Saturday 14th August 2021

2nd day of the three day weekend, and not that much planned.

But then there is always orchids to hunt down, and as the season is drawing to an end, with just the last species of the year, Autumn Ladies Tresses, to show. I had gone to look for them on Tuesday, and so planned to go back on Saturday.

That they have not shown yet shows how later the season is. Also late is the second brood blue butterflies. The Common and Adonis Blues, none seen on Tuesday and again none seen on Saturday either. That's not to say there wasn't other stuff to see.

We had coffee, but went out before breakfast, driving to Temple Ewell and parking behind the old George and Dragon. There was a couple of other cars there, but it was still before eight.

We walk through one meadow, check the second for roosing Blues, see none, so continue up the track to the top of the down, breaking through the trees and seeing butterflies everywhere, but these were mostly Chalkhills still, a few Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers and a single pristine Painted Lady, though no Silver Spotted Skippers either.

I walk to the second paddock, where I search for the orchids. The cattle had been cleared, or I couldn't see any, but there hoofprints were everywhere, and the host of Eyebrights were all gone, but other flowers were showing well, but no orchid spikes seen.

I walk back through the gate and check on the part that hadn't been grazed: lots of eyebright to be seen, as well as lots of other stuff, but again, no orchids. I let the butterflies roost, bask or feed, and press on searching for the elusive frst orchid.

One last area was further up the down, the other side of the path, I had seen a couple of early spikes last year, but again none seen this time. I mean we could have searched more, but I'm sure if there were orchid spikes, we would have seen them.

I say to Jools, should we go home for breakfast?

Yes.

Or.....

Or what, go out for breakfast?

Yes, go out for breakfast.

We decide on The Happy Chef on Townwall Street, so drve down through the town, then along the A20, round the roundabout and into the side road, but there was no parking for a few hundred yards, until nearly at the end of the street, where there was a new place to eat, The Sunshine Cafe. We decide to go in there, and find a community​ place where people pay what they want, and if some people can't pay the full price, that's OK.

We have a seven piece breakfast each, and brews, which came to fourteen quid, so we give them twenty and say that will cover the next person who comes in hungry. And the foot was excellent. The place clean and staff very good.

We will go back again.

We drive home, through the light traffic heading to the port. And traffic was light, especially for the middle weekend in August, there should be queues waiting for places on the ferries. There are no queues this year.

Traffic from Deal was heavy, but once off the main road it was quiet enough, and a cruise home.

Coffee?

A friend managed to get inside a week or so ago, and I have been wanting to return some time, so I checked online and found that St Martin is now open 10 - 4 every day.

I rushed out, and found it was indeed unlocked.

Set down a track through a wood, past some old cricket nets, which was part of an old minor country house, and there is St Martin, sitting in its churchyard, bellcote at the west end, looking peaceful.

A warden was weeding the path, welcomed me to the church, and confirmed it is open every day thanks to someone living in one of the flats in the once grand house.

Always great views from the gallery where the organ now takes most of the space.

A fine church, with several monuments, although the electric lights were impossible to find, then I noticed candles everywhere.

Another step nearer normal.

We have a quiet afternoon; Jools does beading and reading. I watch and listen to the football.

It was incredible hearing the games with fans screaming and chanting, you could hear the ebb and flow of the games without the commentators having to say much. It felt so much btter. It is so much better.

At half five, Norwich kicked off against Liverpool. A very hard first game of the season.

As I went through torture, Jools went swimming, we would have cheese and crackers upon her return.

The game was as diffuclt as feared, and Liverpool cruised to a 3-0, though in the first half we did OK, though went in 1-0, the second half, there was just the one team in it.

37 games to go.

And that was that. We listen to the radio again, so funk and soul, and just like that, the evening had vanished.