Saturday 4th February 2023

On cold, cloudy, windy days, its easy to think Spring is weeks, if not months away. But for those of us who know what and where to look, signs of Spring are all around. On day day of some churchcrawling I would see carpets of snowdrops, winter aconites among others, and trees, shrubs with buds ready to burst forth with new leaves. Birds are more vocal, and with other matters on their minds.

The start of the orchid season might be just six weeks away, last year the first Kentish orchid was seen in flower on March 19th, who knows what this season will bring, but in the woods and up on the downs, orchids are stirring, waking up, creating rosettes, and some thinking about putting forth spikes.

Its all about to happen.

So, I asked the two mods from the orchid group if they would like to meet up with a chat, and discuss trips for the new season. Last year we met near Ian's house on the banks of the Medway, this year it was near to Terry's, near Gravesend in Cobham. I chose Cobham as I wanted to revisit the church, the the local pub, one of the local puns, The Leather Bottle is opposite the church.

So that was the plan.

Jools wasn't going to come, as she wanted to work in the garden, so once the shopping was done and we had eaten breakfast, I would be off.

Tesco has empty shelves; washing up liquid seems to still be an issue, and there was a huge gap in the fresh meat section. Of course, it might be nothing.

Back home for breakfast and then time to go out. Of course I could have stayed and watched Norwich on the tellybox against Arsenal, but 90 minutes of shouting at the TV didn't sound like a good idea, so churches and a pub lunch it was! Norwich were playing top of the table, Burnley, and despite winning the last two games having scored 8 goals, lets just says I wasn't confident. Which was well placed, as Norwich defended like, well, Norwich, gifting Burnley two goals.

But of this I was unaware. For now.

An easy drive up the M20 to Maidstone, turning off at the services, but doubling back under the motorway into Hollingbourne. We had tried to get here before Christmas, but the only road through the villages was closed. In two places! Which the church in the middle. But back now, with no issues other than the 21st century traffic trying to get through the 17th century streets.

The church sits beside a small green, with a row of cottages to one side, I could see from the car the door of the porch open, so good news. I grabbed my camera and made my way through the lych gate and into the church, which I had to myself.

On the way to Cobham, I went via the M20 so I could call in at Hollingbourne to revisit the church, now that the roadworks seemed to be over.

I had the church to myself, which is always good.

All Saints is really the Cullpeper's mausoleum, it is fill with memorials and tombs to generations of them.

Until the line died out.

I can't remember why I didn't finish photographing it last time, but I knew I had to go back with the big lens, so did today, recording mostly the glass, but found much more too.

I snapped all the glass, some of which was very good, but others, not so.

And so onto the short drive up the A229 to the M2, across the Medway then up to Cobham, across the fields to the village, parking outside the village hall and once collecting my camera gear, a short walk to the church.

It too was open. And as wonderful as before. Having my big lens, I wanted to snap the 19 brass plates marking the tombs of the great family. This is the best collection of medieval brass plates not just in Kent, but in all of England. That and the tomb in the Chancel making this such a special church, with so much of interest. Not least the remains of a spiral staircase in the south east corner of the chancel which lead to a very unusual gallery, now long since gone.

I snap much, some of it redoing what I had recorded before, but most new, including the windows.

I walked out of the church and down to the pub, Terry pulled up beside me in his ancient Audi, greeting me warmly. Ian was waiting in the car park, so we went in, bagged a table and we all decided to have lunch.

I thought I would be good and have something light, like tapas, while they both had the suet pudding of the day(!): steak and ale, in which they chose well. The tapas was bland, sadly, especially the creamy chicken dish, but the pint of local best ale was very good indeed.

We talked of plans for the new year and of the group, and eat well when the food is brought. The suet puddings looked fabulous.

On the tellybox I saw Norwich were 1-0 down at half tie, and by the time I got to the car to drive back home, were 3-0 and falling apart.

I drove in silence.

3-0 was the final score, but we have a run of what should be winable games, while Burnley will cruise to promotion with few worries.

I go to see jen, but she has gone for a walk, so I got no answer at the door, so drive home where Jools was just finishing in the garden.

We have a brew and some chocolate while I listen to yet more football, and review the 535 shots of the two churches I had taken.

