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.