Saturday 14th November 2026

It is the weekend.

And an international break from football, so no Championship or PL games on TV or the radio.

But there would be some lower league games through the afternoon and into the evening.

But before then there is the gym, of course.

At least at the weekend there's a one hour later start, so, in theory, an extra hour in bed.

Only my brain and body had me awake, so I lay in bed while Jools fed the cats, then Cleo came up to see me, demanding more strokes and tickles under her chin.

As grand as it would be to lay in bed all day with her, the gym waits for no Jelltex, so I get up and put on my shorts ready for the off.

It was another wonderful clear, but very cold morning. On the way to Whitfield, the frost was extensive, looked pretty, but cold.

So cold we waited until seven before walking to the centre's entrance, to be sure it would be open and there was no waiting in the cold.

We both did our session. Me listening to last Sunday's RadMac as I was in that London, marching up and down. Music does make pedalling easier, so time went by in a most pleasant way.

Back home to top up the feeders, and snap the frost on the lower flower bed, as it was still in deep shadow.

And that was it for the morning.

Well, for me. Jools went into town to make appointment for her hair and other stuff, so I stayed home to have a shower and listen to Huey on the internet radio.

The morning bounces along.

Jools is feeling much better, thanks to those who asked. She has several days antibiotics to take, but the pain is all but gone in her finger, as is the swelling.

After lucnh, when she went back to town to have a haircut, I walked back up to check on the Winter heliotropes, hoping they'd be fully in flower, but probably due to the cold, they were no further on.

Our local Sparrowhawk landed on the fence between us and next door, and sat there long enough to get a shot with the phone, but getting the big camera and lens out, it had flown away by the time it was ready.

Sigh. The birds know.

And it was still chilly!

Back home, and on the sofa to watch the football, AFC Wimbledon v Blackpool, which turned out to be a good game, and full of skill and excitement, which the home team won with a thunderbastard goal just before halftime.

I could have watched the Wales v New Zealand game, but with Wales giving the All Blacks a great game, and I didn't want to cast bad luck on watching the game and NZ win.

Stupid on my part, but Wales did win, and played well by all accounts, beating the All Blacks for the first time since December 1953.

Wales again after supper, though in the kickyball, playing Norway. They too played well, though Norway took advantage of Welsh mistakes to win 3-1.

And amazingly early at ten to eight, we went up to bed.

Friday 13th November 2026

Friday, and winter if not arrived, is knocking on the door. We had our first touch of ground frost first thing.

Though, when I went out to do the bins, there was already a bee on the wing visiting the hot lips by the top patio.

It might look like summer, but outside, it was pretty darn chilly all day.

Jools felt well enough to go to yoga, and I was up already so said I would put the food caddy out, as that's usually the first to be collected, sometimes as early as ten past seven.

Whilst outside, I do the bird feeders, and the little darlings tweet their delight and irritation as they want me out of the way.

As I step away, I head the beating of small wings as the birds arrive at the feeders.

It was good to get back inside, turn the heating up another notch, and make a fresh brew.

During the morning I went for a short walk to check on the Winter heliotropes at the top of Station Road, and find one spike in bud, so I'll return on Saturday.

Back home, and inside to feed the cats some kibbles.

Jools returns home, has breakfast, then is out again for knit and natter with the usual gang, though one has bailed now.

Not much to report on the morning.

Nor the afternoon if I'm honest. You feel like you should go out, then open the back door to get an arctic blast.

Brrrr.

We have party food for supper, once I had done the music quiz. The answer was Doolittle, with a shot of Audrey in character. I got in a brain loop with My Fair Lady, so had no idea.

For the evening there was more international football: Scotland v North Macedonia, which was very thin gruel indeed, and I gave up on the hour as Scotland convert an undeserved penalty to go 2-1 up

Thursday 12th November 2026

Thursday.

Again.

And each night now, it gets colder and colder, with there being frosts from Thursday night.

Which is a good thing, as perennial seeds and plants need cold weather over winter for them to emerge and grow as expected in the spring.

