Saturday 12th December 2020

We have gotten used to the unusual.

What we used to do, and take for granted is now forbidden.

For our own health and safety.

On a Saturday two weeks before Christmas I might go to visit a few churches, maybe snap a rail tour, with a visit at a country pub or two.

None of that this weekend, not in this year, the year of pestilence.

And on top of that, there is Brexit around the corner, and those we have foolishly elected lie to us about how bad it will be. But they still need to practice.

We sat in the living room, sipping the last of the coffee at half seven when I heard that the Port of Dover was trialling systems for Brexit. We had to go shopping, go to Tesco, the other side of the A2, I look at the traffic radar and the A2 from the docks back to the Whitfield roundabout was black. No movement.

Bugger.

I thought about it, and decided there is always Sainsury's in Deal. We could afford it.

Once upon a time Sainsibury's was the preserve of the monied middle classes, selling things that we could only dream of and at a price that would give us nightmares. But with Lidl and Aldi, the times for catering to the few has gone, prices are lower, though they do sell nice, pricy stuff.

And in these COVID times, only one shopper from each house is allowed, so as Jools usually does it, I said I will go. I take the bags, the list and go to the car.

Deal is just a ten minute drive away, but at eight on a Saturday morning there would usually be lots of traffic about, this trip there was little about. I turn onto the main road and cruise into Walmer, down to the Strand and along to Deal Castle, to turn left at the roundabout, cross the HIgh Street and turn right to the supermarket.

Two weeks before Christmas and there was a dozen cars parked. THese are not normal times, clearly.

I have half an hour's free parking outside the shop, so grab a tolley and get busy. Inside it is well stocked with few people about. I rush round, getting stuff off the list, and am not tempted by the delicious things I see on sale at the end of the aisles.

I am done in 20 minutes, spend under a hundred quid, and am out, loading the car in just under the half hour mark meaning no parking fine for me.

I drive home and am back before nine, unpacked and we having breakfast in no time.

What to do the rest of the day? Well, rain forecast for later, when City were playing, so I get cooking after ten, putting in a pack of beef wellington bites for a mid morning snack before making a batch of mine pies.

Jools puts up the Christmas tree in the morning, I hang a few baubles on too, and the kittens are interested, but ignore the tree once done.

Mmmm, mince pies.

And then there was football.

All afternoon and into the evening.

THere was the wouth Wales Derby, Cardiff v Swansea, but without fans it was sterile, but Swansea ran out easy 2-0 winners.

Next up was following Norwich on the radio and via Twitter, away at Blackburn. Ahead thanks to Pukki's 49th City goal at half time, Blackburn then dominated in the second, level, then almost straight away Pukki deflects an Emi shot into the opposite corner to which the keeper was diving to.

And that was that.

Next up, the Manc Derby, should have been a sizzler but was a squib. Twolethargic teams, playing out a dull 0-0 draw, just three shots on goal.

I don't bother with the Everton v Chelsea game, and so the evening peters out.

Phew.