I walked to The Harbour Arm and met the family at Brewing Brothers. Huge wait for food so wife had already ordered me a pizza, and I got a "Table Beer", their own brew at only 2.5%. Just nursed that one for the whole evening, though everyone else piled in. The food did take a very long time to come. I had to drag everyone away when it closed at ten. Everyone had a lovely time, the cousins had a good time playing poker for pebbles and going off for walks around Folkestone harbour.
Today I got my hair cut, have done all the ironing for the wedding and for wife's holiday next week. It's still very hot, so just sat waiting for the off. Nephews are being delivered here, as boys are not going to the wedding ceremony. Then we're coming back, getting half changed (just changing shoes probably, and heading into Folkestone. Going to a pub before the main meal. Maybe Cigar And Olive or The Cat And Fiddle, think they're both nice with pub games.
I suggested The Potting Shed, it did not go down well. OK no-one but me would like it and the kids would not even be allowed in, but apart from that what's wrong??
Oh back to wedding shoes, just remembered mine need a repair so have to get the hot glue gun out!
Weather is much nicer than predicted so far here today. And I've had two coffees already, can I have a third?
Light rain and a gentle breeze, 14 - 23℃.
Guessing 3238 coffees from my espresso machine1 prob'ly comes to 78.6p per cup (including 4+ years supply of coffee and now servicing1 but not the 'leccy).
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. In theory…
🚶 18:22 Shepway Walking 57'08 - Heading to the harbour arm, to brewing brothers for pre wedding pizza and beer. One 2% table beer for me so I could drive back.
Done after another hard week at the AI coalface. No time to go out and enjoy the weather yet, though I know it is still nice. My bit of fresh air was hanging some washing out on the balcony. Done with work now though, tonight pre-wedding drinks at the Harbour Arm, but I do appear to be driving, so it's pre-wedding non-drinks. Tomorrow wedding at lunchtime, so hopefully got time to get a haircut before that. Then wedding is in Canterbury, then drive home, some time to kill, pick up boys, and head out again to The Radnor Arms. And not driving for that bit so I hope there is a nice beer on.
I keep saying the wrong indefinite article to T1 just for fun and now he thinks I don't know how to use "a" and "an". It is an laugh though. Anyway I am reading a book, the Susie Dent novel "Guilty by Definition" and there is talk in there of a commonplace book, which was a thing people used to keep in the sixteenth century and so on. It would be a personal collection of things they'd heard, things they liked, song lyrics and stuff like that, and to find one of these today would be an absolutely treasure trove of what people were saying and doing in those days. And I thought, it's like this blog isn't it? What a find this will be for people in 500 years to discover just how many times I'd been to the pub and what the temperature was and so on...
It of course reminds me I should be writing more about what I'm thinking and feeling, for when I want to look back on this in the future. But at the times I get to sit down and type something in I'm not thinking or feeling very much. I am thinking it's a nice day, weather is still nice, and I am feeling pleasantly cool sat on the balcony right now. I did hear a thing on the radio that I liked this morning, that the far right vote is being split by the new party that spun off Reform, whatever they are called. Where Reform started off as just being the "send them back" party, and they are trying to appeal more to the centre now, this lot who span off are sticking with the "send them back" vibe, and going even further with it. And it's properly splitting the vote, the proper racists are going with the new lot, and Reform are mostly left with the disillusioned tories. The numbers are not huge but in this Makerfield by election (where Andy Burnham has been parachuted in so he might challenge Keir Starmer next 1) the polling says something like seven percent of that electorate might vote for the new far right party. I must look up their name, it also starts with an R 2 and I'm sure it was formed by ex reform mp Rupert Lowe. Anyway, if they take seven percent of the vote, the gap between Reform and Labour is less than that. So by them even existing they are probably guaranteeing Labour get in. So it's weird but I'm cheering them on. Let the right wing loons eat each other! And if this can happen everywhere we might get rid of reform, rather than them becoming the biggest party at the next election as everyone was saying. Come on racists, get more mad and racist! You can do it!
Anyway, my thoughts and feelings, that makes me happy. And now I'm feeling hungry. And after I've eaten my tea I will say to T1 "I et my tea" and he will not like that either. If he comes back from the beach that is. He's always out these days. T2 was out yesterday but he's sat in the lounge playing a video game right now. He's not complaining about me being sat her with the double doors open, that is a bonus.
A clear sky and a moderate breeze, 13 - 24℃.
Little note for the historians of the future there. "The Makerfield by-election was triggered by the resignation of sitting Labour MP Josh Simons, who said he wanted to give Greater Manchester Mayor Burnham a route back into the parliamentary party. Burnham would widely be expected to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the leadership - and thereby become Prime Minister - if he can first convince voters in Makerfield."
I looked it up they're called Restore Britain and they can fuck right off.
Wow this weather has been amazing, and to have coincided with a bank holiday is incredible. Of course with the temperature going over thirty it has felt too hot but I'm not one to complain about that. I had a lovely Friday at two pubs, which I don't think I mentioned. We started at The Bell, sat out in the garden, reminiscing about the covid times. That was the first place that reopened and we had to sit outside in the garden in coats and hats. Not this time of course, was lovely. And the beer was lovely, and we only moved when some small kids kicked their ball against our table too many times. Well I'd have been keen to move anyway, on to The Potting Shed for the rest of the night. Then Saturday in London which I covered already. So good to catch up with that friend, and we have firmed up plans to go to some more gigs. We already had Faster Pussycat for September, and now I've bought Dogs D'Amour at the same venue in June.
