Saturday 5th January 2019

The weekend. Use it well.

What with one thing and another, not quite what sure what to do with Saturday, outside the usual shopping trip to Tesco and having croissants for breakfast and then the afternoon trying not to fall asleep on the sofa.

But a plan formed. A church. Maybe two. ANd a look for some very early spring flowers.

Not much needed at Tesco, so we whip round getting the basics to see us through to next weekend. And with me away three days, not that much needed.

Back home we have breakfast, and then Jools surprises me by telling me she wasn't coming out. So, churchcrawling by myself.

My target was Guston, just over the Deal road and down on the other side of the railway line, on the edge of the village sitting on a low hill round which the Pineham road passes, sits St Martin of Tours. I find a place to park but it is locked, although a sign says the village pub holds a key. It was half nine, probably too early to bang on their door, so I decide to go to Patrixbourne to check on the snowdrops and aconites I had seen at the edge of a field last year.

I drive to Bridge then beside the dry bed of the Nailbourne to Patrixbourne, but there were no flowers out. In fact it looked like farm machinery had churned up the ground so there wasn't even fresh green leaves, let along blooms. I shall return in a few weeks. I had seen pictures os some in flower online, so it wasn't a goose chase.

So, what to do for two hours until the pub opened and I could get the church key? Get a haircut.

From there I had to double back to the A2, then along to Lydden before taking the back route to Folkestone before parking near the record shop, with the High Street and the eastern European barbers just along. I thought I could also visit the parish church, as it is a grand affair, though poorly lit inside, it has been many years since I was last there, but the door was locked, on a Saturday morning too, which is unusual. Somewhere to return to later in the year.

I go to the babers and am straight into the chair, and he gets busy with a collection of clippers and scissors, shearing me of my lush locks, even shaving some of it almost to my skin, so much so that it was downright chilly back outside once he was done.

I call in the record shop to see what new stuff they had, only to find they are stopping new vinyl as they can't compete with the supermarkets, or be left with stock due to the high prices they are charged. I find an Ian Dury twelve inch which I buy for Jools, and happy with that, go back to the car to drive back to Dover, then past the newly demolished barracks opposite the castle to Guston and the pub.

It is about a decade since I was last in The Chance, it hasn't changed much, they joke about what details they needed to let me have the key, and I have to say I will have a pint when I come back.

The church is small, but clean enough inside, it has but one memorial, showing perhaps how poor the parish was, even the landed gentry.

Back in the pub I have a pint of Bass, which was OK, but what I would have chosen, but it was that or lager. I stay for a chat and drain my glass.

I get home just after one, time to make rolls for lunch. I defrost some salt beef, and for make make a basic Ruben sandwich, with mustard and pickles. And very nice it is too.

Then is the serious business of the Cup. The FA Cup. I can't remember when Norwich last won a cup game, but being home today, although against the League 1 leaders, Portsmouth, we stood a chance That was until our captain got sent off, and City had to play with ten mon for the final 75 minutes. City nearly did it, but with a replay looming, and we throwing everyone forward, Pompy break and score a winner in the 5th minute of injury time. No replay to fit it now, of course, meaning the league is all we need to focus on, but I would like to see us reach the final one day before I die, and time is running out.

We play Uckers in the evening, wth the young Jelltex coming out on top so to lead the series 6-5.