Thursday 15th February 2018

I am awake before six again, listening to the traffic rumbling by on the main road outside my window. Probably if I listened hard enough I could it on the nearby M6 too. But the rain of yesterday had gone, and instead there was blue sky, or was once dawn and sunrise came. And so sunshine.

I am to travel home later, so have to pack again. I say pack, I only got my toothbrush out, really, so packed and ready to go. I check out downstairs, then go for breakfast; cereal and sausage butties (no sauce) and lots of coffee. Many high falutin' people are in, talking business strategy and the like. I listen but soon get bored. I only have to walk over the road, then along a short woodland path to the office. But as they have just just moved buildings, it means I won't be able to get in.

I do try the old keyfob to get in, but no dice. Someone working for Rolls Royce (!) lets me in when he enters, so I could go to the first floor and knock on the door so someone could let me in. SOmeone takes pity on me, points to an empty desk so I can log on and start work. Funny how, when motivated by the thought if I get the meetings over with, deal with the issues and such, I could be on the road by half one, if not before.

Only spot was the fact they had a vending machine, and I had change. So I treat myself to a pack of Cadburys Snacks and then some ridged crisps. I was out of cash, which was just as well and I could easily have more chocolate. A tea's too wet without some.

So, I am inspired; sorting through and filing mails like a thing possessed, and as soon as the final meeting ended I was packing up and planning my route south.

Back to the hotel, drive out onto the bypass, to the M6 and south into the early afternoon sunshine, driving south as quick as the traffic and speed limit would let me. I have the radio on, it is sunny and dry. Even the M6, notorious for being jammed up at regular intervals is fine.

I reach the M6 Toll, take that, worth six quid of my money to avoid going through Brum, where there was much delays according the matrix signs. I stop to fill up, also get a pasty and a coffee, and as soon back on the near deserted motorway heading south. Somewhere the sat nav decided to to take me down the M42, and instead had designs on taking me through Northampton. I was left to take the route I knew best, down the A14 from the bottom of the M6 to Cambridge hen down past Stanstead to London.

Seemed a long way to go, but there was no hold ups, I made it through Cambridge, onto the motorway as the day faded. There were some slow traffic on the M25, and on the ramp to the bridge, i watched as the sun sank in the west, casting long shadows and the sky turning darker and darker blue.

Only real incident was avoiding a rear end shunt just by Medway services, I edge round as the two drivers are both out looking at the damage.

It is now dark, and I am in the final 30 miles, just wanting to get home.

Even in the dark I could see the curves of our new path, just edging for now, but it looked stunning. I am early, and it is decided we would really like KFC for dinner, so I drive to Whitfield, get a dipping selction meal, more than enough for two meals. We eat well, and have enough chicken left over for lunch tomorrow. Te cats are unhappy with the work in the garden, but seem happy to see me, even Miss Molly who is like a kitten again, rolling over and over.

We listen to some radio, then I watch the football from Sunday, laughing at Man Utd who manage to lose to the Toon. Half a billion spent and still little improvement. Good work, Jose.