Sunday 2nd April 2023

I have no family left.

No blood relations, meaning I just have to look out for Jools, me and the cats. But Jools has a brother and sister, they lost both parents pretty much the same time I did.

So, dealing with family issues is something that I thought was in the past, but over the weekend, it all went Pete Tong.

I'm not going to detail what went on, but the best part of Sunday was lost in dealing with people who should be adults by now. But are not, apparently.

Before then there was breakfast, coffee and then out at nine to go to Folkestone for a haircut.

Good news was that the weather had broken, blue skies above, though with a keen east wind made it feel colder than it was. We were also going to meet our friend, Mary, for a chat, so all good stuff.

I walked from the car to the High Street to wait outside the shop, only for the door to be unlocked 30 seconds after I arrived. Meanwhile Jools texted Mary and then went for a coffee at the usual place on the steep Old High Street.

And once my barnet was mangled, I went to join them, catch up on news, and see Mary lloking in ride health. And smiling.

We go to the car, drive back home, taking the slow route along Old Folkestone Road so to avoid the port and the queues of coaches and buses. Time for a brew at home, ten out to the tip to drop some used oil and paper off, before driving out into the country.

Through Bridge and across the orchards to Lower Hardres and through Petham to Earley Wood, where if we were lucky, there would be orchids in flower.

Sadly, no orchids in flower, though some were close, But plenty of other flowers in bloom, and Wood Anemones so numerous that in some places, they formed carpets.

Going was slow in the thick mud, but we had poles to help us, and we got along fine, if slowly.

All done by two, so we walked back to the car changed into our clean shoes and drove back home.

Had a brew, watched football for an hour, and halfway though the Toon v Utd game is when family issues reared their head.

Sigh.

I have no words to describe it, but all too similar to Mum and wife #1 if I'm honest, but my BS detector is as good as it ever was and I still know how to use it.

That's two hours of our lives we're not going to get back. Anyway, back home for supper of croissants and coffee before I had a shower, then squeezed in writing a blog and taking part in #wildflowerhour once again.