Sunday 17th October 2021

Much to my surprise, Jools went swimming Sunday morning.

Surprised as her shoulder had hurt so much on Saturday evening she went to bed at quarter to eight with an ice pack.

But it was her taking the car up the drive that woke me just before seven, although she did half her normal lengths.

Meaning it was me and the cats, so I got up, made coffee, and as the cats had been fed, there was little else to do other than have another offee and prepare breakfast.

Once Jools arrived back at half eight, we had coffee and croissants before I took us over to Folkestone for me to get a haircut.

Nothing exciting in this, no major traffic issues, no parking tickets received. I was first in the chair, got the best of service, then went to meet Jools in a cafe down the street where she was having some kind of Spanish omlette, of which she hared half with me.

Yummy.

And then with nothing more we needed, we went back home, had a coffee and the day stretched out before us like a stretchy thing. Only item of excitement, for me, was a railtour due to pass through the area at about half one. I let Gary know, and so we agreed to meet at the station and wait for the tour to come through.

Also gave us chance for a catch up, since hs Dad died, life has been a blur for his and Julie. Of course. So, some locomotive hauled action is just what this doctor ordered.

The train, a Pullman special, offering a six course meal for about five hundred quid while the Kent countryside rolled by for your entertainment. Apart from the price, what's not to like?

We took up position on the bridge at first to watch a local service go through, then down on the platform to wait for the special to appear over the rise in the distance.

Just 90 seconds late, the train appeared, and n other crazies had joined us, just a couple looked on, amused, as we took lots of snaps.

And due to a red light at the entrance to Lydden Tunnel, the train cruised down towards us, offering us the chance for even more almost identical shots.

And then as the loco got level with us, the signal changed to green, and several thousand horses were engaged as the train began to slowly speed up. It disappeared into the blackness of the tunnel, and that was that.

We walked back to our cars, said goodbye and I drve back along the lanes back through Langdon to St Maggies and home, so I could start preparing lunch/dinner.

I had bought a rolled and stuffed lamb shoulder joint, a cheap roast, for mid-week, really, but with veg and gravy to use up, I boiled the potatoes, mixed the batter pudding and prepared the vegetables, pulling it all together some 70 minutes after I got back, and very nice it was too.

I washed it down with the rest of the beer, Jools finished the pink fizz from last weekend, and we were stuffed.

Phew.

Time to tidy up, wash up and make a coffee before the "big" game on TV, Newcastle v Spurs, with Newcastle now the "richest club in the world" and don't be the journalist who doubts that line!

Newcastle start the new era of blood money with a goal in 90 seconds, then it goes downhill from there, losing 3-2, although that scoreline is very, very kind to Newcastle.

And by then it was nearly seven, it was dark, there

was Jools' lunches to prepare, and a blog to write, and finally #wildflowerhour to take part in, and somehow, once again, the weekend had slipped through our fingers. Time for bed.