Saturday 10th January 2026

It is the weekend again. And what better way to start Saturday than a session at the gym?

What indeed?

At least at weekends, there is an hour's lay in as it doesn't open until seven, so up at six, though my stupid brain had me awake before five. But I wasn't going to waste a lay in, oh now, I lay in the dark listening to hear if there was any rain or sleet falling.

There wasn't.

So, up and dressed, and after drinking the only coffee of the day, it was off to the car and then drive into the dawn as light crept over the horizon.

Another session on the bike, which went quite quickly, though my end my thighs were complaining, which I am lead to believe is a good thing.

Traffic is still light at eight, so back home safely, then once inside put the kettle on for a brew before we thought about breakfast.

Jools was going out to help Jen to buy a new phone, as her old steam-powered i-phone won't charge any more, so they went to Folkestone to window shop all the second hand shops.

I stayed behind. Washed up, then went for a shower, followed by a change of clothes, so smelt and felt much better.

BBC has chased another great DJ off 6 Music, but a random post on BlueSky revealed that Huey is now on Virgin, so after searching online I found his new show. And even better is that the show is four hours long, AND on Sunday too.

Shame about the ads, but a small price to pay.

It was FA Cup 3rd Round weekend too, and sadly the FA sold rights to most games to TNT Sports, leaving just three games on free to air BBC, putting "the people's cup" behind a paywall most can't afford.

But Macclesfield v Palace was on, and it delivered perhaps the biggest shock of them all with the Macc Lads wining 2-1, knocking the holders out.

Then to watch Final Score whilst listening to 5 Live, and at least the goals from the nine games kicking off at three were shown soon after they were scored.

I sat on the sofa with Scully, while Jools tried to transfer Jen's data from the old phone to the new one.

Darkness fell, and the games played out. Followed by Spurs v Villa which ended up 2-1 to the visitors, and the thought arises as to if we'll ever see Spurs win again?

We ate garlic chicken, Indian grains, creamed spinach and sprouts cooked in bacon and bacon fat. A lot of flavours, but good.

Friday 9th January 2026

Each day I start the day not just with a coffee, but to read old blog posts. And I realise that a lot of my posts in January lament or note the lack of light, and dreaming of when the days will become visibly longer.

Well, that hasn't happened this year. Not that I don't miss the longer days or the warmth of the sun, its just that life is full with fun stuff now, and we know that come February days will be longer, and maybe warmer.

Anyway, at the end of February we fly south chasing some late winter sun and orchids.

Which will be nice.

Friday was the day the Storm Goretti blew through. Here in east Kent it brough heavy rain, strong winds, but that's it. Through the day we had some snow, but it was too warm and wet to settle. Meanwhile the coast from Folkestone to Hythe was battered, with parts of the promenade destroyed, roads and houses flooded and tons of shingle from the beach washed up.

Jools went to yoga first thing, while I donned a rain-proof coat to put the bins out and to fill up the feeders.

Rain was blowing horizontal, and mighty cold. Jools was delayed coming home by an accident on the A2. Not sure what happened, but a single car had a bad accident, and the road through Whitfield to the port was closed for six hours, causing massive jams down Whitfield Hill and into town.

Jools would have missed it, only she offered to get bacon and sausage butties from B&Q on the way home, and got stuck in the jam. It took her an hour to get back, with the just still warm butties.

And then she was off to her craft morning at the library, followed by a late Christmas party in Martin at one of the member's houses.

So I stayed here and waited on the cats. Tested Scully and fed her, while outside the rain turned to sleet and then snow.

I was happy enough inside.

Having bought a whole cheek of guanciale, it needed to be cut into portions. So, I sharpened my knives and set about slicing it. The skin made it tough going, until I remembered the trick of cutting down through the skin holding the cheek vertical.

We got something like two pounds of guanciale which is now frozen and will be brought out whenever carbonara is on the menu.

When Jools came back, we settled down to watch two more episodes of Digging for Britain, which to our delight featured regular views of our village during the spoken links.

Supper was defrosted ragu, pasta and garlic bread cooked in garlic infused olive oil, which made bread tasty enough to ward off the most persistent of vampires.

I did poor in the quiz, only getting it right at the end, so nil points for Jelltex.

And no football on TV, as the FA Cup is now on TNT Sport, which is one subscription to much. So I went to bed early to read.

Thursday 8th January 2026

Its odd: mornings when there is nothing to get up for, my brain wakes me at five or half past, and days when we get up for phys, my brain would like me to lay in bed for hours more.

So it was on Thursday, the alarm waking me with a jolt of 5,000 volts into the world of the living, giving me forty minutes to get my act together so we could go to the gym.

We had coffee, got dressed and were off out at five to six, arriving at a frosty Whitfield at five past.

