Chilling in Chilham

Up and working with Keith for a couple of hours, then Lorraine and I zoomed over to Ashford to celebrate Pat's 89th birthday (which was yesterday along with Sam's) and Pat and Maureen's 65th wedding anniversary. 

When we I arrived at Pat and Maureen's house I had to zoom upstairs and work and give a presentation. Microsoft teams suddenly not working on my laptop... Nine minutes late to join feeling stressed and flustered. Thankfully the people involved are very nice.

After this crammed into the car, picked up an old pal of Pat and Maureen's called Janet Pooley, and then made off to The White Horse in Chilham in Kent (and very chilled it was too). Much enjoyable bantering in the back of the car. Maureen was saying that Margaret was very nice 'but how she ended up with a one like that...' glancing darkly at me. She does make me laugh.

At Chilham (indeed very chilled) we met Lorraine's uncle Steve and we went into the White Horse pub where a table had been reserved, to strap on the nosebags. Everyone had the steak suet pudding except for me (fish and chips). Carl called while I was there too, and we had a quick chat. Steve entertainingly holding court about the goings-on in Ramsgate. Pat being given a free glass of whisky for his birthday (annoyingly not White Horse whisky) by the staff.

Afterward we had a walk around the church, which was very nice. There is a particular smell that English churches have. Janet Pooley was baptised there eighty years ago, and had never been in since.

Below Janet, Lorraine, Pat, Maureen and me (I am resting my hand on Maureen's head to annoy her), Pat and Steve, the Pub and and a bit of the village, and a lovely epitaph in the old church.