Saturday 12th May 2018

We should have been at Tesco, but instead we are standing on the edge of the cliff at Leathercoate Point, otherwise known as the Dover Patrol, looking out over the sea towards France. There is an almost total cloud cover, but a few gaps in the cloud cover creates a dappled effect somewhere near the middle of the Channel. I think it was the wise thing to do.

We had not come to stare at the sea, but to have a look at the small colony of Early Spider Orchids before their time was over. Already the flowers at the top of the spike are open, meaning these are the final ones we will see this season.

A couple had been trampled and flattened, but some had sprung back up, and as most are on the very edge of the cliff, meaning anyone standing on them would have been in danger of falling to a very sudden death. I was there just to snap the orchids, which I did.

We go back to the car and make our way down the pot-holed road to the main road and then to Tesco.

The usual stuff needed, so we spit up and go round, hunting and gathering, filling the trolley with things we thought were essential. At this time, asparagus is pretty much essential. That and hard Italian cheese to sprinkle on said asparagus. And beer. Beer is also essential. Obviously.

We rush home to pack the shopping away and to warm the croissants up and make another coffee.

It was bright, but expected to cloud over further with rain later still. It seemed overly optimistic to plan much before lunch, other than to go to Preston for some meat based supplies, and for Jools to go to the nursery next door for yet more flowers.

It is late spring now, hedges are exploding and expanding into roads and lanes. It seems so sudden, as does the profusion now of dark green leaves thus marking the end of the new growth season.

I park at the nursery and walk to the butchers. As ever there is plenty of banter, and despite not needing that much I spend seventy quid, mainly on chicken fillets and koftes. Jools has half filled a trolley with plants, I look round and see many things I would like, but most of all a mini Easter Island Moai. Seventy five quid. Nice but not that nice nor necessary. I pass on the head.

We return home, passing by Richmond park, the soon to be near 2,000 new homes on the edge of Whitfield, what has been built so far looks crammed in together, but pleasant enough. But not for us. Oh no.

Back home we listen to the radio, but find its lunchtime already. So I make cold roast beef rolls using the last of Sunday's dinner. Well, in truth Molly have the very last as she was demanding more breakfast, but it seemed roast beef did the trick too.

Once we had eaten lunch, Jools had to collect a hire car; this is because I am off for two weeks, mainly orchid chasing, and to not have days cut shot, if Jools can drive back from work, then I don't have to collect her. The from the port after dropping her off, I can go and do some church chasing, but first off as I have to go near to Womanswold, I thought I would do a search for the Birds-Nest Orchids.

I park the car and walk into the wood; everywhere I look there are spikes of White Helleborines, a few just about to come into bloom, but none actually out. At first I could see no Birds-Nest, and then, right by the path I see a spike, twisted where something must have knocked it as it grew during the last week. And then another a few yards behind. Neither were actually flowering, but close. Very cole. I will be back here on Tuesday.

Happy with two found after only the briefest of searches, I walk back to the car to go to Nonington.

Again.

We were last here a couple of weeks ago, but I found locked. Thanks to the internet, I had contacted the church and arranged for it to be open in the afternoon, so I was more than hopeful.

I park next to the church, and walk up the path to the porch, try the door and it swung open.

Inside it was delightful, the walls covered with hatchments and tablet memorials, but otherwise unremarkable. Mind you that sounds like damning with faint praise. It is a pleasant Kentish parish church, and one in very good repair, warm and welcoming. It had been some fine floral arrangements, the one in the chancel smelt wonderful.

This was the first Saturday without football. Or much football, as the Football League season had finished last week, and the Prem concludes on Sunday. So no hurry to get back to laze listening to the radio. But we do have cards to play, and after an appeal by Jools and I the school is now to start at half five so we can finish at ten-ish. So I drive back home, download the shots and do some writing before the afternoon has slipped by and it is time to pick up John.

We go in the hore car, as it has four doors, so the three of us can comfortably get in so we can talk on the short drive up Whitfield Hill to Jen's.

And that was that; two rounds of Meld and the Queenie until the pot was won, which was won by me! So we scoop the pot of very nearly two whole pounds in pennies.

We break at half seven for supper of chicken curry, which Jen had made. And very nice it was, although John complained about how hot it was. Hot as in spicy. I had added chili sauce to mine.

And that was Saturday, done and dusted. Jools and I, fighting fit!

Onwards.