So, cold and frosty weather not only makes us wrap up warm and cuddle cups of hot chocolate, it means that next spring's and summer's flower and plants will be as expected.

In other words, part of the circle of life.

It was also a phys day.

Now, Jools, somehow, has gotten herself an infected finger. Our GP gave her some antibiotic cream, and hoped that would do it.

But she was felling well enough to come along for some cycling before the crack of dawn.

Up at five, sort the cats out, make coffee and get ready.

Outside it was mighty chilly!

There was no waiting at the door, as they were opened dead on six, then the rush to get up the stairs and begin pumping.

Time goes slower than usual for me. I might have to get some new music rather than a comedy pod. We shall see.

Anyway, I do my session, as does Jools, and afterwards, straight round to Tesco for supplies. And beer.

Not much beer, just some to top up the beer fridge.

And home to pack stuff away. Have breakfast and a brew, before having a shower and changing, so that come half ten, we're ready to go out.

Go out?

Yes, it was a fine day, if chilly, but perfect for a drive onto Thanet.

There are two ways to get to Margate: one across the marshes, through Birchington and along the coast, or to Ramsgate and through Westward Cross.

The second is shorter, but continuous development over the last twenty years has meant that the area has gone from about four big box stores and some houses, to mile after mile of non-stop traffic as we queue to cross roundabout after roundabout.

We chose the latter, as how bad could it be on a Thursday morning during term-time?

Bad enough.

There were queues from the roundabout at Cliffsend, and on the road into Ramsgate, then through Westward Cross.

Imagine living there where you would have to queue to leave for work in the morning, and again to get home at night. Back to your indentikit small brick box with postage stamp sized lawn.

We get through, then go past the hospital, and into Margate, turning up side streets to our desination:

Margate Shell Grotto.

Grade 1 listed.

At the beginning of the 19th century, a landowner was having some work done, and the navvies found a chalk passageway, and this lead to a large grotto, whose walls were lined with millions of shells in patterns, for about 100m, in a figure of eight shape, leading to a large square room. Which may or may not have had a religious function.

To this day, no one knows when or by whom the grotto was built, if the grotto was built using existing tunnels or expanded from them.

It is a mystery.

We parked outside, paid our six quid each to enter through the shop. Down the spiral staircase about ten or so feed, which lead to a long downward sloping narrow tunnel.

Through an arch, and into the grotto.

It is incredible.

Really is.

And we had been meaning to visit for a year, but friends visited it a week or so back, so spurred me on to take us over.

The walls are dirty grey, caused by the oil lamp used before electricity was installed in the early 20th century, but the patterns and shapes go on, sometimes repeating, sometime geometric, sometimes flowers.

We weren't down there long. Twenty minutes perhaps, but the phone coped well with the low light, and it really was an astonishing visit and place.

We go back onto the street, and get into the car. What to do now?

We could have gone for a walk, it was a bright and sunny day. But breezy, and cold.

We drove back out along the seafront and out on the main road to Birchington, tuned left out past Planet Thanet to Thanet Way. Finding the road through Stourmouth closed, we carry on through Sarre, and turn down the valley to cross the railway and Stour at Grove Ferry.

Truth is, it was more than pleasant to drive along, admiring the autumnal colours of the hedges and trees along the way.

We stopped off in Preston for some meaty supplied for the weekend. We don't so much meat now, maybe three times a week. Or so it seems. And we're not getting a special order for Christmas, as there will just be us and Jen. We already have a turkey crown in the freezer for the big day.

Back home then, to Sandwich and along the Eastry bypass to Whitfield and home.

There is soup for lunch, and once cleared away, Jools says her finger is sore, so goes to Buckland to the minor injuries unit to have it looked at.

She was gone three hours, and I looked after the cats, or they looked at me.

Jools has her finger lanced and dressed, and has antibiotics to take. Once home we have supper as it was dark.

We close the curtains to keep the world out of our minds.

And for me there is football: England v Croatia, though no repeat of last month's 7-0 thrashing. Instead a 2-1 victory to make Harry Kane's 126th England appearance.

