england
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Once or twice a year, we cross the county border into East Sussex for a day in Rye. Less frequently we venture to Hastings, and the last time we did so, we walked along the seafront to St Leonards, saw the signs pointing to Bexhill-on-Sea and dearly wished we could have gone further if we’d… Read more
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Wingham is a village half way between Canterbury and Sandwich, and being on the main bus route between the two, is a perfect place for exploring the surrounding countryside. The first of the walks that we did this summer was from the ‘Kent Year Round Walks’ book, which we have had for a little while… Read more
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I read a lot about King Athelstan, both before and after our trip to Malmesbury, and during the course of this, was surprised to discover that he had been crowned in Kingston Upon Thames – a town on the border between Wessex and Mercia, and by choosing it, it thereby symbolised his unification of England.… Read more
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Way back at the end of May, we managed to get away on the mini break that I’d impulsively booked for my daughter’s birthday whilst I was still on sick leave and pretty much incapacitated by my CFS relapse. I had returned to work on a very slow phased return after Easter and despite the… Read more
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Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day, and since my UPF free Lent, I have become obsessed with overnight oats. I’m a basic girl and just soak the oats in water with grated apple and chia seeds, adding fruit and natural yoghurt in the morning – and I really look forward to it. During… Read more
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Kentish cherry season is underway. The general fruit and vegetable stall in the town has been selling cherries for a while now, but it is always more exciting when the Faversham cherry lady arrives with her stall, and there is always a queue of people waiting to buy a pound of cherries from her laden… Read more
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Augustine was a 6th century monk, who in 595 was sent by Pope Gregory, along with a band of 40 other monks, to bring Christianity to England. He got as far as Southern Gaul before tales of the ferocity of the Anglo Saxons and the perils of the English Channel saw him turn and return… Read more
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I am still signed off work with CFS and still focusing on graded exercise – and am relieved that I am finally seeing signs of improvement. In order to micromanage my recovery I have, with the odd exception, stuck to exactly the same walk every day, gradually increasing my step count after 5 – 7… Read more
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My spirits were definitely lifted by the recent beautiful weather. I am finding my daily walk to be a bit of a chore but I enjoyed sitting on a bench in the park at the end, reading my book and soaking up some much needed warmth and sunshine. Although it has now turned cold again,… Read more
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I love Christmas but always approach the new year with a certain amount of trepidation. For as long as I can remember I have just felt terribly sad as the old year comes to an end, and having written a diary since the age of seven, the empty pages of a new volume have always… Read more
A Little Kentish Magic 