Sunday 22nd October 2023

Sunday: and the question is what to do with the day, at least until the footy starts at half four.

And to add to the mix, the sun was going to shine from clear skies, and just a gentle wind would blow.

We got up late, but not too late, had coffee and then breakfast, before deciding that the recent rain would make the tracks round here muddy, so a walk beside the sea would be ideal, but instead of Dover we chose Deal.

Deal is just a ten minute drive up the coast, and in fact is two towns, Deal and Walmer, and at the coast the two meet at the southern edge of the moat of Deal Castle. Like many fishing ports along the coast here, there is no harbour, but the boats are hauled up onto the beach by winches, and the beached crafts can look photogenic if the light is right.

And the light was right.

We parked in the town car park, just off The Strand, walked through Five Step Alley to get to the Prom, and turned south past the pier and the Georgian terrace, time ball tower and old cinema to the castle.

It didn't take long, but it was fine just to be out, people watching.

I took a pano of the castle, then we sat on a bench whilst Jools did some crochet. On the horizon, the cranes of Calais harbour could be seen just poking out over the sea, though no buildings could be seen. The air had all dust washed from it the day before, so nothing to blur the view over to France.

We had some shopping to do, so we walked back to town and to Sainsbury's where I got some fresh pasta for lunch, and Jools got some stuff for her lunches at work, then back to the car to drive home, all done by 11.

I made brews and we sat on the top patio in the warm sunshine, watching the birds feed in the hedge and a few hardy Small White flit from flower to flower. It felt almost warm enough to be summer even though it was the start of the last week of October, and the clocks go back in less than a week!

I make carbonara for lunch, using the guanciale bought on Friday. It did seem quite a lot to do to get a certain ingredient for this meal, would it be worth it.

I watched a video on YouTube on how to cut the guanciale, then brought a pan of water to the boil, and in a frying pan cooked the meat. Soon lots of fat had rendered out, and the meaty pieces began to get crispy.

I added the cooked pasta, the oil fizzed, then when that fizzing stopped, added the egg mixture, stirred and served.

Was it worth it?

Well, the flavours and textures were incredible. It lifted the recipe to the next level, and eating it, we were in raptures.

Usually, there is football to watch on a Sunday afternoon, and although Celtic were on, that didn't float my boat, so sat outside in the sunshine, until the glowing ball of fire sank behind the hedge and shadows lengthened, and it suddenly got very cool.

We retreated inside, just in time for the footy. At half time I warmed up the treacle puddings and custard we had liberated from Sainsbury's, just warmed in the microwave, not as good as Mum used to make, or we used to get for school dinners, but there is something comforting about the mix of sponge, treacle and vanilla custard in each yummy mouthful.

And that is pretty much it for the weekend and my four days off. Darkness fell, I did some stuff online and Jools watched Suits on Netflix.

We both have coughs, so sleep was hard to come by for us both.