Friday 22nd October 2021

Still potato week.

And in a call with my colleague, Henrik, he reported that on his was back from Jutland to Langeland, the fields were full of people picking potatoes and the roads full of tractors hauling trailers full of spuds.

Just not sure if children are expected to do it.

So, that's potato week in Denmark.

I sleep through the alarm and awake at five past six expecting Jools to head off for yoga, but she has a bad arm and bad thumb, so is ging yoga and swimming a miss this week. She goes for a walk instead.

I try to wake up before starting work at seven. I stare at the computer but remember my new password, but of course, every application needs to have the new password, and sent me a verification text via my mobile.

After twenty minutes I'm all logged in and ready to work.

And, I have to say, its a quiet morning, and once the clock ticks to twelve, I close down the computers as I am off on my travels, arranging to meet a friend in Broadstairs to talk about work and football and music and other stuff.

Now, there is never a huge problem with trains from Martin Mill, I checed the departure time the day before and on Twitter there was nothing from the operator about issues, just a broken rain in south east London at Petts Wood. Or is that Kent? I gave it little thought. But, it seems, that blocked many trains getting out of the yard, and caused delays and cancellations all day.

THis I did not know.

Instead I got our bins in, said hello to next door and set off up Station Road, up and over the down, and carrying on along the road, down to the Deal Road junction. Now, I have to say, this isn't safe, but there is no other way to get to the station, so all along the road I walk on the edge of the carriageway, try to get out of the way when a car came, but once heading down past the riding school there is no way of getting off as the banks are too overgrown and steep. I just press on down hill trying to get to the verge near the junction.

Then getting across the main road where cars are travelling at 50mph and there two roads joining meaning having to see a gap and run and hope for the best. I make a dash for it and get over, and from there it is safer.

I am 15 minutes early, so have lots of time to buy my ticket, and walk through the underpass to the other platform, where the illuminated sign said my train was cancelled. And there wasn't another for 70 minutes.

I went back to the other side and called the help centre, where the guy in Mumbai was nice enough, but no help. There were no buses being sent instead.

I had toyed with the idea of catchng a train to Ashford, then another back through Canterbury to Ramsgate and pick up another train then to Broadstairs.

In the end I tried to get a taxi.

I got the last one in Dover, and the guy said he would take me, so in ten minutes he pulls up in his Audi and takes me to Thanet, regailing me with war stories of his time in the SAS. I have no reason to doubt him, nice enough, but he did lay it on a little thick.

But he did get me to the rough area of the bar, and a thirty second march got me to the its door. The Royston is a new micropub, named after the owner's late Father, and is well appointed, well thought out, and most importantly, has great beer. And as the afternoon went on, filled up with great people to have a laugh and chat with.

My colleague, Peter, came in, so we swapped news and bought rounds.

Outside the rush hour, or what counts for it there, got under way, it started to get dark, and my thoughts turned to getting home.

I checked online and there was a train at quarter past six, connecting with a train to MArtin Mill at Ramsgate, so amid appeals to stay another hour, I walked to the station and my train rolled in. It was mostly empty, with a few droogs with their floozies making plans for the evening.

At Ramsgate, I just had to walk to the other platform and climb into another train, and then force myself to stay awake so I didn't end up in Charing Cross. I called Jools and she would pick my up from the station.

I had a five minute wait as Jools had gone to pick up a takeaway, so we could eat well when we got in.

So, more than twice the food we needed, but we ate well, and I drank squash and took some gout pills just to be sure. I had no ill-effects of the day.

Pooped, I went to bed at half eight, not having the energy to watch the Arsenal game on TV.