I sip from a precious glass of Hardy Ale as I watch it, and Scully snoozes beside me.

Wednesday 11th November 2026

Rain.

And lots of it.

There would be no going out for the day.

I mean we could, there is the pictures, but see yesterday's post, I really don't do movies or dramas any more.

Wednesday means no phys and a potential lay in. I do hear Jools get up, but go back to bed and snooze for another hour.

Cleo jumps on the bed and wants attention. And lots of it. And NOW!

Its always on her terms, but that's cats all over I guess.

The highlight of the day was to snap a railtour, being hauled by a locomotive I had not seen since 2008 at the Bluebell Railway. Since then its been rebuilt, and returned to the main line.

Sadly, there was a fatality involving the Eddystone in the London area, and so the tour was cancelled, as the crew were shocked by what happened.

Meaning, when Jools returned from her class and knit and natter, there would be no rush to go out.

Instead I peeled potatoes and let the sit in water for an hour before boiling almost to destruction. And at midday put in hot duck fat in the over, basted, for roasting.

Vegetables were prepared and steamed, and two small individual pies were put in the oven.

We ate at quarter to two, and it was delicious, and washed down by pink fizz.

Which meant we were not going out for the rest of the day.

In the garden, magpies have worked out how to get to the fat block in the hedge, so are ripping lumps out of that, while the fat old wood pigeons look on.

Not much else happened through the afternoon, just listened to pods, while Jools knitted upstairs, making a change from beading.

Darkness came early, before five. So the cats were fed and Scully tested and jabbed.

That was followed by more lower league cup football, Sheffield Wednesday v Accrington, and by the time I bailed on the hour, the away team were two to the good.

Tuesday 10th November 2026

Back in the jugg agane!

Yes, Tuesday means getting up at five, and being out of the house by ten to six, all ready for fifty minutes of huffing and puffing.

I was awake at twenty past four, so time to wake up, and leap out of bed at five to five, all ready for the rush of getting ready.

It has been a grey and murky few days, with only light winds to move the murk onwards, which it hasn't.

It was still dark when I climbed into the car for the drive to Whitfeld, getting stuck behind a lady driver who didn't like to use her indicators and go down one way streets the wrong way.

Still, I arrived safe, and just as the doors were opened, so up stairs and on the bike to peddle.

The aches in my legs had eased, though the last ten minutes were a struggle, I push through to finish, and rind Roy, a friend of someone who attends one of Jools's classes on the bike beside me, and it was a question of what will he complain about today.

He does two hours; an hour on the bike and an hour on the cross-trainer, and he has been advised to do interval training.

Anyway, I make small talk and leave. Going home via the pumps at Tesco to fill up, then home so Jools could go to her class.

Back home sunrise had passed, but the day was damp and grey once again. I filled the feeders, and then drank the brew Jools had made me, though too cold and damp to site outside now.

Sadly.

It did brighten up later, bright enough to take some snaps in the garden, and for there to be some punchy colour in the few flowers blooming. Though there were bees about feeding from when I got home at ten past seven.

I have a shower, and put on some clean clothes, feeling better.

Not much planned for the day, so I prepared chorizo hash for lunch, or at least cube the potatoes and let them soak in water for 90 minutes to get rid of the starch, so that once boiled and friend, they'd be crispy.

We eat just after one, ad then the afternoon stretched out before us. So, Jools went to the cinema, while I stayed home to sit with the cats and watch Sky at Night. I lost almost all interest in cinema, TV drama or films in general some twenty yeas ago, and apart from a few weeks at the start of lockdown, never really tried to watch much. We have watched the first two Dune films, and I note the third is out next month, so maybe I'll go to that.

Maybe.

For the evening there was cup football. Lower league cup football: Oxford v Cheltenham, which was a derby. Of sorts.

Though there were hardly any fans in the stands the other side of the pitch, and when I listened to the game, all you could hear were the players.

Ended 3-0 to Oxford, but I went to bed once the third went in.

Monday 9th November 2026

I have to admit, a bit of marching up and down was a shock to my system.

