Sunday 14th November 2021

Sunday.

The forecast had been for grey clouds and occasional showers for the next seven days.

We had no plans to go anywhere.

I slept poorly, so slept in until it was light, by which time Jools had gone for a walk on her own. So I woke to an empty house, not even a cat was about. So I came down to make a coffee and do the usual chores int he morning; uploading pictures to Facebook and Twitter, put the radio on at eight for Radcliffe and Maconie.

Jools came back, so I made another coffee and put the crossants in the oven to warm though.

Outside the clouds lightened, and then the sun came out.

Actual sunshine.

I was going out, I said.

With us not having a cross trainer now, I will go out when I can to walk up and down the downs and hills around Chez Jelltex.

I put on my boots and grab the camera, and set off along the street before tunring up to Collingwood, then taking the path up to Windy Ridge.

I saw no one to talk to, and as there wasn't really anything new to snap either flowers or butterflies, so I wandered along lost in my thoughts.

It was muddy, but not overly so, I walk along Windy Ridge wood, then down past the old farm to the bottom lane, turning left towards the farm, hoping to creep up on the buzzard I had seen the week before, if that was his new roost, on the fence between hrse paddocks.

But a car passed me, meaning that would scare any raptor off, so I walk up the hill to the horses paddock besde Fleet House, where the foal came to sniff my hand and check for sugar lumps or carrots. Satisfied I had neither, it moved away, and I walked past the old butterfly copse, now so overgrown it is impossible to get down there to check all through the year, showing that without human intervention, all grassed areas and downland would scrub over very quickly, and become woods in a generation.

Back home for eleven, time for a brew before Jools went to the tip, and I began to prepare lunch of chorizo hash.

Once Jools was back, I fry the three sets of ingredients, comboning them in the wok to serve. I even crack open a bottle of the Chimay Grande Reserve to have with the meal. It is a wonderful beer I have to say.

The main task of the afternoon, other than staying awake, was to watch the football: Croatia v Russia first, played in a downpour that threatened to have the game abandoned, but they played on, just, with Croatia winning thanks to a comedy own goal.

I can't remember what else I watched. I think Sweden was one game, they blur into each other to be honest. It ended with Spain v someone, oh that was Sweden, won by a single goal by the home team.

By that time the whole day had gone and was now getting on for ten.