We were due to go to an evening event in Essex at a NT place, but we forgot I had a church tour to lead in the afternoon.
So, we moved the tickets to Thursday.
And then there is Scully. We can't really expect someone, a neighbour or friend to take on the responsibility to measure her blood sugars, administer the insulin jab and then feed her, and adjust the insulin depending on the readings.
Heck even for us there is a certain amount of guess work.
So, the only thing was for Jools to go on Thursday and me stay home and look after he cats. Scully in particular, thus leaving Wednesday free for churchcrawling and now able to go to Bridge.
I dropped Jools off first thing near the castle, so she could walk through Connaught Park to the Riverside Centre for her keep fit class, and get some steps in.
After dropping her off, I go back along Reach Road and the cliffs back home.
I have time for a brew, breakfast, and wash up before I have to leave for another new part of Kingsdown.
Off what counts as the main road into the village, down a side lane, then along a gravel private road, to a large detached house where Margaret lives.
She is hosting this week, and my first time here. There is a nasty flu going round, and much of the group is infected or unwell.
I have my crib sheet for bidding, as there are a myriad of bidding conventions. I try to get things right.
In fact, thanks to the sheet I do well, and so my partner and I make two tricky contracts either side of the tea break.
All U3A activities revolve round tea and cake. Just so you know.
And then it is time to head home, where Jools had just arrived from town via train and bus, from the heart of Chaplins where she's had a small breakfast, so wasn't hungry.
I quickly made cheese on toast with slices from the ciabatta loaf I got out to go with the soup. Had a brew, then off to Deal to collect Martina, as she is disabled and cannot drive far.
I make it to her house with half an hour to spare, so listen to a podcast to while away the time.
There'd be no point in going early as we would have to wait for the rest of the group to arrive.
We set off at quarter past one, and make it to Waldershare by twenty to two. You reach the church up a small muddy track, which leads to a small "car park" near the lych gate.
Within ten minutes, six more cars arrive, ore than possibly have ever visited the church, filling the car park.
I gather the group to welcome them to the church. Look at the triple gable, I say, pointing to the flint nave and brick built north and south chapels, of the same dimensions.
We go inside, and the church is how John Vigar describes: austere, with a high roof, Victorian Chancel. And on either side, wooden screens leading to the two chapels.
In the south is a large tomb with two figures on top, holding hands through eternity. It is an unusually intimate representation, not often seen.
In the north is a memorial so large, the chapel itself was built around it, and it fills the space.
On each corner are four full sized mourning women, naked of course. And above two layers with winged cherubs, also mourning.
Higher up, near the roof, are vases or urns, and what may be a flame, in stone, at the top.
It is remarkable.
And thankfully the group thinks the church is remarkable too.
I worrried that a small estate church wouldn't have enough of interest, but the memorials showed that something like this church, a place they all had driven past dozens of times over the year, was worth half a hour or anyone's time.
After forty five minutes, we leave, and I take Martina back to Deal, then drive back along The Strand and out through Walmer to home.
No roadworks.
Once home and after a brew, I made dinner: minted lamb, roasted vegetables, pan-fried wilted kale (I'm not a fan), and some ancient grains.
When I arrived home, the local fox was under the feeders munching on peanuts. He was so hungry that as I stood to watch, he just carried on eating.So I went inside, got the big lens out and took a hundred or so shots.
It was good. Apart from the kale.
For the evening there was football. On the telly, WBA v Brum, and an entertaining 1-1 draw it was, whilst Liverpool lost 4-1 at home to PSV and Arsenal put Bayern to the sword, 3-0.
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