Blog Posted,

and I was on my way,

through the park,

passing the snail mail box on my way to the number 54 bus stop,

on to the bus and as usual at this time of the year, the inside windows of the bus were steamed up with condensation,

I tried to take a photograph of Lewisham's Christmas tree, with no luck,

at Blackheath village, either, I was early, or, the florists were opening up late,

grey skies over the station, not much of a wait for the train,

arriving at Dartford I could not have planned it better! my next train to Gravesend just a one minute wait,

but a tad longer at the bus stand, as it happens one of the passengers waiting was chatting to a driver, the news was not good, he, the driver, is leaving his job next week, I mentioned some time ago that one of the buses I could have caught to the nursing home, the 481 had been permanently cancelled, well due to Kent council heading towards bankruptcy, the driver mentioned that in the next few months the 489 will also be permanently cancelled, and things will only get worse, he and five other drivers are allegedly leaving their bus driving jobs before the bus company stops running, the passenger asked, "are you serious?" the reply, "we are leaving our jobs two weeks before Christmas, how much more serious can we be?" I just hope the 483 will continue to run, or using a taxi from Gravesend station to the nursing home and back to visiting Duncan will be just too expensive,

the wait at the bus stop gave me some time to photograph the sky, I have to say the difference in temperature between Blackheath was really noticeable, it was so cold here,

alighting from the bus a walk up the hill, 

hardly any leaves on the trees now as I entered the grounds of the nursing home,

as I was chatting to Duncan, who was in fine sprits, he noticed a squirrel passing by on one of the outside handrails, we chatted about some of the times we had whilst commuting to work when I lived in Rainham near his home, amongst other memories of the 1980s that we shared, before saying our goodbyes I mentioned that next week I would be calling in on Thursday, as on Wensnsday there is a train strike, I just hope that unlike the last time this happened, some of the Gravesend bus drivers do not go on strike as well! 

as I left the nursing home the skies had started to clear,

and at Gravesend they were almost blue,

then a bit of bad news, the 13.18 on platform 0 was cancelled,

so a alternative train on platform 1, along with a slight wait,

arriving at Dartford, the fountain in the pond next to the station was working, just a short wait here for the next train,

in Blackheath village the florist now open,

putting on a nice display, 

I was soon on the bus which was packed, so a seat at the back and not so many photographs, but new to Lewisham a Taco Bell,

past the building that never seems to be finished, although it now does appear to have a entry system in place,

the bee gardens on top of some of the bus shelters,

looking good, this one with mushrooms as well, a tad larger than they were last week,

off of the 54 bus and into the park, the Christmas tree in the garden at Foxgrove Lodge looking nice,

as did the decorated sign and Rudolph in the distance,

in the hedge before the tree,

although difficult to see one of the home owners had put out some blue lights for Christmas,

nearly clear skies as I passed the snail mail box,

in the evening a read and a sherry,

followed by some prawn crackers, 

'Cheers!', Diana was home from work,

and had prepared a huge Chinese meal,

it looked,

and was delicious,

after which it was feet up for a Lewis, 

during which Diana open her next advent present,

it was a fine make up brush, after Lewis we watched a New Tricks and a Have I Got More News For You, before we were off to bed.