As usual, we listen to Craig on the radio while I watch football on the computer, sitting with Scully on the sofa. She fell asleep under my arm, purring and snoring her way into dreamland, dreaming of fat mice, I guess. Or something.

Friday 3rd February 2023

Friday.

Fridays mean meetings.

Lots of meetings.

And this Friday they began at seven and went on to half nine without a break. At least one was our monthly coffee morning, where we talk about whatever we want to, and say what we want to do over the weekend. One of our Indian colleagues, hails from Nepal, so earlier this year, he returned home for a family wedding, and he shared a video of the children in the village at a ceremony, with wonderful music in the background while proud parents look on. Quite the best thing anyone has shared at any of these meetings, a real look into a different life.

The rest was meetings and calls, with yet more problems being shared.

I snatched breakfast and coffees through the meeting between meetings when I could. And all the time I was clock watching, looking at the minute had creeping round the dial.

Outside, the sun shone, but was cold, and anyway, there was little I could do as I had to work and attend meetings.

Truth is, I have a bad back. It is made worse by a minor condition which I will call for being polite, the curse of the Milligans. This means that I can go out for a walk, but get a real pain in the base of my spine. When its sunny I can convince myself this is a good idea, but not when its cloudy. Even if I know I should.

And Friday was sunny, but I really could not be bothered, so when Jools came back I went for a shave, shower and change of clothes. I did feel better.

Jools had stuff to sort out, which I will share with you at some point, but not for now. This meant dealing with automated help centres, and when she got to talk to an actual person, tme after time she was cut off. Sorted out in the end, but took hours, by which time it was five, getting dark and getting time for the music quiz.

The quiz is getting ever more cryptic, and this week the first picture was Tom Jones at a bus stop. The ansswer was Tom Waites, which I did get in the end, but not with that clue. Most jumped for The Hollies (we're only allowed on guess), as they had a song called Bus Stop, apparently.

And then it was off the Jen's for supper and cards.

Supper was pizza and lasagne. And wine. We ate and laughed, and all was good.

We cleared away, washed up, and then played cards. into the next to last hand, Jen suddeny says she could not see the cards and was unsure of what she was doing. She felt dizzy, so we took her into the living room and measured her blood pressure, and found it was low.

She recovered, but in ten minutes it happened again.

She recovered again and we ended our game, though we were worried. Doubly as she usually has high blood pressure.

Anyway, she's fine today and was out and about with John.

So, all good.

Two kings and a queen

We have a Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.

He has been PM since Liz Truss resigned with ther "economic policies" in tatters.

She followed Alexander Boris de Piffel Johnson who was removed by his party after most of his Cabinet resigned.

That last point should not be forgotten. Like how he appointed someone as Chancellor at lunchime and he resigned by supper.

Sunak is PM in name only, as his Party is riven into tribes who have formed groups in the PCP, and each one pretty much has enough power to defeat any vote if the opposition votes against the Government.

This means that a PM with a 70 seat majority literally cannot pass the mose general of policies, anything too edgy would be voted down by one of the factions.

Truss is to make a political comeback tomorrow, when in one of the Sunday papers she has penned a 3,500 word article outlining her plans for her return.

Or three and a half words for each hour she was Prime Minister.

It is said those who hold high office, or seek it, have an unwaivering self confidence, but that Truss is even trying this after her record breaking few days in Number 10 means she has no shame or self awareness.

Its not just that her policies were bad. They were. Its that it was all uncosted, based on beliefs, and the "markets", the very thing these free-marketeers claim to love. Well, the markets looked at was planned, and baulked. And their confidence and the markets themselves, collapsed.

And that should have been that. But the brain dead don't always stay dead. Apparently.

And then there is Johnson.

Johnson is a backbench MP with a constituency to represent in Parliament, for which he is paid £88k a year to do. But he has not been there, last week he was in Ukraine, sitting in a meeting with its President, with a UK flag on the table, suggesting hewas there is an official capacity, but apparently was just freelancing, but no one says anything.

And then he went to the US to earn hundred of thousands of dollars speaking at a GOP event, representing, well, himself. And all this is reported in places like the Torygraph as if he was still PM and had not been removed by his Party six months ago.

It is no secret he wants to be PM again. A job he lacks the skills or enthusasm to do.

