Thursday 17th September 2026

Between Mulder and my stupid brain, I had laid away for half an hour, so gave up and got up at three. Dressing warmly to sit on the patio and listen to podcasts.

Away above me was Orion, showing so clear now that the year grows old, but soon cloud began to build, offering the promise of rain later.

At five I fed Mulder, tested Scully, then sat with my only coffee of the day with them both sitting nearby as dawn broke and the sun rose.

Once up, Jools and Jill went for a walk, I had warned them that it was due to rain by nine. And at eight minutes past, it came down, but they were fairly close to home, but got damp anyways.

Breakfast, another brew, then out in the car for the quick blast to Canterbury.

We leave for the city, with the rain falling, so we park in Whitefriars which would leave us with a five minute scuttle to the Christchurch Gate.

We arrive at five past ten, when the gates were swung open, and we wait our turn, which was quick as most waiting had failed to buy their tickets despite the signs informing them to.

The cathedral reflected in the wet cobbles, but the porch warmly beckoned, so after taking shots, we walked inside, and were warmly welcomed, and asked if we needed a map.

I have nearly a thousand shots in my album of the cathedral, so I said we were good.

We headed to the crypt first, so to be there before the crowds, enjoying the cool interior, and marvelling at the columns that support the weight of the Sanctuary and Chancel above.

No photographs allowed down there, but back in Nave we walked through the small door into the Quire, and the view of the Sanctuary opens up, filled with wonderful light and colours.

Into Trinity Chapel, taking shots as I always do, then a walk round the outside of the Chapel to look at the tombs and Chapels, stopping longest at the Tomb of Edward Plantagenet, The Black Prince.

We stopped to talk to a guide about the cathedral, churches, memorials and so much beside. And she told us about the Bell Ceremony outside the Chapel of the Kent Regiment, where a page in the book of remembrance is turned, and prayers said as always takes place daily at eleven.

A final walk round the Cloisters and into the Chapterhouse, and 90 minutes had passed and it was time to meet up with Jools.

She was in the Buttercross Inn, drinking a non-alcoholic cider and reading.

By now the rain had stopped, and the sun was even trying to break through.

As I had dinner planned, we needed just a snack for lunch, so we walk to Tiny Tim's Tea Shoppe, where we squeezed round a table and in time ordered our food: something called a Kentish Huffkin, which was really a flowery bap, containing crispy chicken.

Sadly, their iT system had gone down, so all had to be done manually, so it took an age for the food to arrive, but was excellent when it did, and the waitress apologised several times for the delay.

Which was nice.

Back to the car and out of the city before the afternoon rush began, I was going to stop off at Barfrestone anyway, but an accident blocked the A2, but there was just room to get onto the small exit to Woolage, and the sat nav then got us to St Nicholas.

We managed to park near to the five bar gate, but not block it. Then Jill and I walked back up to the church and found that repairs are being done in the churchyard, apparently filling in holes as the church and churchyard continues to slide towards the east and the road.

Inside the church were ladders showing repairs are ongoing, but the east wall has fallen down once, a second would be a disaster.

Jill loved the carvings and the chairs, she took many photos, said he who has taken over 300 shots in and outside the church.

Back to the car, then along narrow lanes to Eythorne, up the hill and onto the bypass, to the roundabout before doubling back to Whitfield, then home via the Duke of York's roundabout.

Once home I went for a lie down as I was so tired, and had been up already 12 hours.

Two hours later, I get up, feeling better, so I make caprese and warm the bread up bought from Canterbury.

It was all rather wonderful, with a bottle of XV.

For the evening there was Citeh v Norwich in the cup. Both teams made changes, but Norwich were poor, and Citeh 2-0 up at half time, and frankly we didn't deserve nil. Once the forth goal went in on the hour, Jill and I gave up and we went to our beds.