Tuesday 2nd September 2025

Second day of autumn, and the wild and wet weather arrived.

Though it was not forecasted, the rain did pour and the wind blew, meaning I did not go out of the back door until much later.

Jools had to go to Canterbury for her MRI, the follow up on last week's test results. I did not go, so stayed to wash up and have breakfast and keep an eye on Scully.

Clouds covered the blue sky, it got cold, and the wind increased.

And then the rain came, lashing down from the west, giving me a real battle with the door screen to close the door to stop the rain getting in.

I should have just taken it down straight away, but battled and got the door closed in the end.

Day turned to night, and the rain came down harder.

Only to stop just before midday when Jools came back, with tales of traffic jams and school runs. A 15 mile return trip with a few minutes waiting had taken nearly four hours.

We go to Tesco.

Braving the masses, with clearly some children not back at school or playing hooky.

At the tills, mothers were clutching armfuls of new uniform for their little loves.

We pay and escape.

So it goes.

I have a backlog of podcasts and videos to follow, so after lunch of antipasto and fresh bread with squash not beer or wine, we retreated to our hobbies.

A courier brings me a fresh consignment of beer, mostly Chimay Bleu, and those aged in brandy or Armagnac casks. These will be saved for a "special occasion", and bearing mind there are nine bottles of consecutive vintages that are also waiting for a special occasion, it would appear I will spend that day under the table.

Outside, bright sunshine alternated with heavy showers, so I watched a video from the cab of a train traveling to Carlisle from Leeds. Nearly three hours relaxation, with podcasts playing in the background.

Dinner was marinated line caught Alaskan salmon, all Tesco stuff was farmed in Scotland, fresh corn (again), creamed spinach (again), and some Mediterranean grains.

A quiet day, and yet it too all day to get it done.

We went to bed with the wind blowing chill through the house, and the promise of thunder on the morrow.

We shall see.