Or rather my legs.

It was tough last year, but it was early on my road to phys, so thought this year would be easier at the Cenotaph, but no. It was just as hard.

In fact, it wasn't the marching, it was the standing around.

Standing around doing some military waiting.

Two hours before we marched off Horseguards, then two more hours before we did the actual march past and round.

Those first few steps at half eleven on Whitehall were tough, forcing my legs to move forward, and at something more than marching pace until we settled down.

I had a poor nights sleep even though tired, and the next morning my feet ached so much there was no way was I going anywhere.

Not even the pub.

Up at half six, though I had been awake for half an hour, just enjoying laying in bed. Then Cleo jumped on, and demanded affection, head and belly rubs, and if I stopped, I got my elbow licked to get me started.

We had a slow start: coffee, and after a while breakfast.

Then I remembered there were four chicken thighs left over from the chicken sandwiches I made on Saturday. There was a bag of "meat" in the freezer, a bag I must have thought so obvious what it contained I attached no lable.

Then I went to sleep and forgot what it was.

Anyway, the last of those went in the pot for boiled chicken, bacon and rice, which as I always say is nicer than it sounds.

It took two hours to cook, then I thought a glass of wine would go well, which did mean sitting on the sofa trying to stay awake was the order of the afternoon.

I tried to read, but my eyelids dropped, as the heating pumped hot water round, amking me even sleepier.

And there was no football in the evening, so after doing as much computing as I wanted all day, bed time came early at half seven, and sleep took me by eight.

Sunday 8th November 2026

There are several London termini you can travel to on a direct train from Dover.

St Pancras is one, but as that station is on the Euston Road, travelling on to central or west London can mean a longer travel time that getting a direct train to say: Victoria, London Bridge, Blackfriars or Cannon Street.

So, in a change from last year where Jools had to drop me off at Ebbsfleet, then catch a train to St Pancras, get on the Underground and change twice, this year she dropped me off at Ashford, and then have a direct run into Charing Cross.

This meant being up even earlier, having coffee and breakfast before leaving home at quarter to six. Reaching Ashford at twenty past six, I had time to find the facilities before the train came in, ready to leave dead on time at 06:32.

It was still dark, of course, but there was light in the east, and in half an hour was light enough to see the countryside passing by.

By the time we got to Tonbridge and Sevenoaks, the train was three quarters full, some were parkrunners, some families, but many dressing in blazers, shirts with medals.

The London suburbs flashed by, until the various lines merged at New Cross for the run past The New Den into London Bridge, then along the rooftops on brick arches to Waterloo East and finally over the river to Charing Cross.

A small gate was open for those of us who were attending remembrance services, including the "big one" in Whitehall, so we passed through, turned left along The Strand, across the bottom corner of Trafalgar Square and through the portals of Admiralty Arch.

One homeless man shouted at us to be shameful to attend and/or have served. But we served so such freedom of speech is allowed. He was soon lost on the hum of dozens of conversations as we waited for the gates to open at half eight.

As it was, they opened early. So, showing our official ticket and Veteran's ID, we were allowed in, and received a personal greeting for the lady with the scanner.

On the far said of Horseguard's Parade were three greasy spoons, so I went straight over to get a brew and a sausage and bacon roll, to see me right for the morning.

And once eaten, to the mustering point for our group, and wait for the others to arrive. Whilst all around us, battalions, squadrons, and various affiliated groups gathered too.

What is seen on TV is fine, but for us attending, it is waiting at one point or another for hours on end.

We were to form up ready to march off at twenty to ten. Which I think we were ready for, then march up the column, wheel left and then right before squeezing through the triple arched entrance onto Whitehall, before turning right until we reached the unit in front, so we stop.

We had an hour to wait.

As we marched on, as all groups who marched on, the crowds on either side applauded, and we smiled back, proudly.

As we waited, all the other columns and groups marched onto Whitehall, forming up into three very long columns, then stopping and waiting.

We were stopped beside a huge video screen on the back of a truck, so could see the coverage, though it was about two minutes behind what we could hear with our ears.

