Sunday 15th January 2023

Day 2 of the weekend, and the weather was to be much improved.

Saying that, the plan to go to Folkestone early for a walk before my haircut, had to compete with the desire to lay in bed and have a long slow ramp up to the labours of the day.

So, no walk before I got my barnet done.

We got up at seven, had coffee. Breakfast of fruit and yogurt and another coffee. So, we ready to leave the house at nine.

The day was bright, but cloudy, but due to improve.

We cruised to Capel, along the cliffs and down into Folkestone, parking near to the old HIgh Street, giving me a short walk to the barbers.

The town was quiet, with a few empty cans and bottles left from the night before.

I stood outside the door, but the lights were switched on within two minutes as the first of the guys arrived.

Good morning, sir.

Take a seat, sir.

After he changed into their snazzy new uniform, her got the shears out and began the transformation. It is always amazig that for nearly half was Jools pays for her "do", I get twice the time in the chair, as well as eyebrows and nose hairs removed, or trimmed.

I look at my reflection, and see both parts of my parents looking back at me. My hair now is more than half grey. I have aches in my back and knees, and am feeling my years, but not old. Old is something that happens to other people.

After nearly 50 minutes, it is declared finished. I pay £20, and leave, to find Jools sitting outside. In fact, Idon't, but Jools chases me down and catches me as I go off to snap some brightly painted buildings facing towards the old market.

That done, we walk to the car then out of the the town, up through Hawkinge and into the countryside to Barham, as we were going to look for fungi and orchid rosettes.

Our main target was Scarlet Elf Cups, a small cup-like fungo we had seen in the area, I had seen some online from other parts of the country, though none seen this day, their scarlet colour would have made them very obvious. Or should do.

A short walk on was where there shuld have been orchid rosettes. Early purple bright green and darkly spotted. It took my ten minutes, and found two very nice rosettes growing out of carpets of thick moss.

The bridleway was slippery, so we found branches to use as staffs, made our way down to the road carefully, then cut short the walk short, as it was too early to see any signs of Lady Orchids.

Back home then.

Indeed. Back home for a brew and the last thin slice of the second, and last, Christmas cake. Both were excellent, with the second slightly better, but then even bad cake is good.

I cook fritters for dinner, which was done just as the first game kicked off, though we listened to the radio as we ate.

Later Arsenal ran rings round Spurs to win 2-0 and extend their lead at the top of the table.

And just like that the weekend was over.

Again.