2017

Time to go home. Again. I wake up to see the light showing through the curtains, although I have to play the guess the time with the clock who said it might be as early as ten to six. Twenty past seven was the right answer.

I have a shower, pack and then have breakfast. It is quiet, and dull outside, but my mood is light as I will be back with Jools and them cats by nightfall. Every reason to be happy.

I load the car and remember to leave the door key in the safe beside the door. All ready now for the drive. I programmed the sat nav for Long Melford in Suffolk as a stop off point for lunch and as there is a very special church there. Although, you will not be disappointed to learn that the first part of the journey was along our old friend the 143, over the marshes to Beccles and then to Bungay, Diss before the sat nav then lead me along a series of six foot sixers, or narrow lanes, through woods, small villages and past churches just begging to be investigated. But that could be left for another day.

Across the railway line between Ipswich and Bury, then the A14 and further into the Suffolk badlands where every house could harbour a Town fan.

I eventually turn onto a main road, and sure that I am near to Melford. I turn off the main road along what must have once been the main road, coming to a crossroads where on the right hand side, the church stands next to the manor house and a pilgrim's hospital, both Tudor.

I park the car at the bottom of the lane that lead to the church, which was lined on one side by timber framed houses, overhanging the road, whilst at the top on the other side was the Tudor hospital. And then the view opened up to reveal the church, a church on the scale of a cathedral, all built of flint of course, but with a substantial Lady Chapel at the east end, separate from the church, looking from that direction like a merchant's house, at least from the outside, with it's triple gable end.

THe church is vast, and the north side is filled with the finest collection of medieval stained glass I have ever seen. It is remarkable, filling the whole church with wonderful light. And then elsewhere there are brasses and private chapel to investigate, before leaving the church and walking to the Lady Chapel, of which I was the only visitor for a full quarter of an hour, with more fine ancient glass and wonderful carved roof beams. A stunning church

Back in the car, the sat nav claimed that I was within two hours and twenty minutes from home, which seemed optimistic, but lead lead me along the main road, then through some oddly names villages before emerging onto the A12 near to Chelmsford and the service station there, meaning I could fill the car up, as it had been reminding me for half an hour about the state of the fuel tank. That done, it was a twenty minute run to the M25, then along to Grays, over the bridge and into Kent.

I take the A2 as I was going to call in on the way to see how Jen was, and with the rush getting over the river done, I slow down to a stately 50 mph and enjoy the drive as people rush by me.

At Jen's, all is good. Well apart from Tony not being here any more of course. I was there when the coroner called, and said of the cause of death was heart disease, like Mum just had a close shave with. We have a cuppa and she tells me who she has spoken with this week, including her wayward son, Scott, who is working on some small island of the east coast of Australia. That cheered her up after hearing from the coroner.

And then it was time to go home, feed the cats and prepare dinner for when Jools returned from work. Almost back to normal. Almost.

The cats are fed, and there is pea and ham soup to warm up, not too difficult. After dinner we talk, but we both are so tired. We try to watch some TV but by nne we were so pooped we go to bed, whilst outside the wind blew and the rain fell.