Saturday 18th March 2023

38 years ago this morning, I started work at the chicken factory. That came after three years of dole and dead end courses.

Whatever, it all lead me here, living with Jools and the cats in St Maggies.

It all worked out well in end, even if there was no plan.

And so to the weekend again. And what might be the last orchid-free weekend until well into June or even August.

So, enjoy the churches while you can.

Saturday, and not much really planned. We get up at half six with it fully light outside. The cloud and drizzle had not arrived, instead it was pretty clear and sunny.

No time for thinking about going out to take shots, as we had hunter-gathering to do.

In fact, we didn't need much, just the usual stuff to keep us going. That and the car was running on fumes. So we will that up first, and then into Tesco and round and round we go, fully the trolley up. It being Mother's Day on Saturday, we were having Jen round on Sunday, we were to have steak, so I get mushrooms.

And once back, we have breakfast then go to Preston for the actual steak, three ribeyes, all cut from the same stip. Jools had gone to look at the garden centre for ideas as we're going to dig up the raspberries, so just wondering what to put in their place.

By then the rain had come, and so we dashed back to the car, and on the way home called in at two churches.

First off was Goodnestone, just the other side of Wingham.

Its a fine estate church, covered in wonderfully knapped bricks, giving it an East Anglian feel. Before we went in, we sheltered under a tree to much on a sausage roll I had bought at the butcher, that done, we go to the church, which is open.

I have been here quite recently, five years back, and in truth no much glass to record, but I do my best, leave a fiver of the weekly collection and we drove over the fields to Eastry.

St Mary is an impressive church, with carved and decorated west face of the Norman tower, at its base an odd lean-to porch has been created, leading into the church, which does have interest other than the 35 painted medallions high in the Chancel Arch, once the backdrop to the Rood.

I snap them with the big lens, and the windows too. A warden points out what looks like a very much older painted window high among the roof timbers in the east wall of the Chancel.

I get a shot, which is good enough, but even with a 400mm lens, is some crop.

I finish up and we go home, taking it carefully along nearly flooded roads.

Being a Saturday, there is football, though nothing much of interest until three when Norwich kick off against Stoke: could they kick it on a wet Saturday afternoon in the Potteries?

No. No, they couldn't.

Ended 0-0, City second best, barely laid a glove on the Stoke goal.

And then spots galore: Ireland v England in the egg-chasing, Citeh v Burnley in the Cup and Chelsea v Everton in the league, all live on various TV channels.

I watch the first half of the rugby, then switch over when England were reduced to 14, so did enjoy the lad Haarland score another hat-trick in a 6-0 demolition.

And that was that, another day over with.....