So, back to our PM with his broken party. He has that, and now two previous PMs who want his job, and their fan bases will rail against anyting they see as rowing back on their beloved's core beliefs.

The hole the Conservative and Unuin Party made for itself, just got a lot, lot deeper.

In denial of reality

As I wrote a few days ago, this week marks the 3rd anniversary of Brexit becoming a reality.

Shall we review the benefits of Brexit, thus far:

*tumble weeds*

When asked, Brexiteers say that the vaccine rollout was a result of Brexit. But this just isn't true, as 2020 the Transition Agreement was in place, and the UK applied the laws and regulations of the EU, so could only take actions that any other member of the EU could. Because later, Denmark bought its own supplies of vaccines to vaccinate children under 16 years old. And then there is the claim that the UK was able to offer more support to Ukraine. This is also a lie.

And, in an amazing turn of events, former PM and part time Brexiteer, Aleaxander Boris de Piffel Johnson, suggested that for security Ukraine should join NATO and the EU. This from the man who dragged us as a nation out of the EU. How can't he see the hypocracy in this?

Bexit has not made the country richer, provided more money for the NHS, secured our borders and far from creating British jobs for British people, hundreds of thousands vacancies remain unfilled: economic inactivity adding to the stagflation, but for the most part those who were respnsible for securing the WA, rather than take the blame, people like David Davies instead blames those in his negotiating team for being to sympathetic to the EU.

Like all shit leaders, Ministers and managers, he like most Toties are happy to take credit when something goes wrong, but never the blame when it goes wrong. Like Brexit.

Some polls are suggesting that the Tories are showing such low support that the SNP could become the official opposition. In Westminster.

We'd love to see it

Thursday 2nd February 2023

Groundhog Day!

Ain't that the truth, campers?

We had a quiet start to the day, Jools had no swimming or yoga, so we laid in bed until half five, maybe later, before we got up.

Soon, at about six, the first signs of dawn could be seen away in the south east, and there was clear skies above, not the cloud frecasted, maybe, just maybe, this was going to be a good day?

Jools left for work, and I had some toast and another coffee, then got ready for work.

Work was the same, a two hour department meeting in which we discuss progress, and there was actual progress.

Which is nice.

I had two hours before my afternoon of more meetings, so wth a migraine building, I went for a walk.

I was intending to mainly look for wild flowers, but the walk would certainly do me good. I felt boots were no longer needed as the ground was getting firmer every day, grabbed a camera or two and walked out of the door.

I walked in shadow along our street and the track at the end of it, but into sunshine as I turned up to Collingwood before turning down the small dip towards Windy Ridge, then taking the first long track on the right, which would lead me level with the track the other side of the wood on Windy Ridge.

Plenty of flowers to be enjoyed: some nice double snowdrops, Common Field-speedwells and lots of Annual Mercury. As well as daisies, dandelions and the usual early spring suspects. The Winter heliotropes are now nearing their end, with petal edges turning brown as the warmth takes its toll.

The tracks were muddy in places, but I was able to get by, horses looked at me passing, mournfully hoping I would have a sugarlump or some other treat.

The climb past the farm made my back complain some, but we can't give into it, can we? Or we'd end up just like my Mother.

Precious.

Back home there was time for lunch of cheese on toasted cornbread, before I had three hours of meetings with my boss. The meetings are what I should have had when we joined the company two years and two days ago. But finally our new boss listened and made sure all of us have the training we should have.

In a couple of weeks, after mapping what we actually do and what we know, our jobs might be reassessed and we are hoping to be moved up the corporate ladder, which should mean a pay rise, but really that's wishful thiking on our part.

But we shall see.

The day ended and turns out I was pooped. 9,000 steps and five hours of meetings had taken their toll.

I had a coffee to pep me up, then got round to making dinner; breaded chicken, curried rice and creamed spinach. The main task was to turn the sack of spinach into a cricket ball-sized handful of mush, so it could be chopped and added to the which sauce when mixed.

Its a bit of a palaver, but worth it.

We eat, we drink.

A quiet football-less evening spent sitting on the sofa with Scully who had demanded it.

Wednesday 1st February 2023

A new month!

Yay.

January seems to last the first six months of the year, so to change the page on the calendar is very good to do indeed.

