Thursday 12th February 2026

Thursday.

The days, weeks and months now fly by.

It only seemed yesterday it was Monday, and the day before that, Christmas.

And yet here we are nearly at the end of another week.

And a day nearer Spring, of course. Though you could argue that perhaps it has already arrived here in east Kent.

After getting up at five fifteen again, getting dressed and drinking coffee, by the time we left for the gym at five past six, it was already getting light to the south east, birds were singing.

All very springlike.

The roads around here, like for most of the country, are falling apart. As soon as one pot hole is repaired, repaired again properly, another opens up, causing you to swerve or slow down.

So far our car is undamaged.

The gym is busy, people already into their workout by the time we arrive and are all dressed down, podcast lined up.

And off I go, another forty minutes done, and I will up the level at the weekend, but my fat hairy legs did ache afterwards.

We get back home safe and sound, and have a welcoming cool down brew.

Jools was taking a friend to William Harvey for an appointment, while I stayed here and had a shower, shave and looked after the cats. Not that they took much looking after.

The expected rain didn't arrive, instead the clouds parted and the sun shone, and in the light wind, it almost felt like Spring.

Certainly it was warm enough to sit on the bench with second breakfast and another brew, glorious with the sun on my face, and Scully laying beside me, purring with joy.

The birds were busy on the feeders, and a starling sat on next door's chimney singing a variety of songs.

Jools was gone nearly four hours, so once she came back I prepared lunch: sweet chilli salmon, stir fry and noodles. All pretty good, and full of fibre.

But lacking in carbs.

Which explained why at six I was toasting buns and grilling half pound burgers for supper as we were hungry.

Burgers mandate beer (or cider), so Jools ate hers while watching Small Prophets, the new series on BBC, which she binge-watched over two nights. And enjoyed it.

I rarely watch drama or anything much else than football, history or science now.

Football on the radio in the evening, but on Talk Shite, so full of ads, as part of the commentary.

Annoying.