Friday 29th May 2020

It am Friday.

It is a normal weekend here in Kent, but a three day weekend in Denmark, so my colleagues are planning trips to their summer houses or the beach. They can even get haircuts.

Back here in Kent, we do the usual stuff before work: being a Friday, Jools doesn't have work, but has a yoga class at half six. At the same time I do some phys, have a shower and am ready for work.

As I have the morning meeting, Jools finished her class and goes to Tesco for supplies.

I suppose the last three months have been surreal. Normal but not normal. Some colleagues have been busier than normal, others not so. I fall into the second group. But gives me time to think and plan activities in the new year.

Which all sounds exciting, especially when you factor in the fun travel and things we have planned. Let's hope things are back to normal by then.

Jools returns at quarter to ten, so I can help her unload the car, but at then have to have a one:one meeting with my boss.

After lunch I have done all my weekly admin, so we decide to go out. Orchiding.

For years, our best Bee Orchid site has been in Pegwell Bay, so we will drive there, and maybe check the nature reserve nearby too, for SMO?

Perfect.

We dive to Sandwich, then out the other side to Cliffsend, parking on a side street as the area around the Viking Ship is closed to cars. But such things is legal now.

I take my cameras and we walk to the entrance, then down past the ship to the steps, which used to lead to the hoverport, but now lead to the area that nature is reclaiming. Only a new sewer is being laid, so in the middle of the wildlife are port-a-cabins, plant and cars. I hope they won't expand their job and do anything for to the site, as it feels very special.

Where there used to be dozens of spikes, I don't see any. Not a rosette. Its what happens sometimes, I guess. Three dry years have killed the rhizomes, and they won't return, or they might just be dormant. But no Bees.

I find the yellow Man orchids, they are less numerous, and I may be wrong, but there seemed to be less spikes than before, but they could have just dried out.

And no Southern Marsh to be found either. There was a large group that was increasing in the shade of a bush, no sign this year.

With gangs of youths shouting whilst they cycled, we walk back to the steps and the car, hopeful that the reserve would provide happier hunting.

A two minute drive, and we nip over the road and into the reserve. Where the paths would be dotted with spikes, there were none.

Even in the cleared area, where there used to ba a hybrid spike 27 inches tall, just a couple of sorry spikes almost crowded out by the field horsetails. No more than a dozen spikes on the whole site.

We turn round and leave or we would have been mown don by a family of six and their three dogs. We escape to the car and drive home.

Not the best afternoon orchiding, with most of my targets missing.

Sigh.

But it is Friday afternoon, it is the start of the weekend.

Back home, I review what shots I had taken, then get dinner ready. Shop-bought BBQ ribs (very poor) home made chips (better) and wine. Wine is always good.

For the evening, we listen to the wireless, then it is Gardener's World to round things off.

Almost felt quite normal.