Thursday 16th February 2023

Day two of three in a row that means an evening out. And today would be the longest trip, as we would be spending the evening in the bright lights of Maidstone.

Before then: work, of course.

But before that, I had to take Jools to work, to save time in the evening for her to come back home, then us go back out past Hythe.

So, after coffee, into the car and into the dark of the early morning. And as ever, the A20 was full of people who speed and drive like idiots heading to work. I would understand it if they would drive crazy to get home. But to get to work?

And on top of that, standards of driving get worse, with no indicating, no lights in fog. And so on. And on.

We stop off at Tesco so Jools could get some lunch, then to the IMperial Hotel on the Strand so Jools could walk for 20 minutes to the factory, while I drive home. Via the garage where I buy a sandwich, a wrap and a large bag of salted pretzels.

As you do.

And a fresh sausage roll from Greggs.

I was hungry and cold all day. I ate the sausage roll in the car whilst driving, the wrap when I got home and then the sanswich at half ten before starting on the pretzels some time about one.

Still cold.

At four I feed the cats, even though they were still all asleep, then set the sat nav for the car park near the theatre, and drive back to Hythe to pick Jools up from work, waiting outside the factory for ten minutes after negotiating the badly parked cars in the estate nearby. Onto the motoway, turn west and head to Ashford, where we could see a jam in the contraflow, so made the decision to turn off and use the A20 instead.

Short cuts make for long delays, precious.

It was dark, drizzling, and progress was slow, but steady. So we turned back onto the motorway as Leeds Services, up to the 229 junction and into town, finding our way through the endless roundabouts and modern one way system.

At least the car park was near the theatre, and on the street outside a host of places to eat. JOols fancied a burger, so we went into Nandos.

Nando's is a Portugues themed place, apparently. I though it Mexican, but makes a big thing about it peri-peri sauce/seasoning, so put it in everything, including probably the coffee. We had never eaten in one, so thought we would give it a try.

It is half term, so there were kids running around, so wouldn't be quiet. We were shown to a table, but had to either use and pay via a QR code, or go to the counter.

No waiter or waitress.

It had the atmosphere of a canteen, and once we had ordered and the food arrived, it was disappointing; over cooked chicken, slaw without dressing and flat soda.

We still had 40 minutes, so went to the pub for a beer, leaving ten minutes before showtime, getting in and taking our front row seats just in time.

Danny Baker is someone we have met before, and I spoke on his radio show once about how our 3rd form class invaded East Germany.

Danny has had quite the life, worked on One Stop Records, made friends with Bowie, Bolan and Elton among others. And getting huge amounts of free vinyl. Then helping write punk fanzine Sniffin Glue, joining the NME and becoming a writer, including interviewing Michael Jackson. Then into TV, becoming famous, then radio, writing.

All without a plan, having left school at 14.

He comes on stage and talks for three hours or more. Ends with a song.

And that was it.

He is either someone you like or loathe, but he is honest, and very good at everything he turned his hand too. Except looking after money.

Back to the car, out of the town along the quiet on way streets and onto the motoway to Dover, with thick fog in Capel and again up by Dover Castle, so thick I could barely see the white lines of the road.

We got home at half twelve. Six hours before we had to get up again.