Wednesday 19th September 2018

Our 19th wedding anniversary.

Jools have now been married to me more than twice the aggregate time that the two previous mar Mrs Jelltexes had.

She deserved a medal.

Or two.

Somehow I sleep through the alarm, and Jools is up and about, feeding the cats and making coffee. I go down and we exchange anniverary wishes, then sit down to drink coffee and think about the day head. We both were going to work full days, so celebration would come later.

Only I had bought Jools some flowers, left to the last minute so if she checked the accounts she would not see the transaction, so ordered the flowers on Tuesday to be delivered on on Wednesday. And all seemed set.

Until Jools said she wanted to buy some dollars, and went online to do the BACS transfer.

Have you bought me flowers?

The transactions said "interflora", seemed silly to deny it. So, the secret was out, the only mystery now was whether they would be delivered in time.

Jools left for work, leaving me at home with the sleeping cats. Situation normal.

I worked as normal, had lunch at just gone nine, I heard the cold mashed potato calling me, so I fried that up, along with the lone sausage and a couple of slices of fried bread and two fried eggs. Unhealthy, but wonderful. I did not eat for the rest of the day, until the evening.

I was going to go on the cross trainer, but was waiting for a package to arrive from work, a home office kit; two screens, keyboard and docking station. So I could not go for a walk, or put headphones on least I miss the delivery. Which never came.

I wait for Jools to come back, have a shower then at half six we go out for dinner.

I asked Jools where she would like to go, and after some thinking said Stourmouth to the Rising Sun. So it was there we went, to Sandwich, to Preston then along the bed of the old Wantsum Channel to Stourmouth, on the banks of the Stour, now some three miles from the actual mouth of the river. Long story, will tell it one day.

There were 50 empty tables, just as well as we had not booked, and took our place in the smaller dining room. We order a pan of paella to share, and drinks, Not to share. And we talk about the wedding, who we remembered came and the other stuff of that hectic time.

The food came and was splendid; too much of course, but lovely. We even made room for cheeseboard each, and just about finished them off between us.

Jools drove us back by the light of the half full moon, arriving home at half nine, just as Norwich scored their winning goal at Reading.

Hurrah.

We stay up to listen to the game, or I do, Jools already in bed by the time the game ends and City are victorious.

Splendid day, even if we did have to work.