Monday 8th November 2021

Welcome to the working week. Again.

Yes, somehow the weekend has slipped by, and we must earn a crust again. At least for Monday the weather was going to be mild with little wind, and I had to go to the shop to buy some potatoes at some point, and I might come back the long way round.

Its dark when we wake up, but soon there is light showing in the east. Or south east.

It was going to be a fine day.

Jools went for a walk after the first coffee, I get my work laptop ready, and start full of enthusiasm, but that soon is beaten out of me, as the ongoing IT issue which meant I couldn't use my new credit card was nothing to do with IT, apparently.

After catching up on work, and the sun was as high as it was going to get in the south, I put on my coat and boots, grab the camera and set off along the street then down Station Road into the village.

They had potatoes, a pack of four baking spuds. Somehow an ice cream also fell into my basket.

I take the ice cream out to the bench opposite the village sign and people watch. And once consumed, I go to the two guys selling poppies to donate some cash for the British Legion, put on my poppy, then stride out along Kingsdown Road into the countryside.

There were fine views down onto Chez Jelltex and the rest of the houses the other side of the Dip.

Very few flowers out now, but the hedges are still full of berries and other fruits. I say "hello" to dog-walkers and cycists, before reaching the top of Norway Drove and head down The Dip, watching my step on the damp smooth chalk.

At the bottom the mud was deep, but a way aroud it was just about clear, then up the slope to Fleet House and finally over the fields, having been away for about an hour.

Job done, and not missed at work either.

Which was nice.

There were cold, free onion bhajis (given free by Mark at the butcher) for lunch. There were three, I have one and a half, saving the rest for Tuesday.

It was warm enough to eat lunch sitting on the patio. I have to remind myself this was the second week in November. Birds sung and bees buzzed, though no butterflies fluttered.

Sadly.

Back to work and make the final preparations for a day of audits on Tuesday, though I have the questionaire fixed now.

Dinner is warmed up beef, re-steamed veg and roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings and lashings of leftover warmed up gravy. Though no fizz, as apparently we have just the one bottle left.

It comes together in just 40 minutes, all done to perfections, again, for when Jools came home.

Nothing beats a mid-week roast, even if it was just Monday.

We clear away, make coffee and have some choclate to round the meal off, and then settle back to write and listen to the radio.

Cat drama is at very low levels still, all cats susing the cat flap and very little agro.

Which is nice.

I go to bed at half eight to read, Cleo comes to tell me to stop and settles between my feet.

Night, night.