As eleven approached, clergy, politicians and the Royal Family emerged and formed up around the Cenotaph itself. Then, at eleven, Big Ben chimed the first stroke of eleven, and in Horseguard's, a field gun fired.

Silence fell on us all, and all of the city. Little was heard until two minutes later the field gun fired again.

We had been standing and waiting for two and a half hours already, and legs and muscles were getting tired and sore.

On the screen we saw the King lay his wreath, then the other royals, before the other dignitaries and politicians laid theirs.

Another half hour, maybe forty minutes passed, and we just waited to march off. But we waited on.

Four final wreaths were laid, and then the front marched off, with each group following a few septs behind.

The Band of the Guards played, the beat of the bass drum making a left step, so whilst in earshot, we were, mostly, in step, but after passing the Cenotaph, after giving an eyes right, and we carried on and turned down King George Street, the buildings made the sounds of the drum echo, and our step became an applause, though people on the side of the street clapped and cheered.

Onto Horse Guards Road, where Prince Edward took our salute and saluted back, before we wheeled back onto the parade square, halting near the entrance to Whitehall.

In theory, we had to wait until the final group had taken the salute, but there was one poor guardsman ensuring that we didn't leave early.

At ten past midday, the first of us made a break for it, and the poor guy could only watch as we made for the light at the end of the arched entrance onto Whitehall. A sharp left took us towards Trafalgar Square, but on the left was our destination: The Horse and Guardsman, where we had the back room booked, and for once there was no queue, and tables free. Though not for long.

I bought beers for a friend and I, then we could relax and watch the end of the march past.

Where we were last year, still hadn't marched off as we walked the other side of the barrier to the pub, they half mocked, half cheered us.

We said we'd get a beer in for them.

Inside the pub was busy, but we found corners and tables to relax at, as more and more folks came in once their parade was over.

After three beers, my parade was over too. So I bid the guys and gals farewell for this year, and walked the short distance to Charing Cross.

I had ten minutes to get there, but somehow took the wrong road off Trafalgar Square, though using my phone and with my one functioning braincell, I made it to Villiers Street, then up the stairs where I had three minutes to get on the train.

Thankfully, it was lightly used, so I got a table in the first carriage, and this train would take me all the way back to Dover, in about two hours, but that would do.

I messaged Jools to let her know I would be back at four, and she confirmed she's pick me up. So I could relax and enjoy the journey back south and east

Mist had cleared, and the late afternoon sun shone, illuminating the impressive clouds over the Channel.

Jools was indeed waiting, so she drove us home for an early supper of party food and a beer, then to the sofa for the Man Utd v Villa game, and I fell asleep in the second half with Villa 4-2, so failed to see Utd's comeback and last minute equaliser.

Saturday 7th November 2026

It is the weekend. Again.

The weeks fly by now we are a couple of leisure, although it does mean its a start of phys.

We should have got up at five and gone t the gym, but I fell back asleep, so it was gym first, then gathering In Tesco.

They gym was busy, for seven on a weekend morning, but we go in and take up out places on the bikes, and begin to peddle.

Fifty minutes done, and outside its daylight, so we go to Tesco for a couple of bags of supplies, then back home for a brew and breakfast.

Truth is we should have done something with the day, but with Norwich on the tellybox at half midday, not enough time other than to have a shower and get changed.

I did go for a walk to check on the Heliotropes, but found plenty of leaves by no flowers. Yet.

City we away to Bristol City, and although we should have been confident, who knows with this division?

Least of all us fans, as City ran in four second half goals to win 5-0.

Two 5-0 away wins this year, and in the last three games aggregate score of 12-2!

Football!?

And then on the sofa for the main games, which were all pretty good, so much so I didn't come close to falling asleep.

Later there was cup football, but the fog came down at Altringham making it impossible for the cameras to pick out the ball, or players at the end. I gave up, but it went to penalties, and Notts County won. That after Forest beat Citeh the cheaters 3-1.

Not bad.

Early to bed as we were up extra early in the morning.