Quickly double to the entrance and up to the gym, where dozens were already pumping iron and lard.

We got on the bikes, programmed something to listen to, and off we went.

Time passes quickly.

Then at just gone seven, we were out and a short drive away is Tesco, where we had a few things to buy.

It is quiet at that time in the morning, and hundreds of spaces outside to choose in which to park.

We were done in twenty minutes, paid and loading up the car, passing the Duke of Yorks at half seven, just beating the school rush, getting home, where we made a brew and put the shopping away.

The forecast was shit for the next few days, to the temptation was to stay inside and hibernate. I knew we were out of guanciale, so it was agreed we would go to The Goods Shed in Canterbury and buy some, so we would have carbonara when we wanted.

Leaving the village, we entered mist and fog, which pretty much was the case all the way to the city. And yet about 20% of cars had no lights on. Quite where their brain are is anyone's guess.

We park outside the former rail depot, go inside and buy one cured cheek. On the way out we stop for a coffee at one of the three coffee shops, and have a snackeroony to go with it, before getting back in the car and driving back home.

Traffic was light, but tricky in the fog. I took things easy so we got home safe and sound.

And so to an afternoon of relaxing with Prof Alice Roberts and two editions of Digging for Britain, shows that brighten these dark New Year days.

Dinner is minted lamb, stir fry and the rest of the rice from the day before. Which was rather marvellous, and used up more leftovers.

Through the afternoon, the wind built as the storm approached. Rain began to fall, then be thrown at the back of the house as Storm Goretti swept into the Scilly Isles and then along the southern coast of England.

We got off light compared to others, and being on a hill, rain ran down past us, or down Station Road.

There was football, Arsenal v Liverpool, but was a dour dull game, that promised much more. Ended 0-0.

Rated X

The priary obligation is to obey laws applicable in whichever countries it opperates in.

The EU and the UK has strict laws on what can and cannot be on social media, with particular stress on child pornography.

I say this, as Twitter's AI bot, Grok, has been producing deep fake nude shots of children, after prompts by users on its platform.

This is a clear break of laws in the US, EU and Uk among many others.

There are now threats by Repuicans to penalise the UK if Starmer blocks Twitter from opperating in the UK.

So far, the UK Government has said its a matter for the media watchdog, OFCOM.

But such clear violations of UK law, why is there any discussion about this? Twitter needs to be blocked until it complies with UK and EU law, and any politician who stands up to defend Musk and his social media platform is condoning child pornography.

Putting this feature behind a paywall only makes matters worse. Twitter is owned by the world's richest nd second stupidest man, Musk, aka Space Karen, and the Republican party and 45th and 47th President is a convicted felown and probable peodophile. And probably Russian asset.

Trump's adminisration has yet t comply with the law in releasing all of the Epstein files, and why would that be?

Scratches chin.

I know people who are still on Twitter. That is a matter for your concience, but I could not stay, so left over two years ago. I will not provide content for Musk. Not on a platform that peddles right wing conpsiracies, undermines democracy and now pushes child porn.

Manye that's why Muusk renamed the platform X?

Wednesday 7th January 2026

It is the end of the first week of the year, and normality has returned.

Somewhat.

This retirement thing is still a bit of a novelty, like being able to take advantage of a sale for train tickets, which I have taken advantage of.

More of that in the upcoming weeks.

But normality, on Wednesdays, beings another class for Jools and bridge for me.

Things is with bridge, in the RAF we were all the same standard, and so bid pretty much the same way, reflecting our hands. The only convention we did follow was to open two clubs for a hand with over twenty points.

So, for the first meet of the year, the lesson was weak overcalls.

Which was very interesting, and the reason for it is to force the opposition into a higher contract than they would like.

But with so many conventions and opening bids, unless your partner knows what you do, it may all bring chaos.

But anyway, the hands were sorted so we could all experience making overcalls and seeing how well or how badly we would do.

Ten of us turned up, two didn't, meaning that we took turns in sitting out.

It was all enjoyable, and there was tea and refreshments as well as gossip. The two hours flow, and I bailed half an hour early as I was heading to Folkestone.

Jools had an appointment in Canterbury, so she was going on the bus, leaving me with a good two hours to do something.

Something involved a church.

I saw Ss, Mary and Eanswythe was open between eleven and one, so I would head over, and also try to arrange a visit for my churchcrawling group.

It was a bitterly cold, but gloriously sunny day, I drive back along the Deal Road, past St Maggies through Dover and out up the A20 to Folkestone.

Folkestone was pretty quiet. Lots of parking spaces, and some shops have given up opening some days of the week: Mondays and Tuesdays, and on other days have reduced hours.

So I walked up the Old High Street, where most places were closed, then up to the snicket to the church, past the woold shop, where I thought maybe I should buy Jools some wool.

