Sunday 5th May 2019

Final day of the football season.

2nd day of the 3 day weekend.

More orchids.

And later in the day, if Norwich can avoid defeat, or if Sheffield Utd fail to win, Norwich will be crowned as champions.

Which would be better than nice.

And with the wind and clouds set to build later in the day, we were up and out with the larks, just after half seven, driving over to orchid central just off Stone Street to Yocklett's Bank for yet more Fly Orchid hunting.

On Twitter someone tweeted that they could only find one Fly on the site, so I set us the challenge of counting how many we could find.

It might have been sunny, but was cool, and so chances of seeing a butterfly on the wing or basking was nil.

Anyway, along from the parking spot, up the path to the lower meadow, and already we were finding spikes.

Down the other side, and at the dell there was the mother-lode with maybe 25 spikes, about half open, and some over a foot tall. And by the time we got to the road, I had counted 37 flowering spikes, and Jools had 70 spikes in total.

Onto the other side, and although far fewer Fly, there were dozens of Lady in flower with Greater Butterfly putting forth spikes, and rosettes of CSO. And in the wood, the bluebells were already fading, as too were the Early Purples.

The grows ever older, of course, but the speed of change is amazing sometimes.

I met a chap from Wiltshire, though he now lives in Woolwich. He was surveying Flys, and doing it cold school with a notebook and pencil. I think he was wary of a young whippersnapper like me, but as I talked, he warmed to me, even more so when I showed him a particularly nice unusual spike, deep in the wood.

We do the full circuit, but Fly are thin on the ground, but I end up having counted 41 flowering spikes in total, after finding a nice group of four where we had not seen them before.

Nice.

As Norwich were due to kick off at half twelve, only time for one more visit, so we crossed over Stone Street to visit PGD.

There were a few people there, but few orchids showing, other than the usual stunted spikes of EOP. It is easy to forget how exposed and cold the meadow is, and even in May, when the wind blows from the north, it is downright chilly.

I find no Fly, but a couple of Greater Butterfly spikes. And even have time to chat to another nice couple about orchids, and what time is best to come to see the Monkey.

We leave and drive back home via the mortorway and along the A20 to Dover and to home, arriving back at ten past twelve, just in time for a late breakfast of strawberries and yoghurt and a fresh coffee, so to be ready for the final push for the title.

The game wasn't live, instead they had the Derby game on, so I switched to watch the live scores, as men talked about what they were watching on various TV screens as the action in the 12 games unfolded.

Norwich scored after 7 minutes, but then Villa equalised.

And that was how it stayed until deep in the second half, when Sheffield were drawing at Stoke, so what Norwich did didn't really matter. But Super Mario Vrantic scored a winner to lift us four points clear, and as Ipswich beat Leeds 3-2, City finished eight points clear of Leeds and 63 points of the local rivals as they were relegated and we were promoted.

We will never see another season like this, so we had better make the most of it.

As soon as the final whistle goes, live feed from Villa Park is shown, as City celebrate then clear the pitch as a stage is erected. Villa do a lap of honour, but they have the play offs yet to come, but for Norwich, the season was over.

Our players come back on the field to a guard of honour made up by the Villa players and officials. I mean that was a fine touch.

The trophy is brought on, all decked in yellow and green ribbons. I start to cry, with happiness.

The players form up behind the trophy, as the two captains come from either side, grab the handles, and as the crescendo builds, lift the trophy high into the air. Fireworks go off. I cry again.

Celebrations go on for ages, all in front of 3,000 fans, none of which left the ground, cheers from this day will last forever.

I pen a beer and toast the team, the manager, Delia and Micheal and our wonderful fans.

On Twitter people are tweeting videos and photos of the scenes in front of them.

The program finishes, so I switch over to the Man Utd game and watch on as their team falls to pieces in front of me as they struggle to beat already relegated Huddersfield. In fact, the Terriers even grab an equaliser, and were the better team as the game ground out to a draw. Utd fail to reach the top four this season.

As so do Arsenal later as they fail to beat Brighton, that game ending in a 1-1 draw.

We have dinner, with wine.

And afterwards I beat Jools at Uckers as we listen to Sparks on the hifi.

As you do.

I watch MOTD sipping a wee dram, as I think, next season Norwich will feature too.

Cheers, and On the Ball, City.

Going up, up, up.