Friday 27th August 2021

Friday.

And in an usual turn of events, I was actually all caught up at work, so could relax and respond to crisis as they came in, rather than lay in bed and fret about them. Only joking, I no longer loose sleep over work related issues, but being able to fire off a reply within minutes of receiving the mail makes it look like I am efficient or some other nonsense.

Jools was up and out at quarter to six to go swimming, I had just got up as she was leaving through the back door.

Bye, I said.

I finish my coffee. Prepare breakfast, make a second coffee and start work.

Two hours of phone calls during which we compare horror stories of our week.

Eeeek!

At ten, Jools returns, I hep her unload the car, then cook leftover potatoes with grilled bacon and fried chipolatas along with a fried slice of home made bread, far more wonderful than a breakfast has cause to be!

I even took a photo:

And back to work as Jools put the rest of the shopping away, and moved on to the garden, deadheading and being generally busy little thing, while I earn my crust, being helpful. I hope.

And useful too.

Anyway, at half one or so, I see my colleagues in India and Denmark had finished for the day, I had been non-stop sice before seven, so I call it a day and power the leptop down.

It was the weekend.

Now, I could have sat and listened to the radio, surfing the net, as kids do these day. But no, put on my boots and drove to Temple Ewell to do some orchid hunting.

Even though I would be here on Saturday morning with the FB group, the forecast was better for Friday, and the wind less, so what better way to start a three day weekend?

None, whatsoever.

I parked behind the former pub, and walked up the track through the woods, climbing up all the time.

Out on the downs, I met a twotcher who I bump into from time to time, he tells me his bird watching news, and I regale him with my adventures in the world of orchids.

We part, and I walk down the slope and find the first of the spikes. Many more than last week, and those I saw last week were fully in flower, two tight spirals with white flowers showing all the way up. These are the fat Autumn Ladies Tresses, shouting that the orchid season is now drawing to an end, though these will show for maybe a month more, slowly going to see as the days and nighs become equal.

In the ungrazed paddock, I find dozens, if not hundreds of Autumn Gentians, all showing really good in the afternoon sun, with many more small plants all around. As another bonus there were a few Adonis Blues basking, and I managed to get a shot.

As I snapped one orchid, a Wall Brown landed on a Cat's Ear near me, so I was able to get the closest shots ever of this common by flighty butterfly.

And as I waslked to the gate for the stumble back down to the car, I see the largest ALT spike I have ever seen. A full six inches or more tall, and a spiral that went round the wpike at least twice.

Magnificent.

And a fine way to end the season.

I walk back down the down, get in the car and drive home, traffic being light for a Friday afternoon.

Being a Friday, there is the music quiz to look forward to, and I speak to my good friend in Canada, via FB Messanger which works amazingly well for a video call a quarter way round the world.

For free.

All you have to pay is all your personal information. Seems a bargain.

In the music quiz, I come 11th, so out of the points, but a fun time was had.

And back into the car to dash to Whitfild where Jen had planned a second birthday meal; a chinese with her and John before we let John take all our money at cards.

Seemed only fair.

We come back hoem at ten, pooped. I put some extra food out for the cats, and we go to bed.