Saturday 27th June 2020

Something akin to normality is returning. Although there is professional football still going at the end of June, there is no cricket, no pubs, bars or restaurants are open and we still can't get a haircut. Not until next weekend.

Shops don't have shortages now, and we can get most of what we want. Heck, we can even travel and stay overnight somewhere, if you can find a hotel open.

For us, of for me, we can travel anywhere in Kent, walk and look for orchids and butterflies. Just no pub lunches or churches open.

But the bane of any macro-photographer is strong winds. And that was what Saturday was going to bring. In spades. Which is why we went to look at orchids on Friday afternoon. But it did mean that we had a whole bunch of Saturday to fill.

So, in an unexpected move, we both did a session on the cross trainer, had showers (and a shave for me), before getting dressed and having breakfast.

It was nine in the morning.

Oh boy.

There is always the radio, especially on a Saturday, so we do our hobbies, while the morning passes the the wind builds outside.

We have ham rolls for lunch, and then the afternoon starts.

It is building towards the FA 6th round game at Norwich against Man Utd. The hours and minutes pass, until it is time for the game to start.

The fixture has history, and Norwich have won more of these cup ties than Utd, but this season more than ever, its about money and the players that provides. And Norwich have been playing poorly since the restart.

And it began slow, with Utd on top, but Norwich got into it, and after that it was a pretty even game.

Jools had bought some maple syrup coated ribs, and those would taste better on a BBQ. But instead of having to get charcoal, firelighters and so on, I asked Jools to get one of those disposable ones, which she did, and it only needed 20 minutes to warm up, meaning we should be eating at half time in the game.

Didn't quite work out that way, as due to the wind, a lot of the heat was blow away from the meat, so the ribs, in two batches, took ages to cook. The second half started, Utd scored, and I was crouched over a tiny BBQ.

But the ribs were great, although the two burgers I cooked afterwoods didn't really get cooked all the way through, just defrosted. Mostly. We're still here, and alive. Apparently.

Back for the rest of the second half, and Norwich had equalised. Which came as a surprise, but I think they deserved it, playing well if not creating much, but Todd had a shot and it served in.

So to injury time, then extra time. And just when it looked as though it would go to penalties, Utd score a winner in the last minute.

Bugger.

By then it was gone eight at night, and time to clear up and then it was bed time.

Phew.

Doing nothing can take it out of you, especially when you do it all day.