Wednesday 19th August 2020

And on the 3rd day, it did rain. A lot.

I mean, we knew it was coming, but after the glorious day on Tuesday, we could hope the forecast was wrong.

But it wasn't.

The rain began before dawn, and did not stop all day.

Sigh.

And my auditing partner had announced that he wanted ti have breakfast in Wetherspoons, two doors along from the hotel, as the only food available here was a croissant and coffee which you would have to take back to your room to eat. For a tenner.

So we were two of those people who were queuing at the doors of 'Spoons before eight so we could get breakfast.

It was still raining.

I had a sausage sandwich and a coffee, and it cost £1.60 due to the Government's eat out to help out scheme. It hit the spot.

We walked back to the hotel, through to the car park to my car. I program the sat nav, and with the blowers on full to keep the screen and windows clear, we made our way to the main road, then along beside the dicks out towards the New Forest.

It was slow going, but we pressed on, through woodland and over a series of roundabout, arriving at the old power station site just after nine, right on time.

We check in at the gate then drive down to the offices, parking outside, and ready for the day ahead.

I was raining harder.

The offices were portacabins, and the rain drummed on the metal roof all day, making it seem we were in a big drum.

And so with us all present, down to work.

In the end, the weather was so foul, we didn't leave the offices, not for the site tour, which was now a shallow lake rather than a blade park.

The auditees had to leave at five, so we made sure we were finished s they could get their ferry, and we drive back along semi-flooded roads back to Southampton.

Briefly, the rain stopped. Which was nice.

After an hour chilling, we go out to look for somewhere to eat. No, as I said the Government's eat out to help out scheme is under way, and just about every table in every restaurant in the city was booked.

We tried everywhere.

All full, or at least with an hours's wait.

We were hungry.

And it started to rain again.

So, we ended up at the Duke of Wellington, where there were seats, they had great beer and did food.

Yay.

I order a pint of 6X and a bowl of chilli

It came and was home made and good.

I sent a pint of Swordfish down.

And another.

A Scottish couple on the next table were celebrating their anniversary of meeting. We chat a lot, and they end up buying us a drink.

I buy them one back.

And us too.

Its all a bit blurry from then on.

We do walk back early, with cries for us to stay, but we had to be up at five to catch the early ferry.

Rain had started again.

We got wet.