Sunday 3rd November 2019

A day of rest.

And yet I would have to do some work.

But first there is the sleeping, waking up, coffee drinking and then football watching whilst Jools went swimming.

When she came back, I made bacon butties, which were nice.

And as the sun was shining, I took us off to Thanet to snap some sunflowers.

Back towards Preston, and just before we got there, on the side was the field with sunflowers.

Now, sunflowers for sure. But small ones, and not so thickly scattered as I remembered. And with the rain it was too muddy to go yomping into the fields, but I get some shots, and doubly so as the sun was shining.

Back to Dover to visit Jen, as her Mum, Betty is 100 years old in just over a week, and also to finalise Christmas planning.

Christmas.

And Sylv is back. I have not seen her since last Christmas Day, as she moved back to the Bolton/Bury area, bought a house/flat thing. But she is now back for a month, mainly to be here for Bett's birthday.

Sylv is planting spring bulbs in the front garden, but stops when she sees us, at which point her mouth starts. Now, don't get me wrong, Sylv is the salt of the earth, but once she starts with the "Ee up, Chuck" stuff, there is no stopping her. She means well.

Jen is feeding the chickens in the back garden, and soon we are all involved in a deep discussion about the plus and negative points of pot design for the leftover bulbs to be placed near the front door.

We make good our escape after I throw some confusion into the mix, so leave them to it. Going to Mike and Jane's, as it was Milke's birthday, but he was at work. Jane was in, so we sit in their summer house in the warm sunshine, talking about life, the universe and shit.

Back home for tea and tiffin, and I realise that it is time to leave. I drink up my cuppa then go to pack and load the hire car. Away for another five days, this time on a course, and a four and a half hour drive ahead of me.

Wish me luck.

I say goodbye to Jools and after programming the sat nav, set off.

Thanks to the A2 being closed before Canterbury, and the M20 being 25 miles of roadworks with speed restrictions, I drive to Ramsgate then along the Thanet Way to the start of the motorway, and then onto the Dartford.

Around the M25 to the bottom of the M1, then north.

For a while the sat nave was getting fed up having to recalculate the route, then the milage began to drop, from 247 miles from St Maggies, to 200 at Dartford.

It was a fine afternoon, but the sun soon set and as I drive north, darkness fell.

Then up the M6, where I was hit by the first of the roadworks, being carried out for the creation of a "smart" motorway. Heaven help us.

North of Birmingham, there was two further long stretches of roadworks, some 30 miles, and traffic crept along at 40mph.

I was directed off at Crewe; all change.

And from Crewe to Holmes Chapel, which seemed a nice enough place, but no time to stop as I needed to find the hotel , check in and get dinner.

The Hotel. Manor House, is one of a series that exists to supply the meeting and training requirements of businesses, have a hotel, conference rooms, a place to eat and drink, far enough from an alternative place to eat that we will all eat there.

The front part was a minor stately home, but now surrounded by a maze of corridors and hotel rooms to keep us in what we have come to expect; namely en suite with tea and coffee making facilities. Its OK, but not grand in the least.

I drop my case and bag off, go to the restaurant and get an empty table from among the 150 available and order burger and fries. And a beer.

A five hour drive, I had earned it I decreed.

Food was average, beer OK. I have cheese to follow and a glass of wine.

Back in my room I call home and report me arriving safely. And that is that. I can't find the enthusuasm to watch MOTD2, so go to bed before half ten.