Tuesday 2nd December 2025

I had pondered how to fit phys into the schedule with Tuesday morning being given over to driving to Gatwick and back.

I considered going Monday to make it three days in a row, or doing Wednesday and Thursday.

But as I usually go very early on Tuesday so Jools could go to her phys class in town, I decided to go earlier, be at the gym at five past six, so get my session done and be back home by seven.

Which is what I did. Up at five, get dressed, drink coffee and out of the house at five to six. On the bike by ten past, and cycling round Paris again for forty minutes.

Time was now short, so back home to have a shower, get changed and have a brew, peel and chop potatoes for roasts later, and still be on the road by quarter to eight.

Phew.

I listened to the end of Word in Your Ear, then Danny Kelly on Spurs' latest problems as I drove.

You know the route by now: Dover to Folkestone on the A20, then up through Ashford and Maidstone on the motorway, then west to the M25.

At least the rain showers expected never arrived, and instead it was glorious sunshine once the clouds parted.

Their plane wasn't due to land until ten, but sometimes the winds blow a plane over very quickly. I once flew from Boston to London in well under five hours, so I wanted to be close to the airport.

Then I could stop at Clackett Lane Services, have a coffee and pulled pork toastie and as I ate, check on the status of the flight.

I would leave there once the plane touched down, giving me about a twenty mile run to Gatwick, by which time I hope the plane would have taxied, unloaded than Jen and Jane got through immigration and baggage reclaim.

No call came, and my calls went unanswered, so once at Gatwich, I parked up in McDonalds to wait.

Only problem was that you had to buy something, then get your ticket validated before the barrier would let you out.

I had a hash brown and a cheese and bacon flatbread, which was most underwhelming.

As I went to sit in the car, Jen called to say they were now leaving arrivals. So I arranged to meet them, driving round the ring road, no roadside pick up, so in the parking garage, up to level three, so I texted Jen the details, and once parked I looked out the window and there was Jen pushing a suitcase almost as big as she.

I went down to meet them, then into the lift and up to the car, squeezing the four cases and bags in before driving down to the exit. Where a ten minute stay cost me £7 to get out.

Anyway, that paid, we escape and get onto the motorway, head north to the M25 junction, before cruising east at 50mph, as we had all day, into Kent before turning south back to Maidstone.

Traffic was light, weather sunny and warm. It was perfect for driving.

Obviously on the way we talked about the stuff they missed and what they had done on the cruise.

Time flew.

I dropped them off at just gone half midday, dumped the cases the back home.

Phew.

After a brew, I warm the duck fat for the roast potatoes that Jools had boiled and drained, and 90 minutes later after basting three times, and cooking the pies, vegetables and warming through the pot of gravy, we sat down at about three to eat a fine meal.

And that was it for the day, really. Outside the sun set in the west and the waxing moon was already high in the south sky.

We watched some Gone Fishing, and then retired to our hobbies: Jools upstairs doing beading and me watching more football on the telly.

Yes, more football, but Citeh hung on to win at Fulham 5-4. Yes, 5-4. And Tottenham somehow drew 2-2 at Newcastle.

Entertaining stuff.