But didn't.

The church was open, so I go in and was welcomed by a volunteer, Pam, who I struck up conversation with.

It would be a pleasure to have the group, so details were exchanged and hopefully we will go back next month.

I photograph the Victorian glass, some by Kempe were of a very high quality, but the Victorians were thorough in their renovation, and little of the church before the 19th century remains. But I spot some.

The church is bitterly cold, and this is having a detrimental effect on some of the Victorian wall paintings, one on the north wall of the tower had deteriorated badly in the last few weeks, as there appears to be a leak around an old blocked up window, and the water runs down through the mortar.

After an hour, I was done, so say thanks to the volunteers, and walk back to the car.

I was hungry, it was nearly one, and should I wait for Jools or get something?

In the end I called in at Little Farthingloe Farm Shop for a warm sausage roll, and as they looked delicious, a Viennese Whirl, half dipped in chocolate.

The sausage roll I ate standing in the car park, the whirl I ate once back home with a fresh brew, and was crumbly and delicious.

The evening was taken with football. I watched the first half of Palace v Villa, which promised much, but delivered nothing. So switched to the Burnley v Man Utd game at quarter past eight, and was better, ending 2-2. The Palace game ended 0-0, so I chose wisely.

Tuesday 6th January 2026

It is still cold. Ice cold in St Maggies. And being a Tuesday, meant that I was to go to the gym. It would have been easy to pass, but I sucked it up. Got up at five fifteen, and was out of the house before six. The car said it was minus two again. I believed it, but with less wind didn't feel as cold.

I drove to Whitfield, parked up and marched to the entrance, the warmth inside hit as soon as you walked through the inner door.

Up to the gym studio, and onto the bike, began pedalling at a higher resistance, doing my time as the gym filled up.

Once I was done, back out to the car, and drive home to beat the morning rush, but also to ensure I was back in time so Jools could do her class.

A brew waiting when I got in, and outside it was another clear sky into which the sun was waiting to rise.

I now have a whole series of things to do to fill my time. I was never bored anyway, but things to keep my mind working and so can be in wonder at the world as we discover more.

A fresh delivery of Belgian beer arrived. A box of twelve Christmas beers. They still had stock, so rather than trawl though supermarkets and offies, I bought them all in one box.

They're now chilling in the fridge.

Tomorrow my pretties.

I prepare lunch, which would do us for supper as well, as we seem to have just two meals a day now.

I thought that the saffron I bought in India might not last, so I searched for recipes with it as an ingredient, and came with up with something with chicken.

Chicken thighs, stock, onions, garlic, thyme combined with cooked rice to create a kind of middle eastern stew, I guess.

The saffron dyed the rice dark pink, and the flavours were wonderful.

We watched a documentary in the afternoon, tried to stay awake, and to ignore the plaintive pleas of the cats for early dinner.

A slight change to the weather arrived just after dark. The wind increased and so the temperature didn't drop so low, and later, once we were in bed, heavy rain fell.

Still felt cold, though.

West Ham lost to Nottingham Forest, so all was well with the world.

Monday 5th January 2026

It seems to be getting colder.

So cold many plants are withdrawing moisture from their stems and look like they're dead. Alexanders and Borage especially.

I slept in to seven, and Jools had left for swimming at ten to six, so the house was warm and quiet.

Until the meowing started.

I get up, get dressed, and go down to make myself coffee, go out to fill up the feeders, so the birds will have something to eat with the ground as hard as iron.

We have had most corvids in the garden, except ravens, jays and choughs, but I did see a pair of choughs beside the road on Sunday morning coming back from the gym, near Walletts Court.

A corvid was different kind of sheen to its feathers, and ten there was the orange beak.

I passed one, and then a second. But no place to stop, nor had I my DSLR and big lens, so I drove on happy I had seen them again.

No snow here, but a deep hoar frost, and way too cold to go out for a walk.

There are tasks around the house, including having a shower, then preparing lunch, which was to be chicken and leek pie, roast potatoes and steamed veggies.

So, potatoes were peeled and left to soak for an hour. Then boiled before being allowed to steam dry. Only then plunged into red hot duck fat, basted and left to roast for half an hour before basting again.

When basted a third time after an hour, the pie went in the oven and the veggies set to steam.

So just half an hour later we sat down to eat, still bright in the early afternoon sunshine.

The potatoes were golden globes, crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. Perfect in other words.

After eating we rested, and the day began to fade as the sun sank in the west, away above the down on which Chez Jelltex sits.

Supper was a slice of pistachio panettone, with a fresh brew.

And that was that.

There was football in the evening, Leicester v WBA, but I went to bed at half time with the scores level at 1-1. Leicester scored a winner, apparently, in the 94th minutes, but I was sound asleep by then.