Sunday I also covered, so then Monday. Feels like four days off when I have a good Friday night too. We went early to the cinema, to The Silver Screen in Folkestone, to see The Mandalorian and Grogu. Not many people in the cinema on a scorching day, but it was fine, cooler in there than I expected. The film OK too, some nice old references, and good effects, but the plot a bit more like a video game than I'd have liked. It's a monster fight, oh it's a bigger monster fight. Not really a lot of jeopardy, you knew what was going to happen. Enjoyable though.
Hot walk back from there, along The Leas and through Sandgate. And then another stop in the pub! Back to The Ship again, and bumped into friends there again. We played cards and had some chips with our beer (my beer) and then home for the chili that wife had cleverly prepared in advance.
Yesterday, back to work, but fine. Then took T1 for his first guitar lesson in Folkestone. He's keen to learn, so I hope he practices. He's doing an hour every two weeks, that's what was available, but he's going straight into learning a chord progression that is already sounding like lots of songs.
Wednesday, today, hot again. Up early to take wife to the station, she was commuting. Big problems on the trains, slowed her down going in, but not too much. Other people in much more of a mess, a broken down train somewhere. I'm supposed to be going in tomorrow, and there's no real reason not to but I don't want to risk that happening again. Got family visiting and we're going out Thursday night, and then Friday and then Saturday too. I will get up early and see what the trains look like.
Have not really spent any of the bonus yet that's good. I'm too intimidated, got too much we need to spend it on, and as soon as I start it will all go and there won't be enough for everything we need. Premium bonds prize day in only a week though...
Doing an afternoon of racing around when I should be sat relaxing in the sun. Took T2 to cricket this morning and left him there as he was going home with friends. Found there was a boot fair on Hythe Green, result! I got there too late for any bargains. There were loads of Pokemon cards but I think there were a lot of knock-offs. I bought a genuine pack, hope T2 is pleased. Then also, been to Tesco, twice. No bin food today! I could have got some chips and some chicken. No chance to use any of it, as we're going out for curry tonight.
In other running around took wife to her friend's beach hut for the afternoon, T1 to the gym, returned T1's laptop to Curry's AGAIN, and now have to pick up T2, and I suppose T1. Then meet wife in Sandgate for quick pint and then hopefully curry. We have not booked and it is VERY busy round here as it is such a nice day. So many visitors to the area on days like this. At least they'll hopefully be sticking to the beach and then heading back to London or wherever and not be cluttering up The Green Spice tonight.
After parkrun I quickly got changed and got a lift up to the station, to get a very busy train into London. Had talked a friend into coming to meet me for a day of beer related fun.
We met first at the Marquis of Anglesey, as he'd got there first and had bagged a table on the roof terrace. It's a good pub for me anyway, we'd been there with the boys before. I didn't know there were more levels to it, including a roof terrace. The real ales had both just gone, which I found out after doing the many flights of stairs again. So I settled for a Neck Oil shandy. Very hot day, a good choice for it. You can reserve tables on this roof terrace, which someone else had for half one, so we had to move downstairs for our next one. The ales were back on, and we stood outside for one.
I had half an idea to shop too, had my eye on a jacket, but it was always unlikely. We moved to the White Lion and had a couple more in there, luckily bagging a table outside there too. Such a good spot so we made the most of it and sat there a good while. Got some chips and spoke to some American tourists who had just arrived from Atlanta.
For out proper food we went into Seven Dials food market and got some delicious Syrian food, really tasty.
Then about when I should have been heading home we went into Soho and had another beer stood outside The Coach And Horses and spoke to more tourists. Also got speaking to someone who was something to do with https://unionjackclassic.com American college football in London, a singer maybe who was doing the half time entertainment? It's a bit hazy now. Anyway, really pleasant day all round, so good to catch up. A treat of a day.
🚶 00:03 Shepway Walking 42'35 - Walking back from station. Yeah I'll probably come home on the 6pm train... got one about half nine, but then feel asleep and woke up at Thanet Parkway, so train back to Ashford and then back to Folkestone again...
🚶 12:58 Shepway Walking 23'30 - Short lunch walk, too busy. Then battery I left my watch on charge so forgot to take it out with me later so missing a load of steps... I definitely walked to the pub and back later.
So this is what they mean when the old Masterchef contestants say "I've been doing private catering", she was in catering for some leadership team get together. I am not on the leadership team, but she offered me some of the harmony salad that she made on Masterchef recently, the one for Jay Rayner. But it has a quail egg in it and I can't rememeber what else, so thanks but no.
I would not have had a photo with her but it was for T1, he is quite a Masterchef fan and he would know who she is.
Paulʼs weblog - I live in A sleepy town in the deep South. Married + father to 2, I am a full stack web developr, and I do mostly js / nodejs, some ruby, other languages ect ect. I like pubs, parkrun, restaurants, home-automation 🤖 + other diy stuff, history, tree stuff, telly, squirrels, pirates, lego, + TIME TRAVEL.