That being said, not much change in the weather, if anything thing, it was cloudier and cooler than Tuesday, and thruth is making it less likely that I would go out for a walk.

Maybe I'd feel different at three in the afternoon?

No, I wouldn't.

Jools went swimming, being the first morning of the new month you'd hope it would seem lighter. It wasn't really, but there is signs of dawn ever earlier, just not that much earlier

Soon it'll be summer and we will soon complain its too hot and we can't sleep.

Or something.

After what I think its safe to call my best day back in the old company in the two years since the merger, I can really see that we are beginning to turn the corner.

Which, if true, would be nice.

Oddly, after such a big and important meeting, Wednesday was very quiet. I did get my IT issue fixed so could catch up on my admin.

The day krept forwards, broken only by regular brews and breakfast and then lunch. Come half three, it was really too late for a walk. I went outside and confirmed it was cold and the light flat. But I did clear the dead plants and some of the new weed growth in the wildlife pond.

Cats and kittens were curious as to what I was doing, whizzing around the garden and climbing trees, whilst the birds chirped their annoyance at me being near to their feeders.

So it goes, so it goes.

Dinner was dirty burgers.

Just dirty burgers.

And oinions.

And cheese.

And pickles.

And curry ketchup.

And sweet beer.

We clear up and wrap up the evening with chocolate and coffee, before I join Scully on the sofa so we can both watch Man Utd v Forest in the League cup.

Another day done....

Tuesday 31st January 2023

The last day of January, and what turned out the best day's work I have had in the two years, 24 months, 104 weeks since the merger.

Sadly, I can't talk to much about it as to why it was so good, but my boss called afterwards and said I had done a good job, and maybe this is the corner being turned.

I hope so.

Before that was the morning, lunchtime and early afternoon.

Jools was away to work early as she had Monday off, so it was just me and the cats once again, and they went to bed by the time I had drained my first cup of java.

There was a podcast to listen to, so that distracted me until dawn began to show, though our plan to go and do some green comet hunting was thwarted due to cloud rolling over covering the sky before the moon set. We had to wait until that, as the moon is three quarters full, and its light would have made seeing the comet would have been impossible until the moon set. And on Wednesday we would have less than an hour between the even fuller moon setting and dawn starting.

Maybe we will be able to see it in the early evenings next week, if the comet survives its close encounter with the sun on Wednesday.

I set up the office and log on, checking my mails and replying to those I can.

I have breakfast, and spy a pack of oatcakes that Jools left out by mistake. No misake they're mine now, so butter all eight of them, put a dollop of marmalade on four then make four mini sandwiches, which I each with a fresh cup of coffee.

Last day of January, and it really is beginning to look a lot like Spring.

I had to go to the post office, so went the long way round via The Dip, mainly to look for Lesser Celandines along Kingsdown Road, but none seen.

And although it might look like spring, it was bracing and chilly in a keen breeze.

But 9,000 steps done, and letter posted along with a dozen eggs bought. So, not a total loss.

That and a Spurge Laurel seen in flower and some of the usual suspects.

I wasn't hunting for bird's eggs. Not wild birds anyway, but needed eggs for cooking and so on at home, so I thought that having a reason to go out would make me more likely to actually do it.

Which is what happened.

At least it started out being sunny, but clouds swept in from the west, the sun went in, and it got very chilly. But by that time I was at the top of Kingsdown Road and nearly at the shop.

I bought eggs, Moroccan vegetable pasty, crisps, a Ritter bar and an ice cream, the latter to eat and watch people park.

And judge their parking (in)abilities.

Then be left with a walk down and up Station Road to home.

Happy Days.

Once inside I pop the pasty in the oven, and once warm make that vanish along with the bag of sint n vinegar crisps.

This is the life.

Then it was time for the big meeting. I did my presentation, then was in the position of telling by betters what they had to do.

Nice.

Once the excitement had died down, it was three and time to pack up for the day, have a shower.

I had done my walk for the day, so watched darkness fall outside, though it was quarter past five until it was proper evening. I failed to notice as by that time I was making cornbread to go with the crispbakes and stir fry which we had once Jools returned home.

We had the Ritter chocolate bar (dark chocolate and whole hazlenuts) before Scully called me to the sofa to watch the